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When Elvis Presley went to the recording studio, filmed a movie, or took a vacation, his group of friends followed. They made up his entourage and did a variety of jobs for him, including simply providing him with company. They weren’t always supportive, though. When Elvis expressed interest in filmmaking, his friends rolled their eyes.

Elvis Presley’s friends didn’t care much about his film career

In 1964, Elvis started work on the film Roustabout. When he got to set, his entourage was with him. The film’s director, John Rich, did not appreciate their presence and tried to keep them away from the action. Still, they hung around the set, which Rich believed was a detriment to Elvis.

“I’m not one for fraternizing too much with the group around the players, but they were around quite a bit, and you couldn’t ignore them,” he said in...

The 1989 action classic Road House (watch it Here) recently got a decent enough Prime Video remake that’s set to receive a sequel – which is something the original movie should have gotten around 1991 or so. But no matter what other movies use the Road House title, nothing will ever compare to that ’89 movie… which I have vivid memories of watching at a drive-in during its initial release. To celebrate the 35th anniversary of Road House, the estate of musician Jeff Healey has announced that they’re teaming up with Sony Music and Mondo Music to bring us Road House: The Lost Soundtrack, the complete, previously unreleased soundtrack that Healey recorded for the film.

Road House: The Lost Soundtrack is available to pre-order from the Jeff Healey Estate’s official website and will also be available on all major streaming platforms on June 7th, courtesy of Sony Music. This release features...

All throughout his life, Elvis Presley sought a higher purpose and meaning. He turned to spiritual books and religious leaders for guidance but never seemed to reach the answers he was hoping to find. One religious leader he turned to was Daya Mata, the president of the Self-Realization Fellowship/Yogoda Satsanga Society of India. In their conversation, Elvis vented about some of the people in his life.

Elvis Presley discussed his entourage with a religious leader

When Elvis met with Daya Mata, she felt an immediate empathy toward him.

“He had done some reading. He was sinking,” she said in the book Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick. “Here was someone who had everything the world could offer, [but] it didn’t satisfy him. There was still an emptiness, and the only way to fill it was to turn within.”

(L-r, standing) Billy Smith, Bill Morris, Lamar Fike,...

Some of Elvis Presley’s closest friends were members of his entourage. They traveled with him, served as bodyguards, and assisted him in times of need. In return, Elvis paid them and showered them with lavish gifts. While one of his longtime friends said this was a benefit of knowing Elvis, it was also something of a curse.

Elvis’ friend said the singer was both a blessing and a curse to know

Elvis watched a good deal of television in his lifetime. One of his favorite programs was a show called The Millionaire.

“Elvis was crazy about a TV show … called The Millionaire,” his friend Joe Esposito said, per the book Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick. “Each week an ordinary person with a problem answered a knock at his door to find a messenger in a suit who announced that he was presenting the person...

Elvis Presley’s music carried him to unprecedented levels of fame and success. He had 18 songs go to No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and his albums sold rapidly. Just a few short years before his ascension to stardom, though, few people knew he liked to sing. Elvis said he even failed his music class in school.

Very few people Elvis knew loved music

Elvis grew up singing in church and around his home, but he didn’t speak of his hobby at school. He was quiet, so few of his peers knew much about him.

“I first realized that I could sing at about two years of age,” he said, per the book Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick, later adding, “People would listen to me around the housing project where I lived, [but at school] nobody knew I sang.”

Elvis Presley | Earl leaf/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images...

In the years of Priscilla Presley’s relationship with Elvis Presley, she dealt with constant, well-placed concerns about his infidelity. When they first started dating, Elvis’ girlfriend, Anita Wood, had the same concerns. She was aware that Elvis had met someone in Germany, and that this girl was sending letters to her boyfriend. Elvis told her that she had nothing to worry about, though.

Elvis told Anita Wood that Priscilla Presley shouldn’t concern her

When Elvis left for Germany with the army, he was dating Wood. They continued their relationship when he returned to the United States, after he met and began pursuing Priscilla. Wood discovered this after finding a letter from Priscilla.

“In the letter there was something to the effect of — ‘You need to call my daddy and talk him into letting me come over. I want to come really bad,’” Wood recalled, per the book Careless...

After Elvis and Priscilla Presley divorced, he began a relationship with Linda Thompson. These were among the most significant romantic relationships in his life. His bodyguards liked both Priscilla and Thompson, and they got to know them well enough to take note of the differences between them. They said Thompson was more comfortable with Elvis’ lifestyle than Pricilla.

Elvis’ friends said there was a key difference between Priscilla Presley and Linda Thomspon

Priscilla met Elvis when she was 14 years old and entered into an over-ten-year relationship with him. She moved to Graceland in the early 1960s and quickly began to feel lonely and confined. This feeling grew more intense over the years. Elvis was away from her for weeks at a time and, when he was home, he kept nocturnal hours and liked to stay in the house. She began to feel that she could never grow as a person...

When Elvis Presley’s career started taking off, he realized his fame and good looks won him points with women. While he didn’t date many people before fame, he had multiple flings after he became a celebrity. Presley’s friend said he relied on a persona that wasn’t all that truthful after his rise to success.

Elvis Presley leaned into a persona to pick up women

In the early 1950s, Elvis was extremely polite with women and followed a strict code of conduct with dating. By the middle of the decade — when Elvis’ music career had taken off — his bodyguard, Red West, doubted his manners were completely genuine.

“But then as Elvis got older it became part of his patter,” West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “He really developed that professional country-boy act with women. In the later years it was no longer natural,...

After Elvis and Priscilla Presley divorced, he invited her to one of his shows. His girlfriend, Sheila Ryan, was also in attendance, and he had the women sit together. While this was likely a little uncomfortable, Elvis’ behavior during the show would have made them forget about any awkwardness between them. He monologued about both women, and his bodyguard said they each looked very embarrassed.

Elvis embarrassed Priscilla Presley and his new girlfriend with his monologuing

During a Las Vegas performance in the 1970s, Elvis got to perform in front of his ex-wife and new girlfriend.

“It was weird,” bodyguard Red West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “He had Priscilla and Sheila sitting in a booth next to one another.”

Priscilla and Elvis Presley | Frank Edwards/Fotos International/Archive Photos/Getty Images

In between songs, he spoke about the jewelry he’d gifted Ryan and...

Elvis Presley achieved a massive level of success early in his career and maintained his fame for two decades. While he eventually grew more accustomed to fame, his level of celebrity shocked him at first. He could hardly believe the effect he had on people and he found it a bit overwhelming. He said that he felt a bit scared of his success.

Elvis Presley said his level of success frightened him

Elvis began his music career in the early 1950s when he recorded songs as a gift for his mother. By 1956, he had cemented his celebrity status.

“[1956 was] when everything took off,” his bodyguard Red West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “Everything he touched turned to gold, he couldn’t do a thing wrong.”

Elvis Presley | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Fans wept their way through Elvis’ shows and he jumped into a film career.

In the mid-1950s, Elvis Presley learned that his fame gave a huge boost to his dating life. Before this, though, he didn’t have many girlfriends. According to his bodyguard and friend, Red West, Elvis had a set of rigid rules for his romantic life. West described him as every mother’s dream.

Elvis had strict rules for dating

In the early 1950s, Elvis had two serious girlfriends. He would later date around, but West said he never did this before fame.

“Up until he went into the army, he pretty much was only involved with two real girlfriends, both Southern, both charming, and both very pretty,” West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “One was Dixie Locke and the other girl was a lady named Anita Wood. He never took advantage of who he was.”

Anita Wood and Elvis Presley | Bettmann/Contributor via Getty...

In many of his concerts, Elvis Presley tossed sweat-soaked scarves to his eager fans. People rushed forward for a chance to get one of the scarves, which quickly became a problem for the singer’s bodyguards. During one show, they witnessed one fan get in the middle of a vicious fight for a concert souvenir.

Elvis’ bodyguards saw fans fight over a scarf

When Elvis performed, audience members could count on having a chance to bring home a keepsake. Elvis would wipe his face with a scarf before tossing it out to the roiling crowd below. While this was a nice idea, it caused arguments, particularly when two people grabbed hold of the same scarf.

Daily Advertiser writer Dominick Cross recalled watching two women fight viciously over a scarf. Elvis’ bodyguard Red West witnessed a similar scene. Unfortunately, there was a woman caught in the middle.

“It looped around her...

Elvis Presley was only married once, but he had many romantic partners in his lifetime. His entourage sought out women for him after shows, and he often pursued his co-stars. When looking for a romantic partner, Elvis wanted to avoid women with one physical characteristic.

Elvis avoided romantic partners with a specific physical trait

As Elvis’ entourage sought out women to set him up with, they became well acquainted with the singer’s type. He preferred petite, feminine brunettes, much like Priscilla Presley. Elvis’ desire for a smaller woman meant he specifically avoided partners with large feet.

“He likes them about five foot four, five foot five, and there is one thing that really turns him off and that is chicks with big feet,” bodyguard Sonny West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy.

Elvis Presley | Steve Morley/Redferns

Elvis believed big feet did not fit into...

Elvis Presley’s career brought him immense wealth, but he spent money nearly as quickly as he earned it. He racked up expenses for fleeting hobbies and gifted friends, family members, and even strangers lavish presents. Elvis also turned his generosity on his fans. During one concert, he gave away so much expensive jewelry that he embarrassed his jeweler. This didn’t concern him much, though.

Elvis alarmed his jeweler when he gave a large amount of money to an audience

In the 1970s, Elvis thought the crowd at one show was a little too quiet. To win them over — and pitch them into the frenzy at which he liked his audiences to operate — he brought his jeweler onstage. Elvis began reaching into the case and handing out the expensive items inside, much to his jeweler’s horror.

“He started taking pieces of jewelry out of the case and going...

Elvis Presley built a fan base that supported him for years. They bought his records, watched his films, and let loose at his concerts. While Elvis loved the way his fans showed their devotion to him, his bodyguards did not. They believed the behavior of the audiences at the singer’s concerts was shocking.

Elvis’ entourage said fans behaved appallingly during concerts

Elvis’ bodyguards were on hand at concerts to make sure the singer was safe during his performances. Ultimately, though, they said they had to watch out for the safety of the audience more than they did Elvis.

“I swear I don’t know how someone hasn’t been killed at some of these shows,” bodyguard Red West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “There have been a lot of people hurt but it’s a miracle somebody hasn’t been killed.”

Elvis Presley | Bettmann...

Elvis Presley grew accustomed to performing to screaming audiences of fans who would do anything to get closer to him. While the crush of their enthusiasm concerned his bodyguards and venue security, Elvis reveled in it. When he got in front of a particularly polite and quiet audience, he realized he had to do something to rile them up. His solution was an incredibly expensive one.

Elvis gave away expensive jewelry to one audience

When Elvis’ bodyguards raised their concerns about audience behavior at his concerts, he told them not to worry. “When they stop attacking me, I’m dead,” he said, per the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. It bothered him greatly, then, that one 1973 audience was comparatively quiet.

“He was in the dressing room and he told me that the audience wasn’t worth a damn,” bodyguard Red West said. “They weren’t responding, which wasn’t really true.

Elvis Presley played shows in Las Vegas for years, and it didn’t take long for him to tire of playing the same songs each night. By the early 1970s, Elvis was restless and distracted during his residencies in the city. He spent increasing amounts of time chatting with his audience as a way to shake up the monotony. According to his friend, Elvis didn’t even bother to learn the lyrics to many of the songs he performed.

Elvis wasn’t interested in learning his songs later in his career

After a sweepingly successful return to live performances in Las Vegas, Elvis signed on to play five years of shows at the International Hotel. It revitalized his career and made him excited about music again. This feeling lasted over a year, but the monotony of his schedule began to muddy his contentment. He lost his interest in his performances and the songs he played.

Elvis Presley was one of the biggest celebrities in the world during his lifetime, but the death threats he received proved that not everyone was a fan. Elvis’ bodyguards said many of the threats the singer received were easy to write off as hoaxes. Sometimes, though, they took them quite seriously. They spoke about one that frightened them so badly they involved the FBI.

Elvis received one particularly distressing death threat

When Elvis began playing shows in Las Vegas after a break from live performances, he was closer to his fans than he’d been in years. This brought increased attention to him. With that came an influx of threats.

“We tried to keep most of it away from Elvis,” bodyguard Red West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy, “but there was a lot of serious stuff coming down that he had to know about.”

One...

There are a lot cult classics from the 1980s, but Road House stands somewhere near the top. Sure, many of its fans wouldn’t label it as such, since they lovingly, legitimately and unironically adore it. But there’s no use in arguing it belongs in one camp over another or that it is unapologetically everything it sets out to be. But it – and its cult following – couldn’t have happened without a few broken ribs, a don’t-take-no producer and some pervy late-night phone calls to a star’s spouse. Yes, it involves Bill Murray… So, pour some suds and rip some throats because we’re gonna find out: Wtf Happened to this Movie?!

Road House comes from a script by David Lee Henry (a pseudonym for R. Lance Hill) and Hilary Henkin and tells of a dude with a mullet named Dalton hired to “cool” the Double Deuce bar,...

Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, has faced criticism for the control he exercised over the singer. According to members of Elvis’ entourage, he also exercised control over them. They claimed Parker was able to put them in a state of hypnosis and used it to control their behavior.

Elvis’ manager used hypnosis on the singer’s entourage

Parker had the ability to hypnotize people, a skill he used frequently on members of Elvis’ entourage.

“He had a thing where he would hypnotize me and get me to do crazy things,” bodyguard Sonny West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “Now, I wasn’t in a trance and I knew what I was doing, but I did them just the same, some really nutty things that always had people in stitches. I would just do whatever he told me. I was hypnotized.”

Colonel Tom Parker...

Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley had a strained relationship in the early days of Elvis’ career. Sinatra spoke out against rock music and pointed to Elvis as a corruptive force on America’s youth. The rumors that Elvis was involved with Sinatra’s girlfriend certainly didn’t help things, either. Elvis acted in a film with Juliet Prowse while she was with Sinatra. He came very close to catching the two of them together.

Frank Sinatra nearly walked in on Elvis and Juliet Prowse

In 1960, Elvis and Prowse starred in G.I. Blues, the former’s first after his discharge from the army. At the time, Prowse was with Sinatra. Elvis often pursued his leading ladies, though, and he wasn’t going to let Sinatra get in the way of this. According to his entourage, Elvis and Prowse began spending a great deal of time together in his dressing room as they were shooting.

When Elvis Presley returned to live performances after a lengthy break, his audiences reacted as though he’d never left. Eager crowds danced to his songs and fought each other for the scarves he threw from the stage. Elvis’ bodyguards and venue security had to work hard to keep the crowd under control. It came as a shock to them, then, when Elvis told his audience to ignore safety instructions.

Elvis told his audience to ignore police instructions

Crowds at Elvis’ shows often reached a state of hysteria, which Elvis liked. He wanted his audiences to prove their dedication to him. His bodyguards did not like the frenzied reactions, though.

“I swear, I don’t know how someone hasn’t been killed at some of these shows,” bodyguard Red West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “There have been a lot of people hurt but it...

Elvis Presley was at dinner in Hawaii when his friend, Sonny West, joined two performing singers. Elvis laughed through the unexpected performance but quickly turned on him for it. By the following day, Elvis began treating West coldly. West, who had worked for Elvis for several years, did not appreciate the about-face. He began to think of Elvis as “phony.”

Elvis Presley laughed when his friend joined two singers during a dinner

When Elvis shot Blue Hawaii, he took his large entourage to Hawaii with him. While the group was at dinner one night, West wandered to the bar where he had “too many” Mai Tais. As he walked back towards the restaurant where the rest of his group dined, he noticed a couple singing on a bridge.

Elvis in ‘Blue Hawaii’ | Paramount Pictures/Courtesy of Getty Images

“On this bridge there was a very attractive man and woman and...

Mary Tyler Moore once called herself the only one of Elvis Presley’s leading ladies who didn’t sleep with him, but the singer reportedly struck out with more than one co-star. Elvis worked with actor Shelley Fabares on three films and reportedly pursued her across all of them. His bodyguards said it came as a major blow to Elvis’ ego when Fabares continually rejected him.

Elvis pursued a co-star who turned him down

After Elvis left the army in 1960, he began making movies at a relentless pace. While he was in a relationship with Priscilla Presley during this period, he still pursued many of his co-stars.

“It pretty much followed the same pattern,” bodyguard Red West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “Priscilla was in Memphis, Elvis dated his leading lady and I, as usual, ended up in the movie getting knocked on my a...

Elvis Presley had a team of employees who were willing to step into the line of fire for him. Elvis received death threats, meaning that his bodyguards had to be constantly alert. He also expected them to settle other, non-safety-related grievances for him. After a handful of dangerous encounters, one bodyguard realized that if Elvis wanted to be an avenger, he should be willing to put himself at risk.

Elvis Presley’s bodyguard thought the singer should fight his own battles

As Elvis grew bored of his career, he began to think of himself as a righteous defender of justice. He’d long been fascinated with law enforcement, even occasionally joining them on drug raids. He sought out a federal narcotics badge, imagining that he would be able to use it to get drugs off the street. Elvis also sent his bodyguards out on errands to avenge people he believed had been wronged.

By 1962, Elvis Presley was already growing weary of his film career and some of the actors he met. He wanted more substantial, dramatic roles and began to feel embarrassed about the growing list of breezy romances on his resume. Because of this, he grew irritable on set, especially when someone didn’t treat him with the reverence he felt he deserved. Elvis’ bodyguards said the singer consistently spoke poorly about one of his co-stars.

Elvis treated one actor poorly

When Elvis left the army, he began to work his way through a lengthy roster of films. In 1962, he shot Kid Galahad, a film in which his character is a boxer. Charles Bronson played his trainer, and Elvis’ bodyguards admired him for his performance. Elvis did not feel the same way.

“Elvis just did not go for him,” bodyguard Sonny West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy.

For two decades, Elvis Presley commanded zealous audiences. He brought people to tears with his performances and kicked up a frenzy that some found alarming. His bodyguards said he had this same effect off the stage as well. Elvis was so charismatic that he almost seemed to have magical control over people.

Elvis’ bodyguard said the singer could entrance them

Many members of Elvis’ entourage worked for him for years, putting in long hours to do whatever he asked of them.

“I often felt that I’m in the aura of some very special human being. He genuinely believes that he is a prophet and we were his disciples,” bodyguard Red West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “He demands fanatical loyalty, expects it. There have been times that I have felt that Elvis bordered on being a bit of a nut, but look at the loyalty we gave the man.

In the early days of Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s relationship, she wondered where she stood with him. While he treated her lovingly while they were together, she heard endless rumors about his infidelity. When he left Germany, where they met, Priscilla also went for long stretches without hearing from him. She agonized over the distance between them, but Elvis’ entourage said she had no cause for concern. Though Elvis did not remain faithful, it seemed to them that his mind was always on Priscilla.

Elvis did something he never did while pursuing Priscilla Presley

When Elvis returned to the United States after two years in Germany, he began to speak about Priscilla with his friends. They were concerned about her age — Priscilla was 14 when she met the 24-year-old Elvis — but Elvis paid this little mind.

“He had a girlfriend at the time and I won’t mention her name...

Elvis Presley joined the military at a point when his music career was on a seemingly impossible rise. He set records with his new releases and fans practically threw themselves at his feet. When Elvis went to Germany with the army, he worried his career’s momentum would slow. His record label was also worried about losing their big moneymaker. They were so desperate for new Elvis music that they asked him to sing into a regular tape recorder.

Elvis’ record label wanted new music from him while he was in Germany

When Elvis arrived in Germany, hundreds of shrieking fans met him at the docks. Despite the warm greeting, Elvis wanted to be a normal soldier while he was there. This meant taking a step back from his career. His record label, RCA Victor, did not like this. The company did not want his music career to lose any momentum.

In 1958, Elvis Presley entered the United States Army. Elvis had been drafted into the military as his career was reaching new heights, something that fans and his record label mourned. Elvis spoke publicly about wanting to prove himself and, for the most part, did his best to achieve this. Occasionally, though, he lashed out at his manager.

Elvis occasionally lashed out about being in the military

In 1958, Elvis went through basic training before traveling to Germany, where he would live for the next two years. He was a major star at this point, so his military service came as a surprise to many.

“There’s no war going on, you’re sitting on top of the world, and all of a sudden you’ve got to go into the army?” Elvis’ friend George Klein said, per the book The Colonel by Alanna Nash. “It doesn’t make sense.”

Elvis Presley...

Elvis Presley’s bodyguards protected him from physical threats, but they also wanted to safeguard his reputation. When they learned about a rumor circulating about Elvis, they decided they needed to put a stop to it. One bodyguard decided that the best path forward was to threaten the perpetrator’s life.

Elvis Presley’s bodyguard tried to protect him against rumors

When Elvis stayed in Las Vegas to play residencies, he got frequent massages from the same man, whom his bodyguards called Big Bill. Each time, Elvis tipped him $100, which his bodyguards felt was more than generous. They were frustrated, then, when they heard Big Bill was spreading rumors about Elvis’ drug use. They discovered this while talking to a stranger from New York.

“Anyway, it seems that one of these guys from New York was getting a massage, and this Big Bill starts shooting his mouth off to him...

Elvis Presley had many talents, and he believed faith healing was among them. The singer, who grew up in the church and remained spiritual for the entirety of his life, thought he could heal ailments and injuries with a brush of his hand. According to his friend, whom Elvis tried to heal multiple times, there was no truth to the singer’s claim.

Elvis believed he was a faith healer

As Elvis’ interest in the metaphysical grew, he became more interested in honing spiritual powers. He was wholly convinced he could heal a person by laying his hands on them. Red West, whom Elvis tried to heal more than once, tried to avoid the singer’s touch.

“Since my days playing football, I’ve always had a bad back, and sometimes at the top of my neck it gives me hell,” he said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy.

Elvis Presley’s dad, Vernon, was his son’s close confidante for years, dealing with the singer’s excessive spending, constantly present entourage, and childlike sense of fun. The last of these could have seriously injured Vernon. Each year, Elvis and his entourage had fireworks wars. Without realizing it, Vernon stepped into the middle of one.

Elvis could have hurt his dad with explosives

Each New Year’s Eve and Fourth of July, Elvis bought fireworks to set off at Graceland. Typically, he and his entourage would fire them at each other as if in battle. Elvis bought many supplies for these “fireworks wars,” including small explosive pellets that, unfortunately, looked a lot like M&Ms.

“They were things that you threw on the ground and they would explode. Or you would put them under someone’s feet, and when they stamped on them, they would explode,” bodyguard Red West...

Elvis Presley was quite generous with his friends, often buying them expensive gifts without reason. He relied heavily on his entourage and trusted them with his secrets. Because of this, he took it hard when they betrayed him. When Elvis suspected that one of his friends was stealing from him, he chased him down and arrested him as though he was a police officer.

Elvis suspected a friend was stealing from him

In 1973, Elvis hired a man the other members of his entourage referred to as “Fetchum Bill.” He soon joined the group on a trip to Las Vegas. Bill lost the $500 Elvis gave each member of the entourage and they began to suspect he was forging checks. Around this time, Elvis discovered some of his jewelry was missing.

Elvis Presley | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

“About this time, there were several rings of Elvis’s missing, and we suspected Bill,...

Elvis Presley met the future Priscilla Presley while in Germany with the army. He quickly fell for her and, when he returned to the United States, he talked endlessly about Priscilla. When he revealed to his bodyguard, Red West, that Priscilla was still in high school, West was horrified.

Elvis shocked his bodyguard when he talked about Priscilla Presley

When Elvis returned to Graceland following his military service, he began talking about wanting a new girlfriend.

“He had a girlfriend at the time and I won’t mention her name because what Elvis said to us all just might embarrass her,” his bodyguard Red West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “But he said, ‘It’s about time I got a girl who was a bit more sharp.’”

Priscilla Presley | Bettmann/Contributor via Getty

West soon realized that Elvis was specifically talking about this because he had met Priscilla.

Elvis Presley’s bodyguards got to know every side of the singer, and they said he had many. Some days, Elvis was funny, thoughtful, and generous. Others, he was angry and quick to lash out. They shared what it was like to spend time around the megastar.

Elvis Presley’s bodyguard said his personality could change rapidly

Over the years, the bodyguards who knew Elvis longest noticed a change in him. Dave Hebler, who met Elvis in the 1970s, said he found it shocking that Elvis was so self-destructive.

“It seems he is bent on death. The thing about him is that Elvis doesn’t care. He doesn’t give a f***,” Hebler said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “I can’t find the words to say it strong enough. I mean he is a fascinating person, the most fascinating human I have ever met. He is a composite of contradictions.

In 1957, Elvis Presley’s career was soaring, but his undeniable success did little to lift his spirits, as he told his minister. Though he was now both a singer, actor, and proud owner of Graceland, everything Elvis had worked hard to achieve seemed on the verge of slipping through his fingers. Here’s what led him to describe himself as completely miserable.

Elvis Presley confided in his minister about success

In 1956, Elvis’ rising career took off in earnest. His music sales were setting records, he had starred in his debut film, and he sparked hysteria wherever he went.

“[1956 was the year] when everything took off,” his bodyguard Red West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “Everything he touched turned to gold, he couldn’t do a thing wrong.”

Elvis Presley | Rb/Redferns

Elvis had an enviable career, but it quickly became a stressor.

“[Success] just scares me,” he told reporters,...

In the 1970s, Elvis Presley was so bored with his career that he began to invent problems for himself. According to Priscilla Presley, he grew obsessed with the idea of cleaning up the streets, even going so far as to offer to “take care” of anyone who bothered her. Elvis himself rarely ventured into dangerous situations. Instead, he sent his bodyguards out to deal with his problems. One of his bodyguards spoke out against this behavior.

Elvis Presley put people in danger to seem ‘macho’

In 1976, Elvis welcomed his bodyguard Red West into his bedroom. Here, West found guns spread all over the floor and a list of people Elvis saw as a threat to the public.

“He had it all planned,” West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “He wanted myself and Dave Hebler and Dick Grob, the former cop, to go out and lure them,...

Priscilla Presley fell in love with Elvis Presley when she was a teenager. She spent nearly all her teenage years and a good portion of her early adult years with him. Elvis’ wealth and fame meant Priscilla could have nearly everything she wanted. The one thing she wanted out of her relationship was time with her husband, though. Elvis struggled to give this to her.

Priscilla Presley wanted to spend more time with Elvis

In the years Priscilla and Elvis were together, she spent long stretches of time at Graceland or one of their other homes while he traveled for work. After Elvis began performing residencies in Las Vegas, their time apart increased. He did not want her to travel with him, preferring to spend time with the members of his entourage.

“It was like everything he does,” bodyguard Sonny West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy.

After several years of marriage, Elvis and Priscilla Presley rarely saw each other. According to members of his entourage, Elvis frequently spent weeks at a time on the road without seeing his wife. This worked out fine for him — he liked uninterrupted time with his friends and the opportunity to sleep around — but it bothered her greatly. When Priscilla begged Elvis to spend more time with her, he said he wished she would find a lover.

Elvis once wished Priscilla Presley would start up an affair

Elvis often performed residencies in Las Vegas. While Priscilla and the wives of entourage members initially visited their husbands in the city over the weekends, Elvis began to restrict their visits. At first, he confined them to only the opening and closing performances. Before long, he only let Priscilla visit for opening night.

There were times when he wouldn’t see her for maybe seven weeks,...

In Elvis Presley’s early years of fame, he used his money to purchase things like go-karts, fireworks, and roller skates. Some people close to him wondered if he was using his new wealth to enjoy experiences he missed out on as a child. He could be quite reckless with his new toys, though. His bodyguard recalled the injuries everyone got from fireworks, including a time Elvis nearly blew his head off.

Elvis Presley nearly hurt himself while using fireworks

Every year, Elvis purchased fireworks to set off at Graceland on New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July.

“When Elvis first took over Graceland there was a ritual that every New Year and every July Fourth, he would put on these fireworks displays,” bodyguard Red West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “Actually, they weren’t so much displays as they were fireworks wars.

Elvis Presley’s longtime bodyguard Red West met the singer in high school. The first version of Elvis he met was a shy, kind boy who rose to atmospheric success not long after graduation. Over the years, West watched Elvis drift further away from the person he was in his early days of fame. Once, Elvis even admitted to West that he didn’t like the way he was changing.

Elvis Presley discussed how he’d changed with his bodyguard

By 1975, West had grown tired of watching Elvis self-destruct. He was heavily using drugs, had frequent mood swings, and seemed bored with his career. West loved Elvis as though he was family, but he was also angry with him. He finally decided to speak to him about it.

“This night he wasn’t high. He had taken a tranquilizer, and I just sort of came out with it, because when...

Elvis Presley’s bodyguard said viewers of one film should be able to see evidence of the fact that the singer was using drugs. He acted in multiple movies over the course of his career and reportedly relied on drugs to keep him going during the long shoots. His bodyguard, Red West, said this began to affect Elvis’ acting very early in his career.

Elvis’ bodyguard said viewers can clock the singer’s drug use starting in 1 movie

Elvis made his on screen debut in 1956 with the film Love Me Tender. After making a number of films, Elvis took a step back from his career in 1958 when he joined the army. It was then that he reportedly began relying on stimulants and sleeping pills.

When Elvis began acting again in 1960, he was still using drugs. West said viewers of his first film after his military service, G.I. Blues, should be able to notice this.

Elvis Presley spent two years stationed in Germany with the United States Army. Though he had already achieved fame before his military service, he wanted people to treat him as a regular person throughout his service. This wasn’t entirely possible given his level of fame and recognizability. Elvis found the way one MP treated him to be particularly unfair.

Elvis felt embarrassed by the way an MP was treating him while he was in the army

While Elvis wanted to fit in with his fellow soldiers, he stuck out in several ways. He opted to live off base with his family and received thousands of fan letters each week. He also occasionally attracted unwanted attention because of his status.

“One particular incident I remember was to do with the BMW sports car that Elvis used to drive,” his friend Red West said in Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy.

In 1975, Elvis Presley received an offer to act in the film A Star Is Born alongside Barbra Streisand. The opportunity excited him greatly. He hadn’t been in a movie since 1969’s Change of Habit and was growing bored of his endless schedule of performances. A new film could have reestablished him as an actor. Ultimately, though, when negotiations fell through, Elvis’ friend the singer hadn’t been sure he could pull off the role.

Elvis Presley reportedly didn’t think he would be a good fit in a film

In 1975, Streisand offered Elvis $500,000 and 10% of profits to star as rock star John Norman Howard in A Star Is Born. After the initial meeting with Streisand, Elvis’ friends recalled that he seemed excited about the part. The role was of a rock star whose career was on the decline. It was the sort of dramatic and complicated part Elvis had...

Elvis Presley’s entourage lived lives that brushed fame, but Elvis expected much from them. They worked late hours, traveled often, and had to be willing to protect the singer with their lives. They also said they dealt with Elvis’ constantly changing moods. After Elvis’ bodyguard confronted him about this, Elvis said he tried to make up for his terrible behavior with lavish presents.

Elvis Presley once said he relied on gifts to make up for the way he treated his entourage

In 1975, bodyguard Red West mustered up the courage to have a serious conversation with Elvis. He had known the performer since high school, and they’d grown close over the years. West saw the way years of fame and drug use had changed Elvis and decided to talk to him about it.

Their conversation went well but the next morning, Elvis seemed upset about it.

“I don’t...

Elvis Presley’s mother died shortly before the father of his friend, Red West. Both men returned to Memphis to mourn their parents. West said that the loss of Gladys Presley was extremely hard on Elvis given the closeness of their relationship. Still, Elvis made a point to be there to support West in his grief.

Elvis Presley supported his friend not long after his mother Gladys died

While Elvis was in basic training, he received word from his father that his mother’s health had taken a sharp downturn. He returned to Memphis to see her but, shortly after his arrival, she died of a heart attack.

West, who knew the Presley family well, tried to take emergency leave to pay his respects. While his commanding officer did not approve this, West soon learned that his father was ill. His commanding officer granted him emergency leave and, when he arrived in Memphis,...

Elvis Presley was a talented performer who captured the hearts of millions of fans with his songs. He had a highly successful career, but he yearned for greater achievements. Elvis grew fascinated with finding his purpose in life, which he believed would lead to spiritual fulfillment. He even believed he held certain metaphysical powers. He once used these to try to take pain away from a woman in labor.

Elvis Presley tried to help a woman in labor

In 1975, Elvis and his girlfriend, Linda Thompson, visited her brother, sister-in-law, and their new baby in the hospital. While they were there, Elvis noticed a woman in labor entering the hospital.

“The next thing I know, Elvis has stopped the emergency charge toward the delivery room and starts talking to the lady,” his bodyguard Dave Hebler said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “Here she is in labor, but...

In 1958, Elvis Presley left the Brooklyn Army Terminal for West Germany. He finished his army training and would reside in Germany for the next two years. Elvis wanted to be a normal soldier despite his celebrity status, though he did opt to live off base. The family members and friends who traveled with him found their initial lodgings a bit odd. It didn’t matter much, though; before long, their antics had gotten them evicted.

Elvis and his entourage had to leave their first living situation in Germany

When Elvis first arrived in Germany, he stayed with his father, grandmother, and two friends in quarters at a hotel.

“Well, Vernon [Presley] organized this place to stay in Bad Nauheim. It was a hotel. Now I have read stories saying that this hotel was a luxury hotel. Well, it wasn’t,” his friend Red West said, per the book Elvis: What Happened?...

Elvis Presley’s bodyguards spent much of their lives supporting him. While it was not an easy job — Elvis could be quite demanding — they were happy to dedicate themselves to him. According to some of his bodyguards, Elvis had a seemingly supernatural power over people. While his bodyguards sometimes thought this was ludicrous, they couldn’t deny that Elvis seemed to be blessed.

Elvis Presley’s bodyguards thought there was something special about him

Elvis was a majorly successful singer, a stroke of luck he thought was godsent. This didn’t sound like too outlandish of a belief to his longtime bodyguard Red West.

“He believes there was a master plan by God in singling him out for his fantastic success,” West said in the book Elvis: What Happened? by Steve Dunleavy. “Now, while it does sound a little wacky, I have often given it a lot of thought and...