Elvis Presley's Graceland: His Life, His Story DVD

welcome to my world i want you to come on in miracles i guess   step into my heart leave your cares behind home is where the heart is if that's the case  then elvis aaron presley's heart was always here   this was his home this is graceland in memphis  tennessee this is where the king of rock and roll   came to get away from it all a place where he  would enjoy time with family and friends a place   for elvis to relax at his pool ride his favorite  horse or have golf cart races around the property   this was elvis childhood dream come  true providing a grand home for his   beloved parents vernon and gladys who  had never known the finer things in life   a place where elvis and his wife priscilla would  raise their only child lisa marie it was also here   at the gates and on the grounds that he sometimes  greeted fans who had come from everywhere in the   world in hope of at least catching a glimpse of  him in all the world there are few entry gates   to any property that are more famous and  few homes more recognizable than graceland   you're about to enter the private world of a man  some say was the world's greatest entertainer elvis presley graceland has been open for public tours since  1982 and here we bring you a tour of all the   areas seen by hundreds of thousands of visitors  each year but this program is also your special   access pass to see some sites and perspectives  beyond the typical graceland tour path   so sit back and enjoy your very special  tour of elvis presley's graceland the home was built in 1939 for ruth brown  moore and her husband dr thomas moore the   acreage graceland mansion sits on was once part of  a larger tract of land that included the moore's   cattle farm called graceland farms the land had  been in mrs moore's family for a number of years   the name graceland was chosen for the home  and farm in honor of mrs moore's aunt grace elvis bought graceland mansion and  approximately 14 acres of land from mrs moore   in march of 1957 back then the property was  situated along a rural stretch of highway 51   but suburban expansion in the 1960s brought  residential and business development all around   it elvis always wished he had bought more land  around the house than he had but what he did   acquire still provided a good buffer of quiet and  privacy as memphis suburbia grew in around him   with his early success elvis had been able to  buy a nice modern ranch house on ottoman drive   in east memphis but as his fame continued to grow  as fans and curiosity seekers swarmed the property   and neighbors complained and as elvis  financial status continued to escalate he   and his family decided to move to a larger  home with some acreage and more privacy   as a youngster elvis would tell his parents  someday he would be rich and buy them the   finest house in town and take care of them ending  their years of hard work and financial struggles   elvis had been making good on that promise and its  full expression came in the spring of 1957 when 22   year old elvis presley purchased graceland mansion  and its 14 acre grounds for 102 500 the house had   sat empty for a while and was in need of some work  as soon as elvis purchased graceland he began to   renovate it and plan its decor working with a  professional interior designer in elvis style   the soon to be megastar packed up his parents  and paternal grandmother and moved them all   from the ottoman drive home to graceland elvis had  attained the american dream through his seductive   versatile singing and charismatic personality  elvis musical influences were the white pop   and country music of his youth the gospel music  he heard in church and at the all-night gospel   sings he frequently attended black gospel and  black r b all the diverse styles of music he   absorbed during his childhood in tupelo and  his teen years in memphis well that's all   right mama that's all right for you that's  all right mama just anyway that's all right in 1954 he began his singing  career with sun records   a small memphis label that would become legendary in late 1955 his recording contract was sold  to rca victor as 1956 unrolled he became an   international sensation with a sound and style  that uniquely and naturally combined his diverse   musical influences and blurred and challenged  the social and racial barriers of the time   he helped usher in a whole new era  of american music and pop culture   he was among the pioneers in a new  musical force called rock and roll when elvis bought graceland in 1957 he was  riding the crest of his breakout year of stardom   1956 had been a year filled with high-profile  guest appearances on network television shows   record-breaking live performances around  the country recordings that earned him   armloads of gold record awards and the  beginning of a career as a movie star   ladies and gentlemen boys and girls and everybody  else the great moment that you've waited for   the one and only elvis bentley one highlight of  1956 was when his hometown of tupelo mississippi   proclaimed elvis presley day and pulled out  all the stops to welcome him and his folks   this was the town in which elvis was born in a  two-room house and where his family had lived   until the move to memphis when elvis was not quite  14. elvis with his parents in tow returned to a   hero's welcome and performed at the mississippi  alabama fair and dairy show the same fair he   performed at as a child in a youth talent contest  he placed in but did not win but this time there   were law enforcement officers surrounding the  stage to control the thousands of adoring fans   who proved too much to handle during elvis  afternoon show so national guardsmen were called   in to help with the evening show in 1956 elvis  made his network television debut with the first   of his six appearances on stage show a weekly  variety program hosted by tommy and jimmy dorsey he followed these with two  appearances on the milton berle show in addition to raising eyebrows in  conservative racially divided 1950s   america with his black influenced music  elvis was controversial for his sensuous   style and his rhythmic body movements on  stage particularly with the hips and legs his provocative physical and vocal performance  of the song hound dog on his second burl   appearance caused a backlash with the press and  letters of protest from the morally concerned despite the fact that plenty of people  enjoyed it particularly the youth   elvis next appeared on the steve allen show with  alan mocking the sensation of the burl appearance   by having elvis dress in tie and tails eliminate  his usual physical gyrations and sing hound dog to   a basset hound the show attracted a huge audience  surpassing even the top-rated ed sullivan show   sullivan had once said he would  never have elvis as a guest   but now sullivan paid elvis fifty thousand dollars  to make three appearances on his show at the time   that was more money than any performer had ever  been paid to appear on a network variety program   when elvis made his third sullivan appearance  in january of 1957 ed sullivan surprised elvis   by telling him on camera never had a pleasanter  experience on our show with a big name that we've   had with you you're you're it was on this very  same sullivan appearance that elvis was shown   on camera from the waist up only one of early  television history's most memorable moments was it censorship or a publicity  gimmick to hype the show elvis made his next network television  appearance in 1960 when frank sinatra   gave his variety show a welcome home elvis  theme to herald elvis's return from the army elvis was paid to 125.000 again making history elvis harnessed  the power of television a medium still   new in its ability to reach a large national  audience he also became a bonafide movie star   from 1956 to 1969 elvis starred in 31 feature  films as an actor and then two theatrically   released concert documentary films all  enjoyed financial success for many years   he was one of hollywood's top box office draws  and one of its highest paid actors his two most   critically acclaimed films jailhouse rock and  king creole have become classics of their era   his movies and concert films enjoy a healthy  life today in television syndication and home   video sales and rentals some of his top-selling  music came from his movies eleven of his movie   soundtrack albums hit the top ten and of those  four went to number one elvis enjoyed a busy   accomplished professional life as a performer  but he was always glad to come home to memphis at any time you could find numerous family members  and friends of elvises living at graceland either   in the mansion or in other residential  accommodations elsewhere on the grounds although elvis owned or leased other houses  in california graceland was always his home   it was his sanctuary as much as elvis liked his privacy  he also enjoyed showing off his home   to friends and colleagues and  once in a while some lucky fans let's step inside in the foyer at the  foot of the staircase is a portrait of   elvis it's actually a photo done over in oil  what makes this portrait even more interesting   is that it shows his natural hair color dark  blonde to medium brown elvis usually had his   hair dyed black starting in 1957 but he let it  return to its natural color while he was in the   army the photo was shot while he was stationed in  texas in 1958 one ventures past this portrait up   the stairs except family and the graceland staff  members in charge of historic preservation the   upper floor was elvis's most personal space and  a certain amount of privacy was always maintained   tours do not include the upstairs partly because  of the logistical limitations with graceland's   high volume of visitorship but more than anything  it remains private out of respect for elvis   the parts of graceland elvis showed anyone  who visited him are on the graceland tour   today but the staff and particularly elvis  daughter lisa marie who owns graceland mansion   feel that maintaining the privacy of  upstairs is important and appropriate   that's the rule for the physical graceland tour  operation and for this graceland tour program   although we cannot take you upstairs we can  tell you that when you face graceland and look   at the upstairs windows the two windows to the  right are elvis bedroom and the window in the   middle is his master bath and the two windows  to the left are his wardrobe and dressing room   so elvis master suite runs the entire length of  the front of the house on the back corner off his   bedroom is elvis office or study with another bath  and dressing area that was priscilla's during her   years at graceland and on the other back corner  is his daughter lisa's childhood bedroom and bath   back downstairs off the foyer  to the right is the living room   your eyes are immediately drawn to the blue and  gold draperies and the white 15-foot sofa this is   sometimes where elvis guests would wait for him to  make his grand entrance from his upstairs quarters   elvis loved graceland and he enjoyed  having parts of it redecorated periodically   for example in the last three years of his  life the living room had different furniture   and was decked out mostly in red red  upholstery red carpet and red draperies   when graceland was about to open for tours it  was decided to bring back from storage some   furnishings that elvis used in this area  for many more of his years at graceland   the 10-foot coffee table matching end tables  and lamps and long sofa were custom made for   elvis in 1957 these pieces were constants in the  living room through the various periods of elvis   redecorating with changes in upholstery draperies  carpets and color schemes up until 1974 when the   furnishings and appointments for the red look  took their place the blue draperies were used in   this area in the latter 1960s and into the 70s  the living room like the foyer and dining room   has mirrors set into the original wall moldings  this was a popular decorating technique and gives   the rooms a more spacious feel at the far end of  the living room are two beautiful stained glass   windows with a peacock design the peacock windows  found their way into the room in the fall of 1974.   they replaced glass blocks that on the living room  side were typically covered with draperies beyond   these stained glass windows is the music room the  focal point of the room has always been a piano from 1957 through most of the 60s  it was a white kanabe baby grand   then for a time there was a 9-foot gold-leafed  kimball grand that priscilla gave elvis   in 1974 he replaced that one with the black  story and clark baby grant seen in the room today elvis enjoyed playing and  singing alone in private moments   but especially enjoyed gathering family  friends and colleagues in the music room   running through a broad repertoire of favorite  songs of most genres particularly gospel and r b as formal as this area usually looked  these rooms were really lived in   the doorway to the music room served as a great  place for a couple of guys to hold up aboard   for elvis and friends to get a running  start from the foyer for a karate kick across the foyer from the living room is  the dining room elvis family members the   guys in his ever-present personal entourage  and the guys wives or girlfriends sometimes   as many as 10 to 12 people at once would crowd  around the eight-foot table for the evening meal   for a while everyone traditionally dressed up for  dinner but the atmosphere remained warm and casual   on the menu was the down-home southern  cooking elvis and most of the people in   his life grew up with this was also the  site of some low to no stakes poker games   elvis had a good view of the expanse of the front  rooms from his seat at the far end of the table   underneath the other end of the table is  a button to buzz the staff in the kitchen   should anyone need anything this room  sometimes took on an air of celebration   a very quiet graceland would spring back to  life with a homecoming meal when elvis and   his entourage return from california after  finishing a film or return from a concert   tour the room also served as a makeshift  racetrack for lisa marie and her tricycle christmas memories also fill this room the  christmas season was always a very special   time at graceland family and household staff  sometimes with elvis helping or directing   would decorate the tree usually placed  in front of the large window at the end   of the room and sometimes one of several  christmas trees to be placed in the home   family and friends would visit during the season  and usually there would be a large gathering at   some point the adults usually exchanged gifts  on christmas eve but lisa marie would wait until   christmas morning to see what santa brought  this home movie footage shows lisa here in the   dining room with her parents and other family  including her grandfather vernon playing santa   in tandem with the other rooms  here across the front of the house   the dining room's decor and furnishings evolved  over the years including sharing the red look   that was part of elvis redecoration in 1974.  this room was also turned back in time with   the opening of graceland by bringing pieces  used for a longer period back from storage   the focal point of the room is the cut glass  chandelier in the maria theresa pattern   elvis bought it along with the identically styled  but larger one over the staircase and the small   crystal fixture in the foyer all on an after-hours  shopping excursion to belvedere lighting in   memphis in august 1974. the dining room also has  two cabinets filled with sterling and crystal   in the left cabinet is the tiffany sterling  set given to lisa marie when she was born   the cabinet on the right side houses  elvis christmas china and crystal just off the foyer on the main floor is this  spacious bedroom and bath the suite used by   elvis parents vernon and gladys presley starting  with the family's move to graceland in 1957 some of the items on the dresser today were among   the contents of gladys's purse  when she passed away in 1958 vernon remarried in 1960 and soon moved  out of graceland at some point grandma   presley relocated to this room her former  room upstairs became lisa marie's nursery   in 1998 this bedroom was  added to the graceland tour with the original furniture still in place  after all those years it was relatively simple   to restore the overall decor elvis parents had in  the 1950s including recreating the poodle design   wallpaper in the bathroom and bringing back out  of storage some older accessories for the bedroom   the portrait of elvis that hangs here was a  family favorite made from an early publicity shot   it had been in the family's  home on ottoman drive in memphis   and then made its way to this room  when the presleys moved to graceland displayed in the closet are  some of gladys presley's   wardrobe and accessories that were in storage   among the items is a black velvet dress elvis  gave her she wore it to his army induction in 1958 his induction had been postponed just long  enough for him to complete king creole   his fourth film and personal favorite the one in  which he delivered his best acting performance   and earned his best reviews as an actor   in march of 1958 elvis presley was inducted   into the united states army and  given serial number 533-10761 while at fort chaffee in arkansas  elvis got his indoctrination exam   and famous haircut private presley was assigned  to fort hood in texas for basic training   his parents decided to be closer to their son  by taking up temporary residence near the base   in august of 1958 gladys presley became quite ill  and returned home to memphis she was hospitalized   with acute hepatitis while elvis didn't want  any special celebrity treatment while serving   he did request emergency leave to be with his  beloved mother at first the army did not want   to grant this request concerned about the  appearance of showing favoritism but after   elvis respectfully threatened to go awol he was  granted leave elvis arrived home on august 12th gladys passed away in the early hours  of august 14 1958 she was only 46. this was a very dark time for elvis for he dearly  loved his mother and the two had been very close   elvis returned to his army duties 10  days after gladys was laid to rest the following month elvis began a tour of duty  in west germany elvis father and grandmother   minnie mae presley joined him for much of his  18-month stay abroad living with elvis in a   home he rented off base a couple of friends from  the inner circle in memphis joined them as well   any soldier was allowed to have a home off  base if he had dependents and chose to do so   during elvis rise to the rank of sergeant in  the army he served like any other gi with none   of the special privileges his celebrity status  might have afforded him by all accounts he was   a model soldier earning the respect of the  men he served with and the american public   in september 1959 while still serving in west  germany he met a young lady who would later become   mrs elvis presley priscilla ann boulier priscilla  was the teenage daughter of an air force captain   who was also stationed in west germany elvis  and priscilla formed an instant and lasting bond   in the six months elvis had left to serve  before his return to the united states   an honorable discharge from active duty in march  1960. priscilla moved into graceland in 1963   the two were married in a small private ceremony  in a suite at the aladdin hotel in las vegas on   may first 1967. elvis was 32 and priscilla  was a few weeks shy of her 22nd birthday on february 1st 1968 priscilla gave birth  to elvis's only child lisa marie presley   elvis loved being a father and  was your classic proud papa as in most any home the kitchen at  graceland was always a center of activity   this was headquarters for a  staff of cooks and housekeepers   here they prepared the meals for elvis his family  his entourage and all his guests through the years   early on the kitchen was decorated in classic 1950  style with metal cabinetry like other rooms at   graceland the kitchen decor evolved through the  years the cabinetry dates to a 1960s renovation   and the decor remains as it was after elvis  last tweaking of the room in the mid-1970s   the appliances dishes utensils microwave and  accessories are still here the oven has slide-out   burners for additional cooktop space this kitchen  was at times like a short order restaurant with   the various members of elvis entourage family  members and staff coming in and out at different   hours and there were the years of the big  gatherings for the evening meal and holidays   an artifact you won't see on the regular tour  is found inside this kitchen drawer lisa marie   signed her name here as a child and it remains  in place to this day the avocado green sink   dishwasher and the harvest gold refrigerator mark  a transition point in popular styles of the 1970s   elvis purchased the three stained glass  overhead lighting fixtures in august 1974.   during the same shopping excursion on which  he bought the chandeliers for the front rooms   the household staff spoke of much laughter  in good times and a sense of family amongst   themselves elvis and all those who spent time at  graceland elvis natural warmth humor genuineness   and engaging personality translated beautifully  on the concert stage and on television   all of this and his great talent as a singer  and entertainer were a potent combination   his 1968 television special is one of the  most critically acclaimed music specials   of all time it was a comeback of sorts because  elvis had been concentrating on his movies and   had not performed in concert since 1961. he had  been serious about a film career but his movies   became mostly formulaic romantic musical comedies  and not the artistic pictures he longed to make   by the end of the decade elvis was ready for a  change and that's exactly what he got in early   1969 hot from the success of the television  special elvis had several marathon recording   sessions at american sound studio in memphis  resulting in hit singles such as suspicious minds   in the ghetto and kentucky reign as part of a bank  of some of the finest recordings of his career he opened at the international hotel  in las vegas in the summer of 1969   for a four-week 57 show engagement that broke  all existing las vegas attendance records elvis electric performance style made  his vegas stage shows hugely popular   he returned to the international a few months  later in early 1970 during the slow winter season   in vegas and broke his own attendance record  right after that came a record-breaking six-show   engagement at the astrodome in houston where elvis  played to a total of 207 494 people throughout the   1970s elvis toured america breaking box office  records right and left and continued to play an   engagement or two per year in las vegas and lake  tahoe during his concert years from 1969 to 1977   elvis gave nearly 1100 performances in vegas and  on national tour among the highlights of this   period were two successful theatrically released  concert documentary films elvis that's the way it   is which focused on his summer 1970 engagement in  las vegas and elvis on tour which followed elvis   on the road in concert in the spring of 1972  a big triumph was a record-setting four-show   engagement at new york's madison square garden  in june of that year why do you think you've   outlasted every other entertainer from the 50s and  for that matter the 60s as well i take vitamin e i was on a kitty i don't know i just embarrassed myself man uh i i don't know dear i  just i enjoy the business i like what i'm doing i   hear from a lot of people in the press corps that  you really are a shy humble wonderful human being   would you agree with that oh i don't know what  makes them think that you know this gold belt and you used to be criticized so much for your  long hair and your preparations and it seems so   uh man i was tame compared to  what they do now you're kidding   i didn't do anything we just jiggle  you know how do you feel about it are you satisfied with the  image you've established uh uh well the image is one thing and a  human being is another you know so how it's very hard to live up to  an image i'll put it that way   and then came his 1973 television special elvis  aloha from hawaii which was seen in 40 countries   by 1.5 billion people and made television history is is while elvis's career was red-hot his  marriage had cooled considerably elvis   and priscilla officially separated in 1972  followed by an amicable divorce in late 1973   through it all they remained close friends and  loving partners as parents of their daughter   elvis and lisa marie regularly spent time together one of elvis and lisa marie's favorite rooms in  the house was the den or as it has become known   worldwide since graceland opened for tourists the  jungle room in the early 1960s during one of elvis   waves of home improvements this area was added  onto the back of the house just off the kitchen   first as a screened porch and then closed in as  a room a few years later it became a favorite   hangout for elvis and his entourage and looked  like a typical den or family room of the era   the custom custom-designed waterfall was  installed at the far end of the room in the   mid-60s it was a handsome addition to the room  and a trendy home decor installation at the time   elvis happened upon the current furnishings for  the den and the furnishings for the red look in   the living and dining area at a local store in the  summer of 1974 and enjoyed quite a shopping spree   the exotically carved wood gives the den a  polynesian look elvis reportedly liked it in   part because it was reminiscent of hawaii where he  had enjoyed vacationing filmmaking and performing   this wild looking furniture was also a fad  at the time the green shag carpeting on the   floor and ceiling completed the wild look and 70s  feel the large circular chair near the waterfall   was so large that the plate glass of one of the  windows had to be removed to get it inside when it   was delivered a young lisa marie presley sometimes  took her naps in that chair which was also a good   spot for watching sesame street and mr rogers  neighborhood on the big tv in february in october   of 1976 the dan served as a makeshift recording  studio for a series of nighttime sessions you guys don't deserve me on the very first part  you know elvis contract called for him to deliver   some new material to rca but he was having a rough  year health-wise and had been reluctant to venture   to the rca studios in nashville to do the work so  the record company brought the studio to graceland   the den offered a good space and the carpeting on  the ceiling and floor as well as movers blankets   hung throughout the room helped with the acoustics  furniture was moved out the equipment and   musicians came in an rca recorded through cables  run from a mobile studio truck parked out back the february sessions yielded the  10 songs that comprised the album   from elvis presley boulevard memphis  tennessee released in may that year   two songs from the february sessions and four  from those in october were on the moody blue   album released in june 1977 with four live concert  recordings completing the disc descending the   basement stairs underneath the main staircase in  the foyer we enter the two main basement rooms   to the right at the base of the stairs is the pool  room and to the left is the tv room these rooms   provided an area for informal entertaining and a  place for elvis and everyone to hang out and relax   elvis had these two rooms redecorated as you see  them in 1974 with the help of his girlfriend linda   thompson and a local interior designer bill  eubanks for the tv room elvis wished for the   entertainment center configuration on the far wall  to remain in place as it had for many years and   that the decor incorporate a lightning bolt from  his tcb logo taking care of business in a flash   an ultra modern 70s look was developed with  walls painted yellow dark blue and white in   a trendy super graphics paint scheme yellow  shag carpeting chrome art clamps track lighting   and comfortable dark blue sectional furniture  the existing bar area was revamped and in the   style of the time and to give the illusion of more  spaciousness in this basement room the ceiling and   the fireplace surround were mirrored and here's a  look at some of this room's earlier incarnations   the bar area in 1960 and a picture of  the main part of the room from 1963.   on the far wall left to right are a stereo  system three televisions side by side and a   built-in home jukebox system that is  wired to speakers all over the house   it is said that elvis got the triple tv idea  from the well-known fact that former president   lyndon johnson had liked to watch all the  evening news programs at once elvis liked   his televisions he had as many as 14 throughout  the house there was even one in the dining room   elvis also had a large pull-down projection screen  installed for watching home movies and other films   a framed fabric panel above the bar could be  opened for the projector to shine across the room   to the screen the record collection that was here  and with his bedroom stereo upstairs illustrates   elvis diverse and deep interest in music his  knowledge extensive his tastes well cultivated   the collection includes pop rock and roll  country classical and especially gospel and r b the 1974 collaboration with designer bill  eubanks transformed a basic billiard room   into a vivid and eclectic blend of styles and eras  a popular approach to decorating then and today   essentially the look is turn of the  century european with touches of asia   india and modern 1970s america clearly the  most distinctive effect is the fabric treatment   it took a crew of three men about 10 days to  cut piece pleat and hang the 350 to 400 yards   of brightly colored and patterned cotton fabric  on the walls and ceiling the twin billiard lamps   above the table were custom made that year by  lock of stained glass in memphis also the makers   of the peacock windows in the living room and the  stained glass treatment around the mansion's front   door but like the rest of the house the basement  rooms weren't always an adults only realm young   lisa marie with cousins and friends routinely  stirred up some trouble of their own down here   the rambunctious activity reportedly  included pool balls flying through the air   there's a part of the billiard lamp  that you cannot see on the regular tour   one of the corners was broken by an errant  pool ball perhaps elvis's main requirement   for starting the redecoration of this room was  keeping this pool table that he bought in 1960   elvis and friends enjoyed playing  pool here all through the years   elvis was an able player but he was known to  reposition a ball to his favor from time to time   probably as a joke or to see which of his  entourage might have the wherewithal to challenge   him about it friends they all were but elvis  was always the boss to this day a corner tear   remains in the felt top reportedly from a friend's  attempt at a trick shot that didn't quite work out   christmas was a very special time for elvis  and everyone at graceland for many years   the tradition was to put all the  decorations in place in early december   just after thanksgiving and keep them up  at least through his birthday in january the main christmas tree would  be placed in the dining room   and sometimes there would be others elsewhere  such as in the living room or even the jungle room beginning with his first christmas here in  1957 outside on the front lawn elvis had a   santa sleigh and reindeer display with the message  merry christmas to all elvis suspended above it   in the early 1960s elvis switched to a life-size   nativity scene along with lighted aluminum  trees along the front of the house   he also started having the long winding  driveway lined with hundreds of blue lights   today the graceland staff faithfully continues  elvis christmas decorating traditions each year   inside and out including bringing out the  red holiday draperies and setting up both   versions of his front lawn displays the  lights go on the day after thanksgiving and   all the decorations stay in place through  the elvis birthday celebration in january on the south end of the house is the swimming  pool area on the lower level of a two-tiered patio   in the mid-1960s elvis had the larger  upper tier enclosed as a recreation room   which would later become his trophy room  the patio and pool along with the stone   wall surrounding the front of the property where  in the first big wave of improvements elvis made   immediately after he bought graceland in 1957  elvis and his family and friends enjoyed this   part of the property through the years for  swimming sunbathing and just lounging about   at one time there was a brick barbecue pit  in one corner just past the diving board   from the earliest days of his success  in show business one of elvis's regular   indulgences was buying cars and motorcycles  a lifelong passion for which he was renowned   today many of those vehicles are on display at the  elvis presley automobile museum near the mansion   grounds the museum was created as a long-term  solution for the care and preservation of the   vehicles elvis had at the time of his passing  and those that have since come home to graceland   for display on loan or by re-acquisition elvis  would enjoy these cars and cycles for a while   then trade them in or sometimes give  them away to be replaced by another   shiny new machine most of the cars and cycles  he gave away were brand new vehicles he bought   as gifts for friends family professional  colleagues and sometimes total strangers   elvis also enjoyed golf carts snowmobiles go-karts  three-wheeled cycles and other such motorized toys   some of the cars displayed are real standouts  such as this 1960 mg elvis drove in the movie   blue hawaii and acquired as a personal vehicle  this 1973 stutz blackhawk with its red leather   upholstery and gold-plated interior accents  a personal favorite of elvis for several   years and the last car he ever drove the 1956  cadillac eldorado convertible elvis had painted   a custom purple and one of pop culture and  automotive history's great iconic vehicles   elvis presley's famous 1955 cadillac painted  a custom pink it was his mother's favorite   displayed in another area of the graceland  visitor center is elvis's ultimate luxury   mode of transportation his private jet which he  named the lisa marie in honor of his daughter   in april 1975 elvis purchased this 1958 convair  880 which had been a 96 passenger jet for delta   airlines for about fifty thousand dollars he then  spent more than eight hundred thousand dollars   having it remodeled add these figures then adjust  for inflation and you can imagine how much that   would be in today's dollars in november 1975  the customization of the lisa marie was complete   and elvis took his first flight on it as you  leave the cockpit you pass the galley area   a half bath a luxurious lounge area a conference  room a sitting room that could transform into   a guest bedroom and at the rear of the  plane the master bedroom and half bath   the rich color scheme is a mid 70s elegant  blend of green blue orange brown and gold   there are suede sofas leather-topped tables  gold-plated belt buckles and accessories a   quadruponic eight-track stereo system an intercom  system a sky-to-ground phone system and more   elvis often referred to this plane as his flying  graceland or the pride of elvis presley airways   over in-flight radio communications  it had the nickname hound dog one both sides of the tail have elvis tcb logo  and the engines are marked with the revised   registration number elvis requested  in 880 ep incorporating his initials   he used the plane for pleasure trips from time  to time but primarily for his concert tours   lisa's ninth birthday party hosted by her father  took place around the conference room table   elvis purchased this 1960 lockheed jetstar plane  which he called the hound dog 2 in september of   1975 for just less than nine hundred thousand  dollars the interior was customized in yellow   and green a popular color scheme of the era and  a stereo system and other special features were   installed the custom exterior paint scheme  coordinates with that of the lisa marie   including the tcb logo and this plane's  own special registration number n777ep   elvis used it for some short trips but its  primary function tended to be taking elvis manager   colonel tom parker and his staff from city  to city on elvis concert tours while elvis   was in one city colonel parker would leave on  this jet to get things ready in the next city   after elvis death his father sold both planes  in 1978 the planes then had other changes in   ownership through a business arrangement  with the current owner the planes were   brought to graceland in 1984 and became an  added tour attraction for graceland visitors and now we leave the visitor center to return  to our tour of the graceland mansion and grounds   in 1960 elvis had the graceland garage remodeled  into an apartment used by various people through   the years he also added an attached carport at the  back elvis father remodeled the apartment when he   moved back to graceland after his split from his  second wife and following his son's passing today   this area is used for special exhibits for  graceland visitors to enjoy what we will show you   now are some of the displays that were in this  area during the production of our tour program   here are elvis and priscilla's wedding clothes  a friend custom designed elvis's tuxedo and   priscilla found her empire style gown at  a shop in los angeles after quite a search   and this exhibit area features items brought  down from elvis private office upstairs   just off the master bedroom his desk was a  gift from rca commemorating outstanding sales   of the hit soundtrack album for his 1961 movie  blue hawaii the raised area at the front of it   features a built-in radio small tv and other  accessories displayed with the desk are his   desk chair decorative items from the office and  selections from elvis extensive book collection   elvis was fascinated by different religions and  often would make notes in the margins of books   as he read them they offer an amazing  insight into elvis quest for spiritual growth   the organ seen here is one of two like  this elvis owned this one was in one of his   california homes and its near twin remains  upstairs in his office here at graceland   also displayed is this precursor to the modern  day cell phone elvis had this portable phone which   required radioing an operator who would patch a  call through elvis was typically into whatever   the trendy new gadgets were one can only imagine  how he might have enjoyed today's technologies   elvis had many hobbies and interests many of them  focused on sports displayed here are some of his   equipment and accessories from his enjoyment  of football boxing karate horseback riding   racquetball and more elvis held 8th degree black  belts in the kenpo and taekwondo styles of karate   there is also a display of items from his  extensive gun and law enforcement badge collection   also in this area is some of elvis jewelry elvis  gave each member of his entourage an id bracelet   like this it had their first name inscribed on  top of the bar and their nickname within the group   inscribed underneath the guys chipped in to buy  this one for elvis the bar has the name elvis on   top and the nickname crazy underneath this pendant  was a gift of appreciation from the kui lee cancer   fund elvis wore it in the 1973 aloha from hawaii  concert which benefited this charity the design   is the hawaiian mylavine in golden diamonds with  elvis spelled out in black onyx the cross pendant   was a 1973 christmas gift to elvis from his  girlfriend linda thompson it is gold encrusted   with small diamonds in the center are two hearts  touching one made of rubies and one of emeralds   which were elvises and linda's birthstones  respectively he wore the pendant frequently both   on and off stage another favorite pendant was this  golden diamond high which is the hebrew symbol   for life elvis was raised in the assembly of god  church but as an adult studied many religions and   philosophies searching for the truths and wisdom  to be found in them all elvis's tcb ring was made   with three and a half carats of diamonds forming  the letters tcb and two lightning bolts the   diamond letters set in black onyx and the bolts  set in gold around it set in the onyx among the   letters was an almost 11 carat diamond solitaire  the ring cost almost 40 000 in august of 1975. back outside just off the carport is elvis  father vernon's office near the entrance is   a swing set from lisa marie's childhood while it  was colonel tom parker who managed elvis career   vernon presley managed his personal business  mr presley oversaw all the details of elvis   personal finances and the management  and staffing of the house and grounds   if anyone came to deliver repair build remodel  or install something at graceland it was handled   through this office if elvis spent money  on anything the bill made its way here   this was also where a seemingly endless amount  of fan mail and gifts for elvis ended up   the office was much smaller until vernon  had it expanded to its current size in 1973   elvis periodically encouraged his father to  refurbish and expand significantly or even   build something new elvis jokingly suggested that  such a modest home office might not be good for   his big star image but vernon presley was known  to be shall we say tight with a dollar so some   of the furnishings go back to the earliest days  this office was in use elvis completely trusted   his father knowing he would account for every  dime but he also kidded him about his frugality   vernon never forgot about the financial hard  times his family had endured ready to go   ready i'm always ready on march 8 1960 elvis  sat at his father's desk for a press conference   the occasion was his return to civilian life after  two years in the army do you have any advice for   the boys your age who are now going to have to put  in a certain amount of duty with in the service   well the only way i could say is to uh   to play it straight and and do your  best because you can't fight them they never they've never lost yet and you  can't fight them so you can make it easier   you can make it hard on yourself i mean if  you play it straight get the people on your   side let them know you're trying you you the arm  would say you've got it made if you're going to   try to be an individual or try to be different  you're going to go through two years of misery are you going to keep graceland do you  have plans of moving away from memphis   no sir i have no plans for leaving  memphis are you going to keep graceland   i am going to keep grayson  as long as i possibly can   elvis this is not in the form of a question but  i'd like to take this opportunity to welcome   you home for everybody in memphis in the south  well thank you you'll never know how happy i am   to be here someone asked me this morning what  did i miss about memphis and i said everything the office remains as it was in its last years of  regular use furnishings equipment supplies and all   something you can't see from the viewing area  on the regular tour is a humorous sign vernon   placed on the restroom door in his office it says  he or she but one at a time signed the boss vep as you exit vernon's office and head toward  the trophy building it's easy to admire the   peace and tranquility that is graceland although  the action in this area today is just the quiet   grazing of the horses the pasture backyard and  the grounds at large used to be filled with elvis   and his fun-loving entourage racing anything  they could find or having a fireworks fight   at one time or another throughout the years  the graceland property was home to horses   donkeys peacocks a monkey a chimpanzee chickens  turkeys a minor bird and a host of dogs   in the latter part of 1966 elvis decided  to become an equestrian and threw himself   into the hobby he bought himself a golden  palomino quarter horse he named rising sun elvis also purchased horses  for his entourage their wives   and his father along with saddles  and all the necessary equipment   the barn in the back became known as the house of  rising sun on the tack room walls you can still   see where elvis wrote each person's name in red  marker indicating where their gear was to be hung   elvis had another horse a tennessee walker named  bear who died while elvis was on tour in 1972   elvis acquired another tennessee walker  ebony's double in 1975. all of elvis's   original horses are gone and those now  living at graceland are newer arrivals   the trophy building space was once the large  upper tier of a two-tiered patio installed as   part of elvis renovations when he bought graceland  in 1957 in the 1960s he had this area enclosed   as a recreation room which included a large  electric slot car track elvis loved his toys   in this building on may 29 1967 elvis and  priscilla wore their wedding clothes for a second   wedding reception for the benefit of family and  friends who could not attend the original marriage   celebration in las vegas on may 1st around the end  of the decade elvis had the structure transformed   into his trophy building an area to display his  immense collection of gold records and other   awards and keepsakes from his career he was known  to have considered someday opening this building   for his fans to tour saying that the people who  made his success possible deserved to see it the trophy building was remodeled somewhat in  preparation for the 1982 opening of graceland   making it function as a museum presenting the  amazing story of elvis career exhibits in the   first room of the trophy building depict elvis  career from its beginning in 1954 until just   before his army induction in march 1958 exhibited  in the second room of the trophy building are   primarily the gold and platinum records and  other music awards elvis received in his lifetime   the large third room of the trophy building covers  elvis army years of 1958 to 1960 and his career   from 1960 up to early 1971 including displays  of wardrobe and memorabilia from his movies   outfits from his 1968 tv special and  costumes from his concert engagements   also noted in this area are  some of his charitable endeavors   elvis presley was famous for giving away cars  cash and jewelry often on the spur of the moment   but the true depth and breadth of his generosity  and community involvement is not so widely known   in 1961 elvis gave a benefit concert at  block arena in hawaii that raised more   than 65 thousand dollars toward the building  of the uss arizona memorial at pearl harbor   the resulting publicity gave new life to  the fundraising effort which had by then   lost its momentum the memorial opened a year later  it commemorates the lives of servicemen on the   arizona who died in the bombing of pearl harbor  at the start of world war ii audience tickets   for his 1973 aloha from hawaii television special  and its pre-broadcast rehearsal show carried no   price as each audience member was asked to pay  whatever he or she could the performances and   concert merchandise sales were a benefit raising  75 000 for the kui lee cancer fund in hawaii   for many years elvis made annual donations to  50 or more memphis area charities which the   community acknowledged with this massive plaque in  december 1963 he also continually made many other   charitable donations in memphis and around the  country most of elvis's philanthropic endeavors   received no publicity throughout his adult life  for friends for family and for total strangers   he quietly paid hospital bills bought homes  supported families paid off debts and much more   elvis legacy of generosity continues through the  work of the elvis presley charitable foundation   which has funded the building and operation of  pressly place a transitional housing program   for homeless families to find their way back  to independent living the tradition of giving   also continues through the work of hundreds of  elvis fan clubs worldwide involved in charitable   endeavors in elvis memory elvis won numerous  awards but it is said that he was proudest of   the one given to him by the united states junior  chamber of commerce the jaycees naming him one of   the 10 outstanding young men of the nation for  1970 the award recognizes outstanding personal   achievement and the exemplification of the  opportunities available in the free enterprise   system along with patriotism humanitarianism  and community service unlike other entertainers   he has intentionally concealed many acts of  philanthropy which might have brought him   considerable publicity elvis never attended formal  award ceremonies and was nervous about speech   making but he couldn't miss this experience  the award meant so much to him i read comic   books and i was the hero of the comic book  i saw movies and i was the hero in the movie   so every dream that i ever dreamed has come true  a hundred times and these gentlemen over here you   see these type people who care or dedicated  you realize that it's not possible that they   might be building the kingdom of heaven it's not  too far-fetched in reality i'd like to say that i learned very early in life that without a song  today would never end without a song a man he   got a friend without without a song the world  would ever been well so i keep saying the song elvis received 14 grammy nominations one  of them posthumously from the national   academy of recording arts and sciences  his three wins were for gospel recordings the album how great thou art in 1967 the album he  touched me in 1972 and his live memphis recording   of the song how great thou art in 1974. in  1971 the national academy of recording arts   and sciences also recognized 36 year old  elvis with its lifetime achievement award   five of elvis recordings have been inducted into  the grammy hall of fame they are his original   recordings of hound dog heartbreak hotel that's  all right suspicious minds and don't be cruel   in 1975 elvis had this racquetball recreation  facility constructed in the backyard at graceland   downstairs is a two level lounge area the first  tier is comprised of a refreshment bar and a   workout area with a pinball machine the lower  tier is a seating area with a comfortable vinyl   sofa and chairs a piano and a stereo system at the  lounge to court doorway is a water fountain yes   his original and a door to a half bath there  are even more amenities upstairs tour groups   are not allowed up there due to the logistics  of graceland's volume of visitorship but we are   upstairs you will find a bathroom dressing  room area for elvis friends and a luxurious   lounge bath and dressing area just for elvis his  bath and dressing area features a walk-in closet   jacuzzi whirlpool tub and a luxurious multi-head  shower and steam bath and gold fixtures throughout back downstairs is the racquetball  court which is presently used for   exhibits covering elvis's career  from 1971 until his passing in 1977   specially featured are some of his stage costumes  from this period from the 1968 television special   until the end of his career most of elvis stage  wear and a good portion of his personal wardrobe   were designed by bill bellew and his  team of designers including gene doucette   when elvis wrapped up his movie contract  obligations and returned to the live concert   stage in 1969 he performed in simple  two-piece outfits designed by baloo   and inspired by elvis interest in karate  the one-piece jumpsuits came along in 1970   and evolved from those with simple ornamentation  and long cloth or macrame belts tied to one side   to those with more elaborate metal and  rhinestone studding and matching belts and capes   to those of the last few years  with elaborate embroidered designs   a good many of these stage outfits are always  exhibited at graceland with selections moving   to and from display and special storage in a  cycle of long-term archival care and preservation elvis received a staggering number of gold  and platinum record awards during his lifetime   still he was never given all the american gold  and platinum certifications he had actually   earned in august 1992 rca records and the  recording industry association of america   presented this wall of certified gold and  platinum record awards rather than present   just the updates they decided to create a display  that would represent all of elvis's certified gold   and platinum american sales achievements from  the beginning of his career to the present day for this presentation they were able to  verify that at least 110 different elvis   albums and singles had earned gold  platinum or multi-platinum status   rca also presented a nine foot tall  glass sculpture to commemorate the 15th   anniversary of elvis death and to recognize  him as the greatest recording artist of all   time since that presentation in 1992 elvis has  continued to earn new gold and platinum awards   and some of his existing awards have been  upgraded as of 2007 150 different elvis albums   and singles have been certified gold platinum  or multi-platinum for their sales in america   it's estimated elvis has sold more  than 1 billion records worldwide   more than any other artist with approximately 40  percent of these sales outside the united states after midnight on the morning of august 16  1977 elvis arrived home to graceland from   a late night dentist appointment and prepared to  leave on another concert tour elvis spirits were   up he was feeling good and looking forward  to performing again after a six-week break   lisa had been here for her summer visit with her  father and was to have returned to her mother in   california later that afternoon on these visits  she typically adapted to elvis up at night a   sleep by day schedule but daylight was approaching  when she encountered her father on his way out to   the racquetball building and she worried that he  might say something about her being up too late   they talked for a while she kissed him  good night and he sent her off to bed   it would be their last conversation elvis cousin billy smith and his wife joe  joined elvis and his girlfriend ginger   alton at the racquetball building elvis and  billy hit some balls on the court nothing   serious or strenuous that morning joe and  ginger took their turn on the court as well   the group relaxed in the lower lounge  elvis played the piano and sang a few songs two of them were unchained melody and at joe's  request blue eyes crying in the rain the sun   had been up for a while when elvis made his way  back to the house he talked with family and then   went to bed later that morning ginger found  him collapsed on the floor of the master bath   by mid-afternoon the media  would break the tragic news   that elvis aaron presley the  king of rock and roll was dead   the pressures of super stardom  numerous health problems and   long-term dependency upon prescription medication   had taken their toll his not taking  proper care of himself caught up with him   at 42 elvis unexpectedly succumbed to heart  failure diagnosed as cardiac arrhythmia   reaction to the news of elvis death was  immediate and overwhelming his had been a gifted   and giving life that had meaningfully  and immeasurably touched so many others fans inundated graceland sending flowers and  notes of condolence to the pressley family elvis coffin was brought to graceland  and by the morning of august 17th   thousands of fans had gathered at the graceland  gates moved by the display of affection for his   son vernon allowed fans to walk up to graceland  and enter the foyer to pay their respects   on august 18th the family held a private  funeral service in the graceland living room after the funeral a white  hearse carrying elvis casket   led a somber procession thousands of fans  lined the street as the procession made its   way down elvis presley boulevard to forest hill  cemetery where elvis was entombed in a mausoleum   as the weeks went by fans curiosity seekers  and tabloid media overran the cemetery   creating difficulties for the staff there  and requiring mr presley to employ security relocating elvis resting place to the  privacy of graceland was a logical solution   and the choice of his own meditation  garden as the spot was most appropriate vernon also had gladys's gravesite relocated  here from forest hill elvis had commissioned   the design and construction of  the meditation garden in 1965   it incorporated the existing columns in arbor  which had been placed there by the previous owners the new construction brought about the wall  of mexican brick and antique spanish stained   glass windows the circular pool with fountain  and flame lighted urns iron railings sidewalks   special lighting landscaping and speakers  tied into a sound system from the house   the project was inspired by elvis intense  study of religious and spiritual matters   and was intended as a tranquil  and inspirational private retreat   at the center of the wall is a statue of  jesus members of elvis entourage gave to him   as a christmas gift for the new space in 1965.  the four graves are those of elvis aaron presley   gladys love smith presley vernon elvis presley and  minnie mae presley elvis's paternal grandmother   also there is a small marker mr presley  had placed in memory of elvis twin brother   jessie garan who died at birth a group of  elvis close associates paid for and placed   an eternal flame at the head of elvis tombstone vernon presley partly due to local regulations  and particularly out of sensitivity toward fans   provided a regular schedule for the garden to  be open for the public to walk up and visit free   of charge although the gravesite area became part  of the graceland tour when the home opened to the   public in 1982 a daily period for free admission  to visit the garden has always remained in place each august thousands of elvis fans of all ages  from around the world gather in memphis for elvis   week a celebration of the life career and enduring  legacy of elvis presley they enjoy a full week of   social sports educational charity and music events  the biggest event during elvis week is always the   candlelight vigil following an opening ceremony at  the gates of graceland fans walk up the driveway   to elvis gravesite in the meditation garden and  back down carrying a candle in quiet remembrance a small group of elvis fans  spontaneously created this event   for the eve of the anniversary of elvis passing  this annual gathering grew and grew each year   and then in the early 1980s it became the  cornerstone for the creation of elvis week in all the years since his death elvis  has continued to receive recognition   in 1986 elvis was among the first group of  inductees into the rock and roll hall of fame   in 1998 elvis received the country  music association's highest honor   induction into the country music hall of  fame and in 2001 he was inducted into the   gospel music association's gospel music hall of  fame elvis is the only person so far to become   a member of all three of these halls of fame  rock and roll country and gospel in 1992 the   u.s postal service announced that elvis image  would be used for a commemorative postage stamp   the postal service released the stamp on january  8 1993 with first day of issue ceremonies   at graceland the elvis stamp became the most  widely publicized stamp issue in u.s history   and it is the top selling commemorative postage  stamp of all time and although elvis left us   more than 30 years ago he has continued  to perform in live concert productions   via videotape in 1997 2002 and again in 2007  elvis starred in extravagant concert productions   reuniting him with numerous former bandmates  live on stage accompanied by an orchestra   a smaller version of this production concept  toured the world from 1998 to 2006 and was   honored in 1998 with an official guinness world  record designation the first live tour headlined   by a performer who is no longer living the  early 1999 european tour opened with a sellout   at london's wembley arena and in effect marked  elvis first ever concert outside of north america   in 2002 elvis had a global  number one hit with a remix   of his 1968 recording of the  song a little less conversation and a global number one album  with elvis 30 number one hits more than 600 000 people  visit graceland every year that makes elvis presley's graceland one of the  five most visited home museums in the country it's   also the most recognizable residence in america  after the white house since opening to the public   in 1982 millions of fans and other visitors from  around the globe have toured graceland in 2006   the united states government designated graceland  as a national historic landmark the recognition   came because of elvis impact on american music and  culture it would be difficult to tell the story   of the 20th century without discussing the many  contributions made by this legendary iconic artist   to this day elvis continues to be an influence   on music and pop culture in america and  throughout the world his loyal fan base   never left him and new fans of all ages  are engaged by the magic of elvis every day he was among the greatest of stars in his lifetime   but by some measures elvis presley  is even more popular right now for water it's awful it's very dry here in las vegas  a lot of singers helped have a prop course   i was never a singer so i have a problem but uh  a lot of singers have a trouble with it the back uh a lot of singers don't have a problem with what  they call a vegas throat it's either too dry or   you swallow too many chips i don't know what it  is but a lot of people have that problem you know   uh so you have to drink a lot of water  during these shows to keep going so if   i stop and everything just watch me and look  at my little red things in my pants here and   the belt and then talk about you want to say is  that is that him he's got his name on his guitar   i thought he was bigger than that man flying everywhere he's got to be a  weirdo stone cold natural freak man that's that's why he been in public nine years  man put me away boy just get him out of here you

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Length: 80min 26sec (4826 seconds)

Published: Tue Feb 08 2022