Elvis was in a limousine when McQueen pulled up on a motorcycle. Following publication of the Kennedy article, Vernon Presley confided to a journalist friend, She not only insulted the memory of Elvis, she insulted her own family name., (There were no startling revelations in the Kennedy article. Other reporters were the enemy--and they were ruthless without using bullets.. From a laymans point of view, the first thing I remembered thinking was, This fellas dead. . When Elvis died in 1977, he was interred in a crypt in Forest Hills Mausoleum. It read: THE KING IS DEAD! The Beverly Wilshire didnt know what was happening, man.. Ginger was there the night Elvis died and the subsequent days of the funeral, but she had never lived at Graceland and the will soon made it clear where she stood. Events in the book, as detailed by former Elvis employees Red West, Sonny West and Dave Hebler (as told to Steve Dunleavy), fired up the coverage (of Elvis death), said reporter William Thomas. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2012-2023 On Secret Hunt - All Rights Reserved We respected his privacy, no matter what. The photo also so angered Elvis entourage that a private detective was hired to unmask the culprit--now said to be a black sheep.. Learning that Thompson had tried to reach him, he promptly called her back on the dentists phone, never thinking wed be talking for an hour and 40 minutes., He surmised: I think I was a shoulder to cry on. If you know anything about how TV shows are done, you know thats extraordinary, said West. Yes, they did. Ginger Alden, the dark-haired beauty who in five months was to become the next Mrs. Elvis Presley, was still wearing her 11 1/2-carat diamond engagement ring as she recalled the final hours of the singer's life. Alden, a former model and actress, had dated Elvis for two months before he proposed to her. Because she wore a black dress only hours before the funeral, Miss Alden claims she wanted to convince herself that Presley was not dead. TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time The last record that Elvis ever played is still in the record player and theres even a styrofoam cup remaining on the bookshelf. "There were so many reporters, you couldn't get a. Presley, just 42 at the time, died on August 16, 1977, at his Graceland home. She was banned from. Over a soft drink in the family room of his comfortable Memphis home (God, Elvis spent a lot of time here), Phillips explained that luckily, the calls he received were from people who wanted to eulogize Elvis. He added, You know how you feel about a hero? The Soviet PRAVDA ran a full-page; ELVIS IS DEAD. We lived at the Beverly Wilshire. British Press said: KING ELVIS DEAD AT 42 AND ALONE. Vernon later gave the flowers to the thousands of fans who attended the event. You know what Im saying? Did Ginger Alden attend Elvis funeral? "I'm living it, really," she said."Especially in this footage in this film, it's just been so heartwarming and quite emotional in every way." Already teary-eyed, Priscilla fought to hold back her tears when she was asked to share her memories of Elvis' funeral. Not that the book was taken that seriously. People come around the same time and theyre all there.. ELVIS--TEN YEARS AFTER, THE LEGEND GROWS--Newsweek. Elvis last week alive was apparently a happy one. We took uppers to stay awake and sleeping pills to get to sleep. Elvis Presley, was still wearing her 11 1/2-carat diamond engagement ring as she recalled the final hours of the singer's life. Although they werent together at the time of his passing, one of Elvis former flames had an emotional moment with Elvis father at the time of his funeral. But the infamous musician was engaged to Ginger Alden before his death. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? According to CelebrityNetWorth, Elvis Presley had a net worth of $20million (15million) at the time of his death but technically his net worth was only $5million (3.5million), before adjusting for inflation. Sumner and the Stamps, sang and played some of Presleys favorite hymns. Elvis Presleys Ex-Girlfriend Claimed He Thought Affairs Were Different for Men I Was Deeply Hurt By His Need to Be With Other Women After Elvis Presley divorced Priscilla Presley, his wife of six years, in 1973, he began a four-year relationship with Linda Thompson. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Alden, a former model and actress, had dated Elvis for two months before he proposed to her. On learning of Elvis death, the woman had dressed her house in mourning and spent the night on her knees in prayer. Looking away from a reporter, he brushed away a tear. Ginger Alden who was Elvis' current girlfriend at the time of his death is selling her engagement ring which Elvis gave her. And going out the gates in the limo and seeing the streets lined up on both sides all the way to the cemetery. Presley, just 42 at the time, died on August 16, 1977, at his Graceland home. Alden was also allegedly banned from entering Elvis' Graceland home, with Elvis' uncle Vester telling The Daily Express that "Ginger Alden is dead now as far as the family is concerned.". One former National Enquirer reporter, who played a part in that papers acquisition of the famed last picture of Elvis in his coffin, remembered: As a war correspondent, I had covered the war in Bangladesh and two wars in the Middle East and a revolution in Ethiopia. Of Elvis problems with drugs, Klein stressed, They were prescription drugs--not illicit drugs., Not that he didnt have colorful exploits with Elvis. The hundreds of reporters fought for rental cars and hotel rooms (and rooms rented out by Memphians who took advantage of the onslaught). Ginger Alden who was Elvis current girlfriend at the time of his death is selling her engagement ring which Elvis gave her. Although her role as Lilia the water girl in The Ten Commandments was her signature role in a 15-year Hollywood career, Debra Paget is best remembered today by Elvis enthusiasts as Presleys first leading lady in his 1956 debut film, Love Me Tender. Ginger only dated the superstar from November 1976 until his untimely death on August 16, 1977. Still others have penned their own memoirs. This week alone, the headlines have included: THE KING IS DEAD, LONG LIVE THE KING--The Chicago Sun-Times. When Elvis returned from Germany and was no longer in the service, our family was invited, by an uncle of Elvis', to join Elvis and a group at the local fairground. . Although he had previously dated Linda Thompson for four years, he was notoriously commitment-shy. Although Elvis was unofficially betrothed to Priscilla Presley at the time, the connection he shared with his Viva Las Vegas co-star was too strong to be ignored. All this stuff Im telling you is in the first couple chapters of my book.. Why Netflix is dabbling in livestreaming, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Dramatic before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Best coffee city in the world? HE BECAME EVEN MORE OF A MYSTERY in death than he had been in life. But word had already gotten out: They were on to us, said Elliott, because Elvis had come into the hospital in a fire department ambulance. For the next 30 minutes, the hospital fielded a deluge of calls from reporters. The beneficiaries of the trust were Vernon, Elvis grandmother Minnie Mae Presley, and his nine-year-old daughter Lisa Marie Presley. They quickly became inseparable, and . Of those Elvis associates who did concede to meet the press 10 years ago, some admit that they did so with great care. Letters Of Note, Shaun Usher's compilation of fascinating letters, postcards, telegrams, faxes, and memos is brilliant. It was Dr. George Nichopoulos who broke the news to Elvis friends. But the infamous musician was engaged to Ginger Alden before his death. She is an actress and a model and had been dating Elvis Presley at the time of his death. People were crying, said Elliott, and then Joe Esposito made the point that everyone should pull themselves together, so that when they left the hospital no one could see them like this.. Because he was pretty far gone. We just knew we wanted everything to run smoothly. Editors picks Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. All Rights reserved. According to one source, What we heard around the office was that (the photo thieves) had planned to have the Elvis photo reproduced on sweatshirts that they were going to market., The Enquirer may have had Elvis last photos, but the National Star (now known as the Star) had serialization rights to Elvis: What Happened?. Ann-Margret also spoke about the tender moment 20 years later in her autobiography,My Story. It was the story. Some went to startling lengths to get the truth. Like the National Enquirer writer who faked a toothache (which was ridiculous, since Ive always had perfect teeth) in order to get an emergency appointment with the dentist Elvis had visited the last night of his life. But Presley had many other loves in his life, including Ginger Alden, the beauty pageant queen to whom he was engaged at the time of his death in 1977. How many houses did Elvis Presley have? She lives in Los Angeles with her mother, Elvis former wife, Priscilla Beaulieu. Ill never forget it. In 1976, she left Presley as Elvis began dating Mindi Miller from 1975 to 1976 and then Ginger Alden, his last serious girlfriend and the person who found his unresponsive body on the day he died. takingcare-of-business: . . On January 8, 1977, Elvis Presley was found dead in his Graceland bathroom. Then suddenly, he wasnt., So West opted not to talk. Ginger Alden was born in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1956. God wouldnt want to take him so soon. Elvis Presley Grave Who is Buried at Graceland? After all, pictures are run of dead prime ministers and Popes and national heroes. Elvis Presley was at his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, resting between concert appearances. The actress explained that she had noticed Elvis hadnt sent her any flowers for her latest performance in Las Vegas a familiar gesture for Elvis, signifying to Ann-Margret that something was wrong. The next day, hundreds of beautiful floral arrangements lined the gates of Graceland as a way to honor the late rock-n-roll star. Even with that wild 1970s hairdo. As it turned out, Elvis death generated more than tributes. Behind the Graceland Gates at Lisa Marie's Memorial: We Watched Her Go Through Her Struggles. . Did Ginger Alden sell her engagement ring from Elvis? Speaking about the film, Priscilla said her work on such projects allows her to experience Elvis' life all over again. What celebrities were at Elvis funeral? Around 5 a.m. on the morning of August 16, 1977, Elvis Presley and fiancee Ginger Alden went to bed together, after spending much of the night awake despite Elvis trying to nod off with the aid of various prescription drugs, according to the Express. "I remember Lisa coming into Elvis's bedroom one evening, sitting on his bed and as she stared at the television, he tapped me silently behind her," she wrote. Charlie Crosby and Ulysses S. Jones Jr. jumped into Unit No. Its a secret. The police were called in. The world lost the King of Rock 40 years ago last August, and now his longtime queen is opening up about the day she said goodbye. This after the family decided that a flower should go to each fan who hadnt been able to view the body. During an appearance on Today Wednesday morning, Priscilla Presley reflected on the day of Elvis funeral an event that sent Memphis into mourning. West did a widely syndicated interview with Bob Greene. Elvis Presley's last love is paying her respects to his daughter Lisa Marie Presley. . It was like we were defectors--nobody wanted to believe what we had to say, said West, who now makes his living as a character actor in Hollywood. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The last long-term relationship that Elvis Presley had was with Ginger Alden. In an interview Sylvester Stallone was asked if he and Elvis Presley ever met. Recalled Elliott: She called and said, Weve just gotten Elvis Presley in respiratory distress--and it doesnt look good., Well, that floored me. Elvis's identical twin brother, Jesse Garon Presley, was delivered 35 minutes before him, stillborn. Who was Elvis Presleys girlfriend before Priscilla? It was also grim timing that Elvis death had come just after the publication of the tell-all paperback. And both West and Hebler appeared at a press conference on the day after Elvis death. Well, God Almighty, when it came to Elvis Presley. Due to the ferocious nature of the attorneys representing Elvis Presley Enterprises, the originating story of these photos cannot be told, but these photographs match in every detail the written descriptions of Graceland's upstairs rooms, as found in books authored by Ginger Alden, Joe Esposito, David Stanley, Red West and Priscilla herself. She was always disappointing him. Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. But a decade ago, prior to all the talking, Elvis was a veritable mystery man. I think about her a lot., Joe Esposito wondered if the reporter was going to mention what a great friend Elvis was. Said Esposito, For all the things that have been said and written about him--and it seems as if thereve been a lot of negative things--what about the fact that he was a good friend. One of the reporters (who has since gone to work for a major newspaper--so please dont use my name, because now Im respectable ) recalled the epic events: We knew we had to be the best because, if youre with the Enquirer, you really are the best. Phillips, who produced Elvis first records (this after a search to find a black sound inside a white boy), received so many calls that you couldnt begin to count em. They came from all over the world--including England, Australia and Japan. He was so busy that he didnt have time to respond to the reporters who kept leaving messages with the funeral home office. Though he wasnt technically invited to Elvis services, Murray didnt let that stop him. Because of his longtime tenure with Elvis, and because Esposito was initially credited with finding the body (reports would later clarify that it was fiancee Ginger Alden who first made the discovery), he had dozens of requests for interviews. Such visits meant fielding phone calls from fans, processing increased mail (He always got lots of teddy bears) and, of course, responding to the press. I said, To hell with it. . What a shame. In their book, When Elvis Died, Neal and Janice Gregory revealed that Kennedy was actually on assignment for the New York Daily News. His daughter and his companion, a local woman named Ginger Alden, and about 15 friends spent the night riding Caseys Cannonball. Why isnt Elvis buried next to his mother? [Signed by Elvis A. Presley] ELVIS A. PRESLEY The foregoing instrument, consisting of this . Along with its last photo of Elvis, the Enquirer snared the last photo of Elvis alive, which happened to be snapped by a fans $20.95 Instamatic outside Graceland at 12:28 a.m. on Aug. 16. His death left promoters with a financial dilemma: How could they reimburse fans for tickets worth more than $600,000 if the fans refused to return the tickets (which became collectors items)? Just look at her face, she is devastated she didn't care what she had on, the love of her life had just died, they hadn't been apart that long and maybe she was hoping they could . I cannot. Priscilla Presley 's final wish is to spend eternity next to her ex, Elvis Presley. Alden was reportedly the last person to see him alive, and she still has fond memories of her short time with The King. The job escalated each time Elvis Presley checked in. According to Burk, hed figured his reporting of the death was finished. Talking about his wife, Ginger Alden is 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall and has a body weight of around 71 Kg (156 lbs).7. Before his death, Elvis Presley was engaged to his soon-to-be-bride Ginger Alden for seven months. Their preliminary ruling was cardiac arrhythmia and hardening of the arteries. Ginger has a body measurement of around 38-32-40 inches. Presley became close to both parents and formed an especially close bond with his mother. Published by Ballantine Books, the book included reports of Elvis infatuation with guns, his drug use and his alleged efforts to have the then-boyfriend of ex-wife Priscilla executed. You really do go for the untold story. Also, remember, we were competing with major daily newspapers and TV newscasts in the country. Did Ginger Alden attend Elvis funeral? . It is nearly impossible to find an Elvis story that has not already been related, somewhere. Enquirer editor-president Iain Calder wouldnt comment: How would anybody know those things? When she missed her deadline, she sold her story to Rolling Stone. What did Ginger Alden say about Elvis? October 2, 1977 : After grave robbers tried to steal Elvis casket he is entering his last journey. And everyone wanted it.. He had planned to announce their engagement publicly on his upcoming tour in Memphis; sadly, he died before this could happen. Lisa Marie Presley retains 100% sole personal ownership of Graceland Mansion itself and its over 13-acre original grounds and her fathers personal effects meaning costumes, wardrobe, awards, furniture, cars, etc.. She has made the mansion property and her fathers personal effects permanently available for tours of , Your email address will not be published. On August 7th, Elvis had rented Libertyland, a local amusement park, from midnight till dawn. Two days later, his family, friends, and thousands of his most loyal fans gathered to say their goodbyes. It's a site that collects all the most frequently asked questions and answers, so you don't have to spend hours on searching anywhere else. His daughter and his companion, a local woman named Ginger Alden, and about 15 friends spent the. Like the time he accompanied Elvis to California for the filming of Jailhouse Rock. Klein shook his head and recalled, It was awesome. Ginger Alden, Presley's former fiance and final companion who found him dead in his bathroom in 1977, penned a tribute to the King of Rock and Roll's daughter, whom she had known for a short time before Elvis' untimely death. By that time, we knew people would have read a lot about Elvis. She didnt love himshe didnt even want to be around him. He made me comfortable.. But we certainly saw the journey he was taking.. He was hospitalized four times, from 1973 prior to his death. Elvis Gold Piano Elvis Piano at Graceland. Seated in his office at Methodist Health Systems (just down the street from Baptist Memorial), where he is now executive vice president, Elliott recalled that on the day Elvis and Priscilla left the hospital, carrying newborn Lisa Marie, There was a face pressed against every single patient window of the 20-story hospital building. Mused Elliott, I always found that pretty amazing., It wasnt easy work having Elvis as a visitor: A little Elvis went a long way.. 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