Lisa Marie Presley

Generosity of spirit

/ TY

As 2010 draws to a close and we begin looking ahead to 2011, I would like to encourage readers of The Mystery Train Elvis Blog to take a moment to remember those less fortunate than us. There are many worthy organizations out there that need your support, including the American Humane Association and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

One organization that Elvis fans in particular may want to check out is the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation, which is run by Lisa Marie Presley and the rest of the Elvis Presley Enterprises management team. With projects such as Presley Place, the foundation continues the spirit of giving that Elvis promoted during his life.

Below is a 1999 statement from Lisa Marie, which I’ve kept for years.

There are many things about my father, Elvis Presley, that so many others and I can admire eternally. He rose from humble beginnings and when the realization of his dreams and aspirations exceeded all that he had imagined, it gave others hope – a new awareness of their own potential, whatever challenges they might be facing in life. With his success came the accolades and respect he deserved. However, the fame also brought with it a harsh kind of scrutiny and judgment that no one should ever have to experience. The truth of his artistry and his character always rose above this. It always will. His place in our musical and cultural history, and in so many hearts, will always be secure.

One of the very special aspects of Elvis Presley’s character was his generosity of spirit. He expressed it with benefit concerts and charitable donations that were well known by the public. But most of what he did for others was done quietly, without publicity. My father never once forgot what it was like to want, to need, to do without. He spent most of his life bringing happiness to others, endlessly giving to those around him. It is one of the things that I admire most about him.

In his own tradition of giving, we have created the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation to do good works for the community and to honor my father’s memory in ways that I know would make him very proud.”
–Lisa Marie Presley

Lisa Marie sums up her father better in three simple paragraphs than perhaps anyone ever has in the last 75 years.

* * *

Thank you, Elvis. You’re still bringing us happiness.

Lisa Marie Presley offers new insight into Michael Jackson and her father [The Film Frontier blog]

/ TY

When news broke yesterday of Michael Jackson’s sudden death, I instantly thought back to August 16, 1977, when Elvis died. The coverage had an eerie sense of familiarity, as if I was re-living that event in some way. Some of it I can vaguely remember from back then, while other parts I have watched on videos over the years. I felt sympathy for Jackson’s many fans because, as an Elvis fan, I know some of what they will go through in the coming days and years.

I also felt sympathy for Lisa Marie Presley. If someone like me, who never met either person and was only a fan of one of them, could feel the sense of déjà vu between the two experiences, I could only wonder what Elvis’ daughter and Jackson’s ex-wife would feel.

Lisa Marie released a brief statement yesterday, which you can read at Elvis.com. Today, she released a much longer blog post about the topic, “He Knew,” on her MySpace page. In the post, she offers new perspectives on why she was attracted to Michael Jackson and on the deaths of both Jackson and her father. It is a compelling read.

Incidentally, today marks the 32nd anniversary of what would prove to be Elvis’ last concert. It is also the 30th anniversary of the death of Elvis’ father and Lisa Marie’s grandfather, Vernon Presley. Today is also the 100th anniversary of the birth of Elvis’ longtime manager, Colonel Tom Parker.

News From The Frontier: Get Smart trailer; Star Trek and Twilight Zone episodes online; Elvis & Star Wars [The Film Frontier blog]

/ TY

Good morning, folks. It’s catch-up time, so I have a lot of news for you today.

Get Smart movie news roundup
Now that Paramount has moved Star Trek to 2009, the movie I’m most excited about this year is the revitalization of Get Smart, starring Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway. I have been watching the original Get Smart on DVD to get ready. The new preview trailer released last week by Warner Brothers looks fantastic. Check it out on the official Get Smart movie site. Get Smart hits theaters on June 20.

SCI FI Wire has a number of interesting articles on Get Smart. Carell wisely decided not to imitate the legendary Don Adams while portraying the character. “There’s no way to improve upon what he did,” said Carell, who says he instead tried to evoke the spirit of the character.

“Honestly, for me the catch phrases were the toughest part, because it’s hard to say them or think of them in any other way than the way that Don Adams did them. So, again, I tried not to do an impersonation of him, but I tried to sort of let them come out of the situation and not feel like they should stick out in any way,” he said.

This is actually not the first time Carell has tackled a character from a legendary 1960s television series. In 2005’s Bewitched, he appeared as Uncle Arthur to counsel Will Ferrell. Uncle Arthur was made famous by Paul Lynde on the television version of Bewitched. Carell’s Bewitched cameo was a slightly different situation than his Get Smart role, though. In Bewitched, he really is supposed to be the exact same fictional incarnation of Uncle Arthur portrayed by Lynde. Even stock footage of Lynde is shown earlier in the movie. The Get Smart movie, on the other hand, is a total restart of the franchise.

Within a couple weeks of the release of Get Smart to theaters, Warner Brothers will also release a direct-to-DVD movie, Get Smart’s Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control. The spinoff film stars Masi Oka (Heroes) and Nate Torrence (Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip), who also have supporting roles in Get Smart.

CBS releases Star Trek and The Twilight Zone for free online viewing in the US
Every episode of all three seasons of the original Star Trek is now available over at CBS.com for free viewing by those in the United States. These are unaltered versions of the shows, not the versions shown in syndication for Star Trek: Remastered. The first two seasons of the original The Twilight Zone, which lasted five seasons, are also available online.

· CBS.com: Star Trek video episodes
· CBS.com: The Twilight Zone video episodes

Elvis & Star Wars
Don’t worry, I’m not going to start covering “Elvis Trooper” here. However, there are some legitimate connections between Elvis Presley and Star Wars. As a member of both fanbases, I’ve observed a lot of this stuff first-hand over the years. Thomas over at the Elvis Today blog compiles some of them in his article “Elvis, Star Wars style.”

When I visited Graceland in 1990, one of the things mentioned on the tour was that on the last night of his life, Elvis tried to obtain a copy of Star Wars to show his daughter, Lisa Marie, but none were available. Elvis and Star Wars will always share 1977, which really had two huge entertainment headlines–one was the launch of the legendary Star Wars in May and the other was the loss of the legendary Elvis Presley in August. Both stories have had rippling effects all the way to the present.

In 1968, Steve Binder directed ELVIS, a Christmas special that became the most-watched show of the year and revitalized Elvis’ career. Today, it is known as ELVIS: ’68 Comeback Special. When I watch this special, sometimes I think about how only a decade later, Elvis would be gone and Binder would be directing another Christmas special – 1978’s infamous Star Wars Holiday Special. In a unique way, Binder was there for the best of Elvis and the worst of Star Wars.

In June 1977, just six weeks before his death, Elvis was filmed for another television special, Elvis In Concert. The director of that special, which did not air until about six weeks after Elvis’ death, was Dwight Hemion. Hemion, who passed away just over a month ago, teamed up with Binder the next year for that very same Star Wars Holiday Special, for which he served as Executive Producer. Like the Star Wars Holiday Special, the complete version of Elvis In Concert is not officially available for purchase.

I stumbled across the top-notch Elvis Today blog while looking up info about another Elvis project, This Is Elvis. I watched the 1981 theatrical cut of this rockumentary for the first time in years the other day. Elvis Today is an extremely well-written blog. I was so thrilled to find it that I actually went back and read all 90 or so of its entries. I’ve not done this for any other blog out there, including the myriad of ones available for Star Trek (there are some Elvis connections there, too; I’ll also save them for another day).

In one posting, Thomas sums up what it feels like to be an Elvis fan better than anything else I’ve ever read:

“On the highway I put the fourth CD from the Today, Tomorrow & Forever box set in the car stereo and there was ‘See See Rider’ from February 1970 blasting through the speakers. It’s hard to explain what I felt, but I remember thinking ‘Man, I’m gonna listen to Elvis and his music until the very day I die.'”

That makes two of us.

* * *

And that’s about all the time we have for this installment of News From The Frontier. Have a great day, everyone.

Lisa Marie files for divorce from Michael Jackson [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 21 when I wrote this article back in 1996 for The Elvis Beat #14, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Citing irreconcilable differences, Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson filed for divorce from Michael Jackson on January 18 in a Los Angeles court. Her petition also asks for the restoration of her maiden name, Presley.

The divorce is expected to be finalized in June, attorneys said. Representatives for both sides have indicated that the split will be amicable.

In a television interview last year in which the couple appeared together, Jackson spoke about prenuptial agreements. “We’ve worked out things, and we’ve signed certain things, but, of course, that’s very confidential,” he said.

The marriage seemed to be haunted by controversy from the start when they were secretly wed on May 26, 1994, in the Dominican Republic. The media soon had word of the event, although it was not announced formally until August of that year.

Some even speculated that the entire marriage was only a shrewd publicity ploy, which Lisa Marie and Jackson both continue to deny. “I’m not going to marry somebody for any reason other than the fact that I fall in love with them,” Lisa Marie said last year.

This was the second marriage for Lisa Marie, 28. She has two children from her previous marriage to musician Danny Keough. Jackson, 37, had never been married before.

Lisa Marie appears on PrimeTime with Michael Jackson [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 20 when I wrote this article back in 1995 for The Elvis Beat #12, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

A national audience of sixty million people tuned in to see Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson and Michael Jackson in their first televised interview together. Hosted by Diane Sawyer, the ABC PrimeTime Live special easily beat out the final game of the NBA basketball championship to win the time slot and also was the highest rated program of the week.

Lisa Marie, 27, rarely grants interviews, and this was her first to be televised. She and Jackson, 36, were secretly married outside the United States on May 26, 1994. Although rumors soon spread through the press, the news was not confirmed until August of that year.

On June 14, at the Sony Pictures Studios in Los Angeles, the couple fielded a variety of questions on their controversial marriage and Jackson’s controversial life.

“When we first met, she was 7 years old, and I was 17,” said Jackson. “This was in Las Vegas. She used to come and see my show all the time. We had the only family show on the Strip, the Jackson 5. She used to come, as a little girl, and sit right up front, and she came quite often. She came with a lot of bodyguards. Then she’d come backstage, and I’d talk and say, ‘hi,’ and then she’d come again, and I thought she was sweet and loving. And I always hoped I’d see her again,” he said. [. . . .]

“We didn’t stay in touch after that,” said Lisa Marie.

Jackson continued the story: “When she was 18, I used to tell my lawyer . . . ‘Do you know Lisa Marie Presley?’ He’d go, ‘Well, I represent her mother.’ I’d go, ‘Can you get me in touch with her, because I think she’s really cute.’ And he’d laugh every time. He’d go, ‘I’ll do my best.’ . . . . Then, he’d come back, and I’d say, ‘Well, did you find out?’ He said, ‘No, there’s nothing.’ So I would worry him about this all the time. And the next thing I noticed there was a picture on a magazine cover where she’s married, which really tore me to pieces because I felt that was supposed to be me.”

This is the second marriage for Lisa Marie. She has two children from her marriage to musician Danny Keough, Danielle, who is now six, and Benjamin, who will be three in October.

Lisa Marie spoke about Jackson’s marriage proposal. “On the telephone, he first asked me. We were dating now for four months,” she said. “We were spending a lot of time together. I don’t know how it didn’t manage to get in the press, because we weren’t hiding it. I was separated for four months, and he said, ‘What would you do if I asked you to marry me?’ And I said, ‘I would.'”

Lisa Marie appeared hesitant to answer some of the questions, and when she did, she often immediately apologized, as if she was speaking out of turn. Although she was understandably nervous, she maintained her composure all evening. It was obvious that she was serious about setting the record straight, but at times she could not help but laugh at some of Sawyer’s oddly-styled questions. [. . . .]

Sawyer asked for information about any prenuptial arrangements involving the Presley and Jackson fortunes. Jackson replied, “We’ve worked out things, and we’ve signed certain things, but, of course, that’s very confidential.”

Lisa Marie added, “We made (prior) agreements.”

Lisa Marie is a member of the Church of Scientology, which follows ideals established in the book Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard. Some members of the media speculated that the church ordered her to marry Jackson, in an attempt to lure him and his money into their organization.

“That’s ridiculous,” said Lisa Marie. “First of all, you can’t get influenced by anything like that. Under the terms of a marriage, I’m not going to marry somebody for any reason other than the fact that I fall in love with them, period. Period. And they can eat it if they want to think anything different.”

“I believe in spirituality, and I believe in a higher source, such as God,” said Jackson. “But I’m not a Scientologist. I read everything, and I like to read. I love to study.”

Lisa Marie also spoke about other controversial aspects of their marriage. “We don’t live in separate houses. That’s ridiculous. Where are the cameras?” she said, and later added, “No, we don’t sleep in separate bedrooms. Thank you very much.”

In 1993, there were reports that Lisa Marie was pursuing a singing career, with her then-husband Keough as her songwriting partner. People magazine even likened her voice to Bonnie Raitt.

There were plans for Lisa Marie and Jackson to sing a duet in the Elvis: The Tribute concert they attended in Memphis last year, but they eventually decided not to perform.

“I did sing,” said Lisa Marie, “but that’s not why I married Michael. I don’t need that. If I wanted it, I’m not going to marry someone for a recording career – just to clear that up as well.” [. . . .]

Recently, Jackson’s new album, HIStory, was released. The 2-CD set contains a disc of greatest hits and a disc of new songs.

Jackson said, “I don’t care to stay in America anymore. I will always have Neverland because I love (it). . . . (However,) I’d like to go abroad. As a matter of fact, I am. I haven’t decided the exact place yet. Probably South Africa, maybe Switzerland.” [. . . .]

Sawyer asked Lisa Marie her feelings about possibly moving overseas, and she replied, “I think it’s a nice place to visit. I would like to have a house over there. We would be completely and utterly harassed beyond belief, but–”

And then, as she did frequently during the hour, Sawyer interrupted Lisa Marie to ask another question. Many of Sawyer’s questions were halting, and she seemed to be self-consciously trying to project the image of a tough, investigative journalist. Oprah Winfrey, who interviewed Jackson two years ago, would have done a much better job.

Lisa Marie’s closing remarks were, “I just want people to know what they’re dealing with before, and understand that . . . the jokes, the degrading comments, and that kind of stuff, it’s really irritating.”

Elvis honored at tribute [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 19 when I wrote this article back in 1994 for The Elvis Beat #10, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Elvis: The Tribute concert took place in Memphis at the Pyramid on October 8 and was broadcast live on pay-per-view television. It featured many stars, including Bryan Adams, Chet Atkins, Tony Bennett, Michael Bolton, Cheap Trick, Cher, Billy Ray Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Chris Isaac, Jerry Lee Lewis, Aaron Neville, Carl Perkins, and Dwight Yoakam. Elvis’ ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, also appeared.

Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson, her new husband, Michael Jackson, and his sister, Janet Jackson, were among the 18,000 people who attended the event. There had been plans for Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson to sing a duet in the show, but they eventually decided not to perform.

Along with Elvis songs performed by other music stars, the show included footage of Elvis singing several songs, including “If I Can Dream.”

Several performers originally slated to appear had to back out for different reasons. Among these were Billy Joel, Elton John, and Jon Bon Jovi.

Portions of the profits will go to the TJ Martell Foundation and the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

Elvis: The Tribute will be re-broadcast in December on ABC.

Lisa Marie marries Michael Jackson [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 19 when I wrote this article back in 1994 for The Elvis Beat #9, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

The media had been speculating about it for weeks, and on August 1, it was confirmed to the world. Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’ only child, married pop superstar Michael Jackson on May 26.

Lisa, 26, made the following written statement concerning her marriage to Jackson, 35:

My marriage to Michael Jackson took place in a private ceremony outside the United States weeks ago. It was not formally announced until now for several reasons, foremost being that we are both very private people living in the glare of the public media. We both wanted a private ceremony without the distraction of a media circus. I am very much in love with Michael; I dedicate my life to being his wife. I understand and support him; we both look forward to raising a family and living a happy, healthy life together. We hope friends and fans will understand and respect our privacy.

This is the second marriage for Lisa Marie. She has two children from her marriage to musician Danny Keough, Danielle, who is now five, and Benjamin, who will be two in October. Her marriage to Keough ended several months ago in divorce. This is Jackson’s first marriage. [. . . .]

Lisa Marie’s mother, Priscilla Presley, who was married to Elvis from 1967 until their divorce in 1973, stated the following through a spokesman: “Please assure everyone I’m very supportive of Lisa Marie and everything she does.”

Lisa Marie and her new husband will perform a duet of an Elvis song together at the Elvis Tribute concert in October. The TV special will also feature Billy Joel, Elton John, and others.