Baby, Let's Play House

by Alanna Nash

  444 “He just didn’t feel comfortable”: Joe Esposito to author, 2009.

  444 “I guess he had a Madonna complex”: Priscilla Presley, quoted in “No Angel,” by Peter Conrad, The Observer, May 22, 2005.

  444 “Somehow, after a false start”: Schilling, Jerry, with Crisafulli, Chuck, Me and a Guy Named Elvis: My Lifelong Friendship with Elvis Presley.

  444 “He never seemed”: George C. Nichopoulos to Peter O. Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1995.

  445 “I said fine”: Priscilla Presley, quoted in Elvis by the Presleys: Ritz, David, editor.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  447 “Hey, don’t get yourself all excited”: Schilling, Jerry, with Crisafulli, Chuck, Me and a Guy Named Elvis: My Lifelong Friendship with Elvis Presley.

  447 “Where’s that box of cigars I bought?” Priscilla Presley, quoting Elvis Presley in Elvis by the Presleys: Ritz, David, editor.

  448 “I’ve never seen”: Patsy Presley in Elvis by the Presleys: Ritz, David, editor.

  448 “I got the feeling”: Schilling, Jerry, with Crisafulli, Chuck, Me and a Guy Named Elvis: My Lifelong Friendship with Elvis Presley.

  448 “He was thrilled”: Joe Esposito to Peter O. Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1994.

  449 “which have been”: Guralnick, Peter, and Jorgensen, Ernst, Elvis Day by Day: The Definitive Record of His Life and Music.

  450 “It turned me on”: “Interview with Mac Davis,” on the Web site Elvis Australia, August 20, 2005.

  451 “I told him it would be a number one hit”: Celeste Yarnall to author, 2009. All Celeste Yarnall quotes come from this interview.

  453 “It was very awkward”: Susan Henning to author, 2009. All Susan Henning quotes come from this interview, unless otherwise noted.

  454 “there were times”: “Interview with Susan Henning,” on the Web site Elvis Australia, October 17, 2008.

  455 “Would TV serve”: TV Guide, November 30, 1968.

  456 “most stars had trailers”: Bob Finkel to author, 1999.

  457 “We didn’t know”: Steve Binder to author, 2008.

  457 “He was really involved”: Bones Howe to Jerry Hopkins, the Jerry Hopkins Collection, Special Collections, the University of Memphis.

  458 “show to depart”: Memo, Bob Finkel, as quoted in Guralnick, Peter, and Jorgensen, Ernst, Elvis Day by Day: The Definitive Record of His Life and Music.

  458 “with that exterior”: Steve Binder to author, 2008.

  458 “You certainly knew”: Steve Binder to Peter O. Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1993; supplemented with a quote, “without any weak points,” from Steve Binder to author, 2001.

  458 “I felt very, very strongly”: Steve Binder to Jerry Hopkins, the Jerry Hopkins Collection, Special Collections, the University of Memphis.

  458 “You make a record”: Steve Binder to author, 2001.

  459 “once he had the stranglehold”: Ibid.

  459 “He laughed at that”: Steve Binder to Constant Meijers, raw interview transcription from the documentary Looking for Colonel Parker, 1999.

  459 “There is a certain strength”: Priscilla Presley, “Viva, Priscilla!” by Kevin Sessums, Vanity Fair, July 1991.

  460 “Often Elvis would say”: Esposito to Peter O. Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1994.

  461 “This is somebody”: Bill Belew, quoted in “One Gorgeous Man!” by Mary Pat Hinds, Elvis World magazine, no. 55.

  461 “He looked amazing”: Steve Binder to author, 2001.

  461 “I’m a Jewish kid”: Steve Binder quoting Billy Goldenberg to author, 2001.

  461 “You can do it with a real bluesy feel”: Bones Howe to Jerry Hopkins, the Jerry Hopkins Collection, Special Collections, the University of Memphis.

  462 “When Elvis heard the first note”: This paragraph is a combination of quotes from Steve Binder to Jerry Hopkins and Peter O. Whitmer. Jerry Hopkins, the Jerry Hopkins Collection, Special Collections, the University of Memphis, and Peter O. Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1993.

  463 “We got Elvis to take a stand”: Bob Finkel to author, 1999.

  463 “The string players”: Bones Howe, as quoted in the booklet for the RCA Records set, Elvis: From Nashville to Memphis. The Essential ’60s Masters.

  463 “On the outside”: Steve Binder to Constant Meijers, raw interview transcription from the documentary Looking for Colonel Parker, 1999.

  464 “The only way”: Lamar Fike to Constant Meijers, raw interview transcription from the documentary Looking for Colonel Parker, 1999.

  464 “We figured it was about time”: TV Guide, November 30, 1968.

  464 “I have no proof to back this up”: Steve Binder to Peter O. Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1993; supplemented with quotes from Binder to the author, 2001.

  465 “People would be shocked”: Jaime Rogers, quoted in Binder, Steve. ’68 at 40 Retrospective.

  465 “Elvis ushered young girls”: Alan Fortas to author, 1991.

  465 “With her blue eyes”: Steve Binder, e-mail to author, 2009.

  465 “When I walked into the room”: in the documentary The Definitive Elvis: The Many Loves of Elvis.

  465 “I was and still am”: Steve Binder, e-mail to author, 2009.

  465 “I understand”: Ibid.

  466 “I almost feel”: Ibid.

  466 “And certainly we talked about the future”: “Interview with Susan Henning,” on the Web site Elvis Australia, October 17, 2008.

  466 “He had a multitude of women”: Susan Henning in the documentary The Definitive Elvis: The Many Loves of Elvis.

  466 “might offend”: Binder, Steve. ’68 at 40 Retrospective.

  466 “Do you think my hair’s too black?”: Steve Binder quoting Elvis Presley to author, 2001.

  466 “He sat in that makeup chair”: Bones Howe to Jerry Hopkins, the Jerry Hopkins Collection, Special Collections, the University of Memphis.

  466 “If you get out there”: Steve Binder to author, 2001.

  467 “That . . . is when”: Steve Binder to author, 2001.

  467 “Bill Masters”: Peter O. Whitmer to author, 2009.

  467 “What impresses”: John Bush on the Web site allmusic.com.

  467 “The greatest thrill”: Steve Binder to author, 2008.

  467 “He watched it”: Steve Binder to Constant Meijers, raw interview transcription from the documentary Looking for Colonel Parker, 1999.

  468 “They had the house”: “Interview with Charlie Hodge,” on the Web site Elvis Australia, April 9, 2005.

  468 “I play a gunfighter”: Elvis Presley, quoted in Doll, Susan, The Films of Elvis Presley.

  468 “I’m sure”: “Interview with Mac Davis,” on the Web site Elvis Australia, August 20, 2005.

  468 “ten weeks of hilarious bliss”: “The Trouble with Marlyn,” by Bill Bram, Elvis: The Man and His Music, issue 50, 2000.

  468 “I felt very close to him”: Marlyn Mason in the documentary The Definitive Elvis: The Many Loves of Elvis.

  469 “The saddest thing”: “The Trouble with Marlyn,” by Bill Bram, Elvis: The Man and His Music, issue 50, 2000.

  469 “Mrs. Dorothy”: Elvis Presley, quoted in Guralnick, Peter, and Jorgensen, Ernst, Elvis Day by Day: The Definitive Record of His Life and Music.

  469 “You saved his career”: Steve Binder quoting Priscilla Presley to author, 2008.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  472 “really white music”: Jerry Leiber, quoted in “An Oral Biography: Elvis Presley,” by Peter Cronin, Scott Isler, and Mark Rowland, Musician, October 1992.

  472 “saw that it could go”: Marty Lacker to author, 1994.

  473 “It would have taken a complete fool”: Chips Moman to author, 2001.

  473 “Their deal”: Chips Moman to author, 2001.

  474 “new as polyester”: James Hunter, Rolling Stone 874, August 2, 2001.

  474 “Elvis has said”: Mary Tyler Moore, quoted in This Is Elvis: Special Collector’s Edition of TV Guide, August, 2002.r />
  474 “Gladys and my mother”: e-mail, Barbara Spencer to author, 2009.

  474 “He came to Hollywood”: Ochs, Michael, and Pond, Steve, Elvis in Hollywood: Photographs from the Making of Love Me Tender.

  475 “He just loaded”: Alex Shoofey, in the documentary film Mr. Rock & Roll, 1999.

  475 “They looked like riverboat gamblers”: Joe Moscheo to Beverly Keel for author, 1998.

  476 “to be a complete person”: Priscilla Presley, quoted in US magazine, August 5, 1980.

  476 “I need an equal”: Priscilla Presley, quoted in US magazine, August 5, 1980.

  476 “Elvis brought out this mothering quality”: Priscilla Presley, quoted in Ladies’ Home Journal, July 2003.

  476 “It was never about me”: Ibid.

  476 “We had one suite”: Joe Esposito to Peter O. Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1994.

  477 “He would be Billy Eckstine”: Charlie Hodge, quoted in “An Oral Biography: Elvis Presley,” by Peter Cronin, Scott Isler, and Mark Rowland, Musician, October 1992.

  477 “helluva big stage”: Charlie Hodge, quoted in Guralnick, Peter, and Jorgensen, Ernst, Elvis Day by Day: The Definitive Record of His Life and Music.

  477 “Our music”: James Burton, quoted in “An Oral Biography: Elvis Presley,” by Peter Cronin, Scott Isler, and Mark Rowland, Musician, October 1992.

  478 “The first thing”: Bill Belew, quoted in “One Gorgeous Man!” by Mary Pat Hinds, Elvis World magazine, no. 55.

  479 “Oh, my God”: June Juanico to author, 2007.

  479 “[The] Colonel”: Alex Shoofey in the Guardian Ad Litem’s Amended Report, July 31, 1981.

  479 “I was convinced”: Steve Binder to author, 2008.

  480 “a little nervous”: Elvis Presley, quoted in Guralnick, Peter, and Jorgensen, Ernst, Elvis Day by Day: The Definitive Record of His Life and Music.

  480 “It’s not secluded”: Elvis Presley, International Hotel, Las Vegas, Press Conference, as quoted in Osborne, Jerry, Elvis Word for Word.

  481 “I wasn’t prepared”: Bova, Joyce, as told to Nowels, William Conrad, Don’t Ask Forever: My Love Affair with Elvis.

  481 “Pretty girl”: Joe Esposito to author, 2009.

  481 “surprise and shock”: Joyce Bova to author, 2009.

  482 “he had many questions”: Ibid.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  486 “Everybody is commenting”: Guralnick, Peter, and Jorgensen, Ernst, Elvis Day by Day: The Definitive Record of His Life and Music.

  486 “I can’t . . . Elvis you know I can’t”: Bova, Joyce, as told to Nowels, William Conrad, Don’t Ask Forever: My Love Affair with Elvis.

  486 “The new decade will belong to him”: Guralnick, Peter, and Jorgensen, Ernst, Elvis Day by Day: The Definitive Record of His Life and Music.

  486 “I got the idea from a karate suit:” Elvis Presley, private audio recording, Press Conference, Astroworld Hotel, Houston, Texas, February 27, 1970.

  486 “male cheesecake”: “A Gross Top-Grosser: Elvis Presley at Las Vegas,” by Albert Goldman, Life magazine, March 20, 1970.

  487 “It scares the . . .”: Elvis Presley, private audio recording, Press Conference, Astroworld Hotel, Houston, Texas, February 27, 1970.

  487 “The promoters”: “Myrna Smith, the Sweets Talks, Part I,” Essential Elvis magazine, no. 39, 2005.

  487 “We were so jaded”: Esposito, Joe, with Oumano, Elena, Good Rockin’ Tonight.

  488 “He loved it”: Jerry Schilling to Jerry Hopkins, the Jerry Hopkins Collection, Special Collections, the University of Memphis.

  488 “I was always a little girl to him”: Priscilla Presley, quoted in People magazine, August 21, 1978.

  489 “If he said”: “Priscilla Presley: Surviving Elvis,” by Sheila Weller, McCall’s magazine, May 1979.

  489 “was like a child”: Bill Belew, quoted in “One Gorgeous Man!” by Mary Pat Hinds, Elvis World magazine, no. 55.

  489 “It’s true”: Priscilla Presley, in “Viva, Priscilla!” by Kevin Sessums, Vanity Fair, July 1991.

  490 “was so sheltered”: Norbert Putnam, quoted in “An Oral Biography: Elvis Presley,” by Peter Cronin, Scott Isler, and Mark Rowland, Musician, October 1992.

  491 “I thought it would be a party”: Kathy Westmoreland, quoted in Elvis World magazine, no. 61.

  491 “He told me”: Kathy Westmoreland to Larry King, CNN, December 5, 2007.

  491 “He reminded me”: Kathy Westmoreland, quoted in Elvis World magazine, no. 61.

  491 “We were both”: Kathy Westmoreland to author, 1997.

  491 “He kept on saying”: Kathy Westmoreland, quoted in Finstad, Suzanne, Child Bride.

  492 “The lights were up”: “Interview with Red West,” on the Web site Elvis Australia, May 29, 2008.

  492 “You must be psychic, honey”: Bova, Joyce, as told to Nowels, William Conrad, Don’t Ask Forever: My Love Affair with Elvis.

  493 “Why would he”: Barbara Leigh, quoted in Elvis World magazine, no. 67.

  493 “he couldn’t take his eyes off her”: Joe Esposito quoted in Leigh, Barbara, with Terrill, Marshall, The King, McQueen, and the Love Machine: My Secret Hollywood Life with Elvis Presley, Steve McQueen, and James Aubrey.

  493 “Man, that’s Venus”: Sonny West quoting Elvis Presley in West, Sonny, and Terrill, Marshall, Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business.

  493 “Elvis swooped in”: Barbara Leigh, e-mail interview with author, 2009.

  493 “There always were a lot of people”: “Interview with Red West,” on the Web site Elvis Australia, May 29, 2008.

  493 “that it was me shaking”: “Myrna Smith, the Sweets Talks, Part II,” Essential Elvis magazine, no. 39, 2005.

  494 “Happens sometimes, baby”: Bova, Joyce, as told to Nowels, William Conrad, Don’t Ask Forever: My Love Affair with Elvis.

  495 “I do believe”: Barbara Leigh, e-mail interview with author, 2009.

  495 “I’ve been calling”: Elvis Presley, quoted in Leigh, Barbara, with Terrill, Marshall, The King, McQueen, and the Love Machine: My Secret Hollywood Life with Elvis Presley, Steve McQueen, and James Aubrey.

  496 “where all his stuff was”: Barbara Leigh, e-mail interview with author, 2009.

  496 “Elvis wanted”: Ibid.

  496 “I’d like you to have this”: Leigh, Barbara, with Terrill, Marshall, The King, McQueen, and the Love Machine: My Secret Hollywood Life with Elvis Presley, Steve McQueen, and James Aubrey.

  496 “His mouth was round, full and soft”: Ibid.

  497 “He was spontaneous”: Ibid.

  497 “He was an old soul”: “Interview with Barbara Leigh,” on the Web site Elvis Australia, May 15, 2008.

  497 “I loved him”: Barbara Leigh, e-mail interview with author, 2009.

  497 “it never stopped him”: Barbara Leigh, e-mail interview with author, 2009.

  497 “I understood what he wanted”: Ibid.

  497 “It took him”: Ibid.

  497 “I loved my little brown Mercedes”: “Interview with Barbara Leigh,” on the Web site Elvis Australia, May 15, 2008.

  497 “had a girl”: Barbara Leigh, e-mail interview with author, 2009.

  498 “he would be talking”: Sherry Williams, “Elvis’s Secret Love,” Essential Elvis magazine, no. 33, 2004.

  499 “had on a jumpsuit”: e-mail, Regis Wilson Vaughn to author, 2009.

  500 “I’ll bet”: Marty Lacker to author, 1993.

  500 “He just had”: “Interview with Barbara Leigh,” on the Web site Elvis Australia, May 15, 2008.

  500 “My TLC”: Patti Parry to author, 2009.

  501 “There are two reasons”: e-mail, Peter O. Whitmer to author, 2009.

  501 “He couldn’t take care of himself”: Joyce Bova to author, 2009.

  502 “Jerry, I’m coming into Los Angeles”: Jerry Schilling quoting Elvis Presley to Jerry Hopkins, from the Jerry Hopkins Collection, Special Collections, the University of Memphis. All Schilling material in this section com
es from this interview.

  503 “do not consider me”: Elvis Presley, letter to Richard Nixon, December 20, 1970.

  504 “My name is Jerry Schilling”: Bova, Joyce, as told to Nowels, William Conrad, Don’t Ask Forever: My Love Affair with Elvis.

  504 “Elvis always wanted”: Joyce Bova to author, 2009.

  505 “You’re a beautiful woman”: Joyce Bova, as told to Nowels, William Conrad, Don’t Ask Forever: My Love Affair with Elvis.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  506 “Officer, can I help with anything?” Elvis Presley, quoted in Bova, Joyce, as told to Nowels, William Conrad, Don’t Ask Forever: My Love Affair with Elvis.

  507 “He’d put on his uniform”: Billy Smith to author, 1994.

  508 “I don’t go along”: Guralnick, Peter, and Jorgensen, Ernst, Elvis Day by Day: The Definitive Record of His Life and Music.

  508 “his private nature”: Elvis Presley, quoted in Bova, Joyce, as told to Nowels, William Conrad, Don’t Ask Forever: My Love Affair with Elvis.

  509 “a conversation piece”: George C. Nichopoulos to Peter O. Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1995.

  509 “we’d kiss so passionately”: Sherry Williams, “Elvis’s Secret Love,” Essential Elvis magazine, no. 33, 2004.

  509 “a mistake”: Ann-Margret, with Gold, Todd, Ann-Margret: My Story.

  510 “I held his hand”: Barbara Leigh, e-mail interview with author, 2009.

  510 “I felt her”: Ibid.

  511 “I couldn’t understand”: Joyce Bova to author, 2009.

  511 “tremendous in size”: George C. Nichopoulos to Peter O. Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1995.

  511 “went ballistic”: Sonny West quoting Elvis Presley in West, Sonny, and Terrill, Marshall, Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business.

  512 “he played the tough part”: Joe Esposito to Peter O. Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1994.

  512 “a lovely dancer”: e-mail, Sally O’Brien to Jacque Parsley for author, 2009.

  512 “nights when he’d come into Lisa’s bedroom”: “Priscilla Presley: Surviving Elvis,” by Sheila Weller, McCall’s magazine, May 1979.

  512 “I took a lover”: Priscilla Presley, quoted in “No Angel,” by Peter Conrad, The Observer, May 22, 2005.