The Beverly Wilshire didnt know what was happening, man.. He had planned to announce their engagement publicly on his upcoming tour in Memphis; sadly, he died before this could happen. A number of Elvis employees followed. 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. Red West also chided a reporter: You should write some of the good things down. Ten years ago, he was the funeral director for Memphis Funeral Home. The world was shocked. When Elvis died in 1977, he was interred in a crypt in Forest Hills Mausoleum. Elvis Presley was at his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, resting between concert appearances. The books timing also resulted in a then-staggering order for 2 million copies. Equally puzzling (and still the subject of story after story) was the Elvis phenomenon. In her book, she describes that she embraced Vernon tightly during the funeral, writing, There was so much to say, to recount. Ronald Leyser was 61 years old at the time of his death. Red West remembers tuning into a Geraldo Rivera report on Good Morning America the morning after Elvis death and hearing Elvis: What Happened? branded a lie. How much did Lisa Marie inherit from . Because she wore a black dress only hours before the funeral, Miss Alden claims she wanted to convince herself that Presley was not dead. 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. His daughter and his companion, a local woman named Ginger Alden, and about 15 friends spent the night riding Caseys Cannonball. 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. The book promises a whole new take on the public's general . [Signed by Elvis A. Presley] ELVIS A. PRESLEY The foregoing instrument, consisting of this . Elvis Presley, was still wearing her 11 1/2-carat diamond engagement ring as she recalled the final hours of the singer's life. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2012-2023 On Secret Hunt - All Rights Reserved 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. Charlie Hodge, Elvis longtime guitarist, kept a brush handy. Sometime near 2:30 p.m., his girlfriend, Ginger Alden, found him lying face down on the floor . The sense of loss was echoed across the country. the Little Dipper, the Fender Bender and the parks 11 other rides. As it turned out, Elvis death generated more than tributes. Thats the way it was. May you rest in peace Lisa. Elvis Presley tragically died in his home, Graceland, on August 16, 1977. He was also at the hospital when his father suffered a heart attack and when his daughter, Lisa Marie, was born. ELVIS--TEN YEARS AFTER, THE LEGEND GROWS--Newsweek. He was just 42 years old. I cannot. Ronald Leyser was a director of commercials and was married to Ginger Alden from 1991 until his death. 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. And all of his family the distinction between blood relatives and employees long ago having become blurred continued, in the midst of their sorrow, to keep their cards close to their chests. Elvis was to have begun a 12-city tour on Aug. 17, 1977. Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. Elvis had the Presidential Suite. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. As I ran across the cemetery, all of a sudden the motorcycles came in the motorcycles cops looked at me like, If you move we will kill ya,' he recounted. But he reads everything he finds about Lisa Marie, now 19. Only three people were. There was a virtual scramble to interview anybody who had known Elvis. Who was Elvis Presleys girlfriend Ginger? According to sources within the Enquirer--as well as members of Elvis entourage--it was a cousin of Elvis who, armed with a $300 Minox (given him by an Enquirer reporter), snapped that last portrait. He was, friends said, extremely overweight and though he had seen Elvis What Happened?, written by three of his former bodyguards, he did not seem overly bothered by anything. Alden notably didn't spend much time at Graceland, and did not want to move there. The excitement of those visits, said Elliott, never prepared him for the events of Aug. 16, 1977. Like the bumper stickers that read, Elvis Lives. Virtually every person from every beat was assigned to cover Elvis. Two days later, his family, friends, and thousands of his most loyal fans gathered to say their goodbyes. Elvis Presley Was Originally Laid to Rest in a Public Cemetery But Then Moved to Graceland: Heres Why. Read the book the world is talking about, screamed the headlines. Los Angeles, Stranger Things play that may hold key to the end taking 1959 Hawkins to West End, Commentary: Now hiring! 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.". The Aldens. It left two dead, a third critically injured. Here is a rarely seen interview with Ginger Alden, discussing her relationship with Elvis and the circumstances surrounding his death. And we werent going to be out for two weeks. ", "My time with Lisa Marie was unique for me and special," added Alden, who had been 19 when she first started dating Elvis in November 1976. His previous wife of six years, Priscilla Presley, and girlfriend of four years, Linda Thompson, both lived in. The city of Memphis, which also gave the world Holiday Inns, once again if only for 48 hours or so became the spiritual headquarters of rock & roll. Andy Micklin, incarcerated. "I grew to care deeply for her and felt the same from her.". Ginger has a body measurement of around 38-32-40 inches. They put Elvis, in his blue pajamas, into Unit No. As for stories that the Enquirer reporters riled reporters from other publications because they had papered the town by buying up exclusive rights to peoples stories--Calder said simply, If the sheer force of money can give you what people want to read, you give them what they want.. Elvis Presley died 10 years ago this day. I thought then--and I still think it today--what a shame. It read: THE KING IS DEAD! She had been invited to Graceland, along with her sister, where she first caught the eye of The King of Rock and Roll. Elvis was crouched over.His face dark and bloated. No one expected it. She lives in Los Angeles with her mother, Elvis former wife, Priscilla Beaulieu. Nothing appointed or anything. Elvis lived in Memphis for 29 years. The Denver Posts editorial declared: SUDDENLY WE FEEL OLDER. 3. Ginger Alden who was Elvis' current girlfriend at the time of his death is selling her engagement ring which Elvis gave her. The two were engaged until his untimely death in 1977. And the Commercial Appeals Jim Kingsley interviewed Vernon Presley, who thanked the worlds fans for their tributes. 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. As his time in the Army came to a close, Priscilla wanted to do so, but Elvis told her, Someday we will, Priscilla, but not now. Elvis was crouched over.His face dark and bloated. There were a lot of people there, working on Elvis Presley. KING ELVIS DIES, . The press descended like a flood. I ran into this guy who worked in a drugstore in Detroit. But as everyone knows, Elvis did everything in excess. Her father was a Public Relations Officer in the Army in Memphis. She had just turned twenty, while Elvis was twenty-one years her senior. . Did Ginger Alden keep her engagement ring? The beneficiaries of the trust were Vernon, Elvis grandmother Minnie Mae Presley, and his nine-year-old daughter Lisa Marie Presley. We were in a tough situation--because we knew Elvis Presley was dead, but we also had an obligation to his family. At 2:33 p.m. the call came to the Memphis Fire Departments Engine House No. Then he just got in his car and headed for Memphis. Jordan Runtagh is an Executive Podcast Producer at iHeartRadio, where he hosts a slate of pop culture shows including Too Much Information, Inside the Studio, Off the Record and Rivals: Music's Greatest Feuds. We lived at the Beverly Wilshire. Alden was reportedly the last person to see him alive, and she still has fond memories of her short time with The King. He sent it over in his limo. The bell rang, and I opened the door and said, Caroline, come on in. She never let on that she was free-lance writing for Rolling Stone., Added Klein, That was a cheap-shot way to get a story.. 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. . Calder is insistent: It was a terrific news photo at the time. As one interview was proceeding for this article, the reporter was told, You dont need to take notes. He made me comfortable.. At 3746 Elvis Presley Boulevard (no one here calls it just Presley or just Elvis) the ambulance was led up the winding driveway of Graceland by a waiting car. Required fields are marked *. Its a secret. . When reporters for the National Enquirer, based in Lantana, Fla., boarded a specially chartered private plane for Memphis, they knew they had to get something that no other publication would have. Elviss last resting place was to be the family vault with space for six. 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 . Ginger Alden's first book, Elvis and Ginger: Elvis Presley's Fiance and Last Love Finally Tells Her Story , was published in 2015. This week alone, the headlines have included: THE KING IS DEAD, LONG LIVE THE KING--The Chicago Sun-Times. In October of 1977, the Shelby County medical examiner would announce that 10 drugs were present in Elvis bloodstream when he died. His nine-year-old daughter, Lisa Marie (after whom he named his private Convair 880 jet), was visiting Graceland for two weeks. 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. His stays came complete with entourage, girlfriends and orders to tin-foil the windows so that he could sleep during the daytime hours. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time More than 20,000 fans endured oppressive heat (temperatures in excess of 90) to await their turn to pass through the gates of Graceland and enter the mansion. Elvis Presley: What the Kings Father Explained to His Sons Co-Star Ann-Margret at His Funeral. Elvis last week alive was apparently a happy one. West did a widely syndicated interview with Bob Greene. There is no doubt that with Elvis' death rock n roll music died and the world would never be the same again. What celebrities were at Elvis funeral? 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? Then suddenly, he wasnt., So West opted not to talk. Some of the Memphis Mafia thought that she was no good for Presley. That all changed. On August 7th, Elvis had rented Libertyland, a local amusement park, from midnight till dawn. To that time, the only Elvis-related feature that the Commercial Appeals Thomas had ever done was about a determined fan who had mailed herself to Graceland in a large box. One year after the funeral, Vernon recalled a conversation he shared with Ann-Margret in an article forGood Housekeepingin 1978. This means their age difference is 10 years, though because of their birth dates it is more like 10 years and four months. In an interview Sylvester Stallone was asked if he and Elvis Presley ever met. . He shook his head. Mar. 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. Did Ginger Alden attend Elvis funeral? Even so, he still had millions of dollars in the bank when he passed away at the young age of 42 on Aug. 16, 1977. Alden, a former model and actress, had dated Elvis for two months before he proposed to her. Heres what to know, From Chris Rock to the SAG Awards. As West noted: The whole point of the book was to embarrass (Elvis), to try to make him come to his senses. 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. It was Dr. George Nichopoulos who broke the news to Elvis friends. Elvis Presley died 10 years ago this day. Ginger Alden is 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall and has a body weight of around 71 Kg (156 lbs). > the National Enquirer before she called for help for Elvis. According to Peter H. Brown, who covered the death for the Pensacola, Fla. News-Journal, The main attitude at the time was one of awe. The 100 Best Albums of 2022. The singer dated Alden until his death in August 1977. I just froze. Grieve Hard', Priscilla Presley: Revisiting Elvis' Final Days, Drug Abuse in New Documentary Was 'Difficult', Priscilla Presley Remembers Elvis' Allure on the 40th Anniversary of His Death: 'I Used to Wake Up Staring at Him', Celeb Quotes of the Day: Mila Kunis, Amber Rose & More, Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley Lead Elvis Fans in Candlelight Vigil at Graceland on 40th Anniversary of His Death, Elvis Presley's Graceland: 10 Things You Didn't Know About the Legendary Home, Celeb Quotes of the Day: Christina Aguilera, Serena Williams & More, Priscilla & Lisa Marie Presley Attend Vigil 35 Years After Elvis's Death, A Strange Kennedy Connection to Truman Capote's Ashes: From a Bel Air Halloween Bash to Marilyn Monroe's Crypt. 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. I said, To hell with it. . Nobody wanted to delve into the seedier side., Brown--who would later work for the National Enquirer as its Elvis expert, and who these days writes about celebrities for books and newspapers (including The Times)--added: To this day, I keep thinking, If only wed all asked more questions. . From a laymans point of view, the first thing I remembered thinking was, This fellas dead. . Presley, just 42 at the time, died on August 16, 1977, at his Graceland home. He was hospitalized four times, from 1973 prior to his death. The thing is, the Elvis I knew in high school, and 15 years into his singing and acting careers, wasnt the same Elvis I knew at the end. The next day I ended up in the bus in front of to the cortge, Murray, 67, continued, It was an extraordinary thing to seehundreds of thousands of people standing in a really hot day waiting.. For three and a half hours, fans filed by the open coffin to catch a glimpse of Elvis, who was dressed in cream-colored suit, blue shirt and striped tie. Your email address will not be published. October 2, 1977 : After grave robbers tried to steal Elvis casket he is entering his last journey. The last record that Elvis ever played is still in the record player and theres even a styrofoam cup remaining on the bookshelf. In writing Elvis: What Happened?, West lost the friendship of some of the Memphis Mafia. And he is no longer in touch with Col. Tom Parker--with whom he had many disagreements over the management of Elvis career. ago. As legendary rock n roll producer-pioneer Sam Phillips put it: Oh, honey, all hell broke loose.. On August 7th, Elvis had rented Libertyland, a local amusement park, from midnight till dawn. 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