''Elvis and Me: The True Story of the Love Between Priscilla Presley and the King of Rock N' Roll'' is a 1985
memoir
A memoir (; , ) is any nonfiction narrative writing based on the author's personal memories. The assertions made in the work are thus understood to be factual. While memoir has historically been defined as a subcategory of biography or autob ...
written by
Priscilla Presley
Priscilla Ann Presley (née Wagner, formerly Beaulieu; born May 24, 1945) is an American businesswoman and actress. She is the ex-wife of American singer Elvis Presley, as well as the cofounder and former chairperson of Elvis Presley Enterpris ...
, with Sandra Harmon. In the book, Priscilla talks about meeting
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
, their marriage, and the factors and issues that led to the couple's divorce.
The book adaptation rights were purchased in 1987. In 1988, the book was adapted into the two-part
ABC miniseries ''
Elvis and Me'', written by
Joyce Eliason and directed by
Larry Peerce
Lawrence Peerce (born April 19, 1930) is an American film and TV director whose work includes the theatrical feature ''Goodbye, Columbus (film), Goodbye, Columbus'' (1969), the early rock and roll concert film ''The Big T.N.T. Show'' (1965), ''On ...
; it stars
Dale Midkiff as Elvis and
Susan Walters
Susan Walters is an American actress, best known for her roles as Lorna Forbes on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC daytime soap opera ''Loving (TV series), Loving'' from 1983 to late 1986 and as Diane Jenkins on the CBS soap opera ''The Yo ...
as Priscilla.
In 2023, a film adaptation,
''Priscilla'', written and directed by
Sofia Coppola
Sofia Carmina Coppola ( , ; born May 14, 1971) is an American filmmaker and former actress. She has List of awards and nominations received by Sofia Coppola, won an Academy Awards, Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, a Golden Lion, and a Can ...
, was released; Priscilla executive produced the film, and
Cailee Spaeny stars in the title role, alongside
Jacob Elordi as Elvis.
Elements in the story
Memphis: Elvis' family and Graceland
Priscilla wrote that Elvis did not approve of his father’s relationship with divorcee Dee Stanley and did not attend their wedding. After the marriage, Elvis bought a home on Dolan Drive in Memphis, Tennessee, where his father, Vernon, and his new wife resided. On the rare occasions that Dee Stanley-Presley came to Graceland, Elvis did his best to be civil towards his stepmother.
Priscilla describes how her father reluctantly allowed her to live in
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...
to be near Elvis. The initial arrangement was that Priscilla would live with Vernon and Dee, while attending a Memphis
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
school. Contrary to this arrangement, however, Priscilla gradually moved in with Elvis.
The nights with Elvis
Priscilla's descriptions of the nights she spent with Elvis, before their marriage, suggest that the star was not overtly sexual towards her. The couple kissed and engaged in petting, but Elvis always stopped the make-out sessions, before it led to actual
intercourse.
While describing a "cleansing period" in Elvis's life, Priscilla claims that "any sexual temptations were against everything he was striving for, and he did not wish to betray me, the girl waiting for him, at home, who was preparing to be his wife."
According to her account, Elvis told Priscilla that they had to wait until they were married, before having sex. He said, "I'm not saying we can't do other things. It's just the actual encounter. I want to save it." Priscilla adds, "Fearful of not pleasing him—of destroying my image as his little girl—I resigned myself to the long wait. Instead of consummating our love in the usual way, he began teaching me other means of pleasing him. We had a strong connection, much of it sexual. The two of us created some exciting and wild times."
Daily life with Elvis
Priscilla notes that
prescription drugs
A prescription drug (also prescription medication, prescription medicine or prescription-only medication) is a pharmaceutical drug that is permitted to be dispensed only to those with a medical prescription. In contrast, over-the-counter drugs ca ...
were present, from the first time she visited Elvis in America. He took
placidyls, to get to sleep, in ever-increasing doses. Elvis would wake up at his normal time, which was around 4:00 in the afternoon, but for a few hours, he would be groggy and irritable, from the heavy dose of pills. He then began taking
Dexedrine, in order to wake up.
Elvis liked old movie classics revolving around family or struggles to survive in the world. ''
Les Misérables
''Les Misérables'' (, ) is a 19th-century French literature, French Epic (genre), epic historical fiction, historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published on 31 March 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. '' ...
'', ''
Wuthering Heights
''Wuthering Heights'' is the only novel by the English author Emily Brontë, initially published in 1847 under her pen name "Ellis Bell". It concerns two families of the landed gentry living on the West Yorkshire moors, the Earnshaws and the ...
'', ''
It's a Wonderful Life'', ''
Mr. Skeffington'', ''
Miracle on 34th Street
''Miracle on 34th Street'' (initially released as ''The Big Heart'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1947 American Christmas film, Christmas comedy-drama film released by 20th Century-Fox, written and directed by George Seaton and based on a story ...
'', ''
Letter from an Unknown Woman'' and ''
The Way of All Flesh
''The Way of All Flesh'' (originally titled ''Ernest Pontifex or the Way of All Flesh'') is a semi-autobiographical novel by Samuel Butler that attacks Victorian-era hypocrisy. Written between 1873 and 1884, it traces four generations of the ...
'', the story of a self-sacrificing father, were among his favorites.
Priscilla also describes several episodes involving Elvis' explosive temper and his jealous nature, including the time he went into a rage and threatened to fire a male employee (
Memphis Mafia
The Memphis Mafia was the nickname given in the 60'sby the media to the group of Elvis Presley's friends, associates, employees and cousins whose main functions were to accompany, protect, and serve Presley. From the beginning of his career in 195 ...
member
Jerry Schilling
Jerry Schilling (born February 6, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee) is an American talent manager, who was associated with Elvis Presley and was a member of Presley's Memphis Mafia from the latter part of the 1960s. His other clients have included ...
), who, supposedly, acted too "friendly" with Priscilla.
Affairs with other women
Conversely, she writes about Presley's double standard for his own behavior. His
promiscuity
Promiscuity is the practice of engaging in sexual activity frequently with different partners or being indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners. The term can carry a moral judgment. A common example of behavior viewed as promiscuous by man ...
with other women led to several confrontations. Priscilla says she was aware he had been dating Anita Wood, a girl from Memphis, Tennessee, when they first met in Germany and that he had continued the relationship for nearly two years, following his discharge from the
Army
An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
. When he asked Priscilla to move to Memphis, Tennessee, he told her the relationship with Wood was over, but she describes, later, finding a packet of love letters from Wood in the attic at Graceland. However, according to Elvis's own words, he did not make love to Anita Wood the whole four years he was with her. "Just to a point," he said, "then I stopped. It was difficult for her too, but that's just how I feel."
Presley admitted he had a number of affairs with some of the women who co-starred in his films, but all the relationships were before he met Priscilla and "meant nothing." Nevertheless, she understood these affairs were going on, while he was professing love to Anita Wood.
In a televised interview on January 14, 2005, with
Larry King
Larry King (born Lawrence Harvey Zeiger; November 19, 1933 – January 23, 2021) was an American TV and radio host presenter, author, and former spokesman. He was a WMBM radio interviewer in the Miami area in the 1950s and 1960s and beginning in ...
on
CNN
Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
's ''
Larry King Live
''Larry King Live'' is an American television talk show broadcast by CNN from June 3, 1985 to December 16, 2010. Hosted by Larry King, it was the network's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly.
Ma ...
'', Anita Wood said that following media reports of a girlfriend in Germany, Elvis "had me believing that she (Priscilla) was just a friend, that daddy was in the Army with him, and there was nothing to it, whatsoever."
Priscilla also writes of other times she became suspicious of Elvis' infidelity. One such time was when Elvis released "
(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame
"(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame" is a song recorded in a hit version by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music in 1961. It was written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman and first recorded by Del Shannon on the album '' Runaway with ...
"; Priscilla wondered, at that time, if Elvis was dating a girl named Marie.
The Ann-Margret affair
Of the many women involved with Elvis, the one whom Priscilla felt that her relationship with Elvis was most threatened by, was actress/singer
Ann-Margret
Ann-Margret Olsson (born 28 April 1941), credited as Ann-Margret, is a Swedish-American actress and singer with a career spanning seven decades. Her many screen roles include '' Pocketful of Miracles'' (1961), ''State Fair'' (1962), '' Bye Bye B ...
, who co-starred with Elvis in the film ''
Viva Las Vegas
''Viva Las Vegas'' is a 1964 American rock and roll musical film directed by George Sidney, written by Sally Benson, choreographed by David Winters, and starring Elvis Presley, Ann-Margret, Cesare Danova, William Demarest and Nicky Blair ...
''. In her book, Priscilla devotes four pages to the subject (175 to 178). There was a lot of publicity about a romance between Elvis and Ann-Margret, during the 1963 filming and in the following weeks, when Elvis returned to record music and prepare for his next film. Despite his denials of an affair, Priscilla went to Los Angeles and stayed with him. Aware Priscilla was there, Ann-Margret took matters into her own hands and suddenly announced to the Los Angeles press that she was engaged to Elvis Presley. The news was picked up by every major newspaper in America, and Elvis informed Priscilla that he and
Colonel Tom Parker
Colonel Thomas Andrew Parker (born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk; June 26, 1909 January 21, 1997) was a Dutch people, Dutch talent manager and concert promoter, best known as the manager of Elvis Presley.
Parker was born in the Netherlands and Il ...
thought it best for her to "go back to Memphis, till it calms down." Outraged, Priscilla picked up a vase and hurled it across the room, screaming that Ann-Margret should "keep her ass in
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
, where she belongs." Desperate to please him, however, she went back to Graceland the next day. Elvis returned two weeks later, and admitted to the affair, but he promised it was over. Of all the movie stars Elvis Presley worked with, Ann-Margret was the only one to attend his funeral.
The very next line of Priscilla's book says that after the Ann-Margret ordeal, she soon suspected there were other women. She began traveling with him, but says she would still "get crazed with worry." She was afraid that the moment she was away from him, another woman could slip in. Priscilla relates how her insecurities would lead her to imitate the other woman's appearance (changing her clothes, hairstyle, and makeup), to hopefully please him.
If she forcefully challenged Presley on her suspicions, he would threaten to send her home to her parents. One such confrontation (over
Shelley Fabares
Michele Ann Marie "Shelley" Fabares (; born January 19, 1944) is a retired American actress and singer. She is known for her television roles as Mary Stone on the sitcom ''The Donna Reed Show'' (1958–1963) and as Christine Armstrong on the sitc ...
, another Presley film co-star) led to a screaming match, where he told her to get out. With her bags packed and a chauffeur ready to take her to the airport, Elvis changed his mind, at the last minute, and she willingly stayed. (In the TV movie, the confrontation was portrayed over the Ann-Margret affair, not over Fabares, as written in the book).
Priscilla writes that it was years later before she realized his tactics were part of a need to control her. This pattern began, before they were married, but in her 2005 made-for-television documentary, titled ''Elvis by the Presleys'', she admitted that during their marriage, he had affairs with other women.
The Beatles' shadow, mysticism, and drugs
By 1965,
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
had overwhelmed the music industry, and Presley's record sales declined noticeably. Uncertain about who he was and where his career was going, Elvis turned to
spiritualism
Spiritualism may refer to:
* Spiritual church movement, a group of Spiritualist churches and denominations historically based in the African-American community
* Spiritualism (beliefs), a metaphysical belief that the world is made up of at leas ...
, dragging an uninterested Priscilla with him. He had not performed live for several years and labeled most of his movies a joke. By the time filming was to begin on ''
Clambake'' (released 1967), Presley's growing distress with the quality of his films led to a despondency, accompanied by overeating, and his normal 170 pound (77 kg) weight ballooned to 200 lb (91 kg). The
movie studio
A film studio (also known as movie studio or simply studio) is a major entertainment company that makes films. Today, studios are mostly financing and distribution entities. In addition, they may have their own studio facility or facilities; howe ...
ordered him to lose the weight quickly, marking the introduction of
diet pills to the already excessive regimen of placidyls and Dexedrine, which would eventually kill him.
In his search for a "higher state of consciousness," Presley became fascinated with the
occult
The occult () is a category of esoteric or supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of organized religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving a 'hidden' or 'secret' agency, such as magic and mysti ...
and
metaphysical phenomena. During his spiritual quest, everyone around them saw Presley's personality change, dramatically, from vibrant and playful to passive and introverted. Presley went through a period of celibacy, in keeping with the teachings of an Indian guru. "He was going through a cleansing period, physically and spiritually. He loved me and deeply wanted to be faithful to me, but he never felt certain that he could resist temptation. It was a persistent battle, and it even got to the point where he felt he had to resist me." For the next few weeks, Elvis felt the need to withdraw himself from the temptations of sex. He said, "We have to control our desires, so they don't control us. If we can control sex, then we can master all other desires." When they were in bed, "he took his usual dose of sleeping pills, handed me mine, and then, fighting off drowsiness, from the pills, pored over his metaphysical books." Priscilla was not interested, and she recalled Elvis saying, "Things will never work out, between us, Cilla, because you don't show any interest in me or my philosophies."
When this phase of his life passed, she and Elvis had a bonfire and burned the stacks of magazines and books he had accumulated on the subject. They tried
marijuana
Cannabis (), commonly known as marijuana (), weed, pot, and ganja, List of slang names for cannabis, among other names, is a non-chemically uniform psychoactive drug from the ''Cannabis'' plant. Native to Central or South Asia, cannabis has ...
, during this time, but they did not like it, as it made them ravenously hungry. Although Presley abhorred street drugs, Priscilla tells how they used
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD (from German ; often referred to as acid or lucy), is a semisynthetic, hallucinogenic compound derived from ergot, known for its powerful psychological effects and serotonergic activity. I ...
. While they both thought it had been an "extraordinary experience," they were afraid of it and experimented, with that specific drug, only once.
Marriage, family, and the Nancy Sinatra factor
Elvis and Priscilla were married on May 1, 1967, in
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
. She wrote that being called "Mrs. Elvis Presley" sounded better than ''live-in
Lolita
''Lolita'' is a 1955 novel written by Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov. The protagonist and narrator is a French literature professor who moves to New England and writes under the pseudonym Humbert Humbert. He details his obsession ...
'', ''teen heartthrob'' or the other labels given her in the past by some of the press. After the wedding ceremony,
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...
's private jet flew them to their
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs (Cahuilla language, Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Rivers ...
home. Being the romantic that he was, Elvis carried his new bride across the threshold singing "
The Hawaiian Wedding Song", then carried her straight to the bedroom.
After a second wedding reception at Graceland for friends and Memphis locals, Elvis and Priscilla went to his ranch near
Horn Lake, Mississippi, where they locked themselves away for several days of much needed privacy. However, the press and the curious lined a fence on the property's perimeter and stood on the tops of cars to take photos.

While they planned on having children, Elvis and Priscilla had hoped to wait awhile, and Priscilla was not prepared for her
pregnancy
Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring gestation, gestates inside a woman's uterus. A multiple birth, multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins.
Conception (biology), Conception usually occurs ...
. She considered an
abortion
Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...
, in part because Elvis had made derogatory comments in the past about "women using pregnancy as an excuse to let themselves go." Feeling insecure, she dieted to the point that by the time she gave birth, she then weighed less than she had before becoming pregnant. During Priscilla's pregnancy, she and Elvis made love passionately until she began hearing rumors about Elvis and
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra (born June 8, 1940) is an American singer, actress, film producer and author. She is the elder daughter of Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra ( Barbato) and is known for her 1965 signature hit " These Boots Are Made for Walki ...
, his co-star in the film ''
Speedway
Speedway may refer to:
Racing Race tracks
*Daytona International Speedway, a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida.
*Edmonton International Speedway, also known as Speedway Park, a former motor raceway in Edmonton, Alberta.
*Indianapolis Motor Spe ...
''. When Priscilla confronted Elvis about the stories, he dismissed them out of hand, telling her she was being overly sensitive due to her "condition" (pregnancy). However, six months into her pregnancy, Nancy Sinatra telephoned Priscilla and said she wanted to give her a
baby shower
A baby shower is a party to celebrate the Childbirth, delivery or Pregnancy, expected birth of a child. Practices vary greatly by culture, but it is often a rite of passage that celebrates through Gift, giving gifts and spending time together. Wh ...
. Priscilla was apprehensive about such a request coming from a woman she hardly knew, but Elvis convinced her to accept the offer. Priscilla went along with it and she and Sinatra got along well together. Everything seemed fine until a week or so later, when Elvis informed Priscilla that he needed time to think and wanted a
trial separation. Devastated, she told him: "You've got it. Just tell me when to leave." She lived in agony for days, and Elvis silently changed his mind about the separation proposal. Two months later, their daughter
Lisa Marie was born in Memphis on February 1, 1968.
The '68 Comeback Special to the end
Free to shape his own career, after the
MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
motion picture
A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, since ...
contract expired in 1968, although still required to complete two more films, Presley accepted an offer from the
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
network to do a
television special
A television special (often TV special, or rarely television spectacular) is a standalone television show which may also temporarily interrupt episodic programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Some specials provide a full range of en ...
. NBC executives offered "open development,” along with a young director named
Steve Binder, who was receptive to presenting Presley in a way that he could be himself. ''
Elvis Presley's '68 Comeback Special'' was an enormous success, being the highest-rated television special of the year, and his closing song, titled, “
If I Can Dream,” became his first million-selling record in several years.
The television special motivated Elvis, and he began recording at the
American Sound Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, which was owned by
Chips Moman
Lincoln Wayne "Chips" Moman (June 12, 1937 – June 13, 2016) was an American record producer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is known for working in R&B, pop music and country music, operating American Sound Studios and producing hit albums li ...
. Filled with new energy, he recorded so many songs that
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic R ...
needed a year and a half to release them all. Included in these sessions were hits such as "
Suspicious Minds
"Suspicious Minds" is a 1968 song written and first recorded by the American songwriter Mark James. After this recording failed commercially, it was recorded by Elvis Presley with the producer Chips Moman. Presley's version reached No.1 on th ...
,” which went to number one on the
Billboard Charts
The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ' ...
, along with "
In the Ghetto
"In the Ghetto" (originally titled "The Vicious Circle") is a 1969 song written by Mac Davis and recorded by Elvis Presley. It was a major hit released in 1969 as a part of Presley's comeback album, ''From Elvis in Memphis'', and was also relea ...
" and "
Kentucky Rain." He was signed on to perform, for a month, at the then-new and just-completed
International Hotel in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
. Every show was sold out, with thousands being turned away at the door. This success led to a five-year contract for appearances, twice a year, with the largest fee ever paid to any singer in history. Unfortunately, his renewed popularity brought a large increase in the number of death threats, requiring a significant increase in personal security.
After years of personal unhappiness, due to the state of his career, for a time, his triumphant return to a live stage brought new vitality to their marriage. However, the renewed stardom, with regular touring around the United States and appearances in Las Vegas, meant he was away from his family more, and his pattern of infidelity returned. When Elvis suggested Priscilla cut back on her visits to see him, it only added to her anxieties. Things grew worse, when she returned to their Palm Springs home and found a number of letters from girls showing they had obviously been there.
Priscilla Presley admits she had two affairs of her own, and by 1972, the tumultuous marriage was irreparably broken down. The last straw, for Priscilla, came when Elvis, possibly having learned of the second affair with her karate instructor,
Mike Stone, had rough sex with her in his Las Vegas hotel room, telling her, "This is how a real man makes love to a woman." Also, during this time, Elvis considered hiring a
hit man to kill Stone, but ultimately did not follow through with the idea.
Separated on February 23, 1972, the Presleys divorced, amicably, on October 9, 1973, mutually agreeing to share custody of their daughter, Lisa Marie. Elvis had made another televised special, called ''
Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii,'' in January 1973, but after not seeing him for several months, prior to the actual court hearing, Priscilla was bewildered by his physical appearance. She remarked on how swollen his hands were, when she held them in hers. Less than four years later, Elvis died. After his death, his father, Vernon, agreed to have Elvis's body reburied, to deter thieves.
Critical reception
The ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
''s Robert Hilburn wrote a critical review of the memoir, concluding: "Priscilla's intent here no doubt was to share her love for her late husband, but the book is little more than a carnival curio in what has become the sideshow called Elvis. The larger question raised by the book is the obligation survivors have to famous loved ones. One rule of thumb may be this paraphrase on the old saw: 'If you can't say anything significant, don't say anything at all.
Broox Sledge of the ''Enterprise-Journal'' wrote that, "If Elvis is your idol, perhaps you would be happier not reading ''Elvis and Me''
..Priscilla has taken her late husband and presented him to the world, warts and all. Some of the warts are attractive. Some are splotchy." In her review of the book for the ''
Tallahassee Democrat
The ''Tallahassee Democrat'' is a daily broadsheet newspaper. It covers the area centered on Tallahassee in Leon County, Florida, as well as adjacent Gadsden County, Jefferson County, and Wakulla County. The newspaper is owned by Gannett ...
'', Dannye Romine discussed the concept of
Peter Pan syndrome
Peter Pan Syndrome is a pop psychology term used to describe an adult who is socially immature. It refers to “never-growing” adults who have reached an adult age, but cannot face their adult sensations and responsibilities. The term is a me ...
, opining that, "
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical ...
Presley was clearly an emotionally impetuous man-child who never grew up and Priscilla was oh-such-an adoring
Wendy
Wendy is a given name generally given to girls in English-speaking countries.
In Britain during the English Civil War in the mid-1600s, a male Captain Wendy Oxford was identified by the Leveller John Lilburne as a spy reporting on his activit ...
who never encouraged him to grow up."
Influence
The song "
Personal Jesus
"Personal Jesus" is a song by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was released as the lead single from their seventh studio album, '' Violator'' (1990), in 1989. It reached 13 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 28 on the US ''B ...
" by
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music, electronic band formed in Basildon, Essex in 1980. Originally formed with the line-up of Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Andy Fletcher (musician), Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke, the band currently consists ...
was inspired by ''Elvis and Me''.
Adaptations
''Elvis and Me'' was adapted into the 1988 two-part made-for-television
miniseries of the same name. Written by
Joyce Eliason and directed by
Larry Peerce
Lawrence Peerce (born April 19, 1930) is an American film and TV director whose work includes the theatrical feature ''Goodbye, Columbus (film), Goodbye, Columbus'' (1969), the early rock and roll concert film ''The Big T.N.T. Show'' (1965), ''On ...
, the miniseries stars
Dale Midkiff as Elvis and
Susan Walters
Susan Walters is an American actress, best known for her roles as Lorna Forbes on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC daytime soap opera ''Loving (TV series), Loving'' from 1983 to late 1986 and as Diane Jenkins on the CBS soap opera ''The Yo ...
as Priscilla.
The miniseries premiered on
ABC in February 1988.
In 2022, it was announced that
Sofia Coppola
Sofia Carmina Coppola ( , ; born May 14, 1971) is an American filmmaker and former actress. She has List of awards and nominations received by Sofia Coppola, won an Academy Awards, Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, a Golden Lion, and a Can ...
would direct a film adaptation of the memoir, starring
Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla and
Jacob Elordi as Elvis. The film, titled ''
Priscilla
Priscilla is an English female given name adopted from Latin '' Prisca'', derived from ''priscus''. There is a theory that this biblical character was the author of the Letter to the Hebrews.
The name first appears in the New Testament either ...
'', premiered at the
80th Venice International Film Festival on September 4, 2023. It received a limited theatrical release in the US by
A24
A24 Films LLC, commonly referred to as A24, is an American Privately held company, independent entertainment company that specializes in film and television production, as well as film distribution. The studio is based in Manhattan.
The company ...
on October 27, 2023, followed by a wide release on November 3.
Priscilla served as executive producer on the film.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Elvis And Me
1985 non-fiction books
American biographies
Books about Elvis Presley
Music autobiographies
G. P. Putnam's Sons books
Priscilla Presley
Biographies adapted into films
Collaborative non-fiction books