By Frank Miller
This Is Elvis
Brief Synopsis
Staged scenes and vintage clips re-create Elvis Presley's life.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Malcolm Leo
Director
David Wark Scott
Paul Boensch
Andrea Cyrill
Emory Smith
Jerry Phillips
Film Details
MPAA Rating
Genre
Documentary
Biography
Music
Release Date
1981
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 41m
Synopsis
The life and career of Elvis Presley are chronicled. Presley is seen in home movies, concert footage, and some of the events in his life are dramatized by actors. Subjects that are highlighted include his early performances, his time in the army, his appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show which was controversial at the time, his marriage, his comeback concert in 1968, and the deterioration of his health due to drugs which lead to his death.
Cast
David Wark Scott
Paul Boensch
Andrea Cyrill
Emory Smith
Jerry Phillips
Debbie Edge
Lawrence Koller
Linda Thompson
Voice
Larry Raspberry
Dana Mackay
Liz Robinson
Johnny Harra
Michael Tomack
Voice
Furry Lewis
Cheryl Needham
Ral Donner
Voice
Lisha Sweetnam
Voice
Rhonda Lyn
Knox Phillips
Virginia Kiser
Voice
Crew
Robert Allen
Production Associate
Paul Anka
Theme Lyrics
Mae Boren Axton
Song
Lou Baxter
Song
The Beatles
Song Performer
Roy C. Bennett
Song
Jessica Berman-bogdan
Researcher
Chuck Berry
Song
Joey Bishop
Song Performer
Otis Blackwell
Song
Jackie Brenston
Song
Jim Breshears
Sound Effects Editor
George Brown
Song
Albert Brumley
Song
Charles Calhoun
Song
Johnny Christopher
Song
Cy Coleman
Song
John J Connor
Camera Operator
Arthur Crudup
Song
Donna Daves
Production Associate
Sammy Davis Jr.
Song Performer
Scott Davis
Song
Claude Demetruis
Song
Mike Denecke
Sound
Bea Dennis
Post-Production Supervisor
Carl Douglas
Song Performer
Carl Douglas
Song
Tommy Durden
Song
Glenn Farr
Editor
Carol Fleischer
Researcher
Claude Francois
Song
Bud Friedgen
Editor
Ron Furmanek
Researcher
Harry Godwin
Song
Lou Handman
Song
Jill Hawkins
Researcher
Janet Haymen
Researcher
Margaret Henry
Researcher
Gil Hubbs
Photography
Gil Hubbs
Camera
Charles Hughes
Set Decorator
Mark James
Song
Hal Kanter
Other
Irving Katoni
Production Associate
Gregg Landaker
Sound
Jerry Leiber
Song
Carolyn Leigh
Song
John Lennon
Song
Malcolm Leo
Producer
Malcolm Leo
Screenplay
Furry Lewis
Song
Furry Lewis
Song Performer
Bernie Lowe
Song
Kal Mann
Song
Rose Mark
Song
Steve Maslow
Sound
Vera Matson
Song
Paul Mccartney
Song
Johnny Moore
Song
Mickey Newbury
Music Arranger
Michael Ochs
Researcher
Col. Tom Parker
Technical Advisor
Herman Parker
Song
Carl Perkins
Song
Bonnie Peterson
Associate Producer
Samantha Phillips
Song
Jerome Pomus
Song
Hal Potter
Researcher
Elvis Presley
Song
Elvis Presley
Song Performer
William Raskin
Song
Bix Reichner
Song
Jacques Revaux
Song
Lorin Salob
Unit Production Manager
Auriel Sanderson
Production Coordinator
Phillip Savenick
Video
Walter Scharf
Music
Jerry Schilling
Consultant
Mort Shuman
Song
George Sidney
Other
Frank Sinatra
Song Performer
Myrna Smith
Other
Andrew Solt
Producer
Andrew Solt
Screenplay
Rob Stein
Assistant Director
Mike Stoller
Song
Billy Strange
Song
Norman Taurog
Other
Frank Tauss
Costumes
George Taylor
Post-Production
Sid Tepper
Song
The Jordanaires
Other
Lucien Thibault
Song
Wayne C Thompson
Song
Richard B Thorpe
Other
Judy Truchan
Costumes
Roy Turk
Song
Lou Willie Turner
Song
Wesley Van Eaton
Production Associate
James Van Heusen
Song
Bill Varney
Sound
William E. Ward
Song
Marty Wareski
Song
Sid Wayne
Song
Robert Webb
Other
Kathy Westmoreland
Other
Tony Joe White
Song
John Whittle
Assistant Director
Rod Wilson
Makeup
David L. Wolper
Executive Producer
Mark M. Wolper
Production Associate
Film Details
MPAA Rating
Genre
Documentary
Biography
Music
Release Date
1981
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 41m
Articles
This Is Elvis
Released four years after Elvis Presley's death, this documentary offers a surprisingly even-handed take on the King's career. Alongside reenactments of scenes from his life, featuring four different actors playing Presley at various ages, are musical performances and interviews tracing his rise from unpromising beginnings in Tennessee to the years of film and recording stardom to his amazing return to live performance in 1969. Even as it traces his rise to stardom, the film also catches the growing drug dependency that would take his life. That makes it even more surprising that the documentary was made with the full cooperation of the King's manager, Col. Tom Parker, who gave them access to rare and previously unseen footage, including Elvis' own home movies. The filmmakers also managed to film within his legendary estate, Graceland. Although the narration seems to be in Elvis' voice, it actually is provided by rock singer and sometime Presley impersonator Ral Donner. Other actors provide the voices of Presley's wife, Priscilla, mother and father. The soundtrack features 29 of the King's classics, including "Heartbreak Hotel," "Hound Dog," "Love Me Tender," "Don't Be Cruel," "Jailhouse Rock," "Viva! Las Vegas," "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" and "My Way."
By Frank Miller
By Frank Miller
This Is Elvis
Released four years after Elvis Presley's death, this documentary offers a surprisingly even-handed take on the King's career. Alongside reenactments of scenes from his life, featuring four different actors playing Presley at various ages, are musical performances and interviews tracing his rise from unpromising beginnings in Tennessee to the years of film and recording stardom to his amazing return to live performance in 1969. Even as it traces his rise to stardom, the film also catches the growing drug dependency that would take his life. That makes it even more surprising that the documentary was made with the full cooperation of the King's manager, Col. Tom Parker, who gave them access to rare and previously unseen footage, including Elvis' own home movies. The filmmakers also managed to film within his legendary estate, Graceland. Although the narration seems to be in Elvis' voice, it actually is provided by rock singer and sometime Presley impersonator Ral Donner. Other actors provide the voices of Presley's wife, Priscilla, mother and father. The soundtrack features 29 of the King's classics, including "Heartbreak Hotel," "Hound Dog," "Love Me Tender," "Don't Be Cruel," "Jailhouse Rock," "Viva! Las Vegas," "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" and "My Way."
By Frank Miller
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Spring May 1, 1981
television extract "Elvis in Concert" (1977)
3&w and color
television extract "Dorsey Show" (1956)
Released in United States Spring May 1, 1981
