Inside Graceland Where Elvis Presley's Grandson Ben is Buried

When Elvis lived there, Graceland was a private home. He shared the mansion with other members of his family, notably his aunt, Delta Presley Biggs. After his death, Delta continued living in the estate. It wasn't until five years later that the house became opened to the public as a museum.

However, not all of the rooms were available for exploration. Aunt Delta still called the place home, and although she didn't need the whole mansion, one room was essential to her - the kitchen. It remained off-limits to the public until 1993 when Delta passed away.

Before passing, Lisa Marie had decided that Graceland, which is currently in a trust, will go to her daughters, Riley, Harper, and Finley. Riley, 33, and Benjamin, who died at 27 by suicide in 2020, are children from her marriage to Danny Keough. She later married Michael Lockwood in 2006 and had her 14-year-old twin daughters, Harper and Finley.

Lisa Marie had previously stated that her children would receive the property when she dies. "It is absolutely 100 percent mine, and it has always been mine, Graceland, it will always be. And when it is no longer mine, it will be my children's. And that is that."

Graceland is Headed For Foreclosure

As of May 2024, the legendary Graceland Mansion is on the brink of foreclosure, but a fierce battle is brewing. Riley Keough, Elvis’ granddaughter is fighting back with explosive fraud allegations. The foreclosure is tied to a $3.8 million loan that Lisa Marie, Elvis’ daughter, allegedly secured using Graceland as collateral in 2018. But according to Keough, it’s all a sham.

In a shocking twist, Keough claims the loan company, Naussany Investments, "appears to be a false entity" created to swindle her family, with documents she insists are forgeries. A notary public even backs her up, declaring, "I did not notarize this document." A judge will weigh these serious allegations in court this week. Meanwhile, Elvis Presley Enterprises calls the foreclosure claims "fraudulent," and Priscilla Presley warns fans, "It's a scam!"

Elvis was quite happily living in Memphis when his career took off. At first, the neighbors were proud to have a celebrity in their midst, but it soon got a bit out of hand. The masses of fans traveling to the king's place of residence became too much for the neighborhood to cope with.

So Elvis sent his parents off to find something a little more secluded. When they found the mansion and its grounds, surrounded by the 500-acre farm from which it took its name, they knew that they had hit the jackpot.

Welcome to the Jungle Room. For those of you who love the idea of bringing the outside inside, this is the blueprint for you. The floor is covered in lush, green, lawnlike carpet. The walls mimic stone temples. The furniture has a definite animalistic theme, and there are plants everywhere.

It all looks pretty good, but there's a hidden role to all that padding - the room doubles up as a music studio. The whole setup is perfect for acoustics, and Elvis actually recorded his last two albums, "From Elvis Presley Boulevard" and "Moody Blues," right here.

This table might look ordinary, but it has a hidden feature that will surprise you. Underneath that polished surface, there's a button set into the underside that Elvis could press to summon the staff to him whenever he needed assistance.

For assistance, read more food. Elvis was a man who loved to eat. The kitchen had a list of must-have items that should always be available on demand. Pepsi, orange drinks, biscuits, sauerkraut, hot dogs, meatloaf, banana pudding, brownies, ice cream, fudge cookies, shredded coconut, and gum were on there. Broccoli was not, though.

Elvis lived at Graceland for twenty years, and his life and work were ever filled with light and beauty. It was only fitting that his final farewell should take place in the style in which he lived. His funeral was set in the music room of the mansion, where his coffin was available for public viewing.

The music room epitomizes the ambiance of the whole estate. It is gorgeous, with stained glass peacocks, bright golden suns, and mirrors. The floor-length glass panels, golden curtains and accessories, and pale furniture all added to the warm, bright feeling of being enfolded in beauty and music.

On January 12, 2023, Lisa Marie died suddenly after suffering from cardiac arrest at 54. It was confirmed a day later that she would be laid to rest in Graceland's meditation gardens alongside her late son, Ben and other passed members of the Presley Family. Only two days prior, Lisa Marie attended the Golden Globes alongside her mother, Priscilla to support the new film, Elvis.

On the days following her death, fans and close ones came to Graceland in order to pay tribute by placing posters and flowers honoring Lisa Marie.

Graceland has a total of 23 rooms, but they're still not all available for touring. The second floor of the mansion, with its six bedrooms and, of course, the bathroom in which Elvis had his last breath is firmly closed to the public. The floor has remained untouched since the singer's death.

The second floor includes Elvis's bedroom, his private office, dressing room, and Lisa Marie's childhood bedroom. The main reason for keeping it private, however, is that bathroom. It is thought that it would attract too much improper attention. Out of respect for the family, the site of his death remains sacrosanct.

Elvis did everything with flair and extravagance. He had a TV room set up in the basement, all done out in black and yellow, with the wall lined with television sets. His logo was painted on the walls, with his motto "Taking Care of Business in a flash."

Even something as simple as turning the TV off had to be dramatic. He loved watching television, and he loved shooting things, so it only made sense to combine the two. The grounds of the mansion include a graveyard especially for TV sets that no longer worked because he had shot them simply to turn them off!

Elvis Presley's secondary private bathroom was showered with gold. The upper level of Graceland, which was Elvis Presley's personal sanctuary during his lifetime and where he passed away, continues to be restricted from public access. However, did you know of the additional hidden chambers, not typically included in standard tours, such as a second private bathroom lavishly decorated in gold? Take a look at the gold sink in the image below.

Additionally, in September 1975, Elvis constructed a racquetball court behind his Memphis mansion at a cost of $250,000, significantly exceeding the $102,500 he originally spent to purchase the entire property in 1957. Graceland welcomed visitors for the first time 41 years ago, merely five years following the premature passing of Elvis Presley at the age of 42.

Once Elvis himself was interred in the peaceful gardens surrounding his home, the area was turned into a family graveyard. Both his parents are now buried by his side, as is his paternal grandmother, Minnie Mae Presley, who outlived all the others. There is one more memorial there, the smallest of them all.

Elvis had a twin brother named Jesse Garon. Unfortunately, he was stillborn. The four adult graves that surround the small fountain are all identical, contrasting with the 5th small one made in honor of Jesse.

In the 1800s, Graceland was owned by the Toof family. It was named after the original owner's daughter, Grace Toof. The house wasn't built until 1939 when Grace's niece inherited the property upon her aunt's death. Elvis bought the place in 1957 for just over $100,000.

The house was already accustomed to having music in its halls. Grace's niece Ruth had a daughter, Ruth Marie, who was a harpist with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. The rooms of the mansion had already hosted many classical recitals before rock and roll took over.

The Graceland estate boasts nearly 14 acres of land, with rolling lawns and mature trees. It is the perfect place to keep all sorts of animals. Elvis had a pack of dogs, and there are working stables on the grounds. Pigs, peacocks, and chickens roamed the grassland.

Just like with everything else he did, Elvis had to take it one step further. He found himself an exotic animal to care for; Scatter the chimpanzee. Scatter was more than just an animal, he was a member of the family, with his own climate-controlled room in the mansion.

It's stately, impressive, and one of the most influential people in the country lived there. Over half a million visitors pour into the grounds every year. There is only one house more visited in the United States than Graceland: The White House.

And it's not just the plebs like you and me that make the pilgrimage. Through the years, Graceland has received rich, famous, influential, and talented stars from across the globe, including Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, boxer Muhammad Ali, musicians Paul Simon and Paul McCartney to cite a few. The British Princes William and Harry have also dropped by - a future king paying respects to a king of the past.

Elvis bought his first Cadillac in 1955. It was destroyed in a fire, so he bought another. That got lent to a friend when he upgraded to a newer model. Once the friend was done with it, the pink Cadillac came back to Graceland, where it remains on display to this day.

Usually, the car resides in the auto museum. At one point it was parked out front, prominently displayed, for the visit of then-president George W. Bush and the Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. There's the letter E embroidered in the mat on the driver's side.

The king of customization couldn't possibly own just any old car, and so his vehicles are a sight to behold. That's why Graceland features an auto museum. Inside, you can find treasures such as his Mercedes limousine, which has a Motorola car phone - a rare find in a car of that age!

Elvis' Jeep also has pride of place. Yes, it's pink. Hot pink, pale pink, pink on pink, with pink stripes. And pink rims. It does seem like he couldn't find anyone to make pink tires, though! Oh, well, at least they match the black steering wheel.

If you want to be impressed, then Graceland is the place for you. However, even some of the most splendid rooms there pale into ordinariness when compared to the most awesome features that the mansion houses. Take the wall of records, for instance.

Elvis made hundreds of records, and nearly 200 of them were certified by the RIAA. 101 gold records, 57 platinum, and 25 multi-platinum, to be exact. And every one of them is carefully hung on the wall in an overpowering display of success. You can also find out what the king listened to in his spare time as his music collection is also on display.

No Elvis collection would be complete without at least one over-the-top, sequinned jumpsuit. And Graceland has plenty more than just this one. They are missing his Blue Armadillo suit because that has been sold privately. In 2017, Graceland held a memorabilia auction, and that item sold for a cool quarter of a million dollars!

The jumpsuit concept was a godsend for the iconic groover. He was famous for his dance moves, and the flashy suits designed by Bill Belew enabled him to express his showmanship to the max, and still be able to move around and do those moves that made his fans go wild.

Mom and Dad had found the perfect spot for their son, but the house wasn't quite ready for the Presley clan. Elvis spent more on renovating the place than he had on buying it in the first place. By the time he was finished, the 10,000 square foot house was a 17,000 square foot mansion.

Now, the building had eight bedrooms and was big enough to accommodate the whole family. Parents, aunts, and cousins all joined the singer at different times, and Graceland became a family home full of laughter and love.

Graceland, in all of its splendor and beauty, is an amazing place. The trouble was, it came with an amazing bill to run, as Priscilla discovered when she became the executor of the estate for her and Elvis' daughter, Lisa Marie. Without Elvis' fat paychecks, Priscilla was faced with the prospect of selling the family home.

The estate cost half a million dollars a year to maintain, and Priscilla didn't have that kind of money. Lisa Marie's inheritance was already down to a measly million dollars. Something radical had to be done. Priscilla took her cue from other famous residences and opened Graceland to the public.

It turned out to be the best idea Priscilla ever came up with. Fans flocked to the site of their beloved idol's home. By 2016, after 34 years of business, Graceland welcomed its 20 millionth visitor. Every year, special events are held, which bring in thousands of tourists honoring the late musician's life and work.

Lisa Marie soon came into her inheritance. In 2005, she sold 85% of the Elvis Presley Estate to an entertainment company, which is well equipped to make even more of Graceland. More and more attractions have been added over the years, including Elvis' private jets.

Elvis lived and died in Graceland. He loved the place, and it was only fitting that he should be buried there, under the grounds where he built his life, surrounded by family. However, the zoning laws have no sense of empathy, and human remains need to be buried in graveyards.

It wasn't long, however, before there was trouble. Grave robbers snuck into the cemetery and tried to steal Elvis' coffin! That did the trick. The laws were waived for the Presley family, and Elvis was reburied in the meditation garden in Graceland, where he spent many hours reflecting on his life.

Graceland is just one part of Elvis' life and character. The legendary singer had a unique personality and career, so read on to discover unknown facts about him.

Elvis Presley, "The King of Rock'n'roll", is undoubtedly one of the most influential people of the 20th century. He rose to worldwide fame in the 50s and lived a life of luxary, scandals, and drugs before tragically succumbing to his death in his house. Throughout his short life, he held a lot of secrets, both awe-inspiring and tragic. Read on to find out the lesser-known facts about the rock legend.

The legend that was Elvis Presley was born in a town in Mississippi Tupelo in 1935 to parents Vernon Elvis Presley and Gladys Love Presley. Though born into a very modest family, Elvis was actually related to two extremely well-known American political leaders: Abraham Lincoln and Jimmy Carter.

Elvis had a very relationship with both of his parents but had an especially special bond with his mother, Gladys. Perhaps this was due to the fact that Elvis also had an identical twin brother who was sadly stillborn.

A natural blonde, Elvis Presley was far from the slick brunette his image would become cultivated around. He most likely started dying his hair in his youth to deeply contrast his environment where he grew up and to attain a more "dangerous" image.

As legend has it, a local DJ once played Elvis’s “That’s All Right” 14 times in one day. Memphis listeners loved it, and couldn't believe Elvis was white. The only thing black about Elvis was his hair, and he used shoe polish to make that happen.

Even though Elvis grew up in a loving family who always supported him, his childhood wasn’t as good as he wanted it to be. He didn’t get along with his peers very much, often being teased for his love of country music, so he spent most of his time alone.

His interest in music only increased when he started school, and his inner music bug was fueled by his local church, which he frequently visited with his family. It was obvious that this young boy wasn’t meant for the world of higher education, but that his destiny was to do something great with the talent he was given.

Even though Elvis was a natural-born star, it wasn’t until 1945 when someone realized his talent. He sang a traditional country song for his teacher who was so impressed that he urged the young boy to enter a local singing competition.

Even though he came in fifth place, his love for music was awakened. His uncles and the local pastor gave him his first music lessons and in no time at all, Elvis knew that music was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

If you think that his music teachers thought he was the best student they ever had, you would be wrong. When Elvis was in the 8th grade, he decided to enhance his performance skills so he began attending music lessons.

He only managed to get a “C” grade, but this never killed his spirits. He brought his guitar to school every day and in the end, managed to impress his music teacher, Mrs. Morman.

In the ‘50s, Elvis Presley forever changed live music shows. With his catchy expressions and dance moves, he managed to captivate the audience every time he performed. However, even The King himself admitted that he was shy when he was a teenager.

When he was asked by WELO, the Tupelo radio station, to give two live performances in 1946, Elvis was too shy to even show up at the first session. However, he managed to gather enough courage and give the second performance.

In 1956, Presley was given his big break when he teamed up with RCA and released his debut album. He was officially hailed as The King after the release of Elvis Presley, which was considered the first-ever rock'n'roll album to go number one, paving the way for a new era of music. It stayed there for a groundbreaking ten weeks in 1956.

It’s a widely known fact that Presley didn’t compose most of his songs, but he still made sure to add his special trademark rock n’ roll tempo to every song.

Aside from not composing his own songs, many have accused Elvis of theft and plagiarism, as they believe he stole the song "Hound Dog" from Big Mama Thornton, a legendary R & B singer who recorded the song back in 1953. But this was not the case, as the song was composed by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, American producers and songwriters, and Big Mama Thornton's version was just that: a version.

Even so, Presley’s critics thought that it was unjust to appropriate a "black" song, as it was very easy to do so in the deeply segregated times of the '50s. It was no secret that the music industry favored white musicians over black ones, and when Elvis was able to bring "Hound Dog" to new heights, many saw it as a hijacking of Big Mama Thornton's legacy and talent, as her rendition never had the same opportunity for fame.

Even though Elvis Presley had now become a star, that didn’t mean he didn’t have to serve his country. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1958 and served until 1960 when he finally returned to the U.S. Elvis was a part of the 3rd Armored Division and was stationed in Friedberg, Germany.

Despite being extremely famous at the time of his service, Elvis never wanted to be anything but just one of the guys and never asked for any kind of special treatment from his fellow soldiers; his Army pay was donated to charity.

Elvis shared a special bond with his mother - even when he reached adulthood, his mother never stopped being his best friend. The two were even known to speak to each other in baby talk, even as Elvis was a grown man. While he was in Germany, he received the terrible news that she was suffering from hepatitis and he was granted time off to go and visit her.

Elvis traveled back to the states and saw his mother, who sadly passed away only a couple of days after her son’s visit. She was only 46 years old when she died from a heart attack and Elvis was reportedly devastated beyond words.

While back in Germany, Elvis met the person who finally eased the pain he felt after losing his mother. He had organized a party at his Bad Nauheim house, and it was there that he met 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu. Despite being involved with a beautiful 19-year-old German girl, Elisabeth Stefaniak, Elvis was completely infatuated with Priscilla, and eight years after they met, she traveled to the United States and tied the knot with the King of Rock at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas.

One year later, the couple was blessed with a daughter, Lisa Marie Presley.

Show business can wreak havoc on the lives of stars, especially on their marriages. Careers and personal lives become intertwined, and even though Elvis and Priscilla loved each other, it seems it wasn't entirely their decision to tie the knot.

Rumor has it that Presley's legendary manager, Tom Parker "The Colonel", was partially responsible for the decision that the Presleys should be wed to bolster The King's public image. Priscilla's parents also pressured Elvis to propose as they worried that the long courtship, if unfulfilled, would taint Priscilla's reputation. But, sadly, the sacred union didn't last long and was riddled with scandals.

Even though it seemed that Elvis and Priscilla had a fairytale marriage, they still fell victim to the same trap most celebrity couples face at one time or another: infidelity.

Since Elvis had an exhausting schedule and was often absent from his family for days, he met other women - for instance, Joyce Bova. Priscilla had some secrets as well - she was extremely close to one of her dance teachers, and she later started seeing a man named Mark Stone, who was her karate teacher. Elvis and Priscilla’s marriage was slowly dying.

Just a few short years after Elvis and Priscilla had gotten married, they knew it was time to call it quits. Even though they had a child together, they knew their family would never be happy together and in 1973, their divorce was finalized.

Priscilla admitted she felt like she missed out on her best years by marrying so young, and that she needed to find herself. She also confessed that Elvis had very little intimate interest in her, especially after the birth of their daughter, and that that was one of the reasons their marriage failed (some psychologists actually cite Elvis's dependent relationship with his mother as the reason for his intimacy issues).However, the two still remained friends.

After Elvis and Priscilla were separated, Elvis devoted most of his time to appearing in TV shows and touring. His schedule was hectic and busy, and this took a toll on the quality of his performance. His shows were getting worse by the day, which might have been brought about by his deteriorating mental and physical health.

However, he was still talented (and notable) enough to remain in the A-listers club and continue to build his fortune.

The beginning of the end for the King of Rock n’ Roll was in the early '70s when his love for junk food (and drugs) brought about deteriorating health conditions and weight gain. In fact, in 1973, he had fallen unconscious twice due to drug overdoses and was in a coma for three days. The year after, everyone was shocked to hear Elvis was planning on doing another huge tour, which, with a total of 168 live performances, would ultimately cause even more trouble for the rock star.

His fellow bandmates often spoke about how worried they were for him and how he was becoming unrecognizable, with his once-trim figure becoming bloated and his performance ability becoming increasingly hindered. Audiences could barely recognize the performer once known as Elvis the Pelvis.

After his marriage with Priscilla had failed, Elvis thought he had found love with Linda Thompson, but their relationship would also soon be over. Thompson left Graceland when they split, but this wasn’t the only major personal problem Elvis had to deal with.

At around the same time, Elvis’s beloved piano player, David Brigg,s left him to pursue a different career path. This was a devastating blow to Elvis. The King was depressed and continued eating unhealthy food. While his weight and drug use kept increasing, his life was falling apart more and more each day.

Many suspected that the end was near for Elvis as his health was obviously becoming worse and worse. On August 16, 1977, Elvis's new girlfriend, Ginger Alden, found him unconscious on his bathroom floor, having seemingly fallen directly off of his toilet.

Medical experts were called to the scene, but they failed to revive him; the official time of death was reported as 3:30 pm. The reign of the King of Rock n’ Roll was over.

The first official statement released to the public was that Elvis had died from a sudden heart attack, and this was believed to be true for years. However, in more recent years, it had been discovered that Elvis had visited the dentist the night before his death and was prescribed codeine to relieve his toothache.

After he died, it was discovered that he had ten times the average limit for codeine in his bloodstream. Dr. Nichopoulos, who was The King’s personal doctor, claimed he wasn’t even aware that Elvis had ever taken codeine.

But it wasn't just codeine that the King was ingesting on a regular basis. Far from being just a sudden heart attack (which in and of itself was likely caused by Elvis's morbidly-obese frame and damaging health habits and not just a freak occurrence), serious drugs were players in Elvis's untimely death. The toxicology report conducted during his autopsy showed high levels of several types of opioids and Quaaludes.

Reported PBS, "His medicine chest was filled with amber-colored, white-topped vials of medications, in doses no responsible doctor would have prescribed." Indeed, when Elvis's personal doctor, Dr. Nick, appeared before the Tennessee Board of Health, he testified that he was aware that Elvis had been an opioid addict for almost a decade under his care, and that he had attempted to curb his habit by mixing quantities of placebo pills in with the drugs Elvis so desperately wanted. He made further efforts to explain his actions by saying that by prescribing the drugs himself, he prevented Elvis from seeking them out on the street, where he could potentially receive tainted medication. In case you're wondering, Dr. Nick was acquitted of any wrong-doing in Elvis's death and went on to continue overprescribing to celebrity clients under he was finally stripped of his license in 1995.

Since Elvis was a well-paid performer, he was able to purchase an extremely luxurious house for himself in 1957, located in Memphis. He named his lavish home Graceland, and he would spend the rest of his life living there. In 1991, it was included in the National Register of Historic Places.

Graceland even became a National Historic Landmark in 2006 and it gets around 650K visitors a year. It’s actually the second most-visited house in America, right after the White House.

There was a time when Elvis had another brilliant name. A comical title stuck with him before the world eternally dubbed him King. After performing "Hound Dog" the almighty, emblematic Rock'N'Roll song, in 1956, the people decided he was "Elvis The Pelvis" - a no-brainer nickname.

This time, Elvis didn't perform with his guitar in hand, but he delivered differently. The host of the show, Milton Berle, legendarily said to him "Let 'em see you, son.", and Elvis heeded his words, unleashing a flurry of dance moves, hip swings, and pelvic sashays on the stage that bedazzled the audience. The then-vulgar performance had a profound effect on the audience, infuriating the censorship moguls, and convincing the people that he was indeed “Elvis the Pelvis.” For that time, his dance moves were very provocative and some people believed he shouldn’t be a role model and so huge anti-Elvis groups were created. Some older critics even compared his concerts, full of crying girls, to Nazi rallies.

Even though this may sound unimaginable now, when Elvis first appeared in Las Vegas, he was mocked for his country-style moves and hillbilly clothes. Since Las Vegas was always synonymous with elegance and glamor, he wasn’t well-received by the public at first.

However, he soon managed to attract a group of fans who liked his image and enjoyed his music. These people soon adopted the same way of life Elvis lived by, which famously included many vices such as alcohol and prescription drugs.

Something else you might not know about Elvis is that he was once friends with renowned singer Petula Clark. According to Petula, however, he obviously wanted them to be something more. Clark once admitted that she and Karen Carpenter were once asked by Elvis to participate in some intimate group activities.

They were approached by The King while they were having a girls’ night out and ultimately declined his offer. Even though nothing happened between them, Clark admitted that even though they sometimes flirted, she never had an affair with Elvis.

Since Lisa Marie Presley had one of the most famous people of all time as her father, she grew up in complete luxury. As her parents were divorced, she had to spend time with each of them separately, but there were never any hard feelings between Elvis and Priscilla, who had remained friends even after their divorce.

Lisa Marie obviously decided to follow in her father’s footsteps, and she had three studio albums under her belt. Sadly, Lisa Marie passed in 2023 due to cardiac arrest at 54.

You probably know the successful Hollywood actress Riley Keough from movies such as Magic Mike and Mad Max: Fury Road. But did you know that she is actually Elvis’s granddaughter?

Riley is the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and is undoubtedly as talented as her grandfather was. She probably inherited her talents, and her blue eyes, from The King himself.

Lisa Marie had two children: Riley Keough, who became an actress, and Benjamin Keough. Even though it doesn’t seem that Benjamin inherited any sort of talent from his famous grandfather, it’s easy to see the family resemblance. When you look at their pictures side by side, the similarity between the two is uncanny.

However, it looks like we won't even know if Benjamin could have become the type of star that other members of his family showed themselves to be. On July 12th, 2020, he sadly committed suicide by self-inflicted gunshot at the young age of 27. Said a representative for his mother Lisa Marie, "She is completely heartbroken, inconsolable, and beyond devastated...She adored that boy. He was the love of her life."

Since Elvis was such a huge presence in the music industry, it’s easy to say that he had inspired most rock bands who began their careers during the ’60s. This even includes The Beatles. During the beginning stages of their career, The Beatles were big fans of Elvis and wanted to meet him. Elvis, however, had a different opinion.

When The Beatles were topping the charts during the 1960s, Elvis made many headlines after he denounced the band. He said that their wild acts showed “un-American” values and that they were bad influences on America’s youth.

Even after the shooting for the 1964 movie Viva Las Vegas wrapped, cameras still followed Elvis and his leading lady, Ann-Margret. During the filming of the movie, the two stars were very close and had ongoing and even suspicious chemistry.

When Priscilla Presley released an autobiographical book, she explained how she always feared the relationship Ann-Margret had with Elvis, even though both claimed there was nothing between them. However, when Elvis died, Ann-Margret flew all the way to Memphis with her husband to attend the’ funeral.

Back when Elvis was at the height of his career in the mid-1950s, he briefly dated actress Natalie Wood. Even though many people suspected this relationship was nothing but a publicity stunt, a different story was told when Natalie’s sister, Lana, wrote a book called Natalie: A Memoir.

In it, Lana described how her sister and Elvis shared a genuine relationship that fizzled out after Elvis tried to introduce Natalie to his family. Allegedly, Natalie described Elvis’s mother Gladys as a “jealous woman” and after that, the two stars’ relationship didn’t go any further.

While he was alive, Elvis had one room in his mansion, Graceland, that was very dear to him and where he spent a lot of his free time. Until now, only a few people outside of his family had ever seen this room, which has been kept intact and looks the same as it did in the ‘70s.

However, there’s one celebrity who’s been inside the mysterious room: Nicolas Cage. Cage was married to Lisa Marie Presley, and she reportedly showed him Elvis’s famous man cave.

Elvis was fond of Karate as a young man. He was in shape because of this, and never faltered in his dream to earn a black belt. He started his training while in Germany during his time in the Army and extensively studied the fighting style Chito-Ryu under the strict tutelage of Hank Slomanski.

Once back in the United States, Elvis opened up his own dojo in Memphis: the famous Tennessee Karate Institute, which continues to this day.

By the time Elvis made it in showbiz, he was full-on international - everyone wanted a piece of The King. "Heartbreak Hotel" and "That's All Right" were brilliant hits and everyone around the world was singing his songs, but Elvis never once performed outside the United States of America, much to the dismay of his overseas fans.

Although Presley had shows in Canada in 1957, he never ever played a single concert outside of North America; nobody knows exactly why. Rumor has it that his manager, The Colonel, wasn't keen on traveling a lot and that this contributed to Elvis's grounding in the US.

When Elvis was drafted during the peak of his fame, Priscilla was concerned that this would seriously impact his musical career. She wanted him to enroll in the Special Service where he could have performing rights and play music for the army, receive press feedback, and above all, enjoy additional safety in contrast to the Army itself. But his manager thought otherwise. The Colonel was a true showbiz clairvoyant and correctly guessed that Elvis's time in the Army would boost his image as an American hero and make him even more popular with the public.

Elvis chose his manager well. Colonel Tom Parker was one of the most successful managers in the history of US entertainment, but Tom Parker wasn't his real name. A secret well-hidden from public eyes, Parker was a Dutch immigrant named Andreas van Kuijk. He was never naturalized as a U.S citizen, and this may explain why he never wanted to travel outside of the country with Elvis - he may have had a hard time reentering.

The monicker 'Pelvis' was quickly overwritten with 'King' in 1956 once Elvis proved his musical skills. Women were screaming, men were swooning over him, and everyone wanted a piece of the King.

He also showed aptitude in another realm of entertainment. Elvis made an appearance or starred in over 30 movies over the course of his career. His on-screen debut in 1956, Love Me Tender, showed a new side to the star, and over the decade of the 1960s, a whopping 27 movies featuring his talent would be released.

Elvis was undoubtedly The King, but head-spinning fame didn't distort his views. He had a great admiration for other musicians, especially for Johnny Cash. The country legend apparently returned the sentiment both personally and professionally.

The two were both parts of the so-called Million Dollar Quartet, which consisted of them, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis. In what is considered to be a formative moment in rock and roll, the group had their famous jamming session in 1956 at the Sun Record Studios in Memphis, Tennessee.

Elvis Presley was fond of cleanliness and always strived for perfection when it came to hygiene and looks. He was possibly the biggest germophobe in rock'n'roll history. The bad-boy, guitar-playing hero was absolutely horrified of germs and dirt, as reported by Priscilla in a Daily Mail interview conducted in 2015.

He didn't like eating or slouching when he was visiting his friends, always had the habit of bringing his own utensils and silverware, and he would only drink from where the handle of his cup was.

Like every celebrity, Elvis Presley had the luxury to afford himself an exotic friend. The forty-pound pet chimpanzee, Scatter, proved his love for animals. He was a trained and obedient chimp and complimented Elvis Presley's image as a rockstar. True to its nature, Scatter had a penchant for causing trouble and chaos, and Presley was solely responsible for training him to cause mischief. Of course.

Some of the ruckus Elvis taught him was running around Graceland, startling guests and lifting skirts up, Scatter once lifted up the wrong skirt, Patty Perry's to be exact, and she punched him in response. where he landed on Presley's couch with a backflip. Just like his owner. Scatter wore Hawaiian shirts, and surprisingly enough, enjoyed alcohol.

Elvis believed in the 'mystique' of female beauty and never saw Priscilla without makeup. For Priscilla, though, that was normal. She once said, "Men don't want to see what a woman has to go through to get where she is, they want to see the product, the result."

In another strange division, “He never wanted to see me getting dressed, he wanted to see the result of getting dressed,” Priscilla recounted. Rather than upsetting her, Priscilla understood that Elvis only wanted to emphasize the elegance of secrecy.

Elvis loved his firearms and was known to be quite reckless with them. Apparently, famous singer Tom Jones once accidentally discovered a pistol in Presley's dressing room. He had casually scattered them around his mansion.

Elvis's one-time girlfriend, Ginger Alden, recalled that he would often shoot at the TV set for no reason. She also recounted a time when he shot at the headboard while she was sleeping, just to get her attention. This behavior clearly shows the deteriorating mental state Elvis was in towards the end of his life.

The King preferred wearing high collars. But unlike the rest of his extravagant wardrobe, this was no fashion statement or experimentation.

As told by ex-girlfriend Lisa Thompson, Presley wore high collars because he was, oddly enough, very insecure about his neck. He believed that his neck was, in comparison to his head and body, that of "a little chicken's neck". Thompson believed it was very strange as Elvis had a pretty normal-looking neck, but apparently, his parents would him about it when he was a young, shy boy.

In contrast to his excessive lifestyle, The King of Rock'N'Roll was a generous man. He always regarded the Colonel as a father figure for him who had helped him propel his career into the orbit of fame. For that, Elvis made sure he was repaid in kind by giving him 50% of his earnings throughout his musical career.

Besides the Colonel, Elvis was also known to give away many gifts and help out friends and family in need, and even to people he barely knew. He was generous, and he exercised his kindness spectacularly, often with stunts and in a grandiose nature.

One of his many brilliant stunts to show off and surprise his fans was, according to Priscilla, to don the uniform of a police officer and pull over cars on the side of the road to give them a "ticket". This was no traffic violation ticket, it was his autograph! He loved seeing the surprised looks on fans' faces when they realized they were receiving an autograph from the King himself.

He was known to say, "You're welcome," when handing out the "tickets", which can still be found on eBay today and are worth thousands of dollars.

In 1970, Elvis Presley went to the White House and met with President Richard Nixon. The president was delighted, but much to his surprise, Elvis requested a federal narcotics badge. Oddly enough, especially given the King's eventual death, Nixon granted his wish, and Elvis was granted the power of a federal agent.

Said Priscilla about the event, "The narc badge represented some kind of ultimate power to him. With the federal narcotics badge, he [believed he] could legally enter any country both wearing guns and carrying any drugs he wished."

Seven years after receiving his shiny federal badge from Nixon, Presley also had an encounter with then-President Jimmy Carter. According to Carter as told to The New York Times, Elvis called him in the summer of 1977, shortly before he died.

Carter said, "He was totally stoned and didn’t know what he was saying. His sentences were almost incoherent." He apparently wanted the President's help to bail out a friend with a full pardon, as he was in a legal mishmash of trouble. Carter obviously could not oblige this request, and found himself, "Calming his fears that he was being ‘shadowed’ by sinister forces and that his friend was being framed." The call clearly shows Elvis's deteriorated mental state.

Elvis had quite the appetite for exotic foods and had a favorite sandwich. Whether because of actual taste preference or image, he forewent the standard baloney sandwich of the time and went for a more eccentric option.

Elvis Presley’s favorite sandwich consisted of peanut butter, bacon, banana, and honey. He also was a fan of a sandwich called the Fool's Gold Loaf, which was a loaf - an entire loaf - of Italian bread filled with a pound of bacon, a pound of grape jelly, and a pound of peanut butter. No wonder he packed on the pounds.

Elvis Presley wasn't a religious man, but he didn't like bad publicity for being non-religious, which was an issue for the conservative '60s culture. Thus, to gain God's blessings as a non-affiliated adherent, he had an unusual way to express his appreciation of a Divine being.

He thought that having just one single monotheist religion wasn't good enough, and wanted to be as protected as possible. So he decided to wear a cross, a star of David, and the Hebrew word "chai" around his neck...all together. He didn't want to pass up any chance to be protected because of a religious technicality.

We know that Elvis was a natural blonde and dyed his hair a shiny jet black color by using shoe polish. But he also dyed his eyelashes black because black hair and blonde eyelashes wouldn't go hand in hand. After Elvis was divorced from Priscilla, many considered him to be losing his boyish charm and attractiveness. In an attempt to maintain a youthful appearance, he dyed his eyelashes and put more odd chemicals into his body.

These unusual chemicals and dying techniques caused several health complications throughout his demanding career. While he stopped using shoe polish to dye his hair, alternative chemicals like Miss Clairol 51 D, “Black Velvet” rapidly deteriorated his health.

Elvis had his own barber and hairdresser, Mr. Gill, who was the only man allowed to touch his hair. Mr. Gill had been his mother's personal hairdresser whom she had known for a long time. He would travel any distance for Elvis, and above all, was a family friend who he trusted.

But Mr. Gill also wanted a piece of the King, and to make money from his fanbase, he saved Presley's locks of hair and sold them via auction after the King died. Many obviously found it less than honorable that he monetized the remains of his supposed friend.

Presley's later years featured internal battles with drugs and weight gain, during which his last attempts of staying youthful collapsed. Many believe that this was his downfall; Presley was convinced that he could save his career by staying young at any price.

It was definitely not easy. According to Linda Thompson, Elvis had a face-lift when he turned 40 years old. He also reportedly, decided to engage in a two-week sedation period - a dangerous method that used various drugs and injections to lose weight. It was a dangerous time for the rock star where he was. bed-ridden, and only left his bed when he needed to shower or go to the restroom and barely ate.

Before Elvis Presley passed away, a book titled Elvis: What Happened? was written by three of his former bodyguards. The book recounted many details and hidden facts about his personal life - It was a shock-tactic book but was still regarded as a credible source.

Once Elvis found out about it, he immediately tried to stop the publishers from releasing the book that revealed just how far he had fallen. He did all he could to preserve not only his reputation but his dignity, but it was of no use. The book disclosed his many health issues, such as his enlarged colon, high blood pressure, liver damage, glaucoma, and other ailments he tried to hide from the public view.