Teddy bear elvis presley wikipedia biography

1957 film lump Hal Kanter, Herbert Baker, Collect yourself B. Wallis

Loving You is fastidious 1957 American musicaldrama film resolved by Hal Kanter and investment Elvis Presley, Lizabeth Scott, forward Wendell Corey. The film was Presley's first major starring impersonation, following his debut in out supporting role in the 1956 film Love Me Tender.

Significance film follows a delivery workman who is discovered by tidy music publicist and a country–western musician who wants to support the talented newcomer.

The hide was written by Herbert Baker and Hal Kanter, and family circle on the short story "A Call from Mitch Miller". Kanter expanded the script after grow inspired by Presley's last arrival on the Louisiana Hayride very last his manager Colonel Tom Parker's antics.

Paramount Pictures chose call by ignore the first-run theater custom, opting instead to release interpretation film in sub-run neighborhood theaters, a system later dubbed description "Presley Pattern".

Loving You unsealed nationwide on July 9, 1957, and was a box start up success. Composed by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Presley's inimitable "(Let Me Be Your) Shimmy Bear", backed with "Loving You", was certified platinum by authority Recording Industry Association of Land.

Plot

Walter "Tex" Warner (Wendell Corey), a seasoned country and relationship bandleader past his prime, beginning his manager and love concern, Glenda Markle (Lizabeth Scott), disused for the campaign of Texas gubernatorial candidate Jim Tallman. Midst a campaign stop in say publicly town of Delville, Deke Rivers (Elvis Presley) and a workmate deliver an order of ale.

While they are unloading, leadership workmate talks to Glenda look at Deke's singing ability, which Glenda jumps on to revive integrity sagging interest in the page by using local talent. She convinces Deke to sing unmixed song with the backing take up Tex's Rough Ridin' Ramblers.

Seeing the positive reception by rendering female audience, Glenda tries weather convince Deke to join significance Tex Warner Show.

Driving lineage Deke's hotrod, she tells him about his potential. Not consenting to leave his first stable job in a year, type rejects the offer, but Glenda asks him to think identify it. Upon returning to oppidan, Glenda calls the Highway Plan Company, after which she gain Tex quit the Tallman crusade to return to their rubbish roadshow.

The following morning, similarly the group is leaving inner-city, Deke accepts Glenda's offer, tail end being fired by his head because of a false irritation to the drinks company exceed Glenda regarding a fictitious communicate delivery. Glenda just happens endure have prepared a contract, which grants her half of monarch income.

Not realizing he decay being ripped off, Deke ill-advisedly signs it. With Tex astral, they start touring throughout Texas, along two other acts: Susan "Susie" Jessup (Dolores Hart) shaft a singing trio. As Deke's popularity grows, Glenda devises hype stunts to leverage it. Mass one show, she pays match up aged woman to criticize him. When they start to controvert with young fans, Glenda has a press photographer document birth incident.

As the tour progresses, Deke and Susan become caring in one another.

After effectuation small venues, the group laboratory analysis hired to play in exceptional large Amarillo theater on adroit four-day run. Convinced that inner parts is his ticket to recall fame, Tex accepts Glenda's recommendation to share the bill bend Deke, after which she calls reporters of The Dallas Chronicle to write a story have a look at Deke.

Later that night, Deke is provoked at a coffee shop by the boyfriend of sole of his fans, who wants to hear him sing neat song. After singing to efficient tune from the jukebox, noteworthy starts a fight with him. He is later exonerated descendant the police.

After the conclusion of the four-day engagement, Deke's management is offered a one-person show in Freegate, Texas, elsewhere of Dallas.

Due to magnanimity terms of the contract, Tex fires Susan and the revelation trio, leaving only Deke quickwitted the show. Before he has to begin his new flex, Deke drives Susan to have a lot to do with family's farm. Meanwhile, in substitute publicity move, Glenda convinces Tex to buy an Imperial despoil his life insurance for Deke, inventing a story to relate Deke that it was spruce up gift from the widow cut into an oil magnate.

Back amuse yourself the farm, Deke and Susan talk, where she tells him about being fired, after which they are about to neck, when they are interrupted provoke her parents, who ask him to sing the song pacify promised. After Deke sings "Loving You", a surprised Susan remarks that she never heard him sing that way; Deke admits that he never felt lapse way before.

Glenda arrives dilemma the farm with the Elegant, and urges him to branch off with her for Freegate oppress do the show. On their way back, Deke confesses achieve Glenda that his real person's name is Tompkins. Deciding to keep quiet his past, they drive respect Allen City, to the Vine cemetery, where he shows say no to the Tomb of Deke Rivers.

He explains that when decency orphanage he lived in turn down eleven years earlier, unwind decided to bury his gone and forgotten, and took Rivers' name.

Meanwhile, in Freegate, the concert quite good cancelled by the Mayor's taunt, after they received complaints stick up parents about Deke's music. Glenda arranges a studio telecast have power over a concert from Freegate interleave order to gain publicity; that enables her to convince honourableness town board to allow him to perform.

Deke, unhappy, court case considering leaving the entertainment work. When Glenda finds out, she talks him into performing, afterward which they kiss.

On greatness day of the telecast, Deke is shocked after learning ensure Tex was married to (and later divorced from) Glenda. Jaundiced, he drives off before description show.

When Glenda finds dispense about it from Tex, she goes after Deke, finding him after he was run talking to the road by crossing forage. Glenda confesses everything to him: getting him fired and aggressive about the Imperial, after which she tears up their procure, before convincing him to reappear for the broadcast.

While representation concert is delayed, fans funds filmed by local newscasters watchman Deke's music.

Eventually, an overturn Susan arrives to reveal go off Deke will not appear carefulness the show. However, Deke does appear shortly after, declaring desert he had "something very leading to say to somebody", instruction starts the show by melodious "Loving You". As the trade mark ends, Susan goes onstage versus him, after which they befitting Tex and Glenda backstage.

Deke offers to let them both manage him, as he crack offered a recording contract. Tex and Glenda reconcile; meanwhile, Deke and Susan kiss.

Cast

Cast notes

Elvis Presley plays Deke Rivers (whose real name is Jimmy Tompkins), a deliveryman who is observed by the manager of put in order band. The film is Presley's second motion picture following emperor debut in the 1956 membrane Love Me Tender and her highness first starring role.

It besides marked the beginning of coronet seven-film streak for Paramount happen by Hal Wallis. For influence role, Presley dyed his hardened black following his favorite actors: Tony Curtis and Rudolph Enchanter. As the second of diadem 1956 three-movie deal with Superlative Pictures, Presley was paid US$150,000.

Lizabeth Scott plays Glenda Markle, overseer and love interest of boss "Tex" Warner.

Known for recipe roles in the 1940s contemporary early 1950s, Scott returned let alone retirement to co-star in righteousness movie.

Wendell Corey plays Walter "Tex" Warner, bandleader of the Jagged Ridin' Cowboys and the roadshow that Deke joins and revitalizes. Corey was known for cap appearances in Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window and Joseph Anthony's The Rainmaker.

A decade earlier, sharp-tasting co-starred with Lizabeth Scott assimilate 1947's Desert Fury and I Walk Alone.

Dolores Hart plays Susan Jessup, a young singer who tours with Tex Warner's fillet and Deke's love interest. Low in her first movie conduct yourself, Hart was discovered by Wallis after he saw her purchase a production of Joan familiar Lorraine at Loyola University.

Stylishness screen-tested Hart on January 16, 1957, and later signed irregular for US$250 a week. Next named Dolores Hicks, Wallis consumer her to change her term to favor her acting activity. She adopted Hart, after righteousness maiden surname of a newspaper columnist. The actress changed it legitimately to "Dolores Hart". A vintage after Loving You, Hart was cast as Presley's love troubled in his 1958 black-and-white melodic drama, King Creole.

Ken Becker very occasionally billed as Kenny Becker or Kenneth Becker, plays Deke's rival, Wayne, who loses practised fistfight with Deke.

Becker laid hold of similar roles in three afterward Presley films, G.I. Blues (1960), Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) streak Roustabout (1964).

Jana Lund plays Killer Bricker, the object of Wayne's jealousy, who kisses Deke (Presley's first on-screen kiss). A gathering earlier, she appeared in on the subject of rock and roll film, 1956's Don't Knock the Rock.

Shadowing Loving You, she had roles in three other titles bay the psychotronic film genre, 1958's High School Hellcats, Hot Motor vehicle Girl and Frankenstein 1970.

Production

The disc was based on the diminutive story "A Call from Mitch Miller", written by Mary Agnes Thompson and published in depiction June 1956 issue of Good Housekeeping.

In that year, director Hal Wallis bought the for the story to preference it into a vehicle implication Presley's first starring role broadsheet Paramount Pictures. Six months formerly the start of the barter, Wallis loaned Presley to Ordinal Century Fox, where he developed in his movie debut, leadership 1956 film Love Me Tender.

The producer then selected Hal Kanter to direct the film snowball to co-write the script check on Herbert Baker.

To write regular script adjusted to Presley, Kanter traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, want meet him in person. All along with Presley's entourage, he went to Shreveport to see grandeur last performance of the songstress on the country television find out, Louisiana Hayride. Kanter witnessed ethics reaction from fans, as be a winner as Presley's manager Colonel Have a break Parker's handling of the scene, both of which he handmedown as an inspiration for integrity script.

The working titles insensible the movie were "Lonesome Cowboy", "Running Wild", "Stranger in Town", and "Something for the Girls". Due to the appeal scope Presley's previous film being gentle after a song sung gross Presley, Wallis selected the terminal name for the film, put to use the Jerry Leiber and Microphone Stoller ballad penned for leadership movie, "Loving You".

Shot in Technicolor and VistaVision, the production going on on January 21, 1957, happening on March 8.

The ep was shot at the Extreme studios, except the Jessup kibbutz scenes, which were shot encroach the Hollywood Hills. The ep features appearances by Presley's instrumentalist Scotty Moore, bassist Bill Coalblack, drummer D.J. Fontana, and Justness Jordanaires. Presley's parents, Gladys title Vernon, who visited the break of the film, were be part of the cause in the final scene break into the film as part spot the audience of the telecast.

Loving You premiered in Memphis picking July 10, 1957 at glory Strand Theater.

Presley did wail go to that showing, otherwise opting to take girlfriend Anita Wood, as well as coronate parents to a private twelve o`clock screening. The film opened state on July 30, 1957 status peaked at #7 on integrity Variety National Box Office Look over, staying on the chart disperse four weeks.

Soundtrack

Main article: Loving Order about (soundtrack)

The soundtrack of the membrane was recorded from January 15–18, 1957, at the Paramount Films Scoring Stage, and in four additional sessions at Radio Recorders in Hollywood on January 12, 13, and 19, and Feb 23–24, 1957.

It contains figure songs, composed expressly for birth movie by writers contracted succeed Elvis Presley Music and Gladys Music, the publishing companies infamous by Presley and his executive, Colonel Tom Parker. The designation tune, "Loving You", was together by Jerry Leiber and Microphone Stoller. The single "(Let Alias Be Your) Teddy Bear" hardbacked with "Loving you" sold be at each other's throats a million copies, and was later certified platinum on Tread 27, 1992 by the Record Industry Association of America.

Performed exceed Presley:

Release and reception

The membrane premiered on July 9, 1957, at the Strand Theater down Memphis, opening nationally on July 30.

Due to Presley's overall appeal, for the first pause, the studio decided to overtake the established first-run theater formula. Paramount opted instead for first-class wide release, sending it know neighborhood theaters in New Royalty, Chicago, and Detroit. This spanking system was dubbed the "Presley Pattern", which consisted of distribution the product to its prehistoric market by cutting the spending of premieres in downtown theaters, choosing instead local venues portend a wider and more constructive release.

Upon its release, it emerged on Variety's National Box Tenure Survey for four weeks, peaking at number seven.

The coat grossed a total of US$3.7 million in 1957. While Presley was in the army, nobility movie was re-released in rendering summer of 1959. The trunk office results were not forceful, the film grossing US$74,000.

Reviews

Variety wrote a favorable review, noting ditch Presley "shows improvement as doublecross actor ...

being surrounded by trig capable crew of performers".The Modern York Times criticized his acting: the review opened "For Paramount's 'Loving You', starring America's deary hound-dog hollerer ... does just volume everything, and little else, tinge prove that it ain't—isn't". Say publicly Los Angeles Times declared elate "A furtive step on Presley's part in a screen career".

The Michigan Christian Advocate permitted a negative review and entitled the film "an apologia letch for Elvis Presley" and considered had it "part of the passing Earth scene" that would "undoubtedly pierce many and interest an finish even number".

On its review, Monthly Layer Bulletin qualified Presley's career thanks to "one of the most baffling and less agreeable aspects deserve modern popular music".

the examination declared: "Presley adopts a inaudible and husky style of transport and a series of eldritch body gestures to impose invective his otherwise innocuous material shipshape and bristol fashion suggestive meaning. ... in 'Loving You' he is allowed more right of entry and is at times both the cause and sum on target of the film's somewhat disputable entertainment value."Down Beat opened close-fitting review mentioning the negative response of Presley by the force, indicating that while other publications "hotly despised" him, Down Beat was "prepared to dismiss him with a decimating round look up to punfire".

The reviewer, however distinguished that after watching Loving You, it was "amiss to talk unkindly of [Presley]", and turn the film was "a moderately entertaining pic". It remarked illustriousness "resourcefulness" of Lizabeth Scott, distinction "positive acting ability augmented moisten a fresh prettiness" of Dolores Hart, and the "witty kill time and range of expressions" unshackle by Wendell Corey.

The survey favored Presley, describing his tv show as "an overpowering, if sadly naive, celluloid sexuality." It concluded: "For all his high-voltage on-stage erotica ... he plays the gloomy country boy convincingly ... evincing relapse the emotion of a vigorous bred head of livestock."

Later reviews and evaluation in film guides

While it rated the film be regarding two stars out of quint, AllMovie defined it as "one of Elvis Presley's liveliest enthralled most interesting early films ...

tending of the best in (his) output".MSN Movies called it "a streamlined and sanitized retake anticipation the story of Elvis".

Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide rated Loving You with 2½ stars out remind you of 4, the review declared: "Elvis' second movie is highlighted by way of his performance of 'Teddy Bear' and the title tune".

Lacuna, Steven H. Scheuer's Movies unpleasant incident TV lowered the rating consent 2 stars out of 4. Scheuer opined that the tegument casing was "tailor-made for Presley courier his tunes, the story swiftly little—too little, if one doesn't dig Elvis".Videohound's Golden Movie Retriever rated it with 2 heal out of 4. Michael Weldon, in Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film, gave a positive review: "Elvis at his best, top-billed take to mean the first time".Leslie Halliwell, reconcile his Film and Video Guide, felt the opposite, giving cipher stars out of 4, accept dismissed it as an "empty-headed, glossy star vehicle".

Mick Martin's & Marsha Porter's DVD & Picture Guide rated it with 3 stars out of 5.

Make available described it as a "better-than-average Elvis Presley vehicle" and ancient history that "the main attraction remains Elvis singing his rock 'n' roll songs, including the term tune." Also assigning 3 stars (out of 5), The Whim Picture Guide opined "Loving You is one of Presley's vacation films.

He gives a frail performance, both in the really nice concert scenes and in birth dramatic ones; Hal Kanter directs with vigor".

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links