There was a virtual scramble to interview anybody who had known Elvis. It was the story for the next two weeks.. How did Elvis mom die? Following publication of the Kennedy article, Vernon Presley confided to a journalist friend, She not only insulted the memory of Elvis, she insulted her own family name., (There were no startling revelations in the Kennedy article. The world lost the King of Rock 40 years ago last August, and now his longtime queen is opening up about the day she said goodbye. All this stuff Im telling you is in the first couple chapters of my book.. Ginger Alden who was Elvis' current girlfriend at the time of his death is selling her engagement ring whichElvis gave her. 6. Who was Elvis's favorite female singer? After they met, the two would go on to have a romance for over a year. One former National Enquirer reporter, who played a part in that papers acquisition of the famed last picture of Elvis in his coffin, remembered: As a war correspondent, I had covered the war in Bangladesh and two wars in the Middle East and a revolution in Ethiopia. But I do regret that Elvis is dead--Ill always regret that. Ginger Alden was born in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1956. After all, pictures are run of dead prime ministers and Popes and national heroes. He was so shy about admitting he even had a problem.. Elvis Presley, was still wearing her 11 1/2-carat diamond engagement ring as she recalled the final hours of . She didnt love himshe didnt even want to be around him. For Thomas--whose coverage of Elvis death included getting into the mausoleum, where the body was first entombed--covering the story began with a visit to Graceland. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Miss Alden, wearing the black dress she wore only hours earlier to the funeral, said she wanted to convince herself Presley was not dead. As such, Kingsley scored a coup earlier this year when he accompanied the Colonel on a Mothers Day weekend visit to Graceland--the Colonels first return to Graceland since Elvis death.). Klein remembered, Wed gotten a call from the gate, saying that Caroline Kennedy wants to come up. Elvis lived in Memphis for 29 years. I was still shocked. . Talking about his wife, Ginger Alden is 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall and has a body weight of around 71 Kg (156 lbs).7. . Crosby was driving and Jones was helping with revival attempts in the back. He was gone. Among the stories that appeared across the country in the days following his death were those about: Obsessed fans. Elvis Presley was lying in state in the seamless copper coffin in the doorway of Gracelands music room. When Priscilla and Elvis met, Priscilla was 14-years-old, and The King would have been 24-years-old. Due to the ferocious nature of the attorneys representing Elvis Presley Enterprises, the originating story of these photos cannot be told, but these photographs match in every detail the written descriptions of Graceland's upstairs rooms, as found in books authored by Ginger Alden, Joe Esposito, David Stanley, Red West and Priscilla herself. During an appearance on Today Wednesday morning, Priscilla Presley. West was in Indian Dunes, Calif., doing an episode of the series Black Sheep Squadron when he heard the news of the death. ", "My time with Lisa Marie was unique for me and special," added Alden, who had been 19 when she first started dating Elvis in November 1976. "I grew to care deeply for her and felt the same from her.". They were pleasant to each other but the exchange was brief. His most famous home was Graceland, still a tourist attraction today, but he actually lived at nine different homes during those three decades. Breathe, Presley, breathe! the Commercial Appeal quoted his doctor as saying on the way to the hospital. When she missed her deadline, she sold her story to Rolling Stone. Ronald Leyser was a director of commercials and was married to Ginger Alden from 1991 until his death. . Im waiting for someone to write about those., Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Travis Scott is sought by New York Police after alleged assault and criminal mischief, Review: Michael B. Jordan is the one to fly now with Creed III, Unlike Andor, Mandalorian is going all in on Star Wars lore. May you rest in peace Lisa. "There were so many reporters, you couldn't get a. A run on sales of Elvis records. On August 7th, Elvis had rented Libertyland, a local amusement park, from midnight till dawn. His body was just worn out. Why Do Cross Country Runners Have Skinny Legs? The photo also so angered Elvis entourage that a private detective was hired to unmask the culprit--now said to be a black sheep.. Elvis Presley had many loves across his lifetime from his ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, to his co-star Ann-Margret. But no one was more devastated than his girlfriend, Ginger Alden. Mar. Ann-Margret also spoke about the tender moment 20 years later in her autobiography,My Story. Wouldnt you say thats kind of ironic?. The Aldens. Just after 2pm Tuesday, August 16, 1977 Ginger Alden found Elvis, face down, unconscious, on the floor in the bathroom at Graceland. Part of that protection was not talking about the drugs. I thought then--and I still think it today--what a shame. This means their age difference is 10 years, though because of their birth dates it is more like 10 years and four months. He sent it over in his limo. Though he wasnt technically invited to Elvis services, Murray didnt let that stop him. Alden notably didn't spend much time at Graceland, and did not want to move there. It happened in the early morning hours when a driver (later charged with manslaughter and drunken driving) charged into a crowd of mourners. Along with its last photo of Elvis, the Enquirer snared the last photo of Elvis alive, which happened to be snapped by a fans $20.95 Instamatic outside Graceland at 12:28 a.m. on Aug. 16. Ginger Alden was barely out of her teens when she first met Elvis Presley. Officially, Elvis death--at age 42--was attributed to cardiac arrhythmia brought on by an irregular heartbeat caused by undetermined causes., In initial interviews, Elvis personal physician, Dr. George Nichopoulos, denied any drug problems. Just look at her face, she is devastated she didn't care what she had on, the love of her life had just died, they hadn't been apart that long and maybe she was hoping they could . That all changed. [Signed by Elvis A. Presley] ELVIS A. PRESLEY The foregoing instrument, consisting of this . Of those things Elvis might not have liked said about him, Phillips mused: Honey, listen, Elvis Presley was as full of faults as any damn human being walking on this earth. One year after the funeral, Vernon recalled a conversation he shared with Ann-Margret in an article forGood Housekeepingin 1978. I had the Penthouse. Burk, who now edits the Elvis World newsletter (with his wife, Connie Lauridsen Burk), wrote about his Thompson interview in his book, Elvis Through My Eyes., He detailed the account for a reporter, anyway, over lunch during a rainy afternoon in Memphis. THE USA HAS GIVEN US THREE CULTURAL PHENOMENON: MICKEY MOUSE, COKE A COLA & ELVIS PRESLEY The Australian Herald: ONE HOUR BATTLE FAILS. Ginger Alden - Body Measurements. And both West and Hebler appeared at a press conference on the day after Elvis death. "'She has the same look in her eyes as me,' he said. The actress explained that she had noticed Elvis hadnt sent her any flowers for her latest performance in Las Vegas a familiar gesture for Elvis, signifying to Ann-Margret that something was wrong. Alden wrote a memoir in 2014 entitled Elvis and Ginger. Explained Joe Esposito, Wed always protected Elvis--OK? How Can We Protect Against Galvanic Corrosion? In their book, When Elvis Died, Neal and Janice Gregory revealed that Kennedy was actually on assignment for the New York Daily News. Alden was also allegedly banned from entering Elvis' Graceland home, with Elvis' uncle Vester telling The Daily Express that "Ginger Alden is dead now as far as the family is concerned.". Im going to the bathroom to read. Those were the words Elvis Presley said to his fiancee, Ginger Alden, early in the morning of August 16, 1977, at his Memphis mansion, Graceland. According to one source, What we heard around the office was that (the photo thieves) had planned to have the Elvis photo reproduced on sweatshirts that they were going to market., The Enquirer may have had Elvis last photos, but the National Star (now known as the Star) had serialization rights to Elvis: What Happened?. Instead, she delivered straightforward descriptions of those she saw in Graceland, including Elvis Presley, whose face seemed swollen and his sideburns reached his chin. And she included descriptions of the interior, such as: Potted plastic palms surrounded the coffin and on the wall was a painting of a skyline on black velveteen.), A few would see the Kennedy piece as somewhat of a journalistic coup. Virtually every person from every beat was assigned to cover Elvis. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Then suddenly, he wasnt., So West opted not to talk. Elvis had Ginger's family flown in to Harrison, Arkansas where they drove 20 miles to Jasper, Arkansas for the services which took place in a very small church. Elvis Presleys Manager Joe Espositio confirms that while on the set in Hollywood filming some of his movies in the 1960s they crossed paths many times. Ginger Alden who was Elvis' current girlfriend at the time of his death is selling her engagement ring which Elvis gave her. Joe Esposito was going to announce the death, but was to overcome with grief. Did Ginger Alden attend Elvis funeral? Burk had long had dealings with Vernon Presley, but he wasnt expecting to get a call from Elvis former girlfriend, Linda Thompson, after Elvis death. . That was one mistake.. Soon, they were in a relationship, which continued till Presely's death in 1977. Theres something so damn special there . After the hospital finally received its call from Graceland, where Vernon Presley had been told about his son, it was decided that Joe Esposito would officially announce the death to those members of the press (maybe 30 or so) who had already gathered at the hospital. Andy Micklin, incarcerated. Thousands of fans who loved Elvis and who have expressed their sympathy. A tragic car crash outside Graceland. Even so, he still had millions of dollars in the bank when he passed away at the young age of 42 on Aug. 16, 1977. West said he had no regrets about having written the book. Even with that wild 1970s hairdo. During the funeral, Vernon reportedly welcomed more than 30,000 people from the entranceway of Graceland to allow people to pay their respects. On August 7th, Elvis had rented Libertyland, a local amusement park, from midnight till dawn. "We went to Libertyland, rode rides, something we all loved to do. And all of his family the distinction between blood relatives and employees long ago having become blurred continued, in the midst of their sorrow, to keep their cards close to their chests. Did Ginger Alden attend Elvis funeral? Ginger Alden who was Elvis current girlfriend at the time of his death is selling her engagement ring which Elvis gave her. But Ginger Alden was Presleys fiance at the time of his untimely death in 1977, when he was just 42 years old. Alden, a former model and actress, had dated Elvis for two months before he proposed to her. Apparently, Elvis did indeed watch the film with some friends. Enquirer editor-president Iain Calder wouldnt comment: How would anybody know those things? Why Netflix is dabbling in livestreaming, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Dramatic before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Best coffee city in the world? Sometime near 2:30 p.m., his girlfriend, Ginger Alden, found him lying face down on the floor . God wouldnt want to take him so soon. Elvis was crouched over.His face dark and bloated. Money only goes so far. Phillips, who produced Elvis first records (this after a search to find a black sound inside a white boy), received so many calls that you couldnt begin to count em. They came from all over the world--including England, Australia and Japan. Letters Of Note, Shaun Usher's compilation of fascinating letters, postcards, telegrams, faxes, and memos is brilliant. 2022 - 2023 Times Mojo - All Rights Reserved Miss Alden, wearing the black dress she wore only hours earlier to the funeral, said she wanted to convince herself Presley was not dead. Miss Alden, wearing the black dress she wore only hours earlier to the funeral, said she wanted to convince herself Presley was not dead. We took uppers to stay awake and sleeping pills to get to sleep. When you think about the huge numbers of people--all the fans that turned out--you have to think it was all pretty dignified., Related Hodge: If wed known about Caroline Kennedy, wed have done that different. Miss Alden, wearing the black dress she wore only hours earlier to the funeral, said she wanted to convince herself Presley was not dead. The day before he was to go on tour, the week that the controversial book Elvis What Happened?, which purported to detail his private life, appeared the month that he again had a record on the charts, Elvis dropped dead in his Graceland mansion and instantly passed from elusive legend to myth. Did Ginger Alden attend Elvis funeral? After Elvis Presley died in 1977, his ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, didn't want his girlfriend, Linda Thompson, to accompany her on the plane to his funeral. Because she wore a black dress only hours before the funeral, Miss Alden claims she wanted to convince herself that Presley was not dead. It turned out hed told his boss hed see him in a few days. Do Men Still Wear Button Holes At Weddings? Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. This after the family decided that a flower should go to each fan who hadnt been able to view the body. It started to look like his trip had been for naught until he bumped into a photographer friend covering the spectacle. They began with a phone call from a nursing supervisor in the emergency room. Elvis was very down-to-earth, Priscilla Presley, who met the star at age 14 and married him seven years later, once said. Also called in was Dr. Jerry Francisco, the Shelby County medical examiner. I cannot. It was a very interesting moment., Priscilla is in the midst of promoting Elvis Presley: The Searcher, a probing three-hour documentary on the rock icon to be broadcast April 14 on HBO. It was also grim timing that Elvis death had come just after the publication of the tell-all paperback. Elvis Birthday Elvis Born January 8, 1935. Im going to the bathroom to read. Those were the words Elvis Presley said to his fiancee, Ginger Alden, early in the morning of August 16, 1977, at his Memphis mansion, Graceland. Elvis Presley died 10 years ago this day. The world lost the King of Rock 40 years ago last August, and now his longtime queen is opening up about the day she said goodbye. 3. All Rights reserved. Alden was reportedly the last person to see him alive, and she still has fond memories of her short time with The King. Los Angeles, Stranger Things play that may hold key to the end taking 1959 Hawkins to West End, Commentary: Now hiring! Ginger Alden who was Elvis current girlfriend at the time of his death is selling her engagement ring which Elvis gave her. As I ran across the cemetery, all of a sudden the motorcycles came in the motorcycles cops looked at me like, If you move we will kill ya,' he recounted. She has an estimated net worth of between $500k and $5 million as . One of the many mourners was Ann-Margret, a Swedish-American actress who was once one of Elvis Presleys former lovers. Nichopoulos--speaking by phone from his Memphis office--declined to talk, explaining, Ive got a bad taste in my mouth from being misquoted.). In an interview Sylvester Stallone was asked if he and Elvis Presley ever met. His daughter and his companion, a local woman named Ginger Alden, and about 15 friends spent the night riding Caseys Cannonball. The burial ground had initially been chosen as Elvis final resting place (He was ultimately moved to the Graceland grounds several months later following a plot to steal his body), and Murray positioned himself to take in the proceedings. Why isnt Elvis buried next to his mother? His stays came complete with entourage, girlfriends and orders to tin-foil the windows so that he could sleep during the daytime hours. Except when it came to what you hear on those records. I just froze. He had planned to announce their engagement publicly on his upcoming tour in Memphis; sadly, he died before this could happen. So, of course, I asked him Why? And he looked at me and said, Well, man, its the king. Just like I should know., That is: It was as if the whole city of Memphis got together and worked to produce Elvis final show.. Some had scoops fall into their laps. Like Bill E. Burk, reporter/columnist with the now-defunct Memphis Press-Scimitar. Well, covering Elvis was a war, too. These days, Alden stays out of the public eye as much as she can. Why isnt Elvis buried next to his mother? TV news anchor Chuck H. Everyone knows Elvis Presleys relationship with Priscilla Presley. Did Ginger Alden attend Elvis funeral? The two were engaged until his untimely death in 1977. Miss Alden, wearing the black dress she wore only hours earlier to the funeral, said she wanted to convince herself Presley was not dead. Before his death, Elvis Presley was engaged to his soon-to-be-bride Ginger Alden for seven months. Around 5 a.m. on the morning of August 16, 1977, Elvis Presley and fiancee Ginger Alden went to bed together, after spending much of the night awake despite Elvis trying to nod off with the aid of various prescription drugs, according to the Express. From fans to family members to friends, everyone mourned the loss of the pop culture icon. Some banners had a certain, well, ring. Then he just got in his car and headed for Memphis. When I saw clips of that very last show he did (in the movie, This Is Elvis), I just sat there and cried that nobody had had the power to snatch him out of there and get him cleaned up.. Id gotten accustomed to Elvis Presley coming into the hospital and, well, checking out again. Read the book the world is talking about, screamed the headlines. Elvis Presleys grandson Benjamin Keough buried in Graceland alongside King of Rock and Roll. Meanwhile, over at the Commercial Appeal, Lawrence Buser managed to land an interview with Elvis final fiancee, Ginger Alden (who was also interviewed by the National Enquirer). By that time, we knew people would have read a lot about Elvis. Did Ginger Alden sell her engagement ring from Elvis? The cameraman gave him an insiders hookup. She failed. Published by Ballantine Books, the book included reports of Elvis infatuation with guns, his drug use and his alleged efforts to have the then-boyfriend of ex-wife Priscilla executed. She lives in Los Angeles with her mother, Elvis former wife, Priscilla Beaulieu. The singer dated Alden until his death in August 1977. October 2, 1977 : After grave robbers tried to steal Elvis casket he is entering his last journey. How many houses did Elvis Presley have? After returning to Graceland he went to his racquet ball court and played until about six a.m. Tuesday, August 16th. Priscilla Presley Disputes Invalid Amendment to Lisa Maries Trust But he reads everything he finds about Lisa Marie, now 19. With those calls, I said to myself, What in the hell would Elvis like to have been said about him? . The books timing also resulted in a then-staggering order for 2 million copies. So had actor George Hamilton. The morgue was sealed off by tight security and the preliminary autopsy began, with every important doctor in the hospital present. Explained Esposito, who today lives in Sherman Oaks and manages singer Karen Kamon, the Los Angeles group Charm School and record producer Davy Johnstone (Elton Johns lead guitarist): The thing about the drugs is that everyone around Elvis took pills, too. She is an actress and a model and had been dating Elvis Presley at the time of his death. Her short time with the now-defunct Memphis Press-Scimitar across the country in the days following his death, was! 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