Elvis and the Beauty Queen is a 1981 American made-for-television drama musical film starring Don Johnson and Stephanie Zimbalist.[1] It aired on NBC on March 1, 1981 at 9pm.[1]
Plot
Don Johnson stars as Elvis Presley in this made-for-TV true story about Elvis's love affair with Linda Thompson (Stephanie Zimbalist), a young beauty pageant contestant who was his live-in girlfriend and traveling companion for four of the last five years of his life.[1] The story begins with their first meeting and traces their years together when Thompson tried to keep Presley off drugs in the last years of his career.[2]
Cast
- Stephanie Zimbalist as Linda Thompson
- Don Johnson as Elvis Presley
- Ann Dusenberry as Jeannie
- Rick Lenz as David Briggs
- Ann Wedgeworth as Aunt Betty
- Jay W. MacIntosh as Mrs. Thompson
- Ruta Lee as Su-Su
- Edward Edwards as Sam Thompson
- John Crawford as Vernon Presley
- Darrell Fetty as Pete Moore
- Richard Winterstein as Bobby Farr
- Gary Lee Davis as Ray
- John Ashton as Jake
- Bobbi Jordan as Pregnant Woman
- Hanala Sagal as Woman Kissed by Elvis during his concert
Production
Seven songs were recorded for the soundtrack in Nashville, Tennessee, with country singer Ronnie McDowell providing the vocals.[1] The band that backed Ronnie McDowell was The Glass Hammer, a Nashville-based band. The Glass Hammer consisted of Joe Meador: Guitar, Don Lee: Lead Guitar, Bill Conn: Keyboards and Horns, Larry Leath: Bass, and Rick Judkins: Drums.
Reception
People Magazine said, "Don Johnson is praiseworthy as the King, but did Elvis really lounge around in tight leather pants and metal-studded capes?"[3]
The Chicago Tribune, reviewing the movie after Johnson became famous for Miami Vice, said, "Every time Don Johnson delivers a line you find yourself rolling onto the floor as you howl with laughter."[4]
References
- ^ a b c d e Worth, Fred (1992). Elvis: His Life from A to Z. Outlet. pp. 309–310. ISBN 978-0-517-06634-8.
- ^ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082321/ [user-generated source]
- ^ People Staff (2 March 1981). "Picks and Pans Review: Elvis and the Beauty Queen". People Magazine. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ Greene, Bob (18 Jan 1988). "GEE, ELVIS, YOU SOUND LIKE SONNY". The Chicago Tribune.
External links
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