Today, for one night only, Elvis: That’s The Way It Is hits cinemas to celebrate the documentary film’s 50th anniversary. The 1970 classic charts The King’s rehearsals and Las Vegas residency show from August that year. And now an Elvis expert and author of a new book on Elvis: That’s The Way It Is, David English, has revealed how manager Colonel Tom Parker pushed The King to his limit during the Las Vegas years.
After all, from 1969 to a year before his death in 1977, Elvis performed 636 Las Vegas residency shows at the International Hotel.
For a month long at a time, The King would perform two concerts a night, seven days a week.
Asked if he thought manger Colonel Tom Parker pushed Elvis to his limit during this period, English told Express.co.uk: “Yeah, I think so.
“Obviously he did agree to it.”
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The Elvis expert continued: “Then in that period of time he’d be doing his first show, the dinner show.
“And then come back and do the midnight show, finishing at 2 in the morning.”
But if two sold-out concerts singing his heart out wasn’t enough, The King would then have to host all the VIP guests after the midnight show.
The Elvis expert added: “He’d then have to come down from that adrenaline rush for an after-show party.”
At the end of Elvis: That’s The Way It Is, there are clips of The King at his opening night’s After Party.
Fans can spot celebrities of the time in attendance from Sammy Davis Jr to Cary Grant.
English added: “He’d have to entertain all the VIP guests after the show, having gotten changed.
“It’s early hours before he’d even begin to think about going to sleep.”