Michael Jackson doctor was warned to avoid repeat of Elvis Presley death

Lesson: Elvis died in 1977

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Michael Jackson’s ex-tour manager told the star’s doctor not to be a “Dr Nick” in reference to the physician who supplied Elvis with drugs before his death, lawyers claim.

On the Dangerous tour in 1993 Dr Stuart Finkelstein regularly gave Jacko ­painkiller ­injections and morphine, US court papers for the Jackson family allege.

They claim AEG Live tour boss Paul Gongaware, who later oversaw the star’s doomed comeback gigs, “knew Jackson had suffered... drug problems for years”.

The tour went on despite Dr Finkelstein raising fears the star had an opiate addiction and Mr Gongaware warning him about Elvis’s death, the lawyers allege.

Dr Nick, Dr George Nichopoulos, was charged with over-prescribing drugs to Elvis before his death in 1977 but was acquitted.

Jackson’s mother and three children have launched a £20billion negligence lawsuit against AEG for later hiring Dr Conrad Murray, who was found guilty of the star’s manslaughter.

AEG denies claims there were visible signs that the King of Pop was abusing drugs before his death in 2009 and claim the singer had hired Dr Murray himself.

The Elvis factory has grossed in excess

From the Observer archive, 13 April 1969: 'The Elvis factory has grossed in excess of $200m'

Elvis Presley married longtime sweetheart Priscilla in May 1967, ending many a fan's dream. Photograph: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Elvis Presley still walks as if he's sneering with his legs. When he's on stage, he still bounces like a Jeep driver crossing a ploughed field. His latest record, If I Can Dream, is now zooming up the charts both here and in America. He's 34 and although his blue eyes and dark brown hair are still glazed and lacquered, his 6ft 2in has developed a stoop. But his lopsided grin tells us that the Elvis factory has grossed in excess of $200m.
Fifty-one of his records have sold more than a million copies each and the total number of discs bearing the Presley imprimatur is around 300 million. His 29 films have cost an estimated $30m to produce but have already grossed $200m. He now makes four films a year for which his fee is $1m a picture, plus 50% of the gross takings. Merchandising of Elvis products – from stuffed hound-dogs to heartbreak-pink lipstick – brings in another $3m annually.
Recently, the London Palladium thought it would invite Elvis to star in a week's spectacular. The management rang up Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis's guardian. "Come to the Palladium," said the management, "and we can get you $28,000 for the week." "That's fine for me," said Parker. "Now how much can you get for Elvis?"
Elvis Aaron Presley was born in a two-room insanitary shack in Tupelo, a shanty town in Mississippi. He was brought up in, of course, Memphis, Tennessee. His career had a classic beginning. An out-of-work truck driver, he stopped off one day at a local record shop. "How d'ya make a disc?" he asked the girl behind the pokey desk. "You pay four bucks and you do your stuff into a mic," she snarled back. "You do anythin' in particular?" "I'd kinda like to hear my own voice," said the 18-year-old Presley. "With this," he added, indicating a battered guitar. "OK," said the girl. "Name?"
"Elvis Presley."
He [now] describes his first recording as sounding "like someone beatin' on a bucket lid", grinning with his sparkling white teeth – all capped. Now his old songs like Heartbreak Hotel, Blue Suede Shoes, All Shook Up, Hound Dog and Are You Lonesome Tonight, are being re-released so that they will become the gospel for this decade of pop as they were for the last. An International Elvis Presley Appreciation Society has been formed. It has its own international anthem called Loyal, Steadfast and True.
And Presley himself? He lives in total seclusion in a colonial mansion called Graceland near Nashville, surrounded by 12 beautiful male bodyguards with whom he practises karate and marksmanship – with water pistols. The house is painted luminous blue and gold and glows at night. It's filled with stuffed pandas, elephants, monkeys, dogs and hundreds of teddy-bears. He calls everybody who is older than him "sir". Purity has remained an essential attribute – no one ever goes to bed in his movies, although in his latest he does seduce a nun.
"I don't aim to let this fame business get me," he said recently. He never ventures out himself, except to the film studios; to keep his fans appeased, he occasionally sends his solid gold Cadillac on a coast-to-coast tour so they can touch it. Two years ago, to the horror of every teenager, he married a longtime sweetheart, Priscilla Beaulieu. They chose to be married in an hotel. It was called – naturally – the Aladdin Hotel.

 

Elvis Presley Sings Unchained Melody

Elvis Presley Sings 'Unchained Melody' Two Months Before His Death

When Elvis Presley hit the road in June 1977, he was an absolute mess. He was only 42, but years of prescription drug abuse and horrifying dietary habits had left him bloated, depressed and near death. He had an enlarged heart, an enlarged intestine, hypertension and incredibly painful bowel problems. He was barely sleeping and should have probably been in the hospital, but he was still a huge draw on the concert circuit and the money was too good to turn down.
It had been over a year since Elvis last released a studio album, and manager Colonel Tom Parker was determined to get more product into the stores. Despite Elvis' horrid shape, Parker arranged for a camera crew to film the June 19th show in Omaha for a planned TV special and live album. It eventually aired on CBS two months after Elvis died, and has yet to resurface in any official capacity. This isn't the Elvis that his estate wants the fans to remember.

Two days later, the cameras were still rolling when the tour hit Rapid City, South Dakota. It was another weak and sad night until Elvis sat down at the piano near the end to deliver a spellbinding rendition of "Unchained Melody." As guitarist Charlie Hodge held a microphone, Elvis dug deep and poured his heart into the song. His body was falling apart, but his voice remained almost as powerful as ever. Without any doubt, it's the last great moment of his career.
The tour limped along through five more shows, wrapping up June 26th at the Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana. The show ended with "Can't Help Falling in Love." He died less than two months later.

Rita Gigante says Vincent 'The Chin' Gigante danced to Elvis

Exclusive Interview: Rita Gigante says Vincent 'The Chin' Gigante danced to Elvis in his bathrobe

Rita Gigante -- daughter of Genovese crime family boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante -- says she "loved the times when we put on Elvis. I didn't care if he was in his bathrobe and his slippers and whatever -- he'd get up and start dancing to Elvis."

The Oddfather loved “The Godfather” — and dancing to “Jailhouse Rock.”

Notorious Genovese family boss Vincent (the Chin) Gigante, when not demanding John Gotti’s death or roaming the streets in pajamas, spent a little quality time enjoying fellow icons Marlon Brando and Elvis Presley.The glimpses of her father embracing pop culture are favorite memories of his youngest daughter, Rita.“I loved the times when we put on Elvis,” says the petite Rita, whose dad earned his “Oddfather” sobriquet through a combination of mob mayhem and feigned mental illness.“I didn’t care if he was in his bathrobe and his slippers and whatever — he’d get up and start dancing to Elvis. He couldn’t sing a word — forget it. But he’d try.”

For years, Gigante never spoke of her father or her family to outsiders — and once went home with blood on her hands after bashing a high school classmate who ran her mouth about the clan.The baby of the family grew up amid secrets and silence, sworn to an unspoken oath of omerta by virtue of her dad’s position as the nation’s No. 1 mobster.The quiet went both ways — nobody told her anything either. Gigante knew nothing of her father’s murderous leading role among New York’s five crime families until high school.The dark-haired Gigante, who bears a resemblance to her infamous parent, knows the whole story now — and she’s telling it all in a new memoir, “The Godfather’s Daughter.”

EXCLUSIVE BOOK EXCERPT: "THE GODFATHER’S DAUGHTER: AN UNLIKELY STORY OF LOVE, HEALING AND REDEMPTION"

The honest, unflinching tale provides a previously unseen look at the elder Gigante, who famously dodged attempted murder charges after shooting Genovese boss Frank Costello in 1957 when Costello refused to testify against him.

 

Vincent "The Chin" Gigante hold his daughter, Rita. Shortly after her birth, he left his family behind in Old Tappan, N.J., and moved to his mother's apartment in Manhattan.

“The Chin” maintained a surprisingly high level of privacy despite 24-hour-a-day FBI surveillance. His public persona was forged by his Greenwich Village outings in a bathrobe, pajamas and slippers — a ruse that he continued to the death, even after admitting in court that it was a sham.While Rita Gigante can be unsparing in her criticisms of her mob boss father, she also wanted people to know the son of Italian immigrants in a light beyond the street lamps of Sullivan St.“I wanted people to see him as a dad,” said Rita, sitting in the living room of her suburban home. “He wasn’t just an idol, or this image that people saw in a newspaper or on TV.

Magic of Elvis lives on at O.C. festival

On stage, a man in gold-sequined coat and finely coiffed hair did an earnest rendition of "Can't Help Falling in Love." Nearby, fans posed for photos with a 12-foot-tall Elvis on stilts, flanked by an equally tall Priscilla and, below, Mini Elvis – a little person in a white, high-collared jumpsuit and jet-black pompadour.
And in another tent at the Orange County Market Place, Darlene Tompkins, who co-starred with Elvis Presley in the movie "Blue Hawaii," struggled to answer a fan's question: What is the one word you would use to describe Elvis, and why?
"Elvis was so many things – kind and smart – that just about every word could be used to describe him," she said.
"But if I had to use one word," she said, pausing, "it would have to be: inspirational."
Thirty-five years after his death, the man known as Elvis the Pelvis and simply as The King is still clearly inspiring a lot of things, as witnessed Sunday at "The Magic of Elvis" festival at the Orange County Fair & Events Center.
The day inspired dozens of versions of Elvis songs, some performed bluegrass style, others with Hula dancers, and a karaoke contest with singers male and female, white and Latino, young and old – each with a lasting love for Elvis.
Jeff Abbitt, 54, of Irvine, who performs a comedy and magic act as "Abbitt the Average," dressed up in oversized metal sunglasses and an exaggerated black hairdo to look like The King.
A big part of his act is getting people to warm up to him and trust him as he performs his juggling and comedy routine. A little Elvis costuming goes a long way.
"When I put on this outfit, people immediately point and say, 'Hey there's Elvis.' It kind of puts them at ease," Abbitt said.
Judy Ri Chard, 72, a Realtor from Las Vegas and president of the All Shook Up in Vegas fan club, came to enjoy the festivities and sell some of her vast collection of Elvis Presley memorabilia. Among the items: A Young Elvis collector's plate ($25), a Russell Stover collection of Old Elvis chocolates ($5) and an autographed photo of Presley during his stint in the U.S. Army ($10).
"There is just such a spirit about Elvis that still lives today," she said. "Many of us never got a chance to meet him, but we can feel that spirit.
"You feel it in these hundreds of people who dress like him and keep singing his songs," she added. "There are millions of people who still want to be like Elvis – but they won't be. He was one of a kind."

Elvis Presley fans descend on Graceland for candlelight vigil

Elvis Presley fans descend on Graceland for candlelight vigil on 35th anniversary of his death

Elvis Presley fans hoisted colorful umbrellas against a hot sun and massed in folding chairs outside Graceland on Wednesday, awaiting a candlelight vigil marking the 35th anniversary of the death of the rock ‘n’ roll icon.
Elvis admirers flocked by the thousands to Memphis from around the U.S. and from as far off as England and Japan, many waiting for hours to enter the Memphis mansion where Presley is buried on the grounds.

Presley died on Aug. 16, 1977, of a heart attack after suffering from prescription drug abuse. His death at 42 marked the end of a soaring musical career that ended all too abruptly for legions of fans still mesmerized today by his singing, sex appeal and on-stage charisma.
The vigil marks the high point of Elvis Week, the annual celebration of Presley’s life and career. Organizers have said they expected 75,000 people to attend Elvis Week, with many taking part in the vigil that was beginning Wednesday evening and to last into Thursday.
This year also brings another highlight with a 35th-anniversary tribute concert planned at an area arena Thursday night. Ex-wife Priscilla Presley and daughter Lisa Marie Presley were expected to attend the concert featuring live musicians playing along with videotaped footage of Elvis singing.
On Wednesday afternoon, Cheryl Skogen and friend Susan Struss held up black umbrellas with polka dots near the front of the line as they waited to enter Graceland’s grounds. As longtime Elvis fans and neighbors in Los Angeles, they said they decided to come to Elvis Week without their husbands. They got up well before dawn Wednesday for a prime spot in the line.
There, women wore pink and black T-shirts emblazoned with Elvis’ picture. Some men dressed in black shirts, dark sunglasses and pompadours, Elvis-style.
Skogen said she first came to Graceland in 1981 — before the home became a museum and a tourist attraction — and has visited several times since. She remembers first seeing Elvis on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and being enthralled with his hip-swiveling performance at a Lack Tahoe concert.
“The first time I saw him he changed my life,” said Skogen, now 66 and retired. “I had never seen anybody dance like he did or sing like he did or look like he did. He captured my heart.”
A few spots down the line, Allen Black, 47, who sat in a blue and white chair alongside the outer wall of Graceland and talked about his memories of where he was when he first heard Elvis had died. He was 12 at the time.
“I was trying to record a song off the radio, and the news came on the radio, and I went to tell my dad,” Black said, tears welling in his eyes. “He didn’t believe me. It just stunned him.”
Black — who is from Aurora, Colo., scene of the July 20 movie theatre shooting massacre — said Elvis was a great performer but also someone who treated others well.
“For some people, it’s the music, but for a lot of people, it’s the man, the charisma, the humanitarian,” Black said. “At first, they probably got drawn in by the music, and then the more they learn about the man, and the way he treated people, it draws them in even more.”
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 

Fans flock to Graceland in memory of Elvis Presley

Fans flock to Graceland in memory of Elvis Presley

Fans of Elvis Presley are flocking to his Graceland estate for Thursday’s 35th anniversary of his death, and their enthusiasm for the king of rock ‘n’ roll is undiminished by the years.
Organizers of the annual Elvis Week expect this year’s edition to be the largest ever, with his widow Priscilla and daughter Lisa Marie Presley participating.
“Elvis is fan-driven,” said Joe Guercio, Presley’s musical director from 1970 until the star’s sudden death on August 16, 1977 at the age of 42, “and there are not a lot of people (in show business) who are fan-driven.”
Actually nine days long, Elvis Week started in Memphis last Friday, centered around a 1,200-seat air conditioned tent across Elvis Presley Boulevard from Graceland and next to the preserved remains of the singer’s private jet.
Highlights include an all-night candlelight vigil Wednesday at Graceland’s gates, where fans this year will have the option of lighting real wax candles or switching on virtual candles on a special Elvis Week smartphone app.
On Thursday, a concert at a downtown stadium — featuring Priscilla and Lisa Marie, as well as surviving members of Presley’s band — will review the legend’s roots in blues, gospel and country music.
Folded into Elvis Week is the sixth annual Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest — never, ever call them impersonators — with contestants from as far afield as Australia and Japan.
“I always look like this, minus some of the make up — but the hair is always the same, sideburns and everything,” immaculately coifed Rick Huntress, an award-winning Elvis tribute artist from New England, said.
Tuesday saw hundreds of Elvis fan club presidents get the lowdown from Elvis Presley Enterprises, which closely oversees the rights to Presley’s posthumous image, on his enduring legacy in film, commercials and merchandising.
Good-humored boos filled the Elvis Week Main Stage tent when Carol Butler, vice president for international licensing, revealed a Mr Potato Head character resembling Presley in his “Aloha from Hawaii” period.
Much more of a crowd-pleaser — it was greeted with cheers — was a Canadian-made suitcase emblazoned with an airbrushed portrait of Presley. “It’s really nice,” said Butler, who listed its price at $100.
And in a cross-cultural fusion of pop culture icons, Butler lifted the wraps off a forthcoming Elvis version of Japan’s Hello Kitty doll. “We just love it,” she said. “She’s just cute in her little Elvis duds.”
In another part of Memphis, Presley artifacts went under an auctioneer’s hammer, including — of all things — an empty plastic bottle of tetracycline, an antibiotic, prescribed to Presley in 1974. It sold for $5,500.
A pair of yellow-tinted sunglasses, custom-made in Germany for the singer, sold for $22,500 while a gold Longines watch — a gift from his manager Colonel Tom Parker — realized $16,250, Heritage Auctions said.
But the auction’s marquee item, a concert poster from 1954 estimated at $30,000, failed to find a buyer.
It had been hand-made for a gig that Presley gave near Memphis just a few months after he released his first hit single “That’s All Right.”
Other memorabilia that did sell included a Colt Python double-action revolver that Presley used for target practice in the backyard of Graceland. It went for $13,750.