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Elvis and the Beauty Queen

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Elvis and the Beauty Queen
GenreDrama
Musical
Written byJulia Cameron
Directed byGus Trikonis
StarringDon Johnson
Stephanie Zimbalist
Ann Dusenberry
Rick Lenz
Music byAllyn Ferguson
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producerDavid Gerber
ProducerCharles B. Fitzsimmons
Production locationLos Angeles
CinematographyThomas Del Ruth
EditorFred A. Chulack
Running time100 minutes
Production companiesDavid Gerber Productions
Columbia Pictures Television
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseMarch 1, 1981 (1981-03-01)[1]

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

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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

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Production

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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

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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

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082321/ [user-generated source]
  3. ^ People Staff (2 March 1981). "Picks and Pans Review: Elvis and the Beauty Queen". People Magazine. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  4. ^ Greene, Bob (18 Jan 1988). "GEE, ELVIS, YOU SOUND LIKE SONNY". The Chicago Tribune.
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