Uncovering the King: Top 17 Entertaining and Surprising Facts About Elvis Presley

1. Elvis' Animal Farm

It seems The King himself couldn't resist turning Graceland into a real-life game of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm": Elvis Presley not only had horses, dogs, and a monkey named Scatter, but also kept chickens, turkeys, pigs, donkeys, peacocks, and even a chatty mynah bird that echoed the excuses Elvis heard over the phone. And when it came to re-gifting, he knew how to "return to sender": Elvis generously gave away animals he received as gifts, including a pair of wallabies from Australian fans.
Source => graceland.com

2. Gospel Grammy Wins

Who would have thought that the king of rock and roll was an undercover church choir boy? Elvis Presley, the hip-shaking sensation who made women swoon and men imitate his iconic moves, held a secret gospel truth in his Grammy award-winning pocket: Despite his monumental music career, all three of Elvis' Grammy wins came from his gospel recordings, never securing a win for his rock and roll tunes or even an Oscar for his 31 movies and two documentaries.
Source => playback.fm

Did you know that Michael Jackson intentionally hid his 13 Grammy Awards from display in his home? Discover the King of Pop's surprising reason for keeping them out of sight!

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3. Ghostly Graceland Encounters

Elvis has left the building, or has he?: In a spine-tingling rendition of "I'll Be Home for Christmas," visitors to the King's Graceland mansion have reported ghostly sightings, spine-chilling singing echoes, and face appearances in inanimate objects. Even family members have sensed his presence, and the museum proudly showcases its haunting history, inviting fans who dare to tap their blue suede shoes into the supernatural realm of the eternal King.
Source => wideopencountry.com

4. The Fool's Gold Loaf Obsession

Elvis Presley, the original Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love, had a hankering for a sandwich of legend and lore—a gastronomic creation so rich and decadent it could make the King himself shake, rattle, and roll: The Fool's Gold Loaf was Elvis' go-to treat, a monstrous affair of hollowed-out French bread filled with peanut butter, sliced bananas, and crispy bacon, then deep-fried. This indulgence was such an obsession that he jetted off to Denver with friends to taste it at the Colorado Gold Mine Company and snaffle up the recipe, ensuring his personal cook, W. Pauline Nicholson, possessed the culinary crown jewel to satisfy his royal cravings.
Source => seriouseats.com

5. Elvis the "Singing Prop"

Elvis may have been King, but he sure wasn't ruling the silver screen with a smile: Elvis Presley felt like a "singing prop" in most of his 33 movies, he didn't see himself as a serious actor, but nonetheless, his films were financially successful and catapulted him to iconic American status.
Source => thewrap.com

6. Private Movie Theater Rentals

They say the king always knew how to command a room, but Elvis took it to another level: Elvis Presley used to rent out entire movie theaters in Memphis for himself and his invited guests, as a way to avoid the hungry hordes of fans begging for a shake, rattle or simply an autograph. This swiveling strategy has pirouetted its way into modern times, as movie theater chains like AMC Theatres now offer private theater rentals for small groups of up to 20 guests – a perfect way to enjoy a film with your own entourage or celebrate a special occasion à la Presley.
Source => fayobserver.com

7. Elvis' Karate Skills

Elvis Presley, the hip-shaking karate kid: Before earning fame as the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis held black belts in Kenpo Karate and Tae Kwon Do, trained with karate master Ed Parker, choreographed fight scenes for his movies, and even accidentally broke his friend's arm during a playful spar.
Source => billcopelandmusicnews.com

8. King of Music Sales

If The King's music library were a Las Vegas buffet, you'd be feasting for days: Elvis Presley recorded over 600 songs and sold over 1 billion records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling solo artists in history.
Source => targettraining.eu

9. Bejeweled 55lb Jumpsuit

Step aside, bedazzled figure skaters and dazzling divas: the King of Rock 'n' Roll had a penchant for some seriously heavy fashion! With his bejeweled jumpsuits, Elvis Presley made sure that his outfits were always a hunk, a hunk of dazzling design, and some were so studded they nearly broke the scales: In fact, his most extravagant jumpsuit, The American Eagle (called the "Aloha"), weighed around 55 pounds and cost a staggering $65,000, which today would amount to an even heftier sum!
Source => lethbridgenewsnow.com

10. Elvis' Anti-Drug Mission

When Elvis entered the building, he had high hopes for being the Drug King's kryptonite: In December 1970, Elvis Presley penned a letter to President Nixon volunteering his services to help fight drug use, but despite receiving gifts during their meeting, he failed to secure a Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs badge or be recognized as an honorary narcotics agent.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

11. Jetting for Sandwiches

When the King of Rock and Roll got the munchies, not even the skies could limit his cravings: Elvis Presley once flew his private jet from Memphis to Denver just to savor a jaw-dropping sandwich called Fool's Gold Loaf, a culinary marvel that combined an entire jar of peanut butter, one jar of jelly, and a pound of crispy bacon inside a hollowed-out loaf. This pricey gastronomic indulgence—$49.95 per sandwich, prepared by teenage chef Nick Andurlakis—left Elvis and his buddies partying for three hours at 30,000 feet, as they downed 22 of these divine creations with Perrier and champagne before jetting back home.
Source => messynessychic.com

12. Elvis' Ford Thunderbird

Before "Viva Las Vegas," Elvis took a spin in the luxurious lap of Ford: Elvis Presley owned a 1956 Ford Thunderbird, purchased with his rock 'n' roll riches. Although much about the King's T-Bird is shrouded in blue suede mystery, it remains an American classic, with a few remaining snapshots of Elvis himself striking a pose alongside the vehicle.
Source => tunnelram.net

13. Truck-Driving Songwriting

Before truck stops were a thing, Elvis was making pit stops to belt out tunes and scribble down lyrics in his beat-up Chevy: Elvis Presley actually began composing songs and poems while working as a truck driver for Crown Electric after graduating high school in 1953, often using the two-door Chevrolet truck as a hideout to escape from crowds that gathered outside his home once he gained fame.
Source => napiertruck.com

14. That's burnt, man!

Before the days of "Well-done, Steak!" or a sprinkle of salt on your favorite playlist: Elvis Presley often used the expression "That's burnt, man" to describe anything he found exceptionally good, be it his scrumptious meals or toe-tapping tunes. He had a penchant for well-done meat and even salting his food before giving it a taste.
Source => chicagotribune.com

15. Record-Breaking Billboard King

Long before "Elvis has left the building" became an iconic phrase, he was busy conquering the charts like a hound dog on a mission: Elvis Presley holds both the records for the most number one albums (36) and singles (31) on the Billboard charts, making him the King of not only Rock and Roll, but also commercial success, with over 500 million songs sold worldwide.
Source => benvaughn.com

16. Canadian Performances

Elvis may have left the building, but he managed to sneak into Canada before his blue suede shoes hung up for good: The King of Rock and Roll actually performed twice in the land of maple syrup and hockey in 1957 and 1958, debunking the common misconception that he never performed outside North America.
Source => benvaughn.com

17. Scandalous Dance Moves

Before the days of twerking and flossing, there was a hip-swiveling icon that had conservative audiences clutching their pearls: Elvis Presley's scandalous dance moves on The Milton Berle Show in June 1956 were deemed vulgar and "animalistic," resulting in harsh critiques from television critics and the Catholic Church. This eventually led to a Florida judge threatening to arrest him for his "bumps and grinds" during a performance that same year – although, Elvis was never actually filmed from the waist up during any TV show performance.
Source => distractify.com