Elvis Presley regretted turning down A Star is Born: guide
Joel Brokaw, the son of late Hollywood agent Norman Brokaw, wrote a biography about his father, “Driving Marilyn.” Brokaw described how Elvis Presley was desirous to work alongside Barbra Streisand, however was pressured to show the position down.
One in every of Elvis Presley’s greatest regrets was not sharing the display screen with Barbra Streisand.
The declare was made by Norman Brokaw’s son, Joel Brokaw, who wrote a biography concerning the late Hollywood agent titled “Driving Marilyn.”
Brokaw, who represented Presley, in addition to Marilyn Monroe, Clint Eastwood and different prime stars, died in 2016. He was 89.
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Elvis Presley would have turned 90 on Jan. 8. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Photos)
“I had interviewed Priscilla Presley, who was additionally a shopper of my father’s,” Joel informed Fox Information Digital. “I had requested her concerning the relationship with [his manager] Colonel [Tom] Parker. She talked about that there was just one time through which that they had any variations.”
In response to Joel’s guide, Presley had the chance to star alongside Streisand in 1976’s “A Star is Born.” Nevertheless, Parker “discouraged it,” believing that “Barbra may decrease him.”
“It was a call that Elvis regretted,” Joel wrote.
Joel Brokaw’s guide, “Driving Marilyn,” is out there now. (Lyons Press)
Joel informed Fox Information Digital that on the time, Presley was craving to be taken critically as a Hollywood actor. He appeared to “Insurgent With out a Trigger” star James Dean as an inspiration. Nevertheless, Parker needed Presley to prioritize performing – even when it meant taking over mediocre musicals.
“Elvis needed to department out into meatier… performing roles,” mentioned Joel. “[But] Colonel Parker actually favored the established order that Elvis was making these films that had soundtracks. Numerous songs… had been popping out of the flicks. [And the films] had been enjoyable and light-weight. It complemented the primary residencies that any artist was doing in Las Vegas… Elvis, I feel, was one of many first folks to try this.”
WATCH: ELVIS PRESLEY REGRETTED TURNING DOWN ‘A STAR IS BORN’: BOOK
“It was a really handy… advertising and marketing technique,” Joel shared. “However Elvis needed to develop himself as an actor. And so, Colonel Parker turned down the chance, the supply for Elvis to star in ‘A Star is Born’ with Barbra Streisand… He didn’t need to see Elvis being overshadowed by Barbra Streisand.”
Barbra Streisand performed Esther Hoffman within the romantic drama “A Star is Born.” (FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives by way of Getty Photos)
“That was the one blemish on their relationship, in line with Priscilla,” Joel added.
The writer had his theories about why Parker was adamant that Streisand would overshadow Presley.
“Maybe a part of Colonel Parker’s trepidation concerning the pairing of Barbra Streisand with Elvis perhaps would have one thing to do with their present trajectory and their careers,” he defined.Â
“Elvis needed to develop himself as an actor. And so, [his manager] Colonel Parker turned down the chance, the supply for Elvis to star in ‘A Star is Born’ with Barbra Streisand… He didn’t need to see Elvis being overshadowed by Barbra Streisand.”
Joan Blackman and Elvis Presley in 1961’s “Blue Hawaii.” The singer was deeply dissatisfied along with his Hollywood profession. (Sundown Boulevard/Corbis by way of Getty Photos)
“Elvis had been on the prime for therefore lengthy. And as we had been coming into the Nineteen Sixties and the British invasion, the Beatles popping out, Elvis was starting to lose lots of his luster and recognition.
“Barbra Streisand was on her method up,” he identified. “I feel that [Parker] felt that perhaps the momentum was extra on her facet at the moment.”
The unique Nineteen Thirties movie starred Janet Gaynor and Fredric March, with Judy Garland and James Mason within the ‘50s remake. Streisand starred in her model alongside Kris Kristofferson.
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Kris Kristofferson went on to star reverse Barbra Streisand in “A Star is Born.” (Display screen Archives/Getty Photos)
A fourth model of the romance between a rising younger performer and a fading one premiered in 2018. It starred Girl Gaga and Bradley Cooper, with Cooper directing.
In November, Priscilla confirmed that Streisand had Presley in thoughts to play her onscreen love curiosity, however Parker informed him to not take the position.
“Barbra had supplied him the half,” Presley’s ex-wife informed Folks journal in November. “Colonel talked him out of that, saying, ‘Oh, it is not going to be good. She’s going to be in cost, not you. Her film, not yours.'”
Norman Brokaw, left, a sought-after expertise agent, represented Elvis Presley. He’s seen right here with Presley’s supervisor, Colonel Tom Parker. (Brokaw Household Assortment)
“Elvis regretted that as a result of he felt he might have performed that half,” the 79-year-old added.
In 2023, Streisand wrote in her memoir, “My Identify is Barbra,” that she thought-about Presley to look within the music-centered drama earlier than the position went to Kristofferson. She flew to Las Vegas to satisfy with Presley in an try and persuade him.
“We talked concerning the movie, and Elvis was ,” the 82-year-old wrote, as quoted by USA In the present day. “However clearly it didn’t work out. Marty [Erlichman, her manager] says that Colonel Parker requested for extra money than we might afford. And [producer] Jon [Peters] says the Colonel needed to supply the movie. I’m undecided about that.”
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Priscilla Presley additionally confirmed that her ex-husband needed to work alongside Barbra Streisand. (Oscar Abolafia/TPLP/Getty Photos)
“I do know that Elvis had gained lots of weight and was not on the prime of his sport, though he was nonetheless drawing large audiences,” she shared. “Possibly the story was slightly too near his personal life, and the Colonel talked him out of it.”
Presley’s sophisticated relationship with Parker is explored in a brand new Netflix documentary, “Return of the King: The Fall & Rise of Elvis Presley.” It options interviews with Priscilla and his shut confidante/enterprise companion, Jerry Schilling, amongst others.
Within the movie, Presley is heard describing how pissed off he was about making cash-grab musicals, versus taking over extra critical roles.
Barbra Streisand wrote that she traveled to Las Vegas in hopes of convincing Presley. (Silver Display screen Assortment/Getty Photos)
“Hollywood’s picture of me was fallacious, and I knew it, and I couldn’t do something about it,” mentioned Presley. “I didn’t know what to do. I simply felt I used to be obligated to issues I didn’t absolutely consider in.”
“They couldn’t have paid me no sum of money on the planet to make me really feel I had any satisfaction inside,” Presley added.
Presley’s Hollywood profession had gotten so low that the Grammy winner is heard singing the kids’s melody “Outdated MacDonald Had a Farm” within the 1967 movie “Double Hassle.”
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Elvis Presley reverse Annette Day in “Double Hassle,” circa 1967. (FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives by way of Getty Photos)
“That to me is against the law,” mentioned Priscilla within the movie whereas watching the scene.
“It’s a crime,” she harassed. “To place him in that state of affairs and sing that music. It made him a laughingstock. And he knew it.”
Filmmaker Jason Hehir mentioned Presley felt so defeated and trapped by his movie profession that he would at instances get “bodily sick.”
Netflix documentary “Return of the King: The Fall & Rise of Elvis Presley” is out there for streaming. (Netflix)
“He was deeply dissatisfied. He couldn’t get away from bed,” mentioned Hehir. “Many… don’t understand how upset he was… He was taking these film roles and seemingly simply taking the straightforward method out and cashing monumental checks. But it surely wasn’t his ambition as an artist.”
“It had at all times been a frustration for him,” Hehir shared. “… He couldn’t even get away from bed as a result of he was so starved for a creative problem. However he had locked himself into these film contracts, and his administration had allowed him to be locked into these film contracts.”
“It shined a light-weight on what really mattered to him – to carry out,” Hehir continued. “And I feel that frustration of seven years of not being in entrance of a dwell viewers and as a substitute, simply being on film units doing more and more extra mediocre movies – a light-weight bulb went off over his head.Â
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Filmmaker Jason Hehir informed Fox Information Digital that Elvis Presley was desirous to make his personal mark as a star, much like his idols James Dean and Marlon Brando. (Netflix)
“He needed to do one thing for himself, not for his administration. Not for film audiences. He needed to get again to the Elvis he needed to be.”
Presley died in 1977. He was 42.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
