www.elvis.com |
Vacation Elvis Style - Part 2 / 13
Florida and the Bahamas
Elvis's manager Colonel Tom Parker had lived in Florida for a long
while and, having many connections there, booked Elvis in Florida
very early on with other acts on the Hank Snow Tour such as Jimmie
Rodgers Snow, the Davis Sisters, Mother Maybelle Carter and the
Carter Sisters, Martha Carson, Faron Young,
Onie Wheeler and the Wilburn Brothers among others.
Jacksonville, Florida was the site of famous early shows at the
baseball park (Gator Bowl/Alltel Stadium) on 5/12-13/55, 7/28-29/55
and 2/23-24/56. It was here that Elvis had to run for his life from
hundreds of out of control fans who ripped and tore at this clothes.
On his third visit in February 1956 Elvis collapsed in the parking
lot due to exhaustion and briefly was hospitalized. Doctors told him
to slow down his concert schedule.
After the riots of the past visits to Jacksonville, by the time he
came back 8/10-11/56, a local juvenile court judge informed Elvis
his movements during his show were not appropriate for teenagers and
that he would be arrested if he didn't tame his actions on stage.
During the show at the Florida State Theater, Elvis only wiggled his
little finger.
It didn't stop the girls from screaming but it pleased the judge.
Veteran's Memorial Coliseum was the site for his Jacksonville,
Florida concerts of 4/16/72, 4/25/75, 9/1/76 and 5/30/77. In the 70s
the Jacksonville fans still loved him and would camp out at the
Hilton Hotel where he stayed hoping for a glimpse of him. Steve
Crosby a local reporter wrote, "do not under any circumstances stand
within three city blocks of the stage when he starts tossing scarves
into the audience and kissing women.
Normally sedate, ordinarily dignified matrons kill."
Elvis performed in Daytona Beach, Florida at the Peabody Auditorium
on 5/7/55, 7/30/55 and 8/9/56. He stayed at the Copacabana Motel. On
2/20/56 Elvis performed at the Palms Theater in West Palm Beach. On
2/13/77 he stayed at the Sheraton Inn while performing at the
Auditorium. Hollywood, Florida's Sportartorium was the site of a
2/12/77 show in which fans stormed toward the stage and caused a
crush of those in the front until order was restored.
In Miami Elvis performed at the Olympia Theater on 8/3-4/56 and
stayed at the Robert Clay Hotel. He had brought to town his brand
new lavender Lincoln and fans soon destroyed its finish by writing
him messages in both done in lipstick and scratched into the paint.
Elvis traded it in at a local dealership for a white one and for
some time the lavender car was on display in the showroom, lipstick
and all.
On 3/26/60, after Elvis returned from Army duty in Germany, he taped
a "Welcome Home" appearance on the Frank Sinatra Timex Show at
Miami's famed Fontainebleau Hotel. Location shots for the boat race
in Elvis's 1967 movie "Clambake" were shot at the the Miami Orange
Bowl Regatta held at Marine Stadium.
And on 9/12/70 Elvis performed at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
On 2/21/56 he was at the Florida Theater in Sarasota on Pineapple
Street now known as the Sarasota Opera House. In Ft. Myers he
performed at the City Auditorium for WMYR radio sponsored shows on
5/9/55 and 7/25/55. In St. Petersburg he performed at the Florida
Theater on 8/7/56 and the Bayfront Center/Tropicana Arena on 9/3/76
and 2/14/77. Tampa's Ft. Homer Hesterly Armory was the site of
concerts on 5/8/55, 7/31/55, 2/19/56, and 8/5/56.
It was here that the famous "can you see his tonsils" photo that
graced the cover of his first album was taken on 7/31/55. In the
1970s, Curtis Hixon Hall was the venue for concerts on 9/13/70,
4/26/75 and 9/2/76.
On 8/6/56 Elvis performed at Lakeland's Polk Theater. On 4/27/75 and
9/4/76 his concert venue was the Civic Center Arena and Elvis stayed
at the Dutch Inn.
And Elvis performed in Orlando at the Municipal Auditorium on
5/11/55, 7/26-27/55, and 8/8/56. On 2/15/77 he performed at the
Orlando Sports Stadium (Citrus Bowl Stadium) and stayed at the
Hilton Inn West. The members of the Elvis Presley Show also had a
treat that night as they spent some private time enjoying Disney
World after the show. Ocala's Southeastern Pavilion was the site for
a 5/10/55 concert.
Elvis's film "Follow That Dream" was filmed at several Florida
locations in July 1961 including Crystal River,
Ocala, Inverness and Tampa. Elvis stayed at the Port Hotel & Marina
in Crystal River.
He brought with him his new 21-foot ski boat. Colonel Parker
arranged a special show at the Weeki Wachee Springs where a
specially formed "underwater Elvis Fan club" performed. Today the
Mermaid Show and adjoining Buccaneer Bay Water Park still attract
many visitors.
Elvis performed in Pensacola on 2/26/56 at the Municipal Auditorium
now the Bay Front Auditorium.
Flying through Miami, Elvis, his wife Priscilla and several of their
friends left for a Bahamas vacation on 10/22/69.
They stayed at the Paradise Island Hotel in Nassau. Unfortunately,
storms with heavy rain and winds interrupted their stay and they
came home after only one week.
(Remember to check the weather reports when planning your next
Bahamas vacation.) |
