 Elvis' third movie
was the 1957 MGM film "Jailhouse Rock".
The story was written by Nedrick Young, who won numerous awards,
including an Academy Award for "The Defiant Ones". He was also
nominated for an Academy Award for his writing of "Inherit The
Wind." Mr. Young had a number of small acting parts in films over
the years, including an unaccredited role as a prison guard in "The
Defiant Ones".
This was Elvis' first
film for MGM. After starting work on the soundtrack on
April 30, he reported to the lot on May 6, 1957 for
costume fittings, makeup tests and dance rehearsals. He
was assigned to Clark Gable's former dressing room.
Vince Everett
(Elvis Presley) was sent to prison after being convicted
of Manslaughter. When his cell-mate Hank Houghton
(Mickey Shaughnessy), a country & western singer,
recognizes Vince's singing-talent they make a contract
to perform together and to share the profit. Once out of
jail, Vince tries unsuccessfully to get a job as singer
however only after he has help from Peggy van Alden (
Judy
Tyler) does he achieve success and they start a
record-company together. Vince seems only to be
interested in fame and fortune until a confrontation
with Hank, who doesn't accept his behavior. During the
fight Vince's throat gets injured, which puts his career
in danger. After recovering everyone
rallies round to see Vince get his voice back and
realize the error of his ways. The films highlights are
the 'Jailhouse Rock' sequence and The 'Don't Leave me'
Now recording studio sequence where Vince finds his
style.
 Jailhouse Rock" was produced by
Pandro S. Berman, who came from a movie industry family. He started
out as a script clerk and worked his way up to assistant to David O.
Selznick of RKO. It is Mr. Berman who is credited with bringing
together Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire and making a star of
Katherine Hepburn. His films include "The Hunchback of Notre Dame",
"National Velvet", the original "Father of the Bride", "Sweet Bird
of Youth" and "Blackboard Jungle". He was nominated three times for
an Academy Award and received the Academy's Irving G. Thalburg Award
in 1977.
The director of "Jailhouse Rock" was Richard
Thorpe, who began his career in Vaudeville and then acted in a few
movies in the early 1920's. He tried his hand at screen writing,
sometimes using the pen name Frank L. Inghram. By 1923, he began
directing. Over the course of his career, he directly nearly 200
films, including "Ivanhoe" and "The Prisoner of Zenda". He teamed up
with Elvis a second time by directing 1963's "Fun In Acapulco". He
retired in 1967. Art direction was provided by award winners Randall
Duell and William Horning.
 Studying inter-office memos within the
MGM company, we find that Elvis' character name was in question,
going from Vince Matthews to suggestions such as Vince Delwyn, Vince
Jackwood, Vince Ledway, Vince Edwards and Vince Edmunds before Vince
Everett was finally settled upon. Also, the character Hunk Houston
became Hunk Houghton.
It seems that proper names, company
names, city names and phone numbers used in a script are subject to
approval by the legal department, which watches for conflicts with
actual places and people. Soda bottles were to be generic rather
than a popular brand name. Stock footage of a prison in Raleigh,
North Carolina used previously in the film "Carbine Williams" was
approved for use in "Jailhouse Rock"; however, the director did not
wish to use a name for the prison. So it was decided that Vince's
fan mail must not be filmed in a way that an address would show.
On Monday, May 6, 1957, Elvis met with Alex Romero, the
choreographer for his third film "Jailhouse Rock". The principal
photography for the movie began the following week on May 13th. with
the famous "Jailhouse Rock" production number.
 It often has been reported incorrectly
that Elvis was the choreographer for the big "Jailhouse Rock"
production number in this film. Alex Romero was the choreographer
for the film, but Elvis's own natural moves were Romero's
inspiration. Mr. Romero had designed the production number for the
song "Jailhouse Rock" . Then, when Elvis tried the
Fred
Astaire type of steps that has been planned, they found that
it wasn't going to work. So, Mr. Romero asked Elvis to perform
several songs as if he were on stage. After watching Elvis perform
"Hound Dog", "Don't Be Cruel" and "All Shook Up", Mr. Romero
announced "I got it. See you later, Elvis," and then explained that
he was going home to work out a routine using Elvis's natural
movements. The next day, they worked their way through to create the
now-classic "Jailhouse Rock" production number, one of pop/rock
music's greatest and most iconic moments on film, a performance
considered by many to be ahead of its time and the father of
modern-day music videos. Mr. Romero also worked with Elvis as
choreographer for the 1967 movie "Clambake".
With all the dance movements fresh in his head, Elvis was excited to
do the production number, but an unusual mishap caused a delay.
While sliding down the pole in the scene, Elvis lost the cap off of
a tooth. It was discovered that he had aspirated the cap and that it
had lodged in his lung. It was successfully removed by a surgeon,
who parted his famous vocal cords and retrieved the errant dental
appliance. Although Elvis' voice was hoarse for a few days, to the
relief of everyone there was no permanent vocal damage and he was
released from the hospital on the 16th. (This also happened to be
the day his family moved into their new home,
Graceland, in
Memphis.) Ironically, Vice Everett, Elvis' character in the film,
had an injury to his vocal cords and had friends and associates
holding their breath to see if there would be lasting damage to his
singing voice.
While Mr. Romero and
Elvis were rehearsing, Elvis' friend, actor Nick Adams,
introduced him to fellow actor and dancer Russ Tamblyn.
Russ Tamblyn grew up in the movies and his credits
include such films as "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers"
and "West Side Story". Today, he is also known as father
to the actress Amber Tamblyn, star of the current hit TV
series "Joan of Arcadia". While visiting at the Tamblyn
beach house that weekend before filming began, Elvis and
Russ practiced dance movements and ways for Elvis to
improve his performance.
Elvis' leading lady in
the movie was a young actress named
Judy Tyler.
Her father was a big band trumpeter and her mother had
been a Ziegfeld Follies dancer.
Judy Tyler
had studied acting and dance. She had danced with the
chorus line of the famous Copacabana Club and had played
the role of Princess Summerfall Winterspring on the
popular children's television program, "The Howdy Doody
Show". She was a newlywed at the time she began work on
"Jailhouse Rock" with Elvis in May of 1957. Sadly, on
July 3rd, soon after finishing the film, she and her
husband were killed in an automobile accident during a
cross-country trip. Elvis was badly shaken by the news.
Mickey Shaughnessy played Hunk Houghton, Vince's cell
mate. His career included the films "North To Alaska",
"Pocketful of Miracles" and "How The West Was Won". He
received a Golden Laurel Award nomination in 1958 for
the film "Don't Go Near The Water". He also had guest
roles on a number of TV shows in the 50's and 60's.
Vaughn Taylor played Mr. Shores and was the film's
narrator. He had a very long career in TV playing roles
in nearly two hundred shows and receiving Emmy
nominations for Best Actor in 1952 and 1953. His film
credits include "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof", "Psycho", "The
Carpetbaggers", "The Unsinkable Molly Brown", "In Cold
Blood" and "The Gumball Rally".
Dean Jones played
disc jockey Teddy Talbot. Mr. Jones had been a blues
singer. Later, he became best known for his leading
roles in Disney movies of the 60's and 70's, among them:
"That Darn Cat", "The Love Bug", "$1,000,000 Duck" and
"The Shaggy D.A." He received a 1972 Golden Globe
nomination for "$1,000,000 Duck". A recent credit is
playing Scrooge in the 2001 TV movie "Scrooge and
Marley". His autobiography "Under Running Laughter" was
published in 1982.
Anne Neyland played Vince's
date Laury Jackson. Elvis dated her in real life while
the film was in production. Her credits include the
films "Hidden Fear" and the original version of "Ocean's
Eleven".
Jennifer Holden played the starlet Sherry
Wilson. After only three films Ms. Holden gave up
acting.
During filming, actor Robert Mitchum
visited Elvis and indicated he wanted Elvis to play his
son in his forthcoming film "Thunder Road". Elvis did
not end up doing the film.
During production of
"Jailhouse Rock" Elvis received a wallaby as a gift from
fans. Unable to keep the pet, he sent it home to
Memphis
as a donation to the local zoo.
Trivia:
Early in the film, Vince Everett is sent to prison for
manslaughter. The number on his prison uniform is 6239.
After prison, when Vince becomes a star and does the
"Jailhouse Rock" production number for a TV show, the
number on his prison costume is 6240. Another bit of
trivia - the studio commissary added to their menu some
of Elvis's favorite foods, which included crisp bacon
and mashed potatoes with brown gravy.
While
filming there was a small fire in
Jennifer Holden's dressing room. Elvis, ever the
hero, carried the actress out to safety.
Elvis
finished his duties with "Jailhouse Rock" and returned
to Memphis, boarding a train on June 25, 1957. Impatient
and excited to get there, he left the train in
Lafayette, Louisiana and rented a car to drive the rest
of the way. He spent his first night in his new home,
Graceland, on June 26, 1957.
The film's premiere
was attended by Anne Neyland on October 17, 1957 in
Memphis. It was released nationwide on November 8th.
The critics were unkind to Elvis' role of a man
who frequented bars and had killed a man. The film
reached #3 for the week in Variety and #14 for the year.
It was re-released on March 9, 1960 in honor of Elvis'
return from service in the U.S. Army. In 1969 "Variety"
reported that in the U.S. and Canada the film had earned
over $4 million or the equivalent of the movie "The
Wizard of Oz".
Today, "Jailhouse Rock" is widely
regarded as a classic of the rock opera genre, and the
"Jailhouse Rock" production number is considered the
"father" of modern-day music videos.
 Soundtrack
Jailhouse Rock
Treat Me Nice
I Want To Be Free
Don't Leave Me Now
Young And Beautiful
Baby I Don't Care
Recorded at Radio Recorders
Studios, 7000 Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood. May
1957.
Musicians: Elvis Presley (vocals & guitar),
Scotty
Moore, "Tiny" Timbrell (guitars),
Bill Black
(bass),
D.J.
Fontana (drums), Dudley Brookes, Mike Stoller
(piano),
The Jordinaires
(vocals).
Jailhouse Rock - MGM 1957
Directed:
Richard Thorpe
Writing Credits: Ned Young
Producer: Pandro S Berman
Screenplay: Guy
Trosper
An Avon production
Cast Overview
Elvis Presley .... Vince Everett,
Judy Tyler
.... Peggy Van Alden, Mickey Shaughnessy .... Hunk
Houghton, Vaughn Taylor .... Mr. Shores, narrator,
Jennifer Holden .... Sherry Wilson, Dean Jones
.... Teddy Talbot, Anne Neyland .... Laury Jackson.
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