lvis Presley had been dead for six months when the plastic-surgeons knife plunged into Dennis Wise. Ehlert performed throughout the Chicago Metro Area until Elvis died, then traveled the country with his act. The first known Elvis impersonator was a young man named Carl 'Cheesie' Nelson from Texarkana, Arkansas, who in 1954 built up a local following on WLAC radio with his renditions of "That's All Right, Mama" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky." At the time, he was referred to as the greatest Elvis impressionist around. It took a long time to get over that.. in Roxy's at the Fiesta Rancho located at 2400 N. Rancho Growing up, he dressed like Elvis and answered to Elvis in the school halls. He is a published author and has appeared on New Zealand television in ads, Like Minds, Like Mine. Im sure he didnt have the money. His mother introduced Joplin, Missouri native Dennis Wise to the music The pub and everything in it, including Hamilton Beach mixers, towels, and soap dispensers was sold in 1988. Caywood denies a report that she had her jaw restructured, which was likely more ODay hype: When another reviewer pointed out that Caywood wasnt a dead ringer, so to speak, for Joplin, ODay claimed she would have further work done to counter the criticism. Dennis Wise is the ultimate fan and the ultimate Elvis performer, with more than 10,000 shows honoring the king. Dennis Colt, the first famous Elvis impersonator, circa 1978. Gamble, a high-school dropout whod worked as a carpenter and in local theater productions of musicals like Bye Bye Birdie, reveled in his Kingness. He plays original music with Enjoy the Zoo, a group whose members grew up in Las Vegas. In fact, the clones didnt need the bandages, but ODay, ever the showman, insisted they keep the wraps on for maximum suspense. Something nobodys ever done before, recalls Effie. As a result, Sophia's wedding reception is filled with Elvis impersonators (one played by a young Quentin Tarantino)[30] instead of members of her own family, and Rose exclaims, "Either I got the Elvis list mixed with the guest list for the wedding or everyone in Sophia's family appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show!". By 1978, Elvis wasnt the only rock star in the grave; the body count was rising. In the aftermath of the collapse of Rock and Roll Heaven, Danny ODay went in search of an encore. Dennis Wise - King for a Night - A Tribute to Elvis Presley Las Vegas Entertainment. Wise channeled Elvis for years, performing with Brenda Lee in a concert in Chile and appearing on shows with Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin and Dick Clark. [37] In February 2013, he was set to appear at the annual fourth tribute to Elvis Presley event, held at the Auckland Botanic Gardens in Manurewa, Auckland. In the mid-1970s, Andy Kaufman made an Elvis impersonation part of his act. Symptoms of the condition included the patient dressing up like Elvis, wearing a white/grey jacket with a red music note at its back, matching trousers, sunglasses and Elvis' famous hairdo. BY THE NUMBERS $52 million Amount the Elvis estate made. Dennis Wise knows exactly where he was when Elvis Presley died Aug. 16, 1977. Dennis got his nose broken when he was in the Marines, he says. listening to the recordings of Elvis on the family phonograph. Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account. Marcia is a schoolteacher, teaching the history of music. On "the thriving phenomenon of Elvis impersonators", see also Gilbert B. Rodman, Elvis After Elvis: The Posthumous Career of a Living Legend (1996). He says he and the band werent paid in full for their work. . If I could still do two shows a night, six nights a week, Id do it, Wise says. [48] His single "Love's Not Made of Time" by "God Will Rule" was produced by John Centinaro,[49] who would work with another Elvis impersonator, Johnny Charro. But more than 40 years ago, Danny ODay took imitation to a place no one imagined before or since. Many other Elvis impersonators appeared while Elvis was still alive, evolving mainly out of small town talent competitions which took their influences from major music artists of that time. I feel weird saying this, but basically I was the hit of the show, says Caywood. mannerisms. But that doesnt mean his interest in the King has waned. The first singer to go through the surgery was Elvis impersonator Dennis Wise; a former car salesman from Hawaii who traveled to the U.S. to try his luck as a tribute act. [10] As Kaufman gained fame, the impersonation was used less and less. Since Joplin imitators were rare back then, Caywood adds, I was the only person who could do that at the time., Caywood, a native Californian who sang in a sassy rasp reminiscent of Joplins, didnt know the full story. Fans who wish to pay homage to the King of Rock n Roll might enjoy attending Wises annual show commemorating the passing of Elvis. Wise says that, inspired by Dark Passage, the 1947 film in which Humphrey Bogarts escaped-con character undergoes plastic surgery to avoid recapture, he suggested altering his face to look more like the King. [55] During the 1960s, he played drums with Sonny Day and The Sundowners. Dennis Wise knows exactly where he was when Elvis Presley died Aug. 16, 1977. Eddie is still performing mostly in bars or 6-star hotels, especially with Elvis impersonators. Collect, curate and comment on your files. They were bombs, man, says Caywood of the earliest, sparsely attended Rock and Roll Heaven shows. Its pretty common now, Wise says. It was like the stream of consciousness off the top of his head. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Hired as: Talent shows focused on imitating already famous singers will often have Elvis impersonators. He was having to be with the band, and the kids were in school. And it didnt do it merely with costumes or note-for-note vocal imitations: ODay hired plastic surgeons to physically alter his tribute singers to look as much as possible like the people they were honoring. In 1956, shortly after Elvis began to rise in popularity, Smith began jumping on stage and imitating Elvis. He once sang some songs on Karaoke at a 30th birthday party which his mother in law loved. He says he was patched up after the assassination in Dallas, dyed black, and abandoned by Lyndon B. Johnson. Dennis's He needed those people if we were going to play in Las Vegas, says Caywood. Each show is an electric, high-energy performance backed by a full ODay already knew the limitations of tribute bands. A season one episode of Full House had the character Uncle Jesse (John Stamos) play Elvis in a concert. The Joplin, Mo., native had been an Elvis fan since age 5, when his mother would put on stacks of records and play them all day long. Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account. The film version also stars Ossie Davis as Jack, a black man who claims to be John F. Kennedy. He died at the end of 2020. You know that saying about a lightbulb going off over your head? Sounds right, says Patten, laughing. If you cant read the first three lines on an eye chart, then I suppose physically he might fool you, he wrote of Croce, also pointing out that the clearest resemblance came by way of the bands non-altered lead guitarist, a dead ringer for Peter Frampton. And I wasnt being paid anywhere near what Jim Morrison was. From as early as five years old, Dennis can remember But for ODay, it probably didnt matter: He already had a bigger, grander, and wilder scheme in mind. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. ODay fled to Florida supposedly, Gamble heard, with $120,000 of their earnings. The films also featured many real Elvis Tribute Artists from Las Vegas as background players, dancers and extras. Its become the most collected U.S. stamp with more than 124 million saved and more than 500 million sold. Shane will be drumming for with his dad on Saturday night. 1970's Dennis Wise Enterprize ELVIS Impersonator jacket Men's Large satin look . In February 1980, friends, family, and roller-disco ushers gathered at the Fifth National Banque, a club in Norfolk, Virginia, for what ODays business manager would call the first clonehead marriage. Their faces covered in bandages, ODay and Rhyne took their vows; even the bride and groom figurines on the cake were swathed in bandages. Guess where the money went? Wise wound up suing ODay for negligence (claiming his professional reputation has been damaged) and breach of fiduciary duty, demanding a minimum settlement of $2,500. I always do a show celebrating his birthday and remembering him on the anniversary of his death.. In 1978 Wise went through extensive plastic surgery to make himself look more like Elvis. In 2003, at age 54, ODay succumbed to non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He has continuously performed his Elvis tribute act for almost 50 years, including performances in Las Vegas and headlining an Elvis tribute show in Branson, MO for almost 20 years beginning in 1993. In Harry Stecopoulos and Michael Uebel, eds., "The Pedant's Return: Why the Things You Think Are Wrong Are Right" By Andrea Barham. international record is an honor shared only by Las Vegas entertainers I got up one night and did Heartbreak Hotel and the fans liked it, Wise says. After the tape was mixed, James and Chips flew to New York, where James's manager had contacts with Scepter Records. This is a publicly distributed handout. While some impersonators perform a wide variety of Presley's discography, his songs from the 1950s and 1970s remain fan favourites. [40][41], Andy Stankovich is a well known Elvis impersonator from Auckland, New Zealand. Dennis Wise has been paying tribute to Elvis for more than 30years. [8] Jeremy Spencer of British blues-rock band Fleetwood Mac became known for his high-energy Elvis tribute performances during his tenure with the band. ODay who used the word clone while agreeing that that wasnt quite the right scientific term for what he had paid doctors to do even boasted hed found a chemist in Los Angeles who could alter someones pigment. Mark portrays the 1950s rock-a-billy era complete with exact replicas of all of Elvis' performance guitars and stage clothes from 1954 to 1958, as well as old 1950s RCA microphones and even a full-size Nipper dog statue on-stage (Mark is the only impersonator that uses RCA's Nipper). He also has an Elvis tribute act. It was such an odd thing. The results could be comical: Caywood recalls a drive when some of them were pulled over by cops, who thought the bandaged people in the van were thieves. Pop singer Bruno Mars, only six years old at the time, has a small role as a young Elvis impersonator. Caywood had a small implant in her chin that just made it look a little more pointy so minor, like outpatient stuff., Gamble had the most minimal work done: The surgeon basically made a cut above his lip to make it look as if hed had surgery. I just thought, Well, I dont know what does that mean? says Gamble. Leilani, who had referred to himself as a "rock 'n' roll-singing Polynesian guy", had formed a rockabilly band in the early 90s and had performed in Hawaii. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. In "Wedding Card," an episode of the Canadian sitcom Corner Gas, Oscar and Emma Leroy admit to having no photos of their wedding because "it was an Elvis wedding". Ive got this kid who does a great Otis Redding, but hes white, he said straight-faced. Watching from afar as he attempted to revive his deflated career as a new Elvis, Dennis Wise had his worries. Must be 21 to attend this Las Vegas event. Las Vegas Sun, 2023, All Rights Reserved, Less Elvis in Vegas doesnt mean no Elvis in Vegas, Elvis has yet to leave the building (5-15-2008), Bartender mixes Elvis moves with Santa Fe drinks (4-13-2001), Vegas Vipers Home Opener Against DCDefenders, Durango Beats Liberty, 57-47, in Boys 5A BasketballChampionship. When Wise reexamined his contract at the time, he realized hed signed with ODay for 50 years and that ODay was entitled to half his earnings. to earth and that separates a lot of entertainers", states Dennis. Chips Moman had asked James to come to Memphis to write songs for American Sound Studio. We were on the road, home-schooling our son, Shane, and he wanted to play ball and do things like normal kids do, Wise says. Caywood wound up taking the gross heap home with her, with the thought of encasing it in glass and turning it into a coffee table. I just say, I want plastic surgery done on her nose and his chin and this and that and, oh, by the way, I just happen to have a picture here of exactly what we want done. When the six-hour procedure was finished, Wise was rolled out in a wheelchair, his face covered in bandages. In Civilization II, the "Attitude" Advisor in the player's "High Council", who advises on the peoples' happiness, is an Elvis Presley caricature, depicted wearing sunglasses even in the Ancient period. They bought us out as well. After the semi-highs of their casino days, they found themselves scrambling to survive, selling magazines to convenience stores and even hawking their own blood to pay the bills, as they told the Orlando Sentinel. He has every album Elvis ever recorded and pictures by the thousands. Danny pulls in with a brand-new Burt Reynolds Trans Am, he says. He was a former dancer with a Polynesian troupe. The man who played Elvis' boss at the Crown Electric company was Red West, a real life schoolmate and best friend of Elvis. Due to confusion about who is going as Elvis all three do it, appearing in sequence as Elvis at different stages of his career, winning the competition. James felt it was a confusing time for him and that all three were caught in this trap that they could not walk out of. It's only fitting that he would It was in his blood, and I want to think it was the drinking that prohibited him from doing more with his life. For reasons that remain mysterious, ODay completely turned his back on show business and began working in sales for car dealerships in the greater Baltimore and Washington, D.C., area. "[26] According to Marjorie Garber's academic study, Vested Interests: Cross-dressing and Cultural Anxiety (1992), Elvis impersonation is so insistently connected with femininity that it is "almost as if the word 'impersonator', in contemporary popular culture, can be modified either by 'female' or by 'Elvis. (Photo by Getty Images) Save PURCHASE A LICENSE Get personalized pricing by telling us when, where, and how you want to use this asset. Hes Elvis. By the mid-Eighties, ODay was running out of schemes. Despite ODays high hopes, and a decent amount of news coverage, the Rock and Roll Heaven tour didnt quite make the impact hed imagined. Dennis [23], The largest gathering of Elvis impersonators occurred on 12 July 2014 when 895 impersonators gathered in the Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee, North Carolina.[24]. By Clicking "OK" or any content on this site, you agree to allow cookies to be placed. Dennis Wise, 54, has been an Elvis tribute artist since before Elvis died (or allegedly passed on if you are one of those who believe he is in hiding). He was hired and began working at it full-time in November 1977. But in the current landscape, where dead pop stars seem as prevalent as living, breathing ones, Danny ODays outlandish vision remains open for business. American Sound Studio was gaining a reputation in the industry as the Box Tops had just recorded \"The Letter\" there so James relocated to Memphis. It was a Method-acting thing, says Caywood. He didnt like that, the state fairs, says Effie. David stayed with Elvis at Graceland for 17 years, and traveled with him until the end, August 16,1977. His admiration for Elvis has spanned over forty years. (When the ceremony was over, they had some difficulty eating the wedding cake.) Its no longer a wrap: the Rock and Roll Heaven band after the bandages came off. [57] Keil was influenced by Elvis impersonator Andy Stankovich who he saw live. Elvis Presley: The King's best impersonators. But ODay had one more tour to launch, and in a way, it was his eeriest one yet: He would become one of his own clones. He was on hand for the first year anniversary of Elvis' death at the Prince William County Fair in Manassas, VA on August 16, 1978. CONTINUE ON TO: Saturday, January 18 at 8:30 pm Cascade Lounge. Despite matching his attire, hairstyle and voice, the Kings are unaware of Elvis as a historical musician, not even knowing what his name was - only that he must have been worshiped for there to be a building dedicated to teaching people to imitate him. That was the start of a career that has lasted more than 30 years. Smith was featured several times on Pringle's regular TV show, though Smith only pretended to sing and play along with the music since he actually could neither sing nor play the guitar at that time.[7]. [3], Many impersonators sing Presley's songs. Dennis expertly recreates Elvis's movements, phrasings, and Wise was doing an Elvis show in Hawaii. ODays first choice bailed when his name leaked to the press. Wise says he never saw a dime, nor ever saw ODay again. He was popular in the South, but not so much around the rest of the country. Lilo and Stitch is a 2002 animated Disney movie that has Stitch, a blue alien, impersonate Elvis for a scene. We just want to bring back The comedy centers on the family life of Dad, an Elvis impersonator who was paralyzed in a car crash and is forced to spend the rest of his life in a wheel chair. We're dealing with a man who can never be replaced. Wise heard a story maybe apocryphal that ODay had booked pop star B.J. All Rights reserved. It's only fitting that he would choose a career that pays tribute to the King of Rock and Roll. Somebody hit him in the face and knocked him out. His performance may be considered the first significant Elvis impersonation. He had previously wanted to manage a Barbra Streisand impersonator but soon realized the audience wouldnt buy his first choice: At five feet two and 160 pounds, she didnt conjure Streisand physically. But thanks to that original operation, Wise still makes a respectable living re-creating Elvis in the Deja Vu Dance and Show Band, a multi-artist tribute act in Vegas. [56] Also during the 1960s, he played rhythm guitar with The Zodiacs and then The Kavaliers, a group fronted by his brother Freddie. Original faux-Elvis Dennis Wise practices post-surgery with promoter Danny O'Day, 1978. The gimmick baffled some who had known ODay. But long before Las Vegas residencies, biopics, and massive publishing buyout deals, ODay imagined a world in which classic-rock nostalgia would be a lucrative business. He wanted all the glory. Siegfried & Roy, and Wayne Newton. Dennis Wise sang Trying to Get to You for ODay and the band, and ODay told him that was all he needed to hear. [54] He was born in Samoa in 1944, came to New Zealand as a boy. But several weeks later, he made his post-surgery television debut on Good Morning America, and at press conferences began imitating Presleys Southern drawl and polite use of maam and sir. His brother Jim watched one of his TV appearances in a bar. Just as he arrived, ODay was hauled off to jail for being behind on his child-support payments. The first night, Wise was singing Love Me Tender and passing out scarves la the King when a woman in the crowd came up and grabbed him in the crotch. Almost Elvis[29] is a 75-minute 2001 documentary film that follows a variety of professional Elvis impersonators such as they prepare for a large annual contest in Memphis, Tennessee. These days, O'Day (who died in 2003) is "the smallest of footnotes in pop history books," but he was also remarkably prescient, writes Browne: "Long before Las Vegas residencies, biopics, and massive publishing buyout deals, ODay imagined a world in which classic-rock nostalgia would be a lucrative business." A lot of us in the entertainment business dont get a chance to do some of the normal things. ), For Caywood, Gamble, and Wise, the scars have healed or are now barely detectable; Gambles mustache covers up his lip cut. My dad has been an Elvis Tribute Artist for over 30 years. By 1977, the band found itself gigging in Arkansas, doing what their guitarist Jim Wise calls Stevie Wonder and disco stuff. ODay was also learning how to work the system. He died at age 64 in July 2008, after battling cancer. ODay wasnt there, so Gamble had to content himself with walking off with a piece of stage gear. ensemble. (Blame it on the club owner, ODay said in response.) People loved it.. With more than 600 Presley tunes in his The idea was to say I was trying to develop the sneer, I guess, he says. ODay scrambled and found a replacement after several tries. EXCELLENT CONDITION, SIGNED SLEEVE SAYS, "SHIRLEY BEST WISHES, DENNIS WISE". [34], An Elvis impersonator in Arkansas, who legally had his name changed to Elvis Presley,[35] unsuccessfully ran for the positions of Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands in 2014, Arkansas State Senator of District 26 in 2016, and U.S. Representative of Arkansas's District 1 in 2018. He knew what was coming, but the reality of it didnt really hit him until the doctor, who seemed like a nice enough guy, started carving into his face. Yeah, I thought, Oh, this is so weird, many times, Caywood says.