The story of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant figures in the history of popular music, is ultimately a tragedy despite his enormous cultural impact. With music tastes changing throughout the 1960s, Parker increasingly marketed Elvis as a movie star, with the rockabilly pioneer starring in 31 films between 1956 and 1972, including two concert documentaries, per The Washington Post. James L. Dickerson claims in his book “Colonel Tom Parker: The Curious Life of Elvis Presley’s Eccentric Manager,” that Parker drew up a schedule meaning that he had to star in three movies a year, earning the manager a huge income in the process. But with all the filming, the King found himself with little time to perform his beloved rock ‘n’ roll and he went for years without playing on stage.
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Finally, in 1968, Elvis staged his fabled comeback, with his broadcast special, “Elvis,” marking his return to music. It was his first TV appearance since he left active army duty in 1960, and his first performance in front of an audience since 1961. But while the special seemingly gifted Elvis the chance to recharge his waning music career, Parker put a pin in the chance of the King returning to the cutting edge of rock music by signing him up to a lengthy though lucrative series of Las Vegas residencies, which would remain his bread and butter throughout the 1970s as he increasingly suffered from addiction issues which would play a central part in his untimely death.
