MY DATES WITH ELVIS PRESLEY

Yesss!!! that's me in the middle.   Can you guess how old I was when this picture was taken?  (I look forward to  your comments)

Here's the story (and yes that is his hand around my waist) ... more about that later.   Read on.

I was very young and as with extremely youthful girls, I had allowed the make up artist to thicken my eyebrows, load my eyes with mascara and put flaming red lipstick. The head of Publicity at Twentieth Century Fox had seen to it that I was "made up" by the make up artists just the way Elvis liked his girls. 

The studio thought that a fresh outlook on Elvis was needed. Not only teeny boppers,  but young Countesses of Austiran/Spanish/Italian nobility were also very much into ELVIS PRESLEY.

I was a classical pianist, dug jazz but was not into rock and roll that much. I though Elvis was drop dead gorgeous (specially at this time).  He reminded me of the statues of the Kouros - Greek youth. Just study his beautifully sculpted features. A Praxiteles of genes must have created him. It was easy to convince me to meet him and then who knows?

One brilliant day in Blue Hawaii, Harry Brand of 20th Century Fox asked a friend of his who also happened to be a friend of my family, Vance Graham, a radio personality in mainland USA to bring me to the set of Blue Hawaii AFTER the shooting so that Elvis and I could meet and spend some time together. We did. 

What was I doing in Hawaii? My aunt Amalia's lover was Vice Admiral T.M. Head of CINCPAC  fleet. We had all been invited to spend a glorious summer in Honolulu and visit the islands. Elvis and I were  excellent cover for my Auntie.   

The publicity Department of the film studio suggested we pose for pictures. They took dozens, some of only Elvis and me.  This is one with Vance Graham, but look closely and you'll note that it was really only Elvis and me.    Please observe my flirty flirty eyes.

He was even more handsome when he was not made up. He had flawless skin, a sensuous mouth, and his manners were perfection. He was older than I was yet I was the more sophisticated of the two. Well traveled, linguist and so on.At that time,neither of us drank any alcohol. I still don't, except for Champagne Krug Clos de Mesnil. What of  Darling Elvis? I won't talk about that. Time and Fame can sometimes be cruel Imposters.

We genuinely liked each other and enjoyed each other's company.  I have read several times in the Media that he was only attracted to short women. I don't know what to say. I am five feet nine inches tall. He was over six feet tall as I was wearing three inch heels.  As an entertainer, singer and performer he was, as Frank Sinatra  would define it A - NUMBER ONE. He could have been a great actor. Indeed, his performance in Jailhouse Blues was stellar. As with Marilyn Monroe, he had been packaged as a Sex Symbol and much, much more. 

I am truly thankful that I had the marvelous opportunity to know him and have a platonic love affair even if the romance was ever present in our minds but not openly discussed.   In the 1960's he was still very much a creature of the Light. Oh! Elvis, you were beautiful inside and out..then.

Actually - we had several dates together ... (chaperoned as was the custom back then).   But we did have a lot of time together - and as they say ... it was dreamy.

Please Note: In a forthcoming book called "I NEVER SAID I WOULDN'T F--K--G TELL." 

There is a whole chapter on Elvis - and more about what happened on those dates.   For now, all I'll say is that of all the famous people I've gone out with in my life -- Elvis in Hawaii was quite memorable.   

Here are several pictures from the movie he was making at the time -- and keep in mind it was full of beautiful women ... but I'm the one he went out with after the shooting was over.