9 things you never knew about Elvis Presley
Do you remember where you were when Elvis Presley died? 40 years on from his death, the King of Rock n’ Roll may have “left the building”, but his music and his spirit are still very much alive. To celebrate his incredible life, join us as we learn some surprising (and even downright weird) facts about the late icon.
1. His look was inspired by a comic book – That iconic quiff, those sideburns and cape-like jumpsuits were all inspired by Presley’s favourite childhood comic book character – Captain Marvel Jr.
2. His hair isn’t naturally black – It’s hard to imagine him with any other colour, but shockingly, the King was born a blond! He even used shoe polish a few times and roped in wife Priscilla to be his personal colourist a few times.
3. He almost starred in West Side Story – Before it went to Richard Beymer, the part of Tony in the film adaptation of West Side Story was originally offered to Elvis.
4. He was a twin – Sadly, his identical twin brother was stillborn 35 minutes after Elvis was born. Even though he never had the opportunity to grow up with his brother, he spoke about him often throughout his life.
5. He served in the army – In 1957, at the height of his popularity, 23-year-old Presley was drafted into the US military. He served in Germany for two years before being discharged in 1960.
6. He only ever performed in the US and Canada – Despite his overwhelming success around the world, the King never had an official performance outside North America.
7. He had an unusual favourite food combo – Everyone loves bacon and everyone loves peanut butter, but together? Yep, that was Elvis’ food of choice. In fact, he favoured the “Fool’s Gold” sandwich – a whole loaf of white bread, hollowed out and filled with peanut butter, bacon and banana. Yum
8. He had a bizarre pet – Today’s stars are partial to fluffy white dogs and adorable kittens, but Presley had a rather unorthodox furry friend – a chimpanzee named Scatter, who had a nasty habit of looking up women’s skirts!
9. He was a black belt – Elvis first became interested in karate while in the army. Over the next 15 years, he practiced twice a week, eventually becoming a black belt.
Tell us in the comments below, what’s your favourite Elvis song of all time?
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