Clint/Elvis connection(s)

[Jed Cooper]

Well, here's an oddity some may get a kick out of....then again, some may feel the sudden urge to vomit!
I'm a huge Elvis fan and thought it'd be interesting to list some items that connect Elvis Presley and Clint Eastwood.  
There aren't many, so feel free to add what I may have missed.

Clint is the name of Elvis' character in Love Me Tender.

Clint is also the name of his characters' brother in Flaming Star.

Flaming Star was directed by Don Siegel, who would go on to direct 5 Clint Eastwood movies.

Paul Brinegar played Wishbone in Rawhide and bartender Lutie Naylor in High Plains Drifter; he also played barber Opie Keetch in the Elvis western, Charro!

Hugo Montenegro scored the music for Elvis' western, Charro!; he also had a hit with Ennio Morricone's "The Good, The Bad And The Ugly".

Elvis recorded "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face";  Roberta Flack's version is featured in Play Misty For Me.

Elvis recorded the Paul Williams song, "Where Do I Go From Here", which can be heard over the closing credits to Thunderbolt And Lightfoot.

Clint is not fond of rock 'n' roll, Elvis disliked jazz. (even though jazz-flavoured rock 'n' roll is the soundtrack to his King Creole movie!).

[vik]

umm - couldn't pick two different people

i was wonderin what elvis would have made of honkytonk man - ok probably a complete mess

but as films go poor old elvis kinda missed the boat - how anyone could have made such crap i just don't know

mind you gi blues was ok - suppose it was the uniform

now his singing is something different in his early years -wow but like bird he went haywire - but luckily they left us a great legacy

i think i prefer jazz or clint at carnegie hall (the lost chord - just great)  and actually here we don't hear elvis so much on the radio even

[Agent]

Well each was a master of his first love - Clint blows away Elvis in acting and movies; whereas Elvis blows away Clint in singing.

But corrrect me if I'm wrong - if anyone disliked Presley's movies - it was Presley himself. I've read stories where he'd complain many times how he hated making those movies, and the silly scripts he was forced to adhere to. But then again, the Colonel was managing his life, right? Presley was obligated to fulfill the contracts and make a boatload of movies - good or bad - or he was up a creek. So you really can't blame him for those flops. Some are watchable, but others.....

[vik]

disagree - elvis already had alot of money

but just went on making disasters - why?

ok perhaps he loved that colonel - but to me it remains a mystery

[KC]

If you want to compare Eastwood's and Presley's careers, discuss their differences (as they have no similarities), etc., this is the place. If you want to comment on some aspect of Presley's career by itself, please take it to the Off Topic forum.  

[Jed Cooper]

Similarities:

-both were actors
-both were good actors (obviously Clint is better)
-both have made good, entertaining movies
-both have been box-office champions
-both have made some bombs
-both have sung in their movies
-both made westerns, Elvis 4 & Clint 10
-both became icons, legends while still alive

Differences:

-Elvis let The Colonel run the show; Clint took charge of his own career when he formed Malpaso
-Elvis' acting career was secondary to his singing-when a few artistic attempts failed at the box office, the Colonel decided it was better to cater to Elvis' fans-better to do that and profit from both careers than to risk losing both; Clint's acting career is primary and when he was dissatisfied with projects like Paint Your Wagon and Kelly's Heroes, formed Malpaso in order to have control over the projects he chose to work on

[vik]

wierd comparisons - elvis never made a good movie

but the BEST IS - CLINT STILL LIVES  

clint ain't made no bombs not in comparison to presley

[Jed Cooper]

Regardless of opinion, which isn't why this topic was started, how about getting back to it?

If anybody knows of other similarites such as actors that have worked with Clint & Elvis, post it here.

[Agent]

Well here's one similarity between the two -

The both shared the same girl - Marianna Hill:



 

[Jed Cooper]

Dagnabit-how could I forget about that one?!
In case anyone's wondering, that's Paradise, Hawaiian Style (1966) and High Plains Drifter (1973).

Good one Agent!  

[Adam S.]

wierd comparisons - elvis never made a good movie

but the BEST IS - CLINT STILL LIVES  

clint ain't made no bombs not in comparison to presley

I'll bet you've only seen a few Elvis films. Probably Clambake and Harum Scarum. If you want to say that he never made a good movie, watch Loving You, Love Me Tender, King Creole, Jailhouse Rock, Flaming Star, Wild In The Country, The Trouble With Girls, Charro, and Change Of Habit first. BTW, John  Wayne agreed that Elvis was a good actor, because he suggested that Elvis paly the Texas Ranger in True Grit.

A few comparisons:
The Elvis impersenator in Pink
Cadillac.

Clint was originally offered the role of Jess Wade in Charro.

Clint's co-star from A Perfect World, Kevin Costner, starred in 3,000 Miles To Graceland.

Clint's duet partner, Merle Haggard (who sang Barroom Buddies with him) recorded an Elvis tribute album.

Both made films about nuns- Two Mules For Sister Sara and Change Of Habit.

Charles Marquis Warren, creator of Rawhide, wrote and directed the Elvis western Charro.

Elvis was a fan of Clint's films.

[Jed Cooper]

Those are great Adam, thanks.  

Wasn't the Elvis impersonator in Pink Cadillac Jim Carrey?  A good connection there, because he impersonated Elvis & Clint in The Mask and Clint again in Bruce Almighty.

Allrighteethen!  

[vik]

unfortuantely i've seen all presley movies

the only one i liked was gi blues

please don't conclude on people - they have the right to their opinion you have the right to yours

so thats one bet lost

and if big john said so then i am sure its right

[Gant]

Love his movies or hate em.. Presley was one of the biggest (if not the biggest...someone check this out) draws at the box office in the sixties and Eastwood was the biggest draw in the seventies.
 I'm sure I read somewhere that Presleys movies out performed McQueens and Newmans from that era.... Shame he didn't accept the role in the re make of A Star is Born with Striesand..couldve been his cinematic redemption... Thought he was great in King Creole..and what a voice, at least until he started impersonating Mario Lanza.....

[Jed Cooper]

There's another connection (sort of) that I'd forgotten about; Barbara Streisand presented Clint Eastwood with one of his "Oscars" for Unforgiven and approached Presley for A Star Is Born.  To bring The Duke back into this, I think she presented him with his "Oscar" for True Grit, too.

  Sorry to get off topic, but I disagree about the "impersonating Mario Lanza" comment, Gant.  'It's Now Or Never' and 'Surrender' are just 2 of Elvis' greatest vocal achievements I'm sure even opera singers took note of.

Back to topic:  Another similarity between Clint & Elvis is both have a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

[KC]

Another similarity between Clint & Elvis is both have a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

Another DISsimilarity ... Elvis may, but Clint doesn't ... last I heard, anyway.

[Adam S.]

unfortuantely i've seen all presley movies

the only one i liked was gi blues

please don't conclude on people - they have the right to their opinion you have the right to yours

so thats one bet lost

and if big john said so then i am sure its right

Well, I'm sorry for thinking that. I personally don't like GI Blues as much as the ones I mentioned, but it sure as hell is a lot better than films like Clambake and Harum Scarum.

[Adam S.]

Another similarity- both have met with Presidents: Clint with Ronald Reagan and Elvis with Richard Nixon and George Bush, although that was in 1972 before he was elected (not the current President, don't wanna confuse you).

Also, both have played singers in their films (contrary to popular belief Elvis did not play a singer in ALL of his films, very few actually, he always played a singing frogman or singing doctor or something, not a proffesional singer).

Both have recorded music outside of their films.

Eddie Rabbitt who sang the title song of Every Which Way But Loose, wrote the Elvis classic Kentucky Rain.

Both have gotten 2nd billing in a film

Both were on commercials in the '50s

Both were born in the '30s

Both have had songs written about them (Clint Eastwood by some kind of modern band and Black Velvet by Allanah Miles)

Both play piano (I would say guitar, but I'm not really sure if Clint really plays, or if it was some kind of effect in Honkytonk Man)

Both have/will play(ed) boxers in a movie (Elvis in Kid Galahad and Clint in his upcoming picture)

Both have starred in films set during the Civil War- Elvis in Love Me Tender and Clint in The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, The Beguiled, and Josey Wales.

Clint starred with Burt Reynolds in City Heat, Burt's co-star in Smokey And The Bandit, Jerry Reed, wrote and played guitar on the Elvis classic Guitar Man.

Both had films with connections to boats- Elvis in Clambake and Clint in Blood Work.

Both have had Biblical scripture quoted in their films- Elvis in Change Of Habit and Clint in Josey Wales and Pale Rider.

Both wee offered award-winning or award-nominated roles and turned them down: Clint turned down Men In Black and Elvis (or the Colonel, I should say) turned down West Side Story.

Frank Sinatra was originally cast as Harry Callahan. The 1960 Welcome Home Elvis TV special was hosted by Frank Sinatra and he also co-starred with Frank's daughter, Nancy Sinatra, in Speedway.

[KC]

And while Elvis was alive, you could add ... both of 'em have a whole bunch of cells in their bodies ... both of 'em have a whole bunch of molecules in their cells ... both of 'em have a whole bunch of atoms in their molecules ... both of 'em have a whole bunch of subatomic particles in their atoms ...  

Man, they were practically separated at birth!  

[Adam S.]

And while Elvis was alive, you could add ... both of 'em have a whole bunch of cells in their bodies ... both of 'em have a whole bunch of molecules in their cells ... both of 'em have a whole bunch of atoms in their molecules ... both of 'em have a whole bunch of subatomic particles in their atoms ...  

Man, they were practically separated at birth!  

You forgot that both were white males born in the United States.