''Elvis'' (also known as ''Elvis – Good Rockin' Tonight'') is an American

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

series about the early life of

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

that aired on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

from February 6 until May 19, 1990 before its cancellation due to the high cost of each episode. These ten episodes, along with three unaired episodes, were edited into a four-hour mini-series titled ''Elvis: The Early Years''. The series starred

Michael St. Gerard Michael St. Gerard (born January 22, 1961) is an American former actor. Career St. Gerard started by appearing in Japanese commercials and off-Broadway shows. His first movie was 1987's ''Senior Week.'' He is most recognized for his role as ...

as Presley, Jesse Dabson,

Blake Gibbons Blake Gibbons (born June 21, 1961) is an American actor best known for his recurring role as Coleman (GH), Coleman on the long running Daytime television serial ''General Hospital''. He also played "The Dude" (Lyle) in The Summer of George episo ...

Millie Perkins Millie Perkins (born May 12, 1938) is an American film and television actress known for her debut film role as Anne Frank in ''The Diary of Anne Frank (1959 film), The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959), and for her supporting actress roles in two 19 ...

, and

Billy "Green" Bush William Warren Bush (born November 7, 1935) is an American actor, usually credited as Billy Green Bush and sometimes as Billy Greenbush. Typecast Bush is a character actor, typically projecting in his screen appearances the good-ol'-boy image. ...

. Elvis voice-impersonator

Ronnie McDowell Ronald Dean McDowell Sr. (born March 25, 1950) is an American country music artist, songwriter, and actor. He is best known for his 1977 song "The King Is Gone", a tribute to Elvis Presley, who had recently died. From that single onward, McDowell ...

provided the singing voice for St. Gerard on the series.

Plot

''Elvis: Good Rockin' Tonight'' was a series offering a dramatic re-creation of Presley's time just before becoming a major star, focusing on him in 1954 and 1955 as he was beginning his recording career at Sun Records.

Production

Michael St. Gerard had played Presley twice before, in the 1989 films '' Great Balls of Fire!'' and '' Heart of Dixie''; and once again after this series, in a 1993 episode of ''

Quantum Leap ''Quantum Leap'' is an American science fiction television series, created by Donald P. Bellisario, that premiered on NBC and aired for five seasons, from March 26, 1989, to May 5, 1993. The series stars Scott Bakula as Dr. Sam Beckett, a physi ...

''. Millie Perkins starred as the real Elvis's love interest in the 1961 film, ''

Wild in the Country ''Wild in the Country'' is a 1961 American musical–drama film directed by Philip Dunne and starring Elvis Presley, Hope Lange, Tuesday Weld, and Millie Perkins. Based on the 1958 novel ''The Lost Country'' by J. R. Salamanca, the screenplay c ...

''. Here she plays his mother.

Matt Dillon Matthew Raymond Dillon (born February 18, 1964) is an American actor. He has received various accolades, including an Oscar and Grammy nomination. Dillon made his feature film debut in '' Over the Edge'' (1979) and established himself as a te ...

and Scott Valentine were the first two choices for the role of Presley. St. Gerard's audition was a line read, and him lip syncing to "Baby, Let's Play House". He was flown to Memphis the next day to start filming. The brown-eyed St. Gerard refused to wear blue contacts for the role.

Cast

as Gladys Presley *

Billy Green Bush William Warren Bush (born November 7, 1935) is an American actor, usually credited as Billy Green Bush and sometimes as Billy Greenbush. Typecast Bush is a character actor, typically projecting in his screen appearances the good-ol'-boy image. ...

as Vernon Presley * Jesse Dabson as

Scotty Moore Winfield Scott Moore III (December 27, 1931 – June 28, 2016) was an American guitarist who formed The Blue Moon Boys in 1954, Elvis Presley's backing band. He was studio and touring guitarist for Presley between 1954 and 1968. Rock critic D ...

Bill Black William Patton Black Jr. (September 17, 1926 – October 21, 1965) was an American musician and bandleader who is noted as one of the pioneers of rock and roll. He played in Elvis Presley's early trio. Black later formed Bill Black's Combo. Ear ...

Kelli Williams Kelli Renee Williams (born June 8, 1970) is an American actress and director. She is known for her roles as lawyer, Lindsay Dole on the legal drama ''The Practice'', psychologist and deception expert Dr. Gillian Foster on ''Lie to Me'', and Jac ...

as Mattie Walker * Jordan Williams as

Sam Phillips Samuel Cornelius Phillips (January 5, 1923 – July 30, 2003) was an American record producer. He was the founder of Sun Records and Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, where he produced recordings by Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, ...

* Howard French as Harley “Red” Calder

Episodes

Reception

The show struggled with low ratings and mediocre reviews.

References

External links

* {{Elvis Presley 1990 American television series debuts 1990 American television series endings 1990s American drama television series American biographical series American Broadcasting Company original programming Rockabilly Works about Elvis Presley Cultural depictions of Elvis Presley Television series by New World Television Television series set in 1954 Television series set in 1955 Television shows set in Nevada