The Most Incredible Elvis Presley Story Ever Told (1988 book)
From Kook Science
| Author | Gail Brewer-Giorgio |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Legend Books |
| Location | Atlanta, GA |
| Pub. date | 1988 |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Elvis Presley |
| Followed by | The Elvis Files: Was His Death Faked? (1990) |
The Most Incredible Elvis Presley Story Ever Told is an investigative book by Gail Brewer-Giorgio, first published in 1988 by Legend Books, in which the author presents speculations and anecdotal evidence that Elvis Presley did not die in 1977, a subject she stated that initially only became of interest to her following the apparently mysterious withdrawal of her earlier novel Orion, a fictional story about a rock star (Orion Eckley Darnell) that fakes his own death, from public circulation by her publishers. The author's claims regarding the genesis of her research seem, however, to be directly contradicted by statements made in a 1978 newspaper interview with Gene Arthur, originally credited as co-author in the limited first edition through Golden Eagle Publishing, in which he related that the novel Orion was based on his research and beliefs regarding Elvis's death, and that Brewer-Giorgio was only commissioned to write it;[B] naturally, such claims were later disputed by Brewer-Giorgio and her business partners, and there was enormous disagreement in accounts regarding the extent of Arthur's involvement and what Brewer-Giorgio was commissioned to write,[i] though it is clear that any association between an avowed believer in the faking of Elvis's death with the novel must raise suspicions regarding later claims of impartiality or disinterest toward the subject.
One of the main pieces of evidence presented for the survival of Elvis Presley was a 1981 recording of a telephone conversation alleged to have been had with Elvis Presley himself, on which he "talks about his beard and about hiding out in Hawaii";[S] this recording was included as a cassette tape enclosed with the original printing of the book and a paper-back reprint. It has been asserted that David Darlock, an Elvis vocal impersonator, was paid $250 USD by Eternally Elvis, a fan club, in April 1981 to record the tape, claims that were publicised in the Elvis World magazine and on the television news program 20/20 in a segment hosted by Geraldo Rivera during April 1985.
Two years later, Brewer-Giorgio published a follow-up book The Elvis Files: Was His Death Faked? (New York: Shapolsky Publishers, 1990), restating and elaborating on her case. Both books were used as the basis for a video documentary feature, The Elvis Files (1991).
Editions
- Giorgio, G. B. (1988), The Most Incredible Elvis Presley Story Ever Told, Atlanta, Ga.: Legend Books — offered at a price of $29.95, bundled with a copy of Giorgio's 1978 novel Orion, a 17"x22" poster of a "mystery image at Graceland," and a cassette recording of the 1981 recorded telephone call with the alleged Elvis.
- Giorgio, G. B. (1988), Is Elvis Alive?, New York: Tudor Books — included a cassette tape. This release was notably promoted with television commercials and a premium-rate telephone hotline (1-900-909-ELVIS).
Press Coverage
- Shroder, Tom (13 Aug. 1978), "One year later... People are still cashing in on Elvis. Some people believe he may still be alive.", Tallahassee Democrat (Tallahasee, FL): 1B, 6B, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/245918168
- Bailey, Moira (14 Jun. 1988), "THEY WON'T LET ELVIS REST IN PEACE; 'SIGHTINGS,' RUMORS FUEL FAKED-DEATH DEBATE", Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, FL), https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1988-06-14-0040450257-story.html
Notes
- ↑ The early publication history and the conflict between Arthur and Brewer over the rights to Orion are detailed at great length in Denisoff and Plaskete's True Disbelievers: The Elvis Contagion (New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction, 1995).