Gloria Pall on Elvis Presley
← Back to Elvis Presley ProfileGloria Pall reflects on the challenge Austin Butler faced portraying Elvis Presley, a figure so heavily imitated that even authentic footage can feel like an impersonation.
“There is perhaps no other person in human history who has been imitated and idolised as much as Elvis. In the face of his omnipresence, how can a performer who is met with the task of portraying Elvis make it feel real? After all, even footage of the actual man can feel uncanny, as if he, too, is yet another impersonator playing up the tropes.”
Gloria Pall's experience with Elvis Presley, recounted in her memoir, reveals a shift in her perception of him, evolving from indifference to appreciation after working together on "Jailhouse Rock".
“I didn't think much of him when I first met him in Las Vegas in April of 1956 before he was a movie star. After working with him in Jailhouse Rock, I saw a complete different side to his character and then I enjoyed working with him.”