These Little-Known Facts About Elvis Presley Will Change How You See Him

Back in the States, Elvis went straight from fatigues to film sets. Hollywood welcomed him back with open arms and open wallets. Movies like G.I. Blues and Blue Hawaii were financially successful, if not masterpieces. He sang to dolls, danced on beaches, and fell in love in Technicolor. But creatively, he was boxed in.

Scripts got worse, songs got fluffier, and the Colonel said yes to everything. Elvis privately hated many of the films, but his fans didn’t care. Box office receipts ruled the day. He was no longer the dangerous rock star—he was a clean-cut crooner in a Hawaiian shirt.