These photos of Elvis Presley capture the tumultuous arc of his life and career, from "Heartbreak Hotel" and his marriage to Priscilla, to his drug use and early demise in 1977 at the age of just 42.
Today, it can be easy to forget just how earth-shattering Elvis Presley once was. As the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Elvis helped transform the genre of traditional rhythm and blues into a widespread cultural movement that took the world by storm. He drove listeners and audience members wild with his audacious sound — and even more audacious hip-shaking. Almost every picture of Elvis is iconic, from his early appearances on Ed Sullivan, to his meeting with Richard Nixon, to his wedding to Priscilla.
Indeed, Elvis was more than just a famous musician. He was a movie actor, a fashion icon, a sex symbol, and even a soldier. He dominated nearly every aspect of popular culture throughout the 1950s, encapsulating the style, feel, and sound of the decade. But, of course, nothing lasts forever.
Elvis’ popularity began to wane in the mid-1960s, and despite a triumphant comeback special in 1968 and subsequent residency in Las Vegas, his personal problems proved to be inescapable. A divorce from his wife Priscilla in 1973 and health issues exacerbated by prescription drug abuse left Elvis a shell of his former self, and culminated in his death at the age of 42.
Despite this tragic end, Elvis is rightly celebrated as one of music history’s most influential figures — one who deserves to be called “The King.”
Enjoy some of the most iconic pictures of Elvis in the gallery below, and read on to learn more about the rise and fall of the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.”
Elvis performed three shows that day, scheduled at 4:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 9:45 p.m. to a crowd of roughly 15,000 people. Most of the audience members were teen girls. Phillip Harrington/Alamy Stock Photo
Elvis' early performances on The Ed Sullivan Show were massive influences in spreading his fame. 1956.Wikimedia Commons
Growing up in Memphis, Elvis frequently attended church services and gospel singings, which would later influence his musical style and performance. His unique mix of styles also led to him being inducted in four different music halls of fame: Rock 'n' Roll, Country, Gospel, and Rockabilly.Wikimedia Commons
However, he opted to serve as a regular soldier, saying, "The Army can do anything it wants with me." The decision earned him respect from both the public and his fellow soldiers.Archive PL/Alamy Stock Photo
He also began using amphetamines, which eventually impacted his health. Library of Congress
The film was a comedy starring Elvis as a crop duster who lost his plane due to his partner's gambling habits. To get it back, he and the partner, played by Gary Lockwood, go to the Seattle World's Fair.Allstar Picture Library Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo
The show featured a mix of intimate "sit-down" sessions and high-energy "stand-up" performances. Clad in a black leather suit, Elvis delivered powerful renditions of classics like "Heartbreak Hotel," "Hound Dog," and "Can't Help Falling in Love." The special concluded with "If I Can Dream."
This broadcast revitalized Elvis's career, reaffirming his status as the King of Rock 'n' Roll and introducing him to a new generation of fans. PictureLux/The Hollywood Archive/Alamy Stock Photo
Elvis was known to be somewhat of a germaphobe. He often carried his own utensils when dining out to avoid using public cutlery. ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Stock Photo
A former carnival promoter, Parker was a master showman who orchestrated every facet of Elvis's career — from his RCA record deal to his Hollywood film contracts and Las Vegas residencies. He even managed Elvis' public image during his Army service.
However, Parker's management style was controversial. He took a hefty 50 percent cut of Elvis' earnings and reportedly blocked international tours, possibly due to his own status as an undocumented immigrant.
Despite these issues, Elvis remained loyal, referring to Parker as "the best manager in the world." IanDagnall Computing/Alamy Stock Photo
Elvis, concerned about the rise of drug use and what he perceived as anti-American sentiment, wrote a six-page letter to Nixon expressing a desire to help combat these issues. He personally delivered the letter to the White House, and the two men met later that day.
During the meeting, Elvis requested a federal narcotics badge, to which Nixon agreed. Elvis also presented Nixon with a Colt. 45 pistol as a gift.Library of Congress
Despite health issues and a visibly heavier appearance, Elvis captivated his audience with classic songs like "I Got a Woman" and "Little Sister." His rendition of "My Way," however, was the most notable performance of the night.
Elvis died just months later, on August 16, 1977.Robert Emerson/Alamy Stock Photo
Elvis Presley's Early Life And Rise To Fame
Born on Jan. 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi, to Vernon and Gladys Presley, Elvis Aaron Presley had a humble beginning.
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesOne of the earliest pictures of Elvis alongside his parents, Gladys and Vernon.
His twin brother, Jesse Garon Presley, was stillborn, leaving Elvis as an only child. His family also faced financial hardships, growing up in poverty that led to Elvis' close-knit bond with his parents, especially his mother.
In 1948, the Presleys moved to Memphis in search of better opportunities. They didn't know it at the time, but the unique blend of different musical styles in the Memphis music scene would have a profound effect on the young Elvis — and turn him into the legend he would become. The music scene introduced Elvis to gospel, blues, and country sounds, all of which later came together to create the hallmark sounds of his own, unique style.
Five years later, in 1953, Elvis Presley graduated from Humes High School and made a choice that would alter the course of his life. That summer, he walked into Sun Records to record a demo acetate of "My Happiness" and "That's Where Your Heartache Begins" as a birthday gift for his mother.
Phillip Harrington/Alamy Stock PhotoElvis Presley with his mother Gladys at home in Memphis, Tennessee on May 29, 1956.
He also caught the attention of producer Sam Phillips, who recognized the latent talent of the young singer. In 1954, Phillips recorded Elvis crooning "That's All Right (Mama)" — at twice its original speed.
Soon enough, Elvis was on a meteoric rise to fame. In Elvis pictures of this era, the singer is young, handsome, trim, and coiffed with his signature jet-black hair — even though Elvis was naturally blond.
In 1955, he signed with RCA Victor, and in 1956 he released his first single with the label, "Heartbreak Hotel." The song was a massive hit, and in combination with Elvis' charismatic stage presence, provocative dance moves, and distinctive voice, he quickly became a sensation.
Film Career, Military Service, And Comeback
Not long after breaking onto the music scene, Elvis began dipping his toes into Hollywood. In 1956, he starred in Love Me Tender and followed it up with Loving You and the famous Jailhouse Rock a year later. Given his popularity, a film career was a sure bet, and his charisma and comedic timing made him an audience favorite. Ultimately, he'd make 31 movies.
Allstar Picture Library Limited./Alamy Stock PhotoElvis Presley and Debra Page in Love Me Tender (1956).
Elvis' films were thus commercial successes, though critics often considered them to be formulaic. Still, he saw it as the logical next step in his career, citing Frank Sinatra as an example during an interview with Life magazine.
"I want to become a good actor, because you can't build a whole career on just singing," Elvis remarked then. "Look at Frank Sinatra. Until he added acting to singing, he found himself slipping downhill."
But in 1958, Elvis' career took another surprising twist when he was drafted into the U.S. Army. Despite stepping out of the spotlight to complete his service, Elvis' military years would be an eventful time. He met his wife, Priscilla, and for many Elvis' service transformed him from a hip-shaking singer into "a decent, God-fearing, country-loving all-American."
But some fans weren't keen on this shift in Elvis' career. To them, it was antithetical to the revolutionary rock 'n' roll Elvis had been known for. John Lennon even once said, "Elvis died the day he went into the army."
Public DomainElvis during his army service in Germany. Circa 1958.
When he finished his military service in 1960, Elvis went all in on being a movie star. But while he enjoyed some initial success, his popularity began to wane as newer artists emerged and rock 'n' roll began to change.
But in 1968, Elvis proved his critics wrong through a triumphant return with his "Comeback Special." The event, aired live on television, revitalized his career — and proved that the King was still very much alive.
Personal Issues, Health Struggles, And Death
Despite a resurgence of his music career, Elvis Presley never quite reached the heights of superstardom that he had experienced in the 1950s. He had a series of successful concerts and ultimately landed a residency in Las Vegas, but he also struggled terribly behind the scenes, especially when it came to his health and personal relationships. In Elvis pictures of this time, the singer is visibly overweight and in poor health.
Elvis suffered from chronic medical conditions, which led to his abuse of prescription medication, which led his relationships to deteriorate. By the mid-1970s, Elvis was something of a recluse, confining himself to his Graceland estate in Memphis. He subsisted on high-fat and high-cholesterol foods and became sedentary, causing him to put on weight. At his heaviest, he weighed around 350 pounds.
Robert Emerson/Alamy Stock PhotoElvis Presley performing at the Providence Civic Center on May 23, 1977, just a few months before his death.
To make matters worse, this unhealthy lifestyle contributed to his severe constipation issues — and at the time of his death, an autopsy revealed that he had four months' worth of compacted stool in his bowel.
Indeed, Elvis' reliance on prescription medications in his final years only exacerbated his health issues. In the seven months leading up to his death, he had been prescribed nearly 9,000 pills, vials, and injections — most of which caused more issues like hypertension, diabetes, liver damage, and an enlarged colon. He was hospitalized multiple times for various ailments, including a semi-coma in 1973 due to respiratory distress.
It was the same year he and Priscilla divorced.
Finally, on Aug. 16, 1977, Elvis was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor of his Graceland home by his fiancée Ginger Alden. Initial reports cited cardiac arrhythmia as the cause of death, but later investigations revealed that his death resulted from a heart attack induced by a combination of chronic constipation, a high-fat diet, and prolonged prescription drug abuse.
In the end, the strain from attempting to defecate likely triggered a fatal cardiac arrest, and caused Elvis to die at the age of just 42.
Despite this tragic end, though, and the unfortunate circumstances surrounding it, Elvis Presley's legacy as the King of Rock 'n' Roll lingers to this day. Look back over the iconic life of "The King" with the collection of Elvis pictures in the gallery above.
After looking through these Elvis pictures and reading about his life, enjoy this stunning collection of colorized photos from the 1950s. Or, discover the sad story behind the death of Buddy Holly, the "day the music died."
