DBWI: WI Elvis Presley doesn't die in a car crash?

[Unknown]

Howdy.

As most people know, this weekend marks the 59th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley, the famous rock-and-roll musician (and the person many consider the founder of rock and roll music) the 1950s and early 1960s. On December 5th, 1962, Elvis Presley and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker (aka Andreas van Kuijk), were driving home from Hal Wallis Productions, where he was beginning preparations to film his latest movie, Fun in Acapulco, when their car suffered a head-on collision with a delivery truck that had run a red light they were on. Presley was pronounced dead at the scene and Parker died en route to the hospital. Elvis was 27 (and would join what would become known as the 27 club).

Needless to say, the nation was stunned at the death of Elvis, with his songs being re-released and finding success on the charts. The British musical group the Beatles (soon to become famous in their own right) would do an album of covers of Elvis songs, and would dedicate their American debut to Elvis.

So, WI Elvis Presley hadn't died? Would he have reached his potential as a movie star?

 

[overoceans]

The Beatles got so saddled with that "apostles of Elvis" image, I really think it stilted them artistically for the rest of their careers. WAY more of a countrified image than they would have garnered, without everyone expecting them to continue the King's legacy.

 

[Jono]

It's a nasty way to go, but not as nasty as the 'British Elvis', John Lennon, in December 1980, who following the break up of the Beatles in 1972, moved to New York with Marilyn Monroe, got addicted to hard drugs, alcohol and hamburgers, and died of a heart attack on the toilet of his WTC1 Penthouse. The two surviving Beatles, George and Ringo, sometimes make light of their fellow band member's unfortunate death.

 

[overoceans]

The two surviving Beatles, George and Ringo, sometimes make light of their fellow band member's unfortunate death.

George's perennial mockery of Lennon's misfortune is particularly disgusting, given his professed claims to being a Christian. I sometimes wonder how any of his CCM fans can listen to something like My Sweet Lord, and not puke at the absolute hypocrisy of the man.

 

[Unknown]

Marilyn Monroe

OOC: John Lennon moving in with Marilyn Monroe would be interesting, given that she was 4 months dead by the time of Elvis' death....

 

[Emote Control]

OOC: John Lennon moving in with Marilyn Monroe would be interesting, given that she was 4 months dead by the time of Elvis' death....

OOC: Your thinking of OTL's Elvis -- ITTL he died in 1962 according to the OP, a decade before Marilyn Monroe's OTL demise. (Edit: Not correct).

IC: I read in Sir John Hendrix's autobiography that he was a "wild" teenager, but that the death of his inspiration Elvis shocked him into being disciplined in the Army, which eventually led to him becoming a mature adult. It was impossible for me to envision that world-famous pianist and symphonic composer, who has been the trailblazer for thousands of minority classical musicians, as "wild".

 

[Unknown]

OOC: Your thinking of OTL's Elvis -- ITTL he died in 1962 according to the OP, a decade before Marilyn Monroes OTL demise.

OOC: I'm the OP of this DBWI, and he died in 1962 in TTL--but Marilyn died in August of 1962, before Elvis' death, in both OTL and TTL...

 

[Emote Control]

OOC: I'm the OP of this DBWI, and he died in 1962 in TTL--but Marilyn died in August of 1962, before Elvis' death, in both OTL and TTL...

OOC: My mistake. I misread 1962 as 1972 on her wikipedia page.

 

[Peg Leg Pom]

I remember reading one book where Elvis survived the crash only to be killed giving a concert to marines in Da Nang. The Viet Cong made sure his final song G. I. Blues ended with a bang.

 

[HistoryGunsFreedom1776]

I remember reading one book where Elvis survived the crash only to be killed giving a concert to marines in Da Nang. The Viet Cong made sure his final song G. I. Blues ended with a bang.

And in the same book, Carlos Hathcock and Chuck Mawhinney both nail the assassin. Still, it was disappointing that Elvis dies in the adaptation just like OTL.

While it's little compensation, the Big Bopper did at least come out of retirement to make a fitting tribute with the song God Bless the King.

 

[West]

OOC: John Lennon moving in with Marilyn Monroe would be interesting, given that she was 4 months dead by the time of Elvis' death....

Different Monroe man the artist not the movie Star

 

[skettenhund]

We wouldn't have had the push for passive automotive safety devices that Elvis' death promoted. Cadillac would never have gained its worldwide reputation for safety engineering.

 

[Jono]

OOC: I'm the OP of this DBWI, and he died in 1962 in TTL--but Marilyn died in August of 1962, before Elvis' death, in both OTL and TTL...

OOC: My apologies, who would Lennon get with ITL? The Elvis stuff could completely butterfly away Yoko.