Thousands of "Elvi" gave it their best shot in the 2007 BBC competition show World's Greatest Elvis.
Other honors bestowed upon Wise
Update information for Dennis Wise More at IMDbPro Contact Info: View agent, publicist, legal on IMDbPro Known For The Alaska Experiment Self 2008 The Mike Douglas Show Self - Elvis Presley Impersonator 1978 Hide all | | Edit Filmography Hide Self (3 credits) 2008 The Alaska Experiment (TV Series) Self - Take the Long Way Home (2008) . Whether he knew it or not, ODay saw the future our future. The new-tech twist is the hologram, which has brought Michael Jackson, 2Pac, Frank Zappa, and Whitney Houston back to a semblance of life. [34], An Elvis impersonator in Arkansas, who legally had his name changed to Elvis Presley,[35] unsuccessfully ran for the positions of Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands in 2014, Arkansas State Senator of District 26 in 2016, and U.S. Representative of Arkansas's District 1 in 2018. Get our roundup of longform stories every Saturday.
Longtime Elvis impersonator to go beyond the standards ODay started by taking Wise to a Florida dentist, who shaved his teeth down to resemble Presleys and closed up the gap in his two front teeth. Swipe your Rampart Rewards card at the door and receive 1,000 points! Then, he would move on to dead comedians, remaking people to resemble W.C. Fields and Abbott and Costello. [4][5], Contrary to popular belief, Elvis impersonators have existed since the mid-1950s, just after Elvis Presley himself began his career. In the Digimon Adventure anime, one of the main villains, Etemon has the character of an Elvis impersonator. When I take these people in, they already have a basic resemblance to the person I want them to look like, he said. ODay fled to Florida supposedly, Gamble heard, with $120,000 of their earnings. (When the ceremony was over, they had some difficulty eating the wedding cake.) I have no idea.
Graceland started buying up everything in the area. >Las Vegas Entertainment Today Home Page
Must be 21 to attend this Las Vegas event. We want to hear it. Croce had perished in a plane crash in 1973, but Marc Hazebrouck, a former truck driver and psychology major from Rhode Island, was already playing songs by Croce and had a droopy mustache to match. Dennis Colt, the first famous Elvis impersonator, circa 1978. ODay then arranged for the performers, still bandaged up and looking like mummies with large eyeholes, to be publicly unveiled on a network daytime show, America Alive! It is a story of theft and betrayal, revolving around a plot to rob the Riviera Casino during a convention of Elvis impersonators in Las Vegas. At the tours debut, at the Southeastern Music Fair in Atlanta in September 1978, fewer than 50 people showed up. Also recently[when?]
He did say, Well, what can we do? He knew the time was coming when the bond between rock icons and fans would grow so intense that an industry could rise to exploit that union. Wise is King for a Night on Saturday at Boulder Station. But a drinking problem that had developed on the road soon overtook him. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. My first gig was in March 1978 in Florida. Wise heard a story maybe apocryphal that ODay had booked pop star B.J. The first thing that comes to my mind is that plastic surgery is the highest form of flattery., He was way ahead of the curve, says Jeff Pezzuti, founder of Eyellusion, responsible for recent hologram tours of Frank Zappa and Dio. The voice, the lip curl, the jumpsuit he's a dead ringer. Sounds right, says Patten, laughing. But long before Las Vegas residencies, biopics, and massive publishing buyout deals, ODay imagined a world in which classic-rock nostalgia would be a lucrative business. In 40 years, its become more acceptable to do something like that, compared to back then, says Eyellusions Pezzuti. Following the transformation, he made his TV debut on Good Morning Americain early 1978. ODay scrambled and found a replacement after several tries. In pop music, the tradition of the tribute band, the imitator, the impersonator, is now as durable as the concert T-shirt or the demand for an encore.
DENNIS WISE FANTASIES LP (ELVIS IMPERSONATOR) AUTOGRAPHED SLEEVE - eBay Rhyne survived, and overcome by guilt, ODay brought her to Florida to help with her recovery. He was only 42 years of age. Despite matching his attire, hairstyle and voice, the Kings are unaware of Elvis as a historical musician, not even knowing what his name was - only that he must have been worshiped for there to be a building dedicated to teaching people to imitate him. Later that year, he was joined by the rest of the clone army for their post-surgery reveal on the daytime show America Alive! Editor's note: This story was updated to reflect the correct date that Elvis Presley died. He died at the end of 2020. [40][41], Andy Stankovich is a well known Elvis impersonator from Auckland, New Zealand. It was such an odd thing. Smith was featured several times on Pringle's regular TV show, though Smith only pretended to sing and play along with the music since he actually could neither sing nor play the guitar at that time.[7]. There are many Elvis contests for amateurs, festivals and other events held across the world celebrating Elvis and his many impersonators. Danny has played music all over NC ,SC & Parts of VA. Danny has played many venues such as: The Barn Dinner Theate. Due to confusion about who is going as Elvis all three do it, appearing in sequence as Elvis at different stages of his career, winning the competition. He needed those people if we were going to play in Las Vegas, says Caywood. Some ETAs perform under stage names, mostly using names associated in some way with Presley's life or career (such as Presley's character names in his movies). Wise channeled Elvis for years, performing with Brenda Lee in a concert in Chile and appearing on shows with Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin and Dick Clark. Francesca Brittan, "Women Who 'Do Elvis': Authenticity, Masculinity and Masquerade", published in the. Arona Mane Shows Off His Production on Thandi Phoenix's new single 'Hot Sauce'. This show will be a little different from the past few years, Wise says. His performance may be considered the first significant Elvis impersonation. Climaxes of the play are surreal fantasy scenes in which Dad's hallucinatory Elvis dreams are bursting into popular Presley songs as a reminiscence of his one-time persona of Elvis impersonator. Dennis Wise has been paying tribute to Elvis for more than 30years. He didnt like that, the state fairs, says Effie. "[17], However, the Elvis industry includes "professional Elvis impersonator registries." His admiration for Elvis has spanned over forty years. . "That was a very strange day," Wise says. Besides performing throughout New Zealand, he has performed in Australia, Hawaii, Fiji and the United States.[42]. 29 cents Cost of the Elvis stamp issued in 1993. Their memories of Rock and Roll Heaven are decidedly mixed. His brother had arranged an
Dennis Wise - IMDb [37] In February 2013, he was set to appear at the annual fourth tribute to Elvis Presley event, held at the Auckland Botanic Gardens in Manurewa, Auckland. "First of all, you don't. EXCELLENT CONDITION, SIGNED SLEEVE SAYS, "SHIRLEY BEST WISHES, DENNIS WISE".
A '70s Promoter Used Plastic Surgery to Bring Back Elvis, Janis Joplin ODay who used the word clone while agreeing that that wasnt quite the right scientific term for what he had paid doctors to do even boasted hed found a chemist in Los Angeles who could alter someones pigment. The guys in the band were all laughing.. The mementos may be gone. A more scholarly examination of Elvis impersonation is, Impersonating Elvis by Leslie Rubinowski released in 1997. Stinson doesn't skimp on his Graceland shows. Growing up in Baltimore, he played drums in a few local bands. 19 verified bookings. >LVLG "Heard Around Town"
O'Day made sure there was fanfare around itWise recalls exiting the plastic surgeon's clinic in a wheelchair to find "100 people from the press all over the world taking pictures. When ODay proposed the idea of surgical transformation to them, the newly hired hands were either eager or puzzled, depending on the singer. Wise has been performing his Elvis act longer than almost anybody since 1977. According to Caywood and Gamble, no one was getting paid much, if anything at all, and what pay existed wasnt always equal. Since Wise was persona non Presley in ODays world, a new King was needed. But more than 40 years ago, Danny ODay took imitation to a place no one imagined before or since. During
Barnum, a man who could, in Wises words, sell ice cream in hell. If that meant hiring someone to turn living singers into facsimiles of deceased ones, so be it. [3], Many impersonators sing Presley's songs. Ultimately, just as in the living-person rock business, money changed everything. He Used Plastic Surgery to Raise Rock Stars From the Dead, These Musicians are Supplying Ukraine With Drones, Burt Bacharach, Master Pop Composer, Dead at 94, New Bootleg Series Installment Maps The Long Road To Dylans Resurrection. Some ETAs record CDs to sell at their shows, which of course contain many of the Elvis standards, but could also include some of their own songs as well as songs of other artists. When I found out I was going to do this, I said, Well, enough of [health food], and I went out and had a cheeseburger with a shot of whiskey and beer. To dispel any doubts about the actual alcohol in her onstage bottle, shed pour some of it into the glasses of skeptical fans in the front rows, and watch as they gulped it down and realized they were drinking genuine Southern Comfort. Following the transformation, he made his TV debut on Good Morning America in early 1978. About then Wise began managing a band that included his brother, Jim. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. Eventually, ODay was able to smuggle Wise into that clinic on that day in January 1978. ODay already knew the limitations of tribute bands.
91 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. American Sound Studio was gaining a reputation in the industry as the Box Tops had just recorded \"The Letter\" there so James relocated to Memphis. All rights reserved. I dont see a morbid aspect, he said.
Hire Elvis John - Elvis Impersonator in Appleton, Wisconsin - GigSalad A both serious and humerous collection of the world's greatest Elvis impersonators. 'True' impersonators believe that they are 'chosen' by The King to continue His work and judge themselves and each other by their 'Authenticity' and ability to 'Channel' Elvis' true essence.
some memories. We were offered a job to go to Hawaii, Wise says. After James' recording failed commercially, the song was handed to Elvis Presley by producer Chips Moman, becoming a number one song in 1969, and one of the most notable hits of Presley's career. On "the thriving phenomenon of Elvis impersonators", see also Gilbert B. Rodman, Elvis After Elvis: The Posthumous Career of a Living Legend (1996). "[18] According to George Plasketes, there are "legions of impersonators. Morrison had been found dead in a Paris bathtub seven years before. He and Effie were divorced in 1979. By 1978, Elvis wasnt the only rock star in the grave; the body count was rising. What if, instead of one altered rocker, he had an all-star ensemble of them? "That was a very strange day," Wise says. Theyre yelling at me, How do you feel? What are you thinking?, Wise says he didnt tell anyone in his family, including his parents or brother, since he feared they would think he was nuts. 3000 Miles to Graceland is a 2001 thriller film, starring Kurt Russell, Kevin Costner, Courteney Cox Arquette, David Arquette, Bokeem Woodbine, Christian Slater, and Kevin Pollak. He has been performing since the late 1960s and in the 1980s was performing at the Copper Grill in The Weld on Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur, and in later years at the Royal Selangor Club in Dataran Merdeka.[66][67]. "PM Magazine," "Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon" and "American
Dennis Wise is the ultimate Elvis Presley fan. I was a small kid growing up in Joplin, Mo., he says. If I could still do two shows a night, six nights a week, Id do it, Wise says. During the 1970s, a star attraction at the Aloha Lounge in Florida's Hawaiian Inn was Mr. Fatu. In his mind, Rock and Roll Heaven would merely be the beginning. The first singer to go through the surgery was Elvis impersonator Dennis Wise; a former car salesman from Hawaii who traveled to the U.S. to try his luck as a tribute act. This has seen some impact on what Elvis impersonators and contests have on the media and marketing industry. He was so popular because he was kind and down
In the aftermath of the collapse of Rock and Roll Heaven, Danny ODay went in search of an encore. An Elvis impersonator is an entertainer who impersonates or copies the look and sound of American musician and singer Elvis Presley. Guess where the money went? Wise wound up suing ODay for negligence (claiming his professional reputation has been damaged) and breach of fiduciary duty, demanding a minimum settlement of $2,500. ODay later admitted the idea was also suggested by Rhyne and that he had his own doubts: I said, What, are you crazy? Dennis Wise, 54, has been an Elvis impersonator for more than 30 years, beginning with a garage band he started with his brother. [56] Also during the 1960s, he played rhythm guitar with The Zodiacs and then The Kavaliers, a group fronted by his brother Freddie. Growing up, he dressed like Elvis and answered to Elvis in the school halls. His mother introduced Joplin, Missouri native Dennis Wise to the music
first song, he got the job. It is cured by visiting a psychologist, who tells the patient how ridiculous he/she look[31]. The 24th season of the American adaptation of Big Brother featured Daniel Durston, an Elvis impersonator from Las Vegas, Nevada. It was her motivation that helped him become an Elvis tribute artist. A promoter was looking for an Elvis act, says Wise, who auditioned by singing Trying to Get to You., I sang a few lines and the guy said, Thats enough, Wise says. Most fall under the following categories: There are different levels of impersonation, which depends largely on who is doing the impersonation and for what purpose. Only after Elvis' untimely death on August 16, 1977, did impersonating Elvis start to become popular in the mainstream. mannerisms. [52], During the early 1990s, Sam Leilani from Reseda, L.A. made the news briefly. The plan was scuttled when someone accidentally tossed out the whole mess. We started playing in clubs in Joplin and in Oklahoma and Id do a little Elvis skit in the act, Wise says. As incredible as it may sound, Elvis Presley would have celebrated his 74th birthday today probably quietly at Graceland lest he throw out a hip. After the semi-highs of their casino days, they found themselves scrambling to survive, selling magazines to convenience stores and even hawking their own blood to pay the bills, as they told the Orlando Sentinel. CONTINUE ON TO:
Danny was flabbergasted I said that, says Wise. We did a couple of state fairs where there were, like, four people in the audience.. Different Elvis artists have been in the main role with very detailed outfits, wigs and props. To become the Gambler balladeer, ODay had a hair transplant, dyed his hair gray, and had his jowls tightened. So Jim said, Lets do a little Elvis thing in the show.. Shed previously worked in a health-food store, but for Rock and Roll Heaven, she developed a fleeting taste for Southern Comfort, Joplins drink of choice. More recent titles include photo essays, Living the Life by Patty Carroll and The King and I: A little Gallery of Elvis Impersonators by Kent Baker and Karen Pritkin. James had written three songs that became number one hits in the Southern United States. Wises mother introduced him to Elvis music. James felt it was a confusing time for him and that all three were caught in this trap that they could not walk out of. In an episode of Married with Children, the character Peggy Bundy claims to have seen Elvis at a mall, prompting a large number of Elvis impersonators to come to her home so she can share her "experience.". My mother has been singing with him for j. A major post-mortem event in Elvis history occurred in Orlando on Jan. 31, 1978, when Dennis Wise underwent six hours of plastic surgery to look more like The King of rock 'n' roll. >Article Archives
Dragging along the white suits theyd been forced to wear onstage, the musicians piled them atop one another and set the clothes afire, resulting in what Caywood recalls as an unholy muck of cow patties, dirt, and melted polyester.. [48] His single "Love's Not Made of Time" by "God Will Rule" was produced by John Centinaro,[49] who would work with another Elvis impersonator, Johnny Charro. Luckily, Gamble says, he was able to point to a Rock and Roll Heaven billboard with his face on it, and he got away with just a warning. Smith's physical resemblance to Elvis and his mannerisms happened to catch the attention of DJ Norm Pringle of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, who had been playing "That's All Right, Mama" and "Heartbreak Hotel" on the radio. But ODay had one more tour to launch, and in a way, it was his eeriest one yet: He would become one of his own clones. (I knew it wasnt the original, the woman said of ODay. But in the current landscape, where dead pop stars seem as prevalent as living, breathing ones, Danny ODays outlandish vision remains open for business. There we go. I asked him to show me his license and he refused.) According to Rhynes sister-in-law, Wanda, Rhyne was happy, for a time: Danny was the love of her life. Almost Elvis[29] is a 75-minute 2001 documentary film that follows a variety of professional Elvis impersonators such as they prepare for a large annual contest in Memphis, Tennessee. Dennis Wise began listening to Elvis at the tender age of 5, often belting out his favorite song "Heartbreak Hotel." His tribute to Elvis turned professional just one year after the. I was like, What? But his mind worked that way. released "Just Pretending" by Kurt Burrows is full of tips on how to talk, sing and dress like Elvis. We're dealing with a man who can never be replaced. Their fellow townspeople understand this sentiment, but in the final scene they are shown burning those selfsame photographs, which display both Oscar and Emma dressed as Elvis.