Cecil mentions that Elvis appeared on the Louisiana Hayride radio program. Was this also a television show? Someone once asked the trivia question, “What was Elvis’ first TV appearance?”, and I answered “Louisiana Hayride”, but was voted down because apparently it was The Ed Sullivan Show.
I could have sworn it was Louisiana Hayride as a TV show, however. Does anyone know for sure?
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I’ve heard the CD of the Louisiana Hayride’s “great performances” and read the liner notes, and I don’t recall any mention of a TV show. In addition, a search of the IMDb turns up only the 1944 movie Louisiana Hayride, no TV show.
However, searching on Elvis Presley turns up a TV show called “Stage Show” on which Elvis made six “guest appearances,” the earliest being January 28, 1956, seven months before he went on the Ed Sullivan Show on September 9, 1956. In fact, Elvis did six appearances on “Stage Show,” two on “The Milton Berle Show,” and one on “The Steve Allen Show,” all before his appearance with Ed Sullivan (whose show was actually called “Toast of the Town”).
So you were right, but you were wrong, assuming the IMDb can be trusted on this. Man, I was just going to post, “I’ve never heard of the Louisiana Hayride show” and I got really caught up in this.
I just saw that VH1 100 most shocking rock’n’roll moments show thingie on TV last night, and one of their shocking moments was Elvis’s first TV appearance, which they said was on the Milton Berle Show in 1956. Sullivan didn’t have him on until later.
BTW, I started my own thread on this column, and haven’t had any responses yet! You guys are hurting my feelings. I linked the column and everything
My information is also that it was the Dorsey Brothers’ Stage Show.
Six appearences, in fact. Then three on Milton Berle, and only then Ed Sullivan. (The first time, Sullivan wasn’t there, being in the hospital after a car accident.)
Of interest, Cecil received the following note in email, that I thought would give y’all a kick:
<< Cecil,
Re: “Elvis has left the building”
My father was Gary Bryant, who was one of the stars of the Louisiana
Hayride. He passed away three years ago. He was there the night of
Elvis’ final Hayride show, and was the only one brave/nuts enough to
follow him – no one else was willing, so he said “What the hell,” and
went on. The crowd was getting ugly (according to my father Elvis
hadn’t wanted to do the show and cut his set as short as he could get
away with), and when Dad stepped onstage they started throwing things
and booing. So the “Elvis has left the building” announcement was made
to keep my father from being torn apart by an angry mob.
The story can be found in Issue 49 of Blue Suede News:
So “Elvis has left the building” now means, “The show’s over.” But in its original context it meant exactly the opposite. It meant, “Elvis has left the building, so his part of the show is over, and now let’s settle down and get on with the rest of the show.”