FIRST POST ARMY FILM
G I Blues
CONTINUED
G I BLUES
With slow-level jitterbug dancing, Elvis's first post-Army movie has more of a World War II musical feel, rather than a movie created to mirror the late 1950s and early 1960s, where the Twist and the Madison were the dances of the era.
While swing music and military numbers played, there were only two numbers in the entire movie reflecting a man whose developmental years consisted of Black American culture. The first time occurred during Elvis's ballad, "DOIN THE BEST I CAN." The second time is when another soldier disturbs the performance by playing "BLUE SUEDE SHOES" on the jukebox right before the barroom brawl.
Publicity Still From
CONTINUED
"FRANKFORT SPECIAL"
G I BLUES
"G. I. BLUES" was to be the Elvis film that would appeal to a larger more mature audience. The use of his military service was supposed to be the way of removing the degenerate persona described by bigoted critics. Critics created this false narrative against his earlier films and music. Except for the properly placed "G.I. BLUES", "DOIN THE BEST I CAN", "WOODEN HEART", and "BIG BOOTS" the rest of the music selected for the movie was sub-standard for an artist like Elvis.
Click here to see Elvis and the Jordanaires performing.
"THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER: THE BETRAYAL OF ELVIS PRESLEY"
(Chapter 8 - page 285)
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DIRECTION
Compared to earlier films, the storyline for "G.I. BLUES" was immoral and the cast of characters were shallow. Even with all the triviality of the film, G.I. BLUES could have been a fun movie to remember had it not become the first in a series of bad carbon copy films, which unfortunately Elvis became known for.
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G I Blues
G I BLUES
In a scene at Cafe Europa with Juliet Prowse.
According to the Hal B. Wallis papers at the AMPAS Library, Michael Cortiz, director of "KING CREOLE" was originally set to direct the film, but instead, Norman Taurog was the chosen director.
The tanks and vehicles used in the film were supplied by the U.S. Army. Public Information Officer, John J. Mawn, who handled Elvis's Army press conferences, was named Military Technical Advisor for the film. For some strange reason, Tom Parker was named Technical Advisor, something which happened on every Elvis film with one exception, "VIVA LAS VEGAS."
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MISSING MUSIC
MUSICAL MISSING PARTS
G I Blues
G I BLUES
Scene From
Songwriting team, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller wrote two songs for the movie, "DOG FACE" and "TULSA’S BLUES." They withdrew their songs when they didn’t like the royalty payment contract which Elvis’s manager, Tom Parker, insisted they sign.
DIRECTION
MISSING ARTIST
MUSICAL MISSING ARTIST
G I BLUES
The duet "POCKETFUL OF RAINBOWS" was lip-synced by Juliet Prowse to soprano Louile Jean Norman, who spent most of her career as a behind-the-scenes and background singer. Louile Jean Norman is missing from the films’ credits.
MISSING MUSIC
WORKING TITLES
Loulie Jean Norman was born in Birmingham, Alabama on March 12, 1913. As a soprano, she had the vocal range suited for opera. In the 1930s her voice was heard on radio stations which got her noticed. She moved to New York City where in addition to having a beautiful voice, she was attractive enough to begin a modeling career.
While modeling, she continued to pursue her singing career. Norman soon began to get bit parts in singing ensembles. She appeared on several musical variety shows, including one with Bing Crosby. She also provided studio background vocals to top artists like Sam Cooke, Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme, and Elvis Presley. Eventually, she made it to television and frequently appeared on "THE DINAH SHORE SHOW," "THE DEAN MARTIN SHOW," and was a backup singer on "THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW."
In 1964, Gene Roddenberry, creator of "STAR TREK," hired Alexander Courage to write the theme music. Courage included a voice in his composition which didn’t have any words. Norman was known for her studio work and had the range Courage needed to make the tune work.
When "STAR TREK’s" ratings fell in their third year, Roddenberry wasn’t able to pay Norman her royalty cut. So the theme was re-recorded without any vocals.
Louile Jean Norman died at the age of 92 on August 2, 2005.
STAR TREK THEME
"POCKETFUL OF RAINBOWS" (MP3 Download)
"POCKETFUL OF RAINBOWS" (Click Here for Movie Scene)
WORKING TITLES
G I BLUES
On location with Juliett Prowse and Hal Wallis.
Again, just like "LOVE ME TENDER" and "JAILHOUSE ROCK" this film went through two working titles. The first was "CHRISTMAS IN BERLIN" which made absolutely no sense because it wasn't Christmastime; not a decorated tree was in sight and nobody in the film was dressed for the colder season. The second was "CAFE EUROPA" before finally settling on "G. I. BLUES" which is also the name for another theme song Elvis recorded.
MISSING ARTIST
LOCATION
LOCATION
G I BLUES
Exterior shots were filmed on location in Germany before Elvis was discharged from the U.S. Army. Production used stand-ins and all of the main cast scenes were filmed in Hollywood on Paramount Pictures' indoor sets and on their back lots.
WORKING TITLES
BOX OFFICE
BOX OFFICE
G I BLUES
Movie Poster
Paramount Pictures released the film on Wednesday, November 23, 1960. However, the sneak preview was shown in Dallas, Texas on Thursday, August 18, 1960. It finished the year's fourteenth biggest box office film grossing $4.3 million.
LOCATION
CAST
CAST
G I BLUES
Juliet Prowse as Lili
Elvis Presley as Specialist 5 Tulsa MacLean
Scene still with Juliet Prowse.
BOX OFFICE
CAST (CONTINUES)
Robert Ivers as Private First Class Cookie
James Douglas as Specialist 5 Rick Nicholas
Leticia Roman as Tina
Sigrid Maier as Marla
Arch Johnson as Master Sergeant McGraw
Mickey Knox as Jeeter
Kenneth Becker as Mac
Carl Crow as Walt
CAST
G I BLUES
Scene with G.I.s concealing their bet.
BOX OFFICE
CAST (CONTINUES)
Beach Dickerson as Warren
Trent Dolan as Mickey
Fred Essler as Papa Mueller, Club Owner
John Hudson as Captain Hobart
Edson Stroll as Sergeant “Dynamite” Bixby
Jeremy Slate as Turk
CAST (CONTINUED)
G I BLUES
Scene still with one of the babies who played Tiger.
CAST
CAST CONTINUES
Scotty Moore as the guitar player at Papa Mueller’s club
D.J. Fontana as the drummer at Papa Mueller’s club
Jordanaires as backup singers
Mickey Knox as Jeeter
Erika Peters as Trudy
Ron Starr as Harvey
Ludwig Stössel as Owner of the puppet show
Gene Roth as Klugman
Marilyn Gladstone as the blonde
Liz Dubrock as the Brunette
Britt Ekland as Britta the Redhead
David Paul Rankin as Tiger
Donald Paul Rankin as Tiger
Kerry Ray as Tiger
Terry Ray as Tiger
David Clark Wise as Tiger
Donald Clark Wise as Tiger
CAST (CONTINUED)
"BIG BOOTS" (Movie Scene - Click Here)
Even though the Blue Moon Boys no longer existed as the backup band for Elvis, Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana had a small part in the scene at the Papa Mueller's club, where they donned German Lederhosen.
G I BLUES
The Jordanaires also received a small part in the movie when they accompanied Elvis during the song "FRANKFORT SPECIAL."
CAST
PLOT
Ursula Andress tested for the role of Lili which eventually went to Juliet Prowse. May Britt and Elke Sommer were considered for the role as well.
Carleton Carpenter was originally cast as Cookie but was replaced by Robert Ivers.
Anna Maria Alberghetti was originally set for the role of Tina which went to Letícia Román.
"BIG BOOTS" (MP3 Download)
PLOT
G I BLUES
CAST
RETURN TO MOVIE DIRECTORY
While stationed in Germany, Army Specialist 5 Tulsa McLean (played by Elvis Presley), forms a band called The Three Blazes with two other G.I.s, Private First Class Cookie Kimball (played by Robert Ivers) and Specialist 5 Rick Nicholas (played by James Douglas). The band wants to open a nightclub in America upon their Army discharges, but opening the club requires money they don't have.
Tulsa cunningly talks Master Sergeant McGraw (played by Arch Johnson), into a $300 investment and partnership for the nightclub. In an attempt to double the Sergeant's investment, Tulsa uses the invested money in a wager to see if the Army’s playboy, Sergeant Dynamite (played by Edson Stroll), can spend a whole night with a nightclub dancer named Lili (played by Juliet Prowse), whom he's never met. When Dynamite's womanizing reputation forces the Army to transfer him far away from Germany, Tulsa is coaxed into taking Dynamite's place in the bet.
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