30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 30: King of Album Sales
One hundred forty-eight different Elvis recordings have been certified gold, platinum or multiplatinum. And with more than 1 billion albums sold worldwide, he's the biggest-selling solo artist ever.
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30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 29: Roster of Imposters
Elvis is the No.1 most impersonated celebrity ever. There are estimated to be over 50,000 people in the world who make a living as Elvis impersonators.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 28: Southern Hospitality
Elvis' birthplace in Tupelo, Miss. is open to the public. The future star was born in the two-room house on January 8, 1935. The Presley family lived there until 1948, when they moved to Memphis.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 27: Family Focused
Nine months to the day of Elvis and Priscilla Presley's wedding, on February 1, 1968, the couple welcomed daughter Lisa Marie to the world.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 26: Just for Kicks
The 12-year-old child who kicks Elvis in the shins in 'It Happened at the World's Fair' is famed actor Kurt Russell.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 25: Wanted Dead or Alive
He's worth more dead than he was alive. In 1977, Elvis had around $5 million banked. In 2004, 27 years after his death, Forbes magazine listed him as the richest deceased person, worth about $45 million.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 24: Stamp Star
Elvis is still the king of postage stamps, as the US Postal Service reports the 'Young Elvis' 29-cent stamp is its best seller.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 23: King of Comedy
Elvis was a big fan of Monty Python and would often act out the British comedy troupe's skits in front of friends.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 22: God's Gold
Elvis won only three Grammy awards, but none were for his rock or country recordings. All three were for gospel songs.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 21: Young Picker
Elvis got his first guitar on his 11th birthday. It's rumored that he wanted a rifle or a bicycle, but a guitar was all his parents could afford.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 20: Cool Cat
Elvis was offered the lead role opposite Elizabeth Taylor in 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.' Paul Newman nabbed the role, which helped establish the future Oscar winner's career.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 19: King of the World
There are more than 600 official Elvis Presley fan clubs, including some that were illegally formed in countries where it was forbidden, such as Pakistan and the former Soviet Union.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 18: Air Apparent
Elvis named his private jet plane 'Lisa Marie,' after his beloved daughter. The plane is on exhibit at the Graceland mansion museum.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 17: Presidential Purchase
In early 1964, Elvis purchased the Potomac, the former presidential yacht of Franklin Roosevelt, for $55,000.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 16: Cozy Co-Stars
Ann-Margret once referred to Presley as her "soul mate." and claimed that she was "the love of his life." The two filmed 'Viva Las Vegas' together and had a rumored romance.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 15: Blond Bombshell
Elvis' natural hair color was sandy blond. He dyed it black for a movie role in 1956 and kept it black for the rest of his life.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No: 14: I Do, I Do
Elvis and Priscilla had two wedding receptions - one small reception after their nuptials in Las Vegas and another surrounded by family and friends at Graceland.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 13: Triple Threat
Elvis is in three music Halls of Fame: the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Johnny Cash is the only other artist to be in three music Halls of Fame - the Songwriters, Country and Rock halls.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 12: Best Actor
Elvis beat out Robert Wagner for the role of Clint Reno in his very first feature film, 'Love Me Tender.'
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 11: Assorted Ancestry
Elvis was a mix of German, Scottish, Jewish and Cherokee ancestry.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 10: Allowance Well Spent
At age 18, Elvis paid about $4 for his first recording session at Memphis' Sun Studio. He recorded 'My Happiness' and 'That's When Your Heartaches Begin,' singing alone and playing acoustic guitar.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No.9: Karate Kid
Elvis had a black belt in karate. He was so passionate about the martial art that he gave his instructor $50,000 to build a karate school in Memphis.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 8: Just Say No
Elvis once wrote a letter to President Nixon in which he asked to be appointed as an undercover narcotics cop. Nixon responded by personally giving Elvis a honorary Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs badge.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 7: Original American Idol
Presley's first 'Ed Sullivan Show' appearance, on September 9, 1956, was seen by an estimated 55-60 million viewers. That's at least 21 million more viewers than the last 'American Idol' finale.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 6: Fab Five
The Beatles held an impromptu jam session at Elvis' California home when they visited him in August of 1965. Three years later, John Lennon dressed up as Elvis at a costume party in Liverpool, England.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 5: Cadillac Jack
Elvis loved to give Cadillacs as gifts, even to strangers. Mennie L. Person, a Memphis bank teller, was admiring Elvis' Caddy one day when he appeared and asked her if she liked it. He then took her to a nearby showroom and told her to pick out any car she wanted.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 4: Prince of Rock & Roll
Elvis made his first public singing performance at the age of 10 at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show, where he sang 'Old Shep' (a song he later recorded). He didn't win.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 3: Over the Moon
More people (1.5 billion viewers) tuned into Elvis' 'Aloha From Hawaii' concert than watched the first moon landing (1.2 billion viewers).
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 2: Doting Dad
While Elvis was performing in Idaho, it started to snow. Knowing that his daughter, Lisa Marie, had never seen snow, Elvis sent a private plane to Memphis to retrieve her for a winter wonderland surprise.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
No. 1: Elvis Lives
In both a recent CBS television '48 Hours' poll and a CNN/USA Today Gallup Poll, roughly 45 percent of Americans consider themselves Elvis fans.
30 Coolest Things About Elvis Presley
Elvis Myths Revealed
Elvis failed high school music? Elvis dyed his hair black? Separate fact from fiction and test your Elvis IQ.
King's Castle
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