When Did Elvis Presley Begin Taking Drugs?
Riverton man gave Elvis a Book of Mormon during filming of "Blue Hawaii"
9/19/2006
Story by: Susan Wood
An interesting connection is surfacing about Elvis Presley's interest in the LDS
Church. Several people claim to have given him a copy of the Book of Mormon. One
was Riverton's Mike Corfield, who was serving an LDS mission on the Island of
Kauai in 1961. That's when Elvis was there filming the movie, Blue Hawaii.
The 20-year-old missionary and his companion went to find Elvis on location.
Among the crew was another member of the LDS Church who recognized the
missionaries. He invited them to meet Elvis. After talking for about five
minutes, Elder Corfield gave Elvis a copy of the Book of Mormon.
Corfield says, "We also invited him to come to church with us that Sunday. He
declined, saying he had to work. But he was really nice and accepted the Book of
Mormon."
As Elvis fans know, he had a strong spiritual side. Utah filmmakers are working
on a movie right now depicting his interest in the Book of Mormon. They feature
a copy of the book held in the LDS Church archives. It reportedly has Elvis'
notes in the margins of the copy.
The movie, "Tears of a King," is expected to be released next year. Corfield
doesn't know whether this is the copy he gave Elvis back in 1961, but he's proud
to have given him the book.
He says, "I felt he was interested in it. I felt at some time he'd take the
opportunity to learn more about the gospel, especially the Book of Mormon."
OREM, Utah (ABC
4 News) - A movie linking Elvis Presley with the LDS Church premieres
Thursday Night in Orem.
Tears of a King portrays the last days of The King of Rock and Roll and
the possibility that during that time Elvis was reading The Book of
Mormon. Writer/Director Rob Diamond says, “So it's a little bit of
supernatural, it's a little bit of fact built into a drama.”
Diamond and film producer Josh Pearson say it's been hotly debated
whether or not Presley read The Book of Mormon in his final days. But,
that’s why they call their movie fiction based on fact. Diamond says,
"We're not saying he was or wasn’t a Mormon. But there are facts along
the way that he had read that book a number of times.”
The movie was shot mostly on location in Utah. In Orem, a replica was
built of Elvis' bedroom based on old photographs they had. Diamond
says, "And I just came up with the concept that how interesting would
it be if you were in there during the final hours of his life. And also
him reflecting back on his mistakes, the good things that he did, his
regrets, sorrows, hopes and all of those things.”