Elvis still king five years on

Press, 17 August 1982, Page 8

Elvis still king five years on

NZPA Memphis Five years after his death. Elvis Presley remains an idol to his fans and a patron saint to merchandisers cashing in on his popularity. The enduring appeal of the swivel-hipped Rock ‘n’ Roll king has profited many, including those runing the estate he owned, Graceland.

The mansion was opened to visitors in June, and Graceland officials anticipated 17,000 fans would visit between Friday and yesterday, the anniversary of Presley’s death.

The estate runs two souvenir shops and there are many more outside its gates. Competition among them is fierce. Today Presley’s name and likeness are emblazoned, sculptured, glued or pressed on to everything from a cheap trinket to SNZ4II whisky decanters, minus the liquid. Presley dealt in his own souvenirs. Five years before his death at the age of 42, the singer and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, formed Boxcar Enterprises, Inc. to market Elvis memorabilia — pins, jewellery, posters, clothes, key chains, pillow and hundreds of other trinkets.

After Presley’s death. Colonel Parker and the estate sold the Boxcar marketing licence to Factor Etc, Inc. of Bear, Delaware.

Factor paid $NZ202,500 two days after the singer’s death oh August 16, 1977, for the exclusive right to sell Presley memorabilia. The "firm thought enough of its corner on the Presley souvenir market to make a three-year court battle against would-be interlopers. In November, 1980, the United States Supreme Court ruled that fame was not an inheritable right that extended beyond death. The ruling broke Factor’s monopoly, and the souvenir business mushroomed.

Graceland manager, Ken Brixey, said that he’ did not think Graceland was competing with the souvenir shops. “We’ve been the best thing that happened to them in four or five years,” he said. Meanwhile, questions remain over what part drugs played in Presley’s death. It was attributed to cardiac arrhythmia, and the Shelby County medical examiner, Dr Jerry Francisco, has for five years refused to divulge any information beyond his official finding.