9 Things About Elvis You Probably Didn’t Know

Memphis, Tenn. is home base to the queen and the king – the American Queen Steamboat Company and Elvis Presley.

Elvis, of course, is one of the most iconic and legendary music artists in history. He is one of the few stars who have reached mythical status, and whose fame lives on decades after his death.

In fact, you can visit his home, Graceland, before or after departing an American Queen voyage.

While every aspect of his life has been reported and repeated countless times over the years, there are still a few things that the casual fan may not be aware of

Here are a few things you may not know about The King.

He got his musical start at a very early age. Legend has it that he squirmed out of his mother’s arms when he was two years old to join the choir at their church in a song.

He was set to star in a Hollywood classic film. While Elvis graced the big screen in a number of successful movies, there were a few movie opportunities that didn’t pan out. He was slated to play the leading role of Tony in West Side Story, which would go on to become an Oscar-winning smash.

He had another movie connection at a young age. As a teen, Elvis worked as an usher in a Memphis movie theater. One story says he lost that job when he was fired after sweet-talking the girl working at the concessions stand into giving him free snacks.

His loss was everyone’s gain. At age 11, Elvis received a guitar as a gift from his parents. It was apparently a letdown for the pre-teen, as he was said to have had his heart set on something else (either a bike or a rifle, depending on which version of the story you believe).

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His trademark locks were dyed in a variety of ways. Reportedly, he once used shoe polish to dye his own hair. It was first professionally colored by Paramount makeup artists, who chose a shade called “mink brown.”

The King and the Greatest exchanged gifts. Elvis once presented Muhammad Ali with a gift prior to a fight. It was an Elvis-style robe that said, “The People’s Champion.” Ali would later return the favor by gifting Elvis with a pair of boxing gloves that said, “You’re the greatest.”

He had his own menagerie. Elvis was an animal lover, to the point where you might call him a collector. He had an interesting assortment of pets, including numerous breeds of dogs, monkeys, donkeys, horses and even barnyard animals like chickens.

He wasn’t a good sleeper. As a child, he was said to suffer from sleepwalking, a habit that reportedly ran in the family. Later in life, he would develop an addiction to sleeping pills (among other substances), but there’s no way of knowing whether his sleepwalking habit played any role.

He was a pretend policeman. Elvis is said to have enjoyed driving around in full policeman regalia, pulling over unsuspecting motorists. Their initial shock would be replaced by surprise and delight when, instead of a ticket, they received an autograph from the King.

Learn much more about Elvis and his music in the place where it all started. American Queen Steamboat Company offers trips that include tours of Elvis’ hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.

Book a trip with American Queen Steamboat Company now.