Elvis - A Lighted Candle

[Di]

For decades Elvis Presley's English fans have accepted that the King of Rock and Roll's only known visit to Britain was a quick stop at Glasgow Prestwick Airport in Scotland. An Elvis lounge and a plaque commemorates his 1960 stopover there.

Now a prominent theater producer says Presley made a secret visit to London in 1958 to see the sights with popular British rocker Tommy Steele, and he promised never to reveal that they had gone to famous landmarks together.

However, a spokesman for Elvis Presley Enterprises in Memphis, Tenn., denied the secret trip ever took place, and insisted that the only time Presley was on British soil was when he was returning to the U.S. to wrap up an army tour.

"Sgt. Elvis Presley made his only appearance in the U.K. when he stepped off a U.S. Air Force plane at the Prestwick Airport in March of 1960," spokesman Kevin Kern said in a statement. "The aircraft made a brief stop to refuel."

The theater producer, Bill Kenwright, told a BBC radio show that Steele had told him that Presley flew in for a day after calling out of the blue to say he liked the British rocker's music.

Steele, now 71, said in a written note to London's Daily Mail that he wished the secret had never come out.

"I can only hope he can forgive me," he said of Presley, who died in 1977 at the age of 42. "It was an event shared by two young men sharing the same love of their music and the same thrill of achieving something unimaginable."

The alleged visit was apparently kept secret at the time so that Presley wouldn't be mobbed by fans, but it was not clear why Steele would want to keep it secret now.

The call to Steele came while Presley was stationed at a U.S. Army base in Germany, Kenwright said.

Presley had been known to visit Paris while stationed in Germany, attracting hundreds of fans, and went to some well-known Parisian nightspots. But there have been no prior reports of him touring England, where he never performed.

The news was not welcomed at Scotland's Glasgow Prestwick Airport, where officials are proud of their Elvis connection.

The bartender at the Elvis-themed lounge hung up the phone Tuesday when asked about the King's visit to London, and airport Chief Executive Mark Rodwell told the British Broadcasting Corp. that he wants photographic proof that Presley was actually in London.

"As far as we are concerned, until it is proved otherwise Prestwick Airport remains the only place in the United Kingdom that Elvis Presley ever set foot," he said.

[tonytrout]

EPE is correct 'bout Elvis only coming to Britain on his way home from the Army in 1960.

Besides, doesn't everyone remember Elvis plainly stating in the post-Army press conference in Vernon's office after he was discharged that he never went anywhere except to Paris on leave in 1959??

[juliepresleyfan]

i read that story in the paper girls, and it was tommy steele who is supoosed to have showed him around london in the late 50s
the story said when elvis phoned tommy he was stationed in germany, and tommy was 17 or 18 at the time.
well i worked out the math and the date tommy steel was 17 or 18 would have been 1954 or 1955 ,
and elvis was no in army till 1958

how about you wanda did he ever talk about tommy steele or what or indeed a trip to london maybe, who knows if its true only elvis himself would know that and tommy ofcourse if it happened

after all there must be some things we still dont know from his life im sure
huh lol

[juliepresleyfan]

heres what i read in the daily mirror

Top Showbiz News
Revealed: Elvis's secret visit to London to go sight-seeing with Cockney star
By Sara Wallis 22/04/2008

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bill kenwright, buddy holly, elvis presley, houses of parliament, ken bruce, tommy steele


(What's this?)Elvis Presley fans brace yourselves... the King DID set foot on English soil after all, for a secret day out with Tommy Steele.

Theatre producer Bill Kenwright yesterday claimed the rocker went sightseeing with the Cockney singer during a trip that took in the Houses of Parliament.

It has always been thought the nearest Elvis came to visiting England was a brief 1960 stopover at Prestwick airport in Scotland on his way home from his army base in Germany.

But 62-year-old Kenwright insisted the US legend arrived here in the mid-50s for his trip around the capital and even sparked up a long-standing friendship with Tommy.

AdvertisementHe told Radio 2's Ken Bruce: "Shall I tell you a little story I know and you don't know and nobody knows?

"Elvis came to England. Nobody thinks he did and I hope Tommy doesn't go mad when I tell you.

"Tommy got a phone call one night. It said: 'They tell me you're good' and Tommy replied: 'Who's this?'

"The caller said: 'It's Elvis,' and Tommy said: 'Get outta here.' And Elvis said: 'Are you as good as me?'

"And they talked and they got a friendship. Elvis flew in for a day. And Tommy showed him round London.

"He showed him the Houses of Parliament and spent the day with him."

After the show Kenwright, who works closely with Tommy, 71, confirmed the story.

He added: "I've known Tommy for years, he's done several shows for me. I often see him and we meet up for dinner.

"Whenever I see him I beg him to tell me stories about Buddy Holly and Elvis.

"He told me one about Elvis. One night when Tommy was about 17 or 18, he got a phone call and it was Elvis on the phone from Germany where he was stationed.

"He couldn't believe it but in the end the two struck up a friendship.

"They spent the day in London together. I think it's fantastic."

A spokesman for Elvis's Graceland estate said: "To the best of our knowledge there was only the one stopover at Scotland.

"We are researching our archives. There are some un-documented areas of Elvis's life."

Tommy had been billed as Britain's answer to Elvis, who died in 1977 aged 42.

TOMMY STEELE

Born: Bermondsey, London

Age: 71 (was 40 when Elvis died)

Top ten hits: 6

Movies: 12

ELVIS PRESLEY

Born: Tupelo, Mississippi

Age: Died at 42 in 1977

Top ten hits: 55

Movies: 33

[Wanda June Hill]

I heard this a while ago, but it was being denied by the EPE-if they now are admitting that "there is some undocumented areas of Elvis life" that is a BIG admittion! They wanted a photo, some kind of proof before saying it/that is so he did that- it sounds like something he WOULD do and love doing as "just a regular tourist" etc:...but there would HAVE to be some sort of other documention such as someone who "saw him" etc: I think. I mean, look what I have been through even though there are lots of people who also talked to him, knew him and were not "documented" in the process thereof... Poor guy, he will have to face alot of flack from the naysayers as do all us "undocumented areas" people! Good grief even!
I hope he did get to go, but he never said a word about it to me-he did say he was briefly in Europe- Paris and of course Germany and that he did change plans on the way back home etc: but I don't recall where he said that was. But he always wanted to go to Europe-England mainly due to the fans he had and Japan...he even wanted to go to China and Tibet- and thought it would be wonderful to go to Ireland and Scotland and then to Norway and he thought he'd like to meet some "sweedish ladies" since he had met a couple in the US and they were so "honest" etc: "about things"...he didn't say what things. wjh

[Rainbow Light]

I heard Tommy Steele had said he'd kept this information to himself for some years, APPARENTLY, but then realised he'd told someone only to have it blabbed all over the place! I'd like it to be true but as Wanda says it would have to be a BIG admittion from EPE about any undocumented areas of Elvis' life! Nice idea but not sure on this one!

[tonytrout]

I still don't buy the story that Tommy Steele is telling. Here's a reply that Marty Lacker gave someone from another Elvis messageboard when asked about the supposed visit:

Tommy Steele is not telling the truth. We get tired of people making up stories about themselves and Elvis since Elvis died. It's a dis-
service to Elvis as well as the fans.

Tommy said it was a secret but I can tell you without a doubt it wouldn't be a secret to Elvis.

He would have absolutely no reason to keep it a secret. It would have been no big deal for Elvis to meet Tommy Steele.

We often talked about the many things he did while stationed in German including the two trips he did take, to Paris and Munich.
What people fail to remember is that even though Elvis is no longer here, we, members of The Memphis Mafia are. At least one and
most times more of us were with him every day from the time he started his career until he died. In this case Lamar was with him the
entire time he was in Germany and Red spent about 8 months with him too. We know just about everything he did and who he did it
with.

Many times we would sit and talk for hours about things we all did, he basically kept no secrets from some of us who were the
Original MM nor did we keep anything from him. But like I said, that would have not been a secret to Elvis and he wouldn't have
treated it that way or asked Tommy to keep it a secret. Just as we sometimes are blamed for all the bad things that happened to Elvis
or he did, people really don't know the nature of our relationship with him. Some of us originals grew up with Elvis and he trusted us,
that's why we were there because he needed that.

Lamar just gave an interview to the BBC yesterday about the meeting and you can find it at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7376248.stm click on the UK version.

Lamar went to London as part of a Football league called the Stars Football League. It was made up of stars and budding stars and
they sometimes travelled to various European cities to play. Among the players were a young Sean Connery and Tommy Steele.
Lamar came to London with a couple of guys, not Elvis. He then met Tommy that day and never saw him again. I never heard Elvis
mention Tommy's name in regards to meeting or talking with him on the phone. It was Lamar that Tommy briefly met, not Elvis.

Maybe Tommy needs the publicity in his old age or maybe it's because I just found out today he's rehearsing for an appearance
somewhere in England and needs and wants the publicity. What better way to get it then to attach your name to what was probably
the most famous entertainers in history and one who is well loved in England, Elvis.

[Lindsaygirl]

Still going to keep a open mind about these things.

[Wanda June Hill]

Elvis never mentioned anythig about being in London etc: but he did do somethings that none of the "guys" would have been around-they didn't go out on duty with him, they were not part of his army duties etc: and he went out with a few of the army guys a time or two without his boys around- he said so and he enjoyed it because ne wasn't "bothered" by people as they didn't expect to see Elvis out with army guys in clubs etc;...and he had fun. Just one of the guys. He didn't do that often but he did say he did it a time or two.

I try to keep an open mind about things- after all my own situation is suspect when it comes to the mm guys . I don't think they are entirely truthful either-especially some of the things them claim Elvis took part in and etc: instigated though I know he wasn't a saint-and maybe he was just "being like them" which would leave a lot to be desired in my opinion, but what do I know? Anyway, an open mind is better when it comes to many things being said, and as for Tommy Steele, I have no clue who he is even-so I will say nothing. Perhaps he was being like a lot of people have been for many years- trying to get publicity and doing it any way they can... who knows. Kind of like the "stories" that are told by some mm dudes that seem to get more risque and dirty as time goes by-do they need to do that for publicity?
Anyway, I don't care what is said about me, if I wanted publicity I'd find a better way to get it- and I don't care for it much actually. My purpose is just to get Elvis' story out there-from our point of view and what he wanted known- he said he wanted to be remembered...that's the point here. And what I've tried to do... I sure don't want publicity for myself-I hated having to do interviews etc: and the book tour-it was difficult and hard to talk about Elvis-after all, we had been sheltering and protecting his thoughts for years and then to have to go telling things.... to strangers.
Difficult. But it had to be done...so I did it. I only hope more people who want to know about him will have the means for a long while down the path of many years. Because we did tell our story, just for them. wjh