Lost Elvis Presley Photos
Lost Elvis Presley Photos: Presley Collectibles are proud to announce we are working with Aaron LaPedis – The Garage Sale Millionaire – and Vintage King Pictures to bring to you the Elvis Presley “Making History” box sets. These super limited edition fine art portfolios contain rare photos from the 1956 Ed Sullivan Show. These are new Elvis photos that have surfaced after 51 years in a garage — a truly rare find!
These rare fine art portfolios are available to you with a double discount. They are currently at a pre-publication price but you need to act quickly – the regular price will be applied from April 30 2024. Not only that, we have negotiated a 10% discount for our members and customers.
To read more about the box sets and photos please head to ELVIS PHOTOS. To get the exclusive Presley Collectibles 10% discount simply use the code PRESLEYCOLLECTIBLES10
The Story
October 28, 1956: America braces as Elvis Presley, a burgeoning musical storm, takes centre stage on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” This isn’t just any appearance; it’s his first in-studio encounter with the legendary host, Ed Sullivan, and the tension crackles in the air. Cameras capture the electrifying performance, but behind the scenes, a young photographer named Richard Weede discreetly snaps photos, unknowingly capturing a pivotal moment in rock & roll history.
A Clash of Titans: Elvis vs. Sullivan
Sullivan, revered for his family-oriented show, harbours reservations about Elvis’ hip-shaking stage presence. Despite assurances, Elvis lets loose, his signature moves igniting a firestorm of controversy. Viewers are shocked, Sullivan is less than thrilled, and a cultural clash unfolds before our eyes.
Through the Lens: A Photographer’s Unexpected Encounter
Weede, not an Elvis fan at the time, is backstage with his father, a famed opera singer. He takes photos with available light, unaware of their significance. These candid shots capture Elvis’ raw energy, Sullivan’s disapproving stance, and offer a unique perspective on censorship in America’s evolving cultural landscape.
Lost in Time: A Garage Holds a Hidden Treasure
Little impressed by his subject, Weede prints just a few photos, tucking them away in his garage among countless others. For over 51 years, these images lie dormant, their potential unseen. A chance conversation sparks their rediscovery, igniting a journey to share this hidden treasure with the world.
From Dust to Diamonds: Unearthing a Legacy
Weede’s son, discussing music with a friend, mentions his father’s Elvis photos. The friend, an Elvis enthusiast, recognizes their historical value. The original envelope yields only five prints, prompting a search for the missing photos and negatives. It’s a race against time, as disaster looms.
Flames of Fury: A Race Against Time
California wildfires erupt, threatening Weede’s home. Amidst the chaos, they evacuate, grabbing essentials. But Weede, driven by a sense of preservation, makes a last-ditch effort, miraculously finding the photos at the bottom of a box before escaping the inferno. He later reflects, “We had a home to come back to. And we found Elvis. Some things were just meant to be.”
The Photos Emerge: A Glimpse into History
After the fire subsides, Weede’s son digitizes the photos, ensuring their preservation and allowing the world to finally witness these remarkable images. They capture more than just Elvis’ performance; they showcase Sullivan’s struggle with the changing cultural landscape, the raw power of music, and the impact of censorship.
Beyond the Images: A Legacy Unfolds
These photos are more than just historical artifacts; they offer a window into the soul of a cultural revolution. We see Elvis, raw and unfiltered, defying expectations and igniting a passion that would forever change music. We see Sullivan, grappling with a new era, struggling to maintain the status quo. And we witness the power of music to transcend generations and ignite social change.
Elvis: A Legacy that Lives On
Elvis Presley’s impact on music and culture is undeniable. These rediscovered photos offer a unique window into his early career, reminding us of his electrifying energy and the cultural shift he ignited. They serve as a testament to his enduring legacy, proving that some moments, captured on film or etched in memory, can forever alter the course of history.
This is not just the story of lost photos; it’s a story of cultural clashes, personal journeys, and the enduring power of music. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most valuable treasures are hidden in plain sight, waiting to be rediscovered and shared with the world.
About Presley Collectibles
Presley Collectibles are the premier destination for genuine autographs, memorabilia and collectibles from the world of music, movies and TV. Our extensive collection features rare and authentic items that aren’t available anywhere else – perfect for collectors, enthusiasts and fans alike. We ship worldwide and provide a range of hand-signed LPs, CDs, DVDs, books, promo photos, guitars and drum heads from your favourite artists.
You can read more here: ABOUT US
About Aaron LaPedis
“The Garage Sale Millionaire” Aaron LaPedis is an award-winning author, collector, radio host, and philanthropist based in Denver, Colorado. Aaron is considered one of the world’s great collectors and treasure hunters, and is often called upon by the FBI because of his expertise in various fields. The second edition of his award-winning book, The Garage Sale Millionaire, was recently released in a revised, hardcover edition published by Wiley. The revised and updated 3rd edition is coming soon!
You can read more here: ABOUT US
The exclusive 10% discount
These fine art portfolios come complete with cotton gloves and Vintage King Pictures certificate of authenticity. To read more about the box sets and photos please head to ELVIS PHOTOS. To get the exclusive Presley Collectibles 10% discount simply use the code PRESLEYCOLLECTIBLES10
To read more about the box sets and photos please head to ELVIS PHOTOS. To get the exclusive Presley Collectibles 10% discount simply use the code PRESLEYCOLLECTIBLES10
From the publisher:
NEW ELVIS PHOTOS SURFACE AFTER 51 YEARS IN GARAGE
DATELINE: OCTOBER 28, 1956: UP AND COMING MUSIC IDOL ELVIS PRESLEY APPEARS LIVE ON THE CBS HIT VARIETY PROGRAM “THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW.”
This is Elvis’s second appearance on “Sullivan” — but his first in-studio appearance with Ed Sullivan hosting. On set that day was 22-year-old professional photographer Richard Weede. His father, famed opera baritone and musical theatre star Robert Weede, was to appear along with the cast of the Broadway hit “The Most Happy Fella” on the show that night. The younger Weede obtained permission from CBS brass to be on premises and to photograph all the performers during daylong rehearsals prior to the live airing that night.
Sullivan had been reluctant to invite young Elvis to appear on his show known for its wholesome family-oriented content. Well aware of Presley’s hip shaking shenanigans in past performances, the CBS censors as well as Sullivan pleaded with Elvis, in the name of decency, to tone down his act for the live airing that evening.
Despite assurances to the contrary, when show time arrived, this original rock rebel sang up a storm as he loosed his pelvis on the millions of shocked viewers across America. By all reports, Sullivan was less than amused.
In fact, during Presley’s third and final appearance on Ed’s show in January 1957, the cameramen were given strict instructions to shoot Elvis only from the waist up. Ed would take no chances on more hijinks from the irreverent young megastar.
“I spent most of the day backstage with Elvis,” Weede recounts, “and snapped these photos with available light and a hand-held camera. Little did I realize at the time I was capturing a truly unique moment in rock and roll history involving arguably the most famous music icon of his or any other generation.
FAST FORWARD: PRESENT DAY
So, what became of these historic photographs?
For a very long time, precious little Richard Weede, by his own admission, when the photographs were created was not a huge fan of Elvis.
“I had been raised in and around the world of musical theatre and opera. It was not unusual for me to come home from school and find my father giving singing lessons to the likes of Mario Lanza. I didn’t even really know who Elvis was at the time and I certainly had no great affection for songs such as ‘Hound Dog.’
“If I had known then what I know now, who Elvis Presley was about to become, obviously I would have shot roll after roll of the young star. It is amazing to me the photos I did manage to create are now being regarded as a pictorial essay of a seminal moment in rock and roll history as well as a commentary on censorship in America at that time.
“A picture can be worth a thousand words.”
“The series of shots where Ed has his back to the camera and is leaning toward Elvis obviously lecturing him — and the expression on Elvis’s face — proves once again that a picture can be worth a thousand words.”
At the time, however, Weede was so little impressed with his subject that he printed just a few of the negatives, stashed what prints he did develop and the negatives in separate boxes, then deposited those boxes among countless others which accumulated over 50 years of work. In his garage where they languished unseen and unpublished for 51 years!
February, 2007
Then one evening in early February, 2007, Richard Weede’s son and a friend, both musicians themselves, were engaged in a discussion about bands and performers they had liked over the years. The friend casually mentioned that his 11-year-old daughter was a huge Elvis fan and how the King had managed to transcend generations with his enormous talent and charisma. Weede’s son replied that his father had taken some photographs of Elvis during one of his appearances on the Ed Sullivan show and that he believed they were lying around somewhere.
Intrigued to say the least, the friend asked if he might view the photos. Weede’s son rummaged through a stack of clutter on his kitchen table and soon produced a somewhat tattered manila envelope. When his friend examined the contents of the package his eyes nearly popped out of his head. In his hands was a treasure trove of rock legend in the making. Anybody who ever knew anything about Elvis had heard of the Sullivan shows and how they had defined Presley as the original, quintessential, bad boy rockabilly rebel. One of the most significant events in Elvis’s meteoric rise to superstardom had been documented indelibly in gorgeous black and white images. Now they can finally be shared with his millions of fans all over the world.
POSTSCRIPT:
The original envelope mentioned above contained only five developed photos. After convincing Richard Weede the photos he had created were truly remarkable, not to mention truly valuable, he was persuaded to embark on a search for those pictures still missing. These included the original negatives. Over a period of several months more and more photos were recovered from the boxed archives in his garage, but still no negatives.
Then in late October, 2007, disaster struck.
The worst wildfires in California history raged out of control, and Weede’s home in Escondido was at the epicentre of the inferno. Hundreds of thousands of acres and several thousand homes were reduced to ashen wasteland. More than 1.5 million Southern California residents were forced to vacate their homes under mandatory evacuation notices. Richard and his wife Peggy were among those forced to flee.
On October 21 at approximately 11:30 that night, they received a phone call telling them they had an hour to get out. As the flames, fanned by fierce Santa Ana winds, swiftly crept up the hill behind their home, the couple first transported their two horses to safety. They then packed a few scant belongings into their car and prepared to leave. In spite of the encroaching danger, Weede convinced his wife they should make one last ditch effort to locate the missing negatives.
Miraculously, they found the photos at the bottom of the last box they had time to search before beating a hasty retreat.
A little more than a week later the worst of the fires were at last contained. They were allowed back up the hill to their home site to survey the damage. Nearly every home in the neighbourhood had burned to the ground, as had their horse barn and tool shed. Their house, though suffering extensive smoke and water damage, remained standing.
“We had a home to come back to,” said Weede later. “And we found Elvis. Some things were just meant to be.”
To read more about the box sets and photos please head to ELVIS PHOTOS. To get the exclusive Presley Collectibles 10% discount simply use the code PRESLEYCOLLECTIBLES10
Lost Elvis Presley Photos