King Creole
King Creole is a 1958 Elvis Presley film and soundtrack based on the 1952 Harold Robbins novel, A Stone for Danny Fisher. It tells the story of a young, tough musician making his way in New Orleans.
It was adapted for the screen by Herbert Baker and directed by Michael Curtiz, famous for Casablanca. It was the fourth of Presley's films. Most critics call King Creole his best film and best performance.
Because the more serious and gritty film strayed from the pretty scenery/pretty girls plotless formula that the legions of Presley fans wanted, it was less than a smash at the box office.
The film also featured some of Presley's hardest rocking film song performances, including the title song, "Hard-Headed Woman". and "Trouble", a performance that alluded to Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley, all by the songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Presley used "Trouble" in his tremendously successful December 3, 1968 television comeback special. "Hard Headed Woman" was the soundtrack's biggest hit, going to No. 1 on Billboard magazine pop chart.
Cast
- Elvis Presley - Danny Fisher
- Carolyn Jones - Ronnie
- Walter Matthau - Maxie Fields
- Dolores Hart - Nellie
- Dean Jagger - Mr. Fisher
- Liliane Montevecchi - Forty Nina
- Vic Morrow - Shark
- Paul Stewart - Charlie LeGrand
- Jan Shepard - Mimi Fisher
Songs
- "King Creole"
- "As Long As I Have You"
- "Hard-Headed Woman"
- "Trouble"
- "Dixieland Rock"
- "Don't Ask Me Why"
- "Lover Doll"
- "Crawfish"
- "Young Dreams"
- "Steadfast, Loyal And True"
- "New Orleans"
The soundtrack was recorded during January and February of 1958 at Radio Recorders and Paramount Studios Scoring Stage in Hollywood, California.
Elvis Presley (vocals, guitar); Scotty Moore, Tiny Timbrell (guitar); Mahlon Clark (clarinet); Justin Gordon (saxophone); John Ed Buckner (trumpet); Elmer Schneider, Warren D. Smith (trombone); Dudley Brooks (piano); Ray Siegel (bass, tuba); Bill Black, Neal Matthews (bass); D.J. Fontana, Bernie Mattinson (drums); Gordon Stoker (bongos); Hoyt Hawkins (cymbals); Kitty White, The Jordanaires (background vocals).
Film production credits
- Studio: Paramount Pictures
- Executive Producer: Hal B. Wallis
- Directed by: Michael Curtiz
- Assistant Director: Michael D. Moore
- Original story: Harold Robbins
- Screenplay adaption: Herbert Baker, Michael V. Gazzo
- Cinematography : Russell Harlan
- Original songs : Roy C. Bennett, Walter Scharf, Lieber and Stoller, Sid Tepper, Fred Wise