Trude Forsher, Elvis & The Colonel
In 1956, Trude Forsher, a 36-year-old refugee from Nazi-occupied Austria, was leading a quiet life in conservative Westwood, California, with her husband and two sons. Life changed quickly for the Forsher family when Trude put aside her career as a freelance writer/stay-at-home mother and went to work for Elvis Presley and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, as their personal secretary.
'She totally fell in love with the glamour and the life,' said her son, filmmaker and broadcasting Professor Jim Forsher. 'The next thing I knew, my mother was not at home, she was working all the time, Dad was not handling it well, the neighbors thought we were weird.'
When his mother passed away in 2000, Forsher inherited her collection of Elvis memorabilia. Last year, he began unsealing the cartons...box after box after box full of Elvis and Colonel Parker mementoes, all meticulously preserved, including a 45rpm record of 'Love Me Tender' signed to Trude by Elvis and his cousin; original studio publicity notes from 'King Creole' (along with Elvis biography); invitations to Elvis movie screenings; movie production call sheets; a 1957 Christmas card sent to Trude by Elvis from his new home, Graceland; Colonel Parker's signature string necktie; dictation notebooks; LP albums right out of Elvis' movie studio dressing room; cards; letters; the key to Elvis' dressing room and much more.
Personal Note from Elvis Presley to 'Admiral' Tom Parker
This note from Elvis to his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, is rare and unique for a couple of reasons. It was handwritten and signed by Elvis in 1956 during the filming of his first film, 'Love Me Tender,' at Twentieth Century-Fox Studios. Elvis addresses his manager as 'Admiral,' his private, behind-the-scenes nickname for Col. Parker, instructing him to give the bearer 15 pictures. It was uncommon for Elvis to issue orders to Col. Parker, at least not publicly. An extremely rare written example of Elvis taking the reins, ever so briefly.
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The Love Me Tender Years Diary
By Trude Forsher (deceased) James Forsher (editor - son)
Paperback: 194 pages
Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (August 21, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN: 1419634704