Los Angeles, CA (FISHER TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS, INC) - The images are almost surreal. Here is 'The King' ...
Elvis Presley ... being peddled on a 3-wheeled bicycle by a beautiful blonde at the base of Seattle's Space Needle. And Elvis with a 10-year-old kid actor named Kurt Russell whose sole mission is to kick Elvis in the knee. Then there is Presley presenting a ham to the Governor of Washington State.
These are just a few of the home movie scenes that have recently been uncovered and released by the man who was Technical Advisor on the 1962 Elvis Presley MGM motion picture: 'It Happened At The World's Fair.' Emmy winning television producer/director Albert Fisher was just 21-years-old when he worked in the TV and movie department at The Seattle World's Fair. One of his jobs was to help coordinate the location shooting of the movie starring Elvis Presley, Joan O'Brien, Ginny Tiu and Gary Lockwood. When the fair ended its run, Fisher was asked by Presley's team to serve as the film's Technical Advisor on location and in Hollywood.
Throughout the weeks of shooting in Seattle, Albert Fisher not only had direct access to the stars and crew, but he carried with him an 8 mm home movie camera and a still camera. The footage and photographs he captured during the summer of 1962 have been hidden away in a safety deposit box until now. They have never before been seen publicly.
These rare one-of-a-kind glimpses of the behind-the-scenes making of a Elvis Presley motion picture have been professionally edited and compiled along with still photographs and recollections by Fisher into a commemorative DVD that salutes the power and presence of Elvis Presley and the establishment of Seattle, Washington as a major world destination thanks to their World's Fair in 1962.
'My time at The Seattle World's Fair and particularly with Elvis Presley has always remained dear to my heart,' says Fisher, who went on to become associated with major broadcast and cable networks and television syndicators as a national Emmy winning Producer and Director. Fisher goes on to note: 'I have held onto these personal memories of my brief time spent with Elvis and thought that the time was right to share them with the many fans who continue to celebrate the legacy of Presley's amazing talent and contributions to the entertainment industry.'
The DVD is being offered through a special web site: www.fairvideo.com. It is available as a limited edition signed and numbered DVD which comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and four never-before-seen color photographs of Presley at The Seattle World's Fair. The Commemorative Special Edition DVD is available for $44.80 which includes shopping to anywhere in the world. A standard release DVD is also available through the web site for $29.95, shipping included.
The 28 minute DVD includes color home movies of Elvis at the Fair as well as a video montage of both color and black and white still photographs from the production. In addition, Fisher has added a short salute to some of the celebrity Fair visitors who he captured on his home movie camera. These include Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, news commentator Edward R. Murrow, French actor/singer Maurice Chevalier, Britain's Prince Phillip, astronaut John Glenn just returned from his historic first trip into space and clips of the first Telstar satellite transmission ever done from the United States to Europe, parts of which emanated from The Seattle World's Fair.
Seen on the DVD with Elvis Presley are actress and co-star Joan O'Brien (with whom Presley was rumored to be having a torrid relationship), child actress Ginny Tiu and, in his first movie appearance ever, a non-credited 10 year old Kurt Russell. The DVD also shows many sequences with Elvis and his notorious manager Colonel Tom Parker as well as Presley's entourage known as 'The Memphis Mafia.' Crew members featured include Academy Award winners Norman Taurog (director), Joseph Ruttenberg (cinematographer), Preston Ames (art director), and Otto Lang (2nd unit director). There is even a sequence in which Elvis Presley is presenting a smoked and cured ham from his Tennessee farm to the then Governor of Washington State, Albert Rosselini.
On the DVD Producer/Director Albert Fisher reminisces on-camera about the making of the movie and also how, when the film was finally released, Presley's manager Col. Tom Parker 'stole' Fisher's credit as Technical Advisor.
'Elvis Presley at The Seattle World's Fair' is the first of a series of DVD's to be release by Fisher Television Productions highlighting events, stars and celebrities at both the Seattle World's Fair in 1962 and The New York World's Fair in 1964. Future videos will also be available soon on the web site: www.fairvideo.com.
For information, contact Albert Fisher, c/o Fisher Television Productions, Inc., 269 South Wilton Place, Los Angeles, CA 90004. t. 323.692.0991, f. 323.692.0981.
