Hollywood, CA (FISHER TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS, INC.) - Only a few months into its initial release, the acclaimed DVD of long-lost color home movies of
Elvis Presley at The Seattle World's fair in 1962 has begun to make quite a stir in national and international press, web sites and fan response. Articles about the rare one-of-a-kind color movies of
Elvis Presley have appeared in newspapers across the country including The Los Angeles Times, The Louisville Courier-Journal as well as on the USIA's Voice Of
America both on-line and on radio world-wide and on
Elvis Presley web sites in The United States, Great Britain, Italy, Australia, Japan, Russia and Poland.
On March 16th, in an internationally released review by one of the world's largest Elvis fan sites, the prestigious Elvis Information Network (EIN) , they refer to the DVD footage of Elvis behind the scenes as being of '... important historical significance' and calls it '... an absorbing documentary account of not only Elvis, but the Seattle World's Fair itself.'
Elvis fans and web sites around the world have called this new DVD edition: '...brilliant ... a terrific piece of nostalgia ... impressive and awesome ... a really great DVD.' Other comments have included: ' ... I'm gonna' watch it again and again... a lot of time and effort was put into this and it really shows ...'.
'Elvis Presley At The Seattle World's Fair' is the brainchild of Emmy winning Hollywood television producer Albert Fisher who, back in 1962, was TV and Movie coordinator for the World's Fair in Seattle, Washington. At the time, part of his job was to handle all of the logistical needs for Elvis and the MGM motion picture crew while they shot on location at The World's Fair. As a result, Fisher had full behind-the-scenes access to every aspect of Elvis Presley's entourage, friends, co-stars and activities. While doing his job, Fisher also had the foresight to shoot color 8 millimeter home movies of the production as well as still photographs. He also served as Technical Advisor on the film (a screen credit which Elvis's manager, Colonel Tom Parker eventually took for himself).
Once Fisher's work was done on the feature film, he put the original footage and photographs in a safety deposit box and basically forgot about it until just a few months ago when he ran across the long-lost (and now historically significant) rare films of Elvis in action. Albert Fisher then had the films professionally transferred to the finest quality digital tape and edited them along with other footage from the production, still photographs and his personal on-camera reminisces about his time in the company of 'The King' to create this DVD.
Fisher's rare footage captures not only Elvis Presley at his prime in 1962 but also Elvis's notorious 'Memphis Mafia' entourage as well as other cast members including co-stars Joan O'Brien, Vicky Tiu and a first-film appearance by a 10 year old kid actor named Kurt Russell.
In addition, the commemorative DVD release (available through www.fairvideo.com) shows scenes of other celebrities and notables at The Seattle World's Fair including Richard Nixon, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Britain's Prince Philip, astronaut John Glenn, French star Maurice Chevalier and others.
The entire DVD review by The Elvis Information Network can be seen at: https://www.elvisinfonet.com/dvdreview_behindscenes_fair.html
The Voice Of America print article and audio report can be seen and heard at: www.voanews.com/english/archive/2006-01/2006-01-24-voa52.cfm?CFID=38131977&CFTOKEN=91962563
For Albert Fisher, a highly acclaimed and award-winning producer of network and cable programs for the past 40 years, this new recognition as a former colleague of Elvis Presley has had its rewards. Fisher noted: 'When I was just a young man working at The Seattle World's Fair in 1962, I never dreamed that the films I was shooting would have such significance one day in the future. World's Fairs are all about the future and now, my small moment with Elvis has become part of that future, and has brought back memories and, hopefully, some joy to the legions of Elvis Presley fans who never had a chance to know him personally as I did.'
'Elvis Presley At The Seattle World's Fair' is being released in two versions. One is a deluxe limited edition which comes with a signed and numbered DVD and Certificate of Authenticity as well as four never-before-seen color photographs personally shot by Fisher of Elvis Presley and his co-stars on location in Seattle in the summer of 1962. The limited edition version sells for $44.80 which includes shipping to anywhere in the world. A standard DVD of the project is also available for $29.95. Both versions can be ordered through the Elvis At The Seattle World's Fair web site: www.fairvideo.com.
In addition, Fisher has just inaugurated the official web site devoted to the classic radio and television series which was the precursor to TV's immensely popular 'American Idol.' The show was called: 'The Original Amateur Hour' and on TV was hosted by Ted Mack and on radio by Major Edward Bowes. A 2-set DVD is available which includes the first-ever performances by young stars of the future who were 'discovered' on 'The Original Amateur Hour.' Some of these include Frank Sinatra, Gladys Knight, Pat Boone, Robert Klein, Penny Marshall, Nick Carter of The Backstreet Boys, Raul Julia, Ann-Margret and many others. The web site offers clips of these appearances, photographs, memorabilia, bios and history and can be accessed at: www.originalamateurhour.com.
For further information contact: Fisher Television Productions, Inc., 269 South Wilton Place, Los Angeles, CA 90004. Telephone: (323) 692-0991, fax: (323) 692-0981
