Elvis Presley Turned Down Starring in ‘A Star Is Born’ Alongside Barbra Streisand: Who’s to Blame?
When Barbra Streisand and Jon Peters were interested in remaking A Star is Born in 1974, their first choice for John Howard Norman was Elvis Presley. Reportedly, the King of Rock and Roll was very interested in the role, but someone else held the key to Presley’s participation in the project. Who’s to blame for?
Elvis Presley was ‘hooked’ on the idea of remaking ‘A Star Is Born’
Barbra Streisand and Jon Peters met with Elvis Presley to discuss the project in early 1974. At the time, Presley was performing at Las Vegas’ Caesars Palace.
Presley hadn’t made a film since 1969’s Change of Habit. However, he was reportedly looking to return to the movie industry and wanted to be taken seriously as an actor. Therefore, the meaty role of a fading rock star greatly appealed to him.
Presley pal Joe Esposito wrote in his book Good Rockin’ Tonight that he and Jerry Schilling joined Presley during the infamous meeting with Streisand and Peters. “He was hooked,” Esposito wrote. But he told the couple he needed to talk to his manager, Colonel Tom Parker.
“But to the guys, he was more enthusiastic. ‘I’m gonna do it!’ he vowed,” Esposito wrote.
Ultimately, Colonel Tom Parker shut down the project
Per Ultimate Classic Rock, Colonel Tom Parker wasn’t interested in allowing Elvis Presley to get his creative juices flowing again as an actor. Ultimately, it was all about money and how Colonel Tom Parker wanted his client to be paid.
Warner Bros. and Streisand initially offered the King of Rock and Roll a $500,000 salary and 10 percent of the film’s net profits. For good measure, Presley would be able to retain any money generated from concerts filmed for the finished picture. However, Warner Bros. and Streisand would own the rights to any music and a soundtrack album.
Parker wanted a different estimate. Instead, he asked for double the salary, a total of $1 million, 50 percent of the film’s profits, a large expense account, money generated from the soundtrack, and approval for any songs Presley appeared on. Oh, and Presley’s name had to be above Streisand’s.
The original script for ‘A Star is Born’ is in Graceland’s archives
The proposed contract for Elvis Presley’s participation in A Star is Born remains in the Graceland archives. A video features Angie Marchese, the VP of Archives and Exhibits at Graceland, and some of the paperwork surrounding the proposed Elvis Presley vehicle.
“This is the proposed Presley and Streisand film,” Marchese says in the video above. It’s a contract for Rainbow Road, formerly A Star is Born. Isn’t that interesting?”
“These are the contracts for Elvis to star with Barbra Streisand in the movie. It goes through all the details of,” she continues.
“Obviously, it never happened. Kris Kristofferson starred in the film,” Marchese concluded.
A Star is Born opened on Dec. 17, 1976. It would gross $80 million in North America, making it the second-highest-grossing film that year. Subsequently, the film’s love song, “Evergreen,” would win big at the 49th Academy Awards ceremony for Best Song.
