The world loved Elvis, but did Elvis ever find love?

Elvis Presley was idolized by millions of women the world over and yet was never able to have a meaningful, long-term relationship. He dated prolifically, he married, and throughout his life women relentlessly threw themselves at him. Elvis in Love gives you a rare opportunity to meet the women lucky enough to get close to the man.

In the early years in Tupelo and Memphis, Elvis found he could have any girl he wanted and a life of revolving girlfriends began. Some, like early teen girlfriend Magdelene Morgan carried a torch for Elvis for the rest of her life. While high school sweetheart Barbara Hearn, the most famous girlfriend in the world, enjoyed her time with Elvis, she knew in her heart it would never last. When it came to Elvis and love, the pattern was set.

The 1960’s were a treadmill of women, fun and films. Elvis had the reputation of being a sexual god but he withdrew from adult relationships and instead craved the company of younger fans who he could easily impress. One of those was Sandie Stevens a worldly 13-year old who became part of Elvis’ inner circle. It was later in the 60’s that Elvis faced the single greatest crossroads in his personal life: to keep his vow to marry the younger Pricilla Beaulieu or to continue his romance with Ann Margaret, a star studded female version of himself.

Elvis in Love is a world premiere and features a first time television interview with Sandie Kaye Stevens, who was Elvis’s 13-year old companion in Los Angeles. Memphis girlfriends Barbara Hearn Smith and Magdelene Morgan share their stories, as does Shirley Dieu who was the 20-year old girlfriend of Elvis’ road manager Joe Esposito.

The experts interviewed include Alanna Nash and Roy Turner.

Probably one of the most well-known Elvis researchers in the world, Alanna Nash, is the author of “Baby Lets Play House” which is considered the most detailed of any book ever written about the women in Elvis’ lives. She is an award-winning music feature writer who has written for Vanity Fair and The New York Times.

Roy Turner lives in Tupelo Mississippi and is considered the foremost expert on Elvis’s early years. He has made two films on Elvis, consulted on many documentaries, and currently starting a third film and Elvis and the Blues of Tupelo. He has worked with the Elvis Birthplace Trust, he is a member of the Tupelo Tourist/Film Commission who run the Tupelo Film Festival and Tupelo Elvis Festival, and has been an official guest at Elvis Presley Enterprises events talking about his work.

From the filmmakers that brought you The Church of Elvis, Elvis in Love is directed Scott Dobson and produced by Summerhill Television for VisionTV.

The Church of Elvis begins airing Wednesdays at 10pm ET / 7pm PT next week!

The Church of Elvis walks the footpath of Elvis’s life, retracing how faith influenced the man and his music; and how, in turn, he inspired near religious adulation amongst his fans. Elvis is probably the only pop icon who has blurred the boundaries between the secular and sacred, complete with missionaries (tribute artists), sacred texts (records and films), disciples (fans), relics (the scarves, clips of hair), pilgrimages (Tupelo, Graceland), shrines (his gravesite), and all the appearances of a resurrection (with reported Elvis sightings).

Guiding the way is tribute artist, Ron Moore, a man of faith himself, and a recording artist who many consider to have to closest voice today to Presley. Ron, along with his wife, Lois, heads down into the heart of Elvis country to uncover rare stories and unseen items with people who knew the King first hand; perform in Elvis’s old haunts; and meet the super-fans who have dedicated their lives to enshrining their idol.

The Church of Elvis Part One: Let There be Elvis 1935 – 1953

Wednesday, January 18 at 10pm ET / 7pm PT

Elvis Tribute Artist Ron Moore travels to Tupelo where it all started. From Elvis’s first appeal to the general public at a local singing competition to his first recording at Sun Records.

The Church of Elvis Part Two: Spreading the Gospel 1954 – 1966

Wednesday, January 25 at 10pm ET / 7pm PT

With the guidance of Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis began to play the southern circuit and eventually signed with RCA. He was denounced in a sermon entitled, “Hotrods, Reefers, and Rock and Roll” and it made him wary of the old guard of his faith. When Elvis’s mother passed away he started exploring other religious beliefs, while still adhering to his Pentecostal roots. While in Hollywood Elvis met Larry Geller who soon became Elvis’s spiritual advisor, helping him explore numerology, cosmology, metaphysics, and Judaism.

The Church of Elvis Part Three: Roots of a New Religion 1967 – Present Day

Wednesday, February 1 at 10pm ET / 7pm PT

What makes the Elvis movement so unique is the level of dedication of his fans. Rockin’ Robin is purported to have the largest private Elvis memorabilia collection in the world. Billy Miller believes Elvis is still alive and Patrick Leahey, on the other hand, has spent time debunking these claims. Though Elvis explored the mystical, he returned to his traditional religious roots in his mid thirties. In 1971 Elvis released “He Touched Me” which won him a second and final Grammy. He stayed close to his gospel roots till the day he died.

WHERE TO FIND VISIONTV:
Rogers 60 (GTA)

Rogers 237 (Digital)
BellTV 261

Shaw Direct 394/72
or check your local listings