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Country Throwback: Elvis Presley Makes ‘Love Me Tender’ Movie Debut 64 Years Ago Today

“Love me tender, love me true.” A famous line from the song “Love Me Tender,” from the legendary icon Elvis Presley in his 1957 “Loving You” album.

Presley was known for his imaginatively original mix of country, pop, gospel and a whole lot of rock ‘n’ roll.

On this day, Nov. 15, back in 1956 Presley starred in the film named after the song “Love Me Tender.”

‘Love Me Tender’ Plot

“Love Me Tender” is an American Musical Western film. This was the acting debut for Presley.

He stars as Clint Reno who stays at home to take care of his mother and the family farm. Meanwhile, his older brothers are off fighting in the Civil War. When his brother allegedly dies, he becomes involved with his brother’s girl from back home.

As IMDb describes it, “a Confederate team is ordered to rob a Union payroll train but the war ends leaving these men with their Union loot, until the Feds come looking for it.”

The story follows the trials and tribulations of the Reno brothers.

This is the one film during Presley’s acting career where he did not receive top billing. However, the excitement of seeing the rock ‘n’ roll king on film was enough to boost his eventual acting career.

As the original poster for the film reads, “Mr. Rock ‘N’ Roll in the story he was born to play!”

Despite being an iconic recording artist with 18 No.1 singles, Elvis Presley just couldn’t help but fall in love with being a dramatic actor.

Presley Creates a Future in Film

Some of his initial films were more marketing techniques for his music career. It was another way to boost him as a sex symbol.

Eventually, he starred in films like “Blue Hawaii” as a pineapple entrepreneur trying to marry an island girl or “Flaming Star,” a western where he plays an American Indian.

“Even though Presley’s career was riddled with frustration and challenges, he would star in 33 movies that would coin as much as to $150 million dollars. He was nominated for two Grammy Awards, both for Best Soundtrack Album or Recording of Original Cast from a Motion Picture or TV. Presley won one Laurel Award for Male Musical Performance in ‘Tickle Me’ and was nominated for five others,” according to the Mississippi University for Women.

Tomorrow exactly 50 years ago Elvis was on stage in Oklahoma City where he performed in one of his trademark, extravagant suits. This one was white with a white macrame belt for style. Elvis’ voice boomed over the speakers his usual mantra after performing, “Elvis has left the building.”

But as Presley wrote about tomorrow, “Never wait for tomorrow, what if tomorrow never comes.”