He was a 1953 graduate of Humes High School, in Memphis, Tennessee.
He was a born again Christian who loved to sing gospel music.
He was a distant cousin of former US President Jimmy Carter. Carter was in office from January 1977 to January 1981. When Elvis died on Tuesday, August 16, 1977, Carter said the next day, "Elvis Presley's death deprived our country of a part of itself. He was unique and irreplaceable".
He was a fervent admirer of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and had hoped to meet him in 1966, but the meeting never occurred. Many observers believed that was because his manager, Tom Parker, didn't want to alienate Elvis' fans in the South, many of whom saw King as an "outside agitator" because of his civil-rights work among Southern blacks.
He was allegedly offered roles in The Rainmaker (1956), The Defiant Ones (1958), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), West Side Story (1961), Sweet Bird of Youth (1962), The Fastest Guitar Alive (1967), Midnight Cowboy (1969), True Grit (1969), Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), A Star Is Born (1976) and Grease (1978).
He was an avid collector of guns and badges.
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6777 Hollywood Boulevard for Recording in Hollywood, California.
He was considered for Ricky Nelson's role in Rio Bravo (1959) starring John Wayne and Dean Martin. However, by the time filming began in May 1958 Presley was stationed with the US army in Germany.
He was discovered by Sun Records owner Sam Phillips.
He was drafted into the US Army in 1958, stationed in West Germany and discharged in 1960, achieving the rank of Private First Class. His being the army was a public relations headache, according to army documents released by the Pentagon on Thursday, June 9, 2005. "Elvis Presley will not be released in a manner different from any other inductee serving overseas," the Army's adjutant general wrote to citizens who complained following reports that the rock icon would get an early "good behavior" discharge. When he entered the army at Memphis, Tennessee, on March 24, 1958, there was a public outcry from his fans, and protests flowed to Washington, including a hand-written plea released by the National Archives and Records Administration. "Dear Mamie," one correspondent wrote to then First Lady Mamie Eisenhower. "Will you please, please be so sweet and kind as to ask Ike [President Dwight D. Eisenhower] to please bring Elvis Presley back to us from the Army? We need him in our entertainment world to make us all laugh." A 1959 Army memo set out the Presley problem: "When Private First Class Presley was first inducted, there was considerable adverse public reaction . . . alleging that he would receive preferential treatment
He was mentioned in Walter Kirn's novel, "Thumbsucker".
He was offered a role in the animation film, Gay Purr-ee (1962), but disliked the roles of off-screen voice acting.
He was on the school boxing team while attending Humes High School in Memphis, TN.
He was planning his first ever European tour in 1978.
He was portrayed by Jason Alan Smith in Crazy (2008/II).
He was portrayed by Peter Dobson in Forrest Gump (1994).
He was seriously considered for the role of the Texas Ranger in True Grit (1969) starring John Wayne. Unfortunately, Tom Parker's demand that Presley receive top billing could not be met, so the part went to Glen Campbell instead.
He was temporarily a Shelby County (Tennessee) deputy sheriff.
He was the #1 touring act in America for 1977; the year he died. This, despite the fact that he was well below par and only toured until July, is quite an achievement.
He was voted the 3rd Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artist of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.