Categories: Stories

Elvis’ Mystery Blonde In Iconic 1950s Photograph “The Kiss” Identified

What comes to mind when you think “Elvis Presley“? For most of us it’s that voice, or maybe those hips, or possibly even one of those rhinestoned jumpsuits. Whichever element we know and love best, it’s likely one that has to do with The King’s incredible performing abilities, and the one we think of first probably has a lot to do with how old we were when we first learned there was such a person in the musical world. For those who were around when the “Tupelo tornado” burst into a brand new level of stardom in 1956, their memories might be of his appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show— or they might be of one particularly scandalous photo.

Are you familiar with it? Take another look at “The Kiss” and tell us if it rings any bells:

ADVERTISEMENT
Alfred Wertheimer

This photo sent out shock waves when it was originally released to the public. Not only did it feature the then twenty-one-year-old Elvis in all his youthful attractiveness, it showed him with a young woman in a pretty intimate pose. The picture didn’t just make an impact on other young ladies dreaming of their own dates with “Elvis the pelvis” – a nickname he reportedly hated, by the way – but on a culture that was used to more discrete, closed-mouth kissing, and more conservative behavior in general. Elvis’ clearly visible tongue caused a bit of a small scandal! Today, it stands as a playful, still-pretty-PG moment, capturing the icon right at the start of his career and right before a concert at the Mosque Theater in Richmond, Virginia, days before his first big appearance on The Steve Allen Show. But it takes two to tango and to, well, kiss, so who’s the woman in the picture? For years, her name was lost to history, but after all this time, the lady in question has stepped forward.

ADVERTISEMENT

Meet Barbara Gray!

TipHero

1 of 2 Next

Show comments
Share
Published by

Recent Posts

test

test

4 years ago

‘The Little Rascals’: The ‘Our Gang Curse’ That May Have Haunted the Cast Throughout the Years

Hollywood “curses” are a strange thing as people tend to look at the collective deaths…

4 years ago

Florida Man Pays Utility Bills For Over 100 Families For Second Christmas In A Row

74-year-old Michael Esmond is putting on the Santa Claus gear this year once again as…

4 years ago

Orlando PD Donates Christmas Gifts To More Than 200 Kids In Need

Police officers from Orlando, FL donated and delivered Christmas gifts to more than 200 kids…

4 years ago

The 1965 Kecksburg Incident: What Fell Over Pennsylvania?

On December 9, 1965, a blue-tinged fireball streaked across the sky over Kecksburg, Pennsylvania. However,…

4 years ago

Why The Pandemic Helped Bring Back Sunday Family Dinners

Over years, less emphasis ended up placed on traditional Sunday family dinners. In those times,…

4 years ago