King Creole

King Creole

King Creole is a 1958 American musical drama film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Elvis Presley, Carolyn Jones, and Walter Matthau. Produced by Hal B. Wallis and based on the 1952 novel A Stone for Danny Fisher by Harold Robbins, the film is about a nineteen-year-old who gets mixed up with crooks and involved with two women. Presley later indicated that of all the characters he portrayed throughout his acting career, the role of Danny Fisher in King Creole was his favorite. To make the film, Presley was granted a 60-day deferment from January to March 1958 for beginning his military service. Location shooting in New Orleans was delayed several times by crowds of fans attracted by the stars, particularly Presley. The film was released by Paramount Pictures on July 2, 1958, to both critical and commercial success. The critics were unanimous in their praise of Presley's performance. King Creole peaked at number five on the Variety box office earnings charts. The soundtrack song "Hard Headed Woman" reached number one on the Billboard pop singles chart, number two on the R&B chart, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), while the soundtrack album peaked at number two on the Billboard album chart.

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