Born in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1938, Elvis Presley is regarded by many as one of the greatest musicians of all time. According to the Guinness World Records, he is the best-selling solo music artist of all time, selling more than 500 million records. Asides from being a fantastic musician which earned him the “King of Rock and Roll” title, he was an all-round entertainer known for his exploits in the global entertainment industry. The Legendary musician also made his mark in Hollywood, as he starred in many blockbusters before his untimely death in 1977. As noteworthy as his music career is, we won’t focus on that in this article. Instead, we will look at the ten best-sellers in which the Rock and Roll Legend starred in his illustrious acting career.
10 Speedway (1968) – $2 million
Speedway is a musical action movie that sees Elvis play the role of an adventurous NASCAR race car driver. The movie was met with positive reviews when it was released as it placed at number 40 in 1968 on the Variety weekly national box office list. Unfortunately, its producers could not recoup the $3 million production cost, as box office earnings pegged around $2 million.
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9 Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) – $2.6 million
The 1962 American musical comedy film sees Elvis starr alongside Hollywood acts like Stella Stevens and Jeremy Slate. The Golden Globe-nominated movie debuted at number one at release, ending the year at the 19th position on the Variety box office chart. The movie also received multiple positive reviews as many found its production thrilling. Girls! Girls! Girls! was commercially successful and grossed $2.6 million at the box office.
8 Kissin’ Cousins (1964) – $3 million
Written by Gerald Drayson Adams and Gene Nelson, Kissing Cousins sees Elvis play two roles in the musical Panavision Metrocolor comedy film. In his role, Elvis plays Josh Morgan- an air force officer who eventually meets his lookalike and cousin, Jodie Tatum (Elvis). The 96-minute movie, distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, was commercially successful as it raked in $3 million in the box office.
7 Girl Happy (1965) – $3.25 million
Directed by Boris Sagal, the 1965 American musical romantic comedy is one of the most successful movies in Elvis’s filmography. His role as Rusty Wells sees him and his band enjoy entertaining their listeners at a Chicago club. Apart from Elvis, the movie also featured Hollywood names like Shelley Fabares, Harold Stones, and Gary Crosby. The movie was distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and grossed $3.25 million in the box office.
6 Roustabout (1964) – $3.3 million
Another Hal Wallis movie allowed Elvis to blend his acting prowess with his musical mastery. The 1964 American musical movie screenplay earned awards and a nomination for a Writers Guild of America award for the best-written musical. It was distributed by Paramount Pictures and was an instant commercial success. It grossed around $3.3 million at the domestic and international box office.
5 Jailhouse Rock (1957) – $4 million
A year after his debut role in “Love Me Tender”, Elvis starred alongside Judy Tyler and Mickey Shaughnessy in the 1957 American musical drama. The movie evolves around a convict who became a guitarist while in prison. The movie’s release received mixed reviews but that didn’t hinder its success. It grossed around $4 million at both domestic and international box office.
4 Blue Hawaii (1961) – $4.2 million
Directed by Legendary movie icon Norman Taurog, this 1961 American musical romantic comedy movie featured Elvis, Joan Blackman, and many other Hollywood icons. Hal Walls handled its production while Paramount Pictures distributed in the U.S, Canada, and globally. The mixed reviews it got from critics when it was released didn’t hinder its commercial success as it racked in $4.2 million in the box office.
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3 GI Blues (1960) – $4.3 million
Starring alongside American dancer and actress, Juliet Prowse, Elvis showcased his versatility in the Norman Taurog musical comedy film. The plot sees Elvis play the role of a U.S. Army officer, Tulsa McLean, who had a blistering musical career. The 1960 movie was runner-up in the Laurel Award for the Top Musical of that year. Distributed by Paramount Pictures, the movie raked in $4.3 million in the domestic and international box office.
2 Love Me Tender (1956) – $4.5 million
Love Me Tender is Elvis’s acting debut and one of many musical-themed movies the Legendary entertainer was starred in to showcase his talents. Its producers had to change its original title, “The Reno Brothers,” to match Elvis’s latest commercially successful single, Love Me Tender at the time. Their belief then was that it would help push the movie into the market and foster its success. Fortunately, the strategy worked as the movie raked in $4.5 million at the box office.
1 Viva Las Vegas (1964) – $9.4 million
The 1964 American musical film, directed by George Sidney featured Elvis acting alongside veteran American actress and singer Ann-Margret. It was an instant hit at the time of release, receiving positive reviews from audiences globally. The movie received multiple nominations and won awards as many dubbed it Elvis’s most successful movie of all time. It was a commercial success and it raked in a whopping $9.4 million in the box office.
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Source: The Numbers, Ultimate Movie Rankings.
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