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Elvis Presley (1935 - 1977) was an iconic rock and roll singer, often nicknamed "The King." Elvis' trademarks included his ensemble of jump-suits and capes, his thrusting body movements, and his voice, with a unique, varying center of gravity. He popularized such songs as "Heartbreak Hotel," "Return to Sender," and "Hound Dog," and parlayed his musical popularity into starring roles in several frothy musical films. With Elvis' death, his image and personality entered pop culture in a myriad of ways, from continued rumors of his survival or possible abduction by aliens, to depictions of his likeness on velvet paintings.
References
Huxley's velvet Elvis in Elmo in Grouchland
- The most extensive referencing of Presley has occurred through the Elvises. In particular, their Muppets Tonight sketch "Great Moments in Elvis History" involved frequent allusions to many aspects of the Elvis legacy. This included riffs on various songs and casual mentions of karate (a motif in Elvis' films), "The King" moniker, his eating habits (barbecue and jelly donuts), his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, and his Graceland estate, amongst others.
- Rowlf appeared as Elvis in The Muppet Show on Tour: 2nd Edition and an installment of The Jim Henson Hour (performing "Hound Dog" in the latter).
- Dog, the stuffed dinosaur in Living with Dinosaurs, is obsessed with Elvis.
- Elmo appeared as Elvis in the Elmo's World "Singing" episode, performing an abbreviated version of "Blue Suede Shoes."
- Elmo's Elvis likeness was followed by a Blue Suede Shoes Elmo plush toy from Tyco.
- Later, Elmo appeared at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show, during a session on the effectiveness of children's educational electronics, singing Viva Las Vegas.
- In The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, Huxley points to a velvet Elvis painting as one of his many possessions.
- The Count dressed as Elvis to sing a parody of "Blue Suede Shoes" on Sesame Street. (EKA: Episode 3863)