John Travolta's 1978 Iconic Musical Movie Has 2 Dark Elvis Presley Coincidences
The 1970s saw a variety of musical movies, of which many have now become classics, among them Grease, which has two very dark Elvis Presley coincidences, one of them the result of a tragedy. It’s not unusual for stage musicals to be adapted into movies, and in 1978, it was Grease’s turn. The musical, by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, made its debut in the early 1970s to great success, and just a couple of years later, it was brought to the big screen by director Randal Kleiser.
Grease takes the audience back to 1958 to meet the T-Birds’ greaser leader Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and Australian new girl Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John). Danny and Sandy meet at the beach over the summer and fall in love, and to his surprise, when he returns to school, Sandy is the new girl. Danny and Sandy’s romance goes through many ups and downs due to Danny’s concern over his reputation and Sandy being more of a traditional girl. Grease was a critical and commercial hit, as was its soundtrack, but on a darker note, it has two unfortunate Elvis Presley coincidences.
Grease’s Musical Scene Mentioning Elvis Presley Was Shot On The Day Of His Death
Grease Made Some Changes To The Lyrics Of “Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee”
Grease is full of memorable and catchy songs that go from rock 'n' roll tunes to ballads, and one of the most entertaining numbers is “Loot At Me, I’m Sandra Dee.” In both the musical and the movie, this song is performed by Rizzo (played by Stockard Channing in the movie) during the sleepover at her house. Rizzo sings this one while Sandy is in the bathroom, so she seizes the opportunity to make fun of her behind her back.
At one point in the song, Rizzo sings “Elvis, Elvis, let me be! Keep that pelvis far from me!”, which isn’t in the original version. The original stage version of “Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee” mentioned Sal Mineo, the exact lyrics being “no no no Sal Mineo, I would never stoop so low.” Sadly, Mineo was killed a year before the filming of Grease took place, so the lyrics were changed to Elvis, who, at the time the movie is set, was a huge star. However, that specific scene in Grease was shot on the day Elvis Presley died.
Elvis Presley died on August 16, 1977. The cause of death has been endlessly debated and there have been many rumors about his death for decades, but most agree that it was cardiac arrest and many health issues. Speaking to the New York Post, Kleiser addressed this terrible Elvis Presley coincidence, saying it was “very eerie” and, of course, the news about Presley’s death was everywhere.
Elvis Presley Was Considered For A Brief Role In Grease (& He Would Have Been Perfect)
A Brief But Memorable Character In Grease
His mention in the song “Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee” isn’t the only link between Elvis Presley and the 1978 movie adaptation of Grease. According to ABC News, Elvis Presley was considered for the role of Teen Angel in the musical number “Beauty School Dropout.” However, as he passed away during the production of Grease, the role went to Frankie Avalon instead, which helped him revive his career. Another actor considered to play the Teen Angel was Donny Osmond, while his sister, Marie Osmond, was considered for the role of Sandy.
Elvis Presley would have been perfect for the role as he was a huge idol in the 1950s, and it would have been fitting for a teenager back then to see someone like him as a guardian angel and guide.
The Teen Angel only appears in “Beauty School Dropout”, and he’s a phantom teen idol as well as Frenchy’s guardian angel. Elvis Presley would have been perfect for the role as he was a huge idol in the 1950s, and it would have been fitting for a teenager back then to see someone like him as a guardian angel and guide. Grease continues to be one of the greatest musical movies of all time, and one can only imagine what its legacy would be like had Elvis Presley had a minor but memorable role in it.
Source: The New York Post, ABC News.
In this film adaptation of the iconic stage musical, good girl Sandy Olsson and greaser Danny Zuko fall in love over the summer. When they unexpectedly discover they're now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance despite belonging to different social cliques?
- Cast
- John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway, Barry Pearl, Michael Tucci
- Runtime
- 110 minutes
- Director
- Randal Kleiser
