Jun 20, 2024 10:00 EST
Stage & Screen
An extremely rare 1961 concert set list and autograph letter from The King
ELVIS PRESLEY
Manuscript set list and autograph letter signed. Elvis Presley's handwritten setlist for the Pearl Harbor Benefit in Hawaii on March 25th, 1961. The set list is written on a sheet of Hilton Hawaiian Village stationery, with 15 songs numbered and titled in Elvis' hand; on the verso is a scarce autograph letter signed in full "Elvis Presley," about 26 lines in blue ink written to "Gary," this being Elvis' friend and Memphis fan club president Gary Pepper. 10 1/2 x 7 1/4 inches (26.5 x 18.5 cm). Usual folds and minor handling creases, accompanied by a Letter of Authenticity from Gotta Have Rock and Roll.
Autograph letters from Elvis are of great rarity. This letter was written to Gary Pepper, Elvis' friend and president of the Memphis-based Elvis Tankers Fan Club, shortly after Elvis performed at the Pearl Harbor Benefit for the U.S.S. Arizona on March 25th, 1961. The set list was penned on the stationery of the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki where Elvis stayed and includes fifteen songs including most of Elvis' early hits. The show opener was "Heartbreak Hotel" followed by "All Shook Up." Elvis made a notation to "introduce the band" following "Love Me," later plays "Don't Be Cruel," and closes with his famous "Hound Dog." In the letter, Elvis thanks Pepper for his telegram and notes that "The show went pretty good and it was good to be entertaining the folks again. The show was also for a good cause Gary and it was nice to be able to do my part." Elvis notes "I sang a couple of your favorites for the show. I thought you might get a kick out of having this from the show since you couldn't make it over for the show." Gary Pepper, who suffered from cerebral palsy and was wheelchair bound, had first met the Presleys when he sent clippings of the young star to Elvis' mother and later ran the largest Presley fan club in Memphis (Elvis bought Pepper a house and a car, employed his father at Graceland, and invited him to sit at the head table at his wedding to Priscilla Presley in 1966). Elvis continues the letter with a mention that he is filming in Hawaii and will finish the film, Blue Hawaii, in Hollywood in the coming weeks, and closes with "I will see you when I get back to Memphis. Your friend, Elvis Presley."
While Elvis setlists appear on the market with some regularity, autograph letters are scarce, and we trace very few at auction.
$7,000 - $10,000
ELVIS PRESLEY
Manuscript set list and autograph letter signed. Elvis Presley's handwritten setlist for the Pearl Harbor Benefit in Hawaii on March 25th, 1961. The set list is written on a sheet of Hilton Hawaiian Village stationery, with 15 songs numbered and titled in Elvis' hand; on the verso is a scarce autograph letter signed in full "Elvis Presley," about 26 lines in blue ink written to "Gary," this being Elvis' friend and Memphis fan club president Gary Pepper. 10 1/2 x 7 1/4 inches (26.5 x 18.5 cm). Usual folds and minor handling creases, accompanied by a Letter of Authenticity from Gotta Have Rock and Roll.
Autograph letters from Elvis are of great rarity. This letter was written to Gary Pepper, Elvis' friend and president of the Memphis-based Elvis Tankers Fan Club, shortly after Elvis performed at the Pearl Harbor Benefit for the U.S.S. Arizona on March 25th, 1961. The set list was penned on the stationery of the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki where Elvis stayed and includes fifteen songs including most of Elvis' early hits. The show opener was "Heartbreak Hotel" followed by "All Shook Up." Elvis made a notation to "introduce the band" following "Love Me," later plays "Don't Be Cruel," and closes with his famous "Hound Dog." In the letter, Elvis thanks Pepper for his telegram and notes that "The show went pretty good and it was good to be entertaining the folks again. The show was also for a good cause Gary and it was nice to be able to do my part." Elvis notes "I sang a couple of your favorites for the show. I thought you might get a kick out of having this from the show since you couldn't make it over for the show." Gary Pepper, who suffered from cerebral palsy and was wheelchair bound, had first met the Presleys when he sent clippings of the young star to Elvis' mother and later ran the largest Presley fan club in Memphis (Elvis bought Pepper a house and a car, employed his father at Graceland, and invited him to sit at the head table at his wedding to Priscilla Presley in 1966). Elvis continues the letter with a mention that he is filming in Hawaii and will finish the film, Blue Hawaii, in Hollywood in the coming weeks, and closes with "I will see you when I get back to Memphis. Your friend, Elvis Presley."
While Elvis setlists appear on the market with some regularity, autograph letters are scarce, and we trace very few at auction.
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Auction: Stage & Screen, Jun 20, 2024
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Popular Stage & Screen Auction on Thursday, June 20, 2024 at 10am
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Memorabilia, Autographs, Artwork & Photographs of the Theater, Hollywood, Music and Dance
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted
NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle is pleased to announce the next Stage & Screen auction on Thursday, June 20, 2024 at 10am. Fans and collectors around the world will be delighted by the exciting offerings celebrating the performing arts of Film, Theater, Music and Dance.
Highlights include:
- Original Edith Head costume sketches for Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn,Judy Garland and Liza Minelli
- Original works and rare books by Al Hirschfeld
- Items from the collection of Over the Rainbow composer Harold Arlen
- A signed Louis Armstrong concert program and Harlem Renaissance books from the Rotondaro Collection
- A typed letter signed from Porgy and Bess composer George Gershwin
- Letters and photographs signed by Puccini, Verdi and Wagner
- Printed scores by Haydn and Beethoven
Recognizing the importance of the performing arts to the fabric of New York, Doyle is proud to donate 10% of our profit from this auction to the Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Visit EntertainmentCommunity.org
We Invite You to Auction!
Consignments are currently being accepted. We invite you to contact us for a complimentary auction evaluation. Our specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
For information, please contact
Memorabilia: Peter Costanzo, 212-427-4141, ext 248, Peter.Costanzo@Doyle.com
Artwork: Milan Tessler, 212-427-4141, ext 266, paintings@Doyle.com
See our Conditions of Sale.
