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Elvis Presley regretted rejecting A Star is Born: book
Joel Brokaw, son of the late Hollywood actor Norman Brokaw, wrote a biography about his father, “Driving Marilyn.” Brokaw described how Elvis Presley was eager to work alongside Barbra Streisand, but was forced to turn down the role.
One of Elvis Presley’s biggest regrets was not sharing the screen with Barbra Streisand.
The claim was made by Norman Brokaw’s son, Joel Brokaw, who wrote a biography about the late Hollywood actor titled “Driving Marilyn.”
Brokaw, who represented Presley as well as Marilyn Monroe, Clint Eastwood and other major stars, died in 2016. He was 89.
Elvis Presley would have turned 90 on January 8. (Michael Ochs Files/Getty Images)
“I had interviewed Priscilla Presley, who was also a client of my father’s,” Joel told Fox News Digital. “I had asked her about her relationship with (her manager) Colonel (Tom) Parker. She mentioned that there was only one time when they had differences.”
According to Joel’s book, Presley had the opportunity to star alongside Streisand in “A Star is Born” from 1976. However, Parker “advised against it,” believing that “Barbra might downplay it.”
“It was a decision that Elvis regretted,” Joel wrote.
Joel Brokaw’s book, “Driving Marilyn,” is available now. (Lyon Press)
Joel told Fox News Digital that at the time Presley longed to be taken seriously as a Hollywood actor. he looked towards Star of “Rebel Without a Cause” James Dean as inspiration. However, Parker wanted Presley to prioritize acting, even if that meant taking on mediocre musicals.
“Elvis wanted to branch out into meatier acting roles,” Joel said. “(But) Colonel Parker really liked the status quo of Elvis making these movies that had soundtracks. A lot of the songs…came out of the movies. (And the movies) were fun and light. It complemented the early residencies that whatever artist was doing in Las Vegas…I think Elvis was one of the first people to do that.”
WATCH: ELVIS PRESLEY REPENTED REJECTING ‘A STAR IS BORN’: BOOK
“It was a very convenient marketing strategy,” Joel shared. “But Elvis wanted to develop as an actor. And so Colonel Parker turned down the opportunity, the offer for Elvis to star in ‘A Star Is Born’ with Barbra Streisand… He didn’t want Elvis to be overshadowed by Barbra Streisand.”
Barbra Streisand played Esther Hoffman in the romantic drama “A Star is Born.” (FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images)
“That was the only flaw in their relationship, according to Priscilla,” Joel added.
The author had his theories about why Parker insisted that Streisand would upstage Presley.
“Perhaps part of Colonel Parker’s concern about Barbra Streisand pairing with Elvis has something to do with their current background and careers,” he explained.
“Elvis wanted to develop as an actor. And then (his manager), Colonel Parker, turned down the opportunity, the offer for Elvis to star in ‘A Star Is Born’ with Barbra Streisand… He didn’t want to see Elvis being overshadowed by Barbra Streisand.”
Joan Blackman and Elvis Presley in “Blue Hawaii” in 1961. The singer was deeply dissatisfied with his career in Hollywood. (Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
“Elvis had been on top for a long time. And as we approached the 1960s and the British Invasion, with the emergence of the Beatles, Elvis was starting to lose a lot of his luster and popularity.
“Barbra Streisand was on the rise,” he noted. “I think (Parker) felt like maybe the momentum was more on his side at that point.”
The original 1930s film starred Janet Gaynor and Fredric March, with Judy Garland and James Mason in the 1950s remake. Streisand starred in her version alongside Kris Kristofferson.
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Kris Kristofferson starred alongside Barbra Streisand in “A Star is Born.” (Screen Files/Getty Images)
A fourth version of the romance between a rising young artist and a declining one was released in 2018. It starred Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, with Cooper directing.
In November, Priscilla confirmed that Streisand had Presley in mind to play her on-screen love interest, but Parker told her not to accept the role.
“Barbra had offered him the role,” Presley’s ex-wife said. people magazine in November. “The colonel talked him out of it, saying, ‘Oh, it’s not going to be good. She’ll be in charge, not you. Her movie, not yours.'”
Norman Brokaw (left), a sought-after talent agent, represented Elvis Presley. He is seen here with Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker. (Brokaw Family Collection)
“Elvis regretted it because he felt he could have played that role,” the 79-year-old added.
In 2023, Streisand wrote in her memoir, “My Name is Barbra,” that she considered Presley to appear in the music-centered drama before the role went to Kristofferson. She flew to Las Vegas to meet with Presley in an attempt to convince him.
“We talked about the movie and Elvis became interested,” the 82-year-old wrote, quoted by USA today. “But obviously it didn’t work out. Marty (Erlichman, his manager) says Colonel Parker asked for more money than we could afford. And (producer) Jon (Peters) says the Colonel wanted to produce the movie. I’m not sure about that. “
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Priscilla Presley also confirmed that her ex-husband wanted to work alongside Barbra Streisand. (Oscar Abolafia/TPLP/Getty Images)
“I know Elvis had gained a lot of weight and was no longer at the top of his game, although he still attracted large audiences,” he shared. “Maybe the story was too close to his own life, and the colonel talked him out of it.”
Presley’s complicated relationship with Parker is explored in new Netflix documentary“The Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley”. Includes interviews with Priscilla and her close confidant/business partner, Jerry Schilling, among others.
In the film, Presley is heard describing how frustrated he was about doing musicals for cash, instead of taking on more serious roles.
Barbra Streisand wrote that she traveled to Las Vegas in hopes of convincing Presley. (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)
“Hollywood’s image of me was wrong, I knew it and there was nothing I could do about it,” Presley said. “I didn’t know what to do. I just felt obligated to things I didn’t fully believe in.”
“They couldn’t have paid me any amount of money in the world to make me feel like I had any inner satisfaction,” Presley added.
Presley’s Hollywood career had reached such a point that the Grammy winner is heard singing the children’s tune “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” in the 1967 film “Double Trouble.”
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Elvis Presley with Annette Day in “Double Trouble”, circa 1967. (FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images)
“That to me is a crime,” Priscilla said in the film as she watched the scene.
“It is a crime,” he stressed. “Putting him in that situation and singing that song. It made him a laughing stock. And he knew it.”
Filmmaker Jason Hehir said Presley felt so defeated and trapped by his film career that he sometimes became physically ill.
The Netflix documentary “The Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley” is available for streaming. (Netflix)
“He was deeply dissatisfied. He couldn’t get out of bed,” Hehir said. “Many… don’t realize how disappointed he was… He was taking these movie roles and apparently just taking the easy way out and cashing huge checks. But it wasn’t his ambition as an artist.”
“It had always been a frustration for him,” Hehir shared. “…He couldn’t even get out of bed because he was hungry for an artistic challenge. But he had locked himself into these movie contracts, and his management had allowed him to get locked into these movie contracts.”
“This shed light on what he really cared about: acting,” Hehir continued. “And I think that frustration of seven years of not being in front of a live audience and instead just being on movie sets making increasingly mediocre movies, a light bulb went off in his head.
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Filmmaker Jason Hehir told Fox News Digital that Elvis Presley was eager to make his own mark as a star, similar to his idols James Dean and Marlon Brando. (Netflix)
“He wanted to do something for himself, not for his management. Not for the movie audience. He wanted to get back to being the Elvis he wanted to be.”
Presley died in 1977. He was 42 years old.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.