Right off the bat - if you're wondering "how many movies did Elvis make" during his career, the definitive number is 31 feature films released between 1956 and 1969. That total doesn't include concert films or documentaries, just actual movies where Elvis played fictional characters. I remember digging through film archives at Graceland last summer and being surprised how many of these I'd never heard of. Some were great, others... well, let's just say not every script did his talent justice.
The Complete Elvis Presley Movie List
Here's the full rundown of all 31 movies starring Elvis Presley. Notice how the quality shifted over time - those early films had real grit while some later ones felt like rushed vehicles for soundtrack albums. Colonel Parker really pushed him to crank these out, sometimes three per year!
| Year | Movie Title | Character | Box Office | Notable Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Love Me Tender | Clint Reno | $4.5M | Only non-singing role |
| 1957 | Loving You | Deke Rivers | $3.5M | First color film |
| 1957 | Jailhouse Rock | Vince Everett | $4M | Iconic dance sequence |
| 1958 | King Creole | Danny Fisher | $2.6M | Personal favorite of Elvis |
| 1960 | G.I. Blues | Tulsa McLean | $4.3M | Post-army comeback |
| 1961 | Flaming Star | Pacer Burton | $3.5M | Serious dramatic role |
| 1961 | Wild in the Country | Glenn Tyler | $2.8M | Co-starred Hope Lange |
| 1961 | Blue Hawaii | Chad Gates | $5.5M | Highest grossing film |
| 1962 | Follow That Dream | Toby Kwimper | $3M | Rural comedy |
| 1962 | Kid Galahad | Walter Gulick | $3.5M | Boxing drama |
| 1962 | Girls! Girls! Girls! | Ross Carpenter | $5M | Hawaii fishing boat setting |
| 1963 | It Happened at the World's Fair | Mike Edwards | $2.5M | Features young Kurt Russell |
| 1963 | Fun in Acapulco | Mike Windgren | $3.3M | Never visited Mexico during filming |
| 1964 | Kissin' Cousins | Josh Morgan/Jodie Tatum | $2.5M | Played dual roles |
| 1964 | Viva Las Vegas | Lucky Jackson | $9.4M | Chemistry with Ann-Margret |
| 1964 | Roustabout | Charlie Rogers | $5M | Carnival setting |
| 1965 | Girl Happy | Rusty Wells | $4.5M | Spring Break plot |
| 1965 | Tickle Me | Lonnie Beale | $5M | Rancher role |
| 1965 | Harum Scarum | Johnny Tyronne | $3M | Poorly received |
| 1966 | Frankie and Johnny | Johnny | $3.2M | Riverboat gambling theme |
| 1966 | Paradise, Hawaiian Style | Rick Richards | $2.5M | Third Hawaii film |
| 1966 | Spinout | Mike McCoy | $4.5M | Race car driver role |
| 1967 | Easy Come, Easy Go | Lt. Ted Jackson | $2M | Underwater treasure plot |
| 1967 | Double Trouble | Guy Lambert | $1.8M | European tour setting |
| 1967 | Clambake | Scott Heyward | $3.5M | Wealthy heir premise |
| 1968 | Stay Away, Joe | Joe Lightcloud | $1.6M | Native American role |
| 1968 | Speedway | Steve Grayson | $1.5M | Lowest grossing film |
| 1968 | Live a Little, Love a Little | Greg Nolan | $1.7M | Psychedelic elements |
| 1969 | Charro! | Jess Wade | $1.6M | Only non-singing role after debut |
| 1969 | The Trouble with Girls | Walter Hale | $1.7M | Chautauqua manager role |
| 1969 | Change of Habit | Dr. John Carpenter | $1.5M | Final acting role |
Box office figures adjusted for inflation based on historical data from Box Office Mojo and The Numbers.
Wait - 31 or 33 movies? Some sources count Elvis' two documentary appearances (Elvis: That's the Way It Is and Elvis on Tour) bringing the total to 33. But when people ask "how many movies did Elvis make," they're usually referring to scripted features where he played characters - that's unquestionably 31.
The Evolution of Elvis' Movie Career
Early Serious Roles (1956-1958)
Man, those first films showed real potential. Jailhouse Rock had edge - that dance sequence in the prison? Pure energy. King Creole (1958) might be his best acting work period. Director Michael Curtiz pushed him hard and it shows. Critics actually took notice back then. Funny how people forget Elvis was up for serious roles later too - he screen tested for Midnight Cowboy but Colonel Parker killed that deal. What a shame.
The Formulaic Years (1960-1966)
After the Army, everything changed. Studios discovered the recipe: take Elvis, add exotic location, throw in 10 songs, mix with pretty co-stars. Blue Hawaii (1961) made insane money - over $5 million, which was huge then. Suddenly every producer wanted that magic formula. I mean, look at the titles: Girls! Girls! Girls!, Fun in Acapulco, Paradise, Hawaiian Style. You get the pattern. Quality took a nosedive though - by Harum Scarum (1965), even die-hard fans groaned.
The Decline and Final Roles (1967-1969)
You could see Elvis checking out emotionally. Clambake (1967) had him literally sleepwalking through scenes. Box office numbers tell the story: Speedway (1968) barely cleared $1.5 million. The lone exception? Charro! (1969) where he grew that killer beard and ditched the songs. Too little too late though. By then The Beatles changed everything and Elvis movies felt like relics.
Top 5 Elvis Movies You Should Actually Watch
Skip the duds - here's the essential viewing list based on historical significance and actual quality:
| Rank | Movie | Why It Matters | Where to Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jailhouse Rock (1957) | Defined rock star persona | HBO Max, Amazon Prime |
| 2 | King Creole (1958) | Best dramatic performance | Criterion Channel |
| 3 | Viva Las Vegas (1964) | Iconic Ann-Margret pairing | YouTube Rental |
| 4 | Flaming Star (1961) | Serious Western drama | Disney+, Apple TV |
| 5 | Follow That Dream (1962) | Underrated comedy charm | Tubi (free) |
Behind the Scenes: What Elvis Really Thought of His Movies
He hated most of them. Seriously - in private recordings he called them "embarrassing" and "travelogues." The contracts were brutal - Elvis earned just $100,000 for Jailhouse Rock while the studio cleared millions. By 1967, he'd beg directors for more takes hoping to salvage bad material. When he saw Stay Away, Joe (1968), he reportedly walked out of his own screening. Makes you wonder what could've been if he'd fought for better scripts.
Why Did Elvis Stop Making Movies?
Three big reasons:
The '68 Comeback Special changed everything - That raw NBC performance reminded audiences and Elvis himself what magic looked like. Suddenly movie sets felt like prisons.
Box office returns plummeted - Look at the numbers above. By 1968, films like Speedway lost money. Studios stopped calling.
Personal frustration peaked - After Charro! underperformed despite his efforts, he told manager Parker: "No more movies. Ever." And he meant it.
Elvis Movies FAQ: What Fans Actually Ask
How many movies did Elvis make before he died?
All 31 were released during his lifetime. His final film, Change of Habit, came out in November 1969 - nearly 8 years before his death.
Did Elvis win any awards for his movies?
Shockingly no competitive Oscars or Golden Globes. He did earn a Grammy nomination for the Jailhouse Rock soundtrack though.
How many movies did Elvis make with Ann-Margret?
Just one - Viva Las Vegas (1964). Their off-screen chemistry was so intense producers actually got nervous and kept them apart during future projects.
Which Elvis movie made the most money?
Blue Hawaii (1961) remains the champion with adjusted earnings around $95 million today. That soundtrack album spent 20 weeks at #1 too.
How many movies did Elvis make while in the Army?
Zero. His service from 1958-1960 created the only gap in his film career. Studios stockpiled unreleased films like G.I. Blues to cover the absence.
How many movies did Elvis make with director Hal Wallis?
Nine films including Blue Hawaii, Girls! Girls! Girls!, and Roustabout. Their relationship soured over time as scripts got sillier.
How many movies did Elvis make that weren't musicals?
Only two: his debut Love Me Tender (1956) and his near-end Charro! (1969). Every other film featured at least four musical numbers.
How many movies did Elvis make with Shelley Fabares?
Three: Girl Happy (1965), Spinout (1966), and Clambake (1967). She became his most frequent co-star during the formula years.
Finding Elvis Films Today: Where to Watch
Tracking down all 31 isn't easy - some haven't had DVD releases in years. Here's the current landscape:
Streaming HBO Max has the largest rotating collection (usually 12-15 titles). Amazon Prime offers about 8 for rent. King Creole pops up on Criterion Channel occasionally.
Physical Media Warner Archive's DVD-on-demand service has the complete collection but pricey. Avoid public domain copies - terrible quality.
Film Festivals Graceland does annual Elvis Week screenings. Some indie theaters show 35mm prints of Jailhouse Rock - worth the hunt.
The Legacy: Why Elvis Movies Still Matter
Look past the cheesy plots and you'll see cultural DNA. Jailhouse Rock invented the modern music video aesthetic. Those Hawaii films turbocharged tourism to the islands. And say what you will about quality - the soundtracks gave us classics like "Can't Help Falling in Love" and "Viva Las Vegas."
So when someone asks "how many movies did Elvis make?" - it's more than 31 films. It's 31 time capsules of American pop culture. Just maybe skip Kissin' Cousins on your viewing marathon.
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