 Elvis'
twenty-sixth film was the rollicking 1968 MGM comedy
"Stay Away, Joe".
On October 1, 1967,
Elvis recorded the songs "Stay Away, Joe", "All I Needed
Was The Rain" and "Dominick." Elvis hated the song
"Dominick," which he was to sing to a bull.He made
producer Felton Jarvis promise that it would never
appear on a record.Since the movie called for only
three songs, this would be the first time in Elvis'
movie career that there would not be a soundtrack album
or EP released along with the film.MGM and Elvis'
manager Colonel Tom Parker decided to have Elvis record
another song that could be played over the opening
credits and released as a single.The song "Stay Away"
was written by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett and based
on the melody of the song "Greensleeves."Elvis recorded
it January 16, 1968 and it was released as the B-side of
a single along with "U.S. Male."
"Stay Away, Joe" was
filmed in the Arizona town of Sedona and it was one of
the rare times that Elvis' wife Priscilla and the wives
of his entourage attended a location shoot. They left
Memphis on October 26, 1967.Meanwhile, back home,
Elvis' interest in horse ranching was losing its luster
and there was an auction held at Elvis's Circle G Ranch
on November 4, 1967 to dispose of the equipment that was
no longer needed.
Filming began in Sedona and
Cottonwood, Arizona on October 9, 1967. Location filming
continued until November 22, 1967 when the production
company moved back to the studio to finish the
production.The movie wrapped on November 27, 1967 with
a lunch Elvis had catered for the cast and crew.
Elvis entourage members Joe Esposito and Charlie
Hodge each had small roles.After Elvis was released
from the movie, Joe, Charlie and fellow entourage member
Marvin "Gee Gee" Gambill went to Las Vegas to vacation
before returning to Memphis.
The moviewas based on
the best-selling novel by award winning author Dan
Cushman. The novel became the Book-of-the-Month Club
selection for April 1953.Mr. Cushman based his book on
his own native Montana where, after graduating from
college, he first became a prospector and
geologist before becoming a writer of over thirty novels
and winning a number of writing awards.The novel became
the basis for both a Broadway musical and Elvis' movie
and all three were both praised for their hilarious
comedy as well as panned for their negative depiction of
Native Americans.
"Stay Away, Joe" opened
nationally on March 8, 1968 and was #65 in ranking on
Variety's list of money-making movies for 1968.
The cast for "Stay Away
Joe" was anchored by several longtime actors including
Burgess Meredith, who played Charlie
Lightcloud, the Native American father to Elvis's
character Joe Lightcloud. Educated at Amherst,
Burgess Meredith became a stage actor in New York in
1933 before serving as a Captain in the U.S. Army Air
Force in World War II. After the war he turned to
making movies until the late 1950s when, as a liberal
thinker, he was blacklisted from films due to Senator
Joseph McCarthy and the McCarthy hearings targeting
Hollywood. In the 1960s the raspy voiced actor was
able to find work again and became known for his role as
"The Penguin" - a villain in the "Batman" television
series. He also was the voice for many years for
Skippy Peanut Butter commercials. He was nominated
a number of times for Academy Awards and Emmy Awards and
is probably best remembered for his roles as trainer
Mickey Goldmill in the "Rocky" movie series and as
Grandpa Gustafson in the films "Grumpy Old Men" and
"Grumpier Old Men." An ardent
environmentalist, he died in 1997 after suffering with
Alzheimer's.
 Elvis & Parker op de set Mexican actress Katy Jurado
played Annie Lightcloud. She was an award winning
actress in her native Mexico as well as having received
accolades in the U.S. from both the Golden Globes and
the Academy Awards. She gained over 20 pounds for
her role of Annie and just before filming she broke her
foot. She had her cast removed prematurely and
thus she walked with a limp in the movie. She wore
her own jewelry in the film, much of it gifts from other
actors with whom she had worked, including Spencer
Tracy, John Wayne, Gary Cooper and Helen Hayes.
She died in July of 2002.
Thomas Gomez, known for
playing brooding heavies, played Grandpa. He had
not planned on an acting career, however, after
graduating from school in 1923 he answered a help wanted
ad that lead him to become a part of a traveling theater
group. He was nominated for an Academy Award in
1948 for his supporting role in "Ride The Pink Horse."
He served more than 40 years on the board of directors
of the Screen Actors Guild. His last film was the
1970 release "Beneath the Planet of the Apes." He
died in a car accident in 1971.
Veteran actress
Joan Blondell played Glenda Callahan.
Known as the big-eyed, wisecracking blonde, Ms. Blondell
was born into Vaudeville and toured with her parents,
performing from the age of 3. Debuting with the
Ziegfeld Follies in New York, she began her Broadway
career which lead her to star with James Cagney on
Broadway as well as in six films. Eventually she
married actor Dick Powell and they worked together in
ten musicals. Later, divorced from Dick Powell,
she was married for a time to producer Michael Todd.
She received an Academy Award nomination for the 1951
film "The Blue Veil" and two Golden Globe nominations
for her supporting roles in "The Cincinnati Kid" and
"Opening Night." Her TV credits include
roles on the series "Here Come the Brides," "The Real
McCoys" and "Banyon." She died of leukemia in
1979.
Character actress
Anne Seymour
played the Lightcloud family's much anticipated guest
Mrs. Hawkins. Ms. Seymour was a part of the
seventh generation of actors in a theatrical family that
began acting in Ireland in 1740. Her two older
brothers were writer James Seymour and actor John
Seymour. After making her Broadway debut in 1928,
she became a radio heroine playing "Mary Marlin" and
other such roles in radio dramas of the day. She
made her film debut in the 1949 release "All The King's
Men." She was on the boards of both the SAG and
AFTRA acting unions.
 Young Quentin Dean played
Mamie Callahan. She had debuted in the 1967 film
"In The Heat of The Night," winning a Golden Globe
nomination for her supporting role. Her career
included three movies in 1968 including her role in
"Stay Away Joe" as well as a handful of TV guest
appearances. Her acting credits end in 1969 and no
further information is known at this time.
Susan Trustman made her movie debut in "Stay
Away, Joe" playing bank teller Mary Lightcloud.
She went on the have a regular role as Pat Matthews on
the daytime TV drama "Another World."
Dick Wilson
played the befuddled car salesman stuck with Joe
Lightcloud's horse as trade-in for a shiny convertible.
He had many roles on TV and became a familiar face on
shows such as "Hogan's Heroes," "Bewitched," "Ben
Casey," "Checkmate" and "Maverick." However,
Americans might remember him best as "Mr. Whipple" in
Charmin tissue commercials - a role he had for 25 years.
Burt Kennedy and Michael
A. Hoey adapted the book for the screenplay. Mr.
Kennedy began performing as a child with his parents.
A decorated WWII veteran, he used his Army training to
become a stunt fencer in films, then eventually began
writing scripts for TV and movies specializing in
westerns.
Peter Tewksbury was the director and
would also direct Elvis in "The Trouble With Girls."
He had previously received Emmy nominations and awards
for directing the TV series "Father Knows Best" and "My
Three Sons." He died in 2003 after having retired
to Vermont where he became a well known cheese
expert working with local food producers.
 Soundtrack
Stay Away You
Dominic
All I Needed Was The Rain
Goin' Home
Stay Away
Recorded
at: Radio Recorders Studios,
7000, Santa Monica Boulevard, Hollywood. October 1967.
Musicians:
Elvis Presley (vocals),
Scotty Moore, Chip Young, Charlie Hodge
(guitars), Pete Drake (steel guitar), Bob Moore (bass),
D.J.
Fontana, Buddy Harman (drums), Floyd Cramer,
Larry Muhoberac (pianos), Boots Randolph (sax), Charlie
McCoy (harmonica),
The Jordanaires (vocals)
Stay Away Joe -
MGM 1968
Directed
Peter Tewksbury
Writing Credits Michael A.
Hoey (based on the novel Stay Away Joe by Dan
Cushman)
Producer Douglas Laurence
Photography Fred Koenekamp A.S.C.
Panavision
and Metrocolor
Cast Overview:
Elvis Presley .... Joe Lightcloud, Burgess Meredith....
Charlie Lightcloud, Joan Blondell .... Glenda Callahan,
Katy Jurado .... Annie Lightcloud, Thomas Gomez ....
Grandpa, Henry Jones .... Hy Slager, L.Q. Jones ....
Bronc Hoverty, Quentin Dean .... Mamie Callahan, Anne
Seymour .... Mrs. Hawkins, Douglas Henderson....
Congressman Morrissey, Angus Duncan .... Lorne Hawkins,
Michael Lane .... Frank Hawk, Susan Trustman .... Mary
Lightfoot, Warren Vanders .... Hike Bowers, Buck
Kartalian .... Bull Shortgun.
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