TOO MUCH MONKEY BUSINESS: The Elvis Forum

After a fair amount of research, I feel confident that I have found the location and a possible date for the now famous publicity photographs taken RCA Victor staff photographer David B. Hecht.

The evidence for the location is found in a section of text by RCA Executive (at that time - Country & Western Promotions Manager) Chick Crumpacker

Chick Crumpacker: "RCA had a man on staff named David Hecht, who had a studio in Carnegie Hall (New York City),It was called the Caruso Room because Caruso had rehearsed there. It had the northern light that Hecht liked. We did the photo shoot, and then went for milkshakes across the street."**
Note: Chick Crumpacker wrote linear notes for the LP LPM-1382(see below)

The date, for these photographs. I know has been discussed at great length on this message board. Having read the information contained, I have concluded the date for these images may be Thursday 26th or Friday the 27th of January 1956.


This image is reproduced further down in a full frame version.


Carnegie Hall tower, New York City,152 West 57th Street


Neubert Ballet Studio 819, Carneige Hall, New York City, with the impressive skylights in view.


Carnegie Hall Studios, New York City.
The studios were created especially for music rehearsal, dance and small performing groups. No two are alike and many are duplexes and have large skylights. the first tenant was the American Academy of Dramatic Art . Over the years, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly and Robert Redford took acting lessons here and Lucille Ball had voice coaching. James Dean studied scripts and Leonard Bernstein, music. Women once lined up on the street to visit an alluring resident – the young Marlon Brando.

History of the Studios and building.
http://www.thecityreview.com/carnegie.html?crid=41e0346a61b6608f&query=Search+this+site

Enrico Caruso found the acoustics of Studio 826 so good that he made his first recording there with RCA Victor.

Enrico Caruso recorded this selection in 1904,in room 826, the location for David Hecht's photographic studio: http://dietcookingrecipes.com/video/t93 ... -1904.html

With the location now confirmed, the date has always shifted from early 1956 up to July 1956. Like others on this board I have felt that they were taken during the first part of 56', with late January being the most likely as this is when Elvis and his party travelled to New York City for the CBS TV Jackie Gleason 'Stage Show'. David B Hecht makes reference (shown below) that Colonel Parker visiting his studio to collect the films a couple of days after the session.

Elvis Day By Day

Wednesday January 25th 1956:
At the end of the morning Elvis and the Colonel flew first-class from Nashville to New York City with American Airlines flight 148. They stayed at the Warwick Hotel and had dinner at the Hickory House Restaurant. As always, Elvis made several telephone calls from his hotel room.

Thursday January 26th 1956
Elvis and the Colonel at RCA, with Steve Sholes and the head of RCA Victor record division Larry Kanga. They also met Anne Fulchino in the publicity department in the morning where talks took place about concert tours, acting etc. Anne Fulchino states that she asked Elvis to wait in her office after lunch; this only gives a small period of time late afternoon for the publicity photos.

Friday January 27th 1956
Scotty, Bill and DJ arrived in New York by car from Memphis. This day is a strong contender for the date that the publicity shots took place.

Saturday January 28th 1956
During the morning there were rehearsals for Stage Show at the Nola Studios. The show was broadcast from the CBS Studios at 8.00 p.m. Because of the weather and because Elvis was unknown in New York City there were not much people attending the show.

Sunday January 29th 1956: Day off for Elvis in New York, but with the reference to buying milkshakes, Is this likely on a Sunday?

Monday January 30th Recording Session RCA Studios

Tuesday January 31st Recording Session RCA Studios, meeting William Morris Agency, 1740 Broadway, New York.

Wednesday February 1st: The Colonel returns to Tennessee, therefore by this time with the fact that David B Hecht made reference to the Colonel returning to his studio, this puts the date back from here towards the 26th/27th.

Getty Images caption provides 'CBS photo Archive' as the source for the caption for the Black and White images from these sessions (see below)

"Studio portrait of American singer Elvis Presley (1935 - 1977) taken for an appearance on the American television series 'Stage Show'
January 26, 1956. (Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)
Date created: 26 Jan 1956.

Interesting to where this date comes from - This date does work in the time line, just meaning the afternoon of the 26th. Getty Images' site reveals more of the image from the original negative with the border intact, than seen before.


THE BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS










Ger Rijff : Chick Crumpacker and I got to talking about the RCA photo files. Chick, besides being one heck of a nice guy, was - and still is - employed by RCA as an engineer and had known Elvis since 1955, when he was working as a talent scout and A&R man for the company. He mentioned that for many years there'd been a fairly well-stocked photo file at the RCA building in New York, but after Elvis' passing The Colonel had sent some of his flunkies in to clean it out, claiming the photos were his property.

I had hoped to locate the material shot by David B. Hecht, the photographer responsible for that ultra-cool image on the front of the second album, Elvis (LPM 1382) - for which Chuck wrote the liner notes!

Chick remembered Hecht and also recalled him having his studio in New York at the time. He quickly thumbed through the yellow pages and within minutes was able to hand me his telephone number.*

THE COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHS


EP release: RCA EPA-992, Volume 1 October 19, 1956


LPM-1382, October 19, 1956


"Perfect For Parties" Highlight Album. EP release: RCA SPA-7-37, October 25, 1956.


The same image was used for the RCA Victor release's (above) EP release: RCA EPA-993 volume II, November 1956



Full frame of the image used below for the EP release 'Strictly Elvis EPA-994
EP release: RCA EPA-994, January 1957



Black and White full frame version above.


This photo can only be seen here, on this December 1956 Vintage Magazine, TV Movie fan. I have corrected this image, which has caused lettering to be reversed. This is the full frame version of the first photo seen at the start of the topic.

Ger Rijff: Mr Hecht explained to me exactly what happened back in 1956, "A day or two after I’d finished the photo session with Elvis, Colonel Parker came to my studio to look at the results. He took all the films away with him, saying that he was to have a meeting with the folks at RCA to discuss which photographs were to be used for Elvis product

He told me to contact RCA the following week and work out a deal with them. When I rang RCA I was told they were thrilled with the results but to contact the Colonel regarding payment. Back then I was pretty naive and believed his secretary when she told me The Colonel was out every time I rang. After a while it became clear he didn't want to talk business with me and I began to realise he had no intention to pay me for my work. I don't know if he still has the original films, but to this very day I've not seen a penny for them."*

Chick Crumpacker: I always disliked Parker. He was a very rude man and treated people like dirt. I'm sure if Elvis, who couldn't be bothered with business matters, wasn’t aware of the situation.*



THE RED JACKET COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHS


This full length image (above) was used for the 'Too Much/Playing For Keeps (below) release, cropped and angle change.45rpm release RCA 47-6800, January 4, 1957. Strange that the Picture sleeve puts 'Playing For Keeps' as the lead title.








'All Shook Up/That's When Your Heartaches Begin, 45rpm released RCA 47-6870, March 22, 1957.
I have not seen this image in a full frame version. The colours on Elvis’ jacket looks to be have been tweaked from the original red.


Just For You EP release: RCA EPA-4041, April 1957


Full frame version of the image used for the EP Just For You.




Full frame version.



TV Radio Mirror Magazine, December 1956. This image seems to be only found on the cover of this magazine, although attempts have been made to separate the image of Elvis from Ed Sullivan and the background.








September TV Star Parade 1956



Chick Crumpacker contributed anonymously these liner notes for the LP Elvis LPM-1382. In July 1956 Chuck Crumper was promoted to post of Coordinator of Popular Artist and Repertoire planning, who reported to Joe Carlton RCA Victor's Pop A&R chief.



David B. Hecht


David B. Hecht


Any contributions would be most welcome.
Davide


**Elvis the official collector's edition No. 11
*Taken from an article from ETMAHM No. 22 March 1994, page 29/32

I have no additions, but you've done some serious research, David... well done!

I've always liked the photo they used for LPM-1382 and EPA's-992/993... kind of more 'mellow' feel than on Elvis' first album cover, but still very cool.

I have no idea where you dug out the Julie Andrew and Abbe Lane's album covers but they're also very interesting to see...

Hope this is the correct to place this additional info,Thanks Ger for the new insight to these sessions and I will have a look to see if If I can find that missing shot.

In reply to Ger's great original article in ETMAHM came this reply

Here is an extract from a letter written to ETMAHM(No. 23) magazine from Chick Crumpacker,which supports and reveals a bit more info.

David's(B. Hecht) studio was in the Carnegie Hall building,at 56th Street and 7th Avenue. Ace Lehman the RCA Records art director who accompanied us to the session,now relates a version that David's place was a former vocal studio where Caruso practiced and that there is a plaque outside telling about this.

Ace,Elvis and I went across the street afterward for a milkshake at the (then) Sheraton Hotel drugstore a semi notorious place in it's own right, a mafia gangster was later shot in the Sheraton barber shop,a story that was in all the newspapers and is still talked from time to time

Chick Crumpacker


October 25th 1957 Newspaper.

Davide

Thanks for the additions David. It's great fun reading these threads when you go into so much detail about things. If some non-fans saw some of these threads they'd think we're mad for going into such detail and trying so hard to find the detail of where a set of photos were taken.

why only a few posts responding on this topic survived?
Where's the red jacket one I posted?!!
I know you don't care much for that red jacet, but I do, Ben.
And after all it was me who started the Hecht research long ago
for Trevor's magazine... Dig?

[From the old TMMB Forum - Posted by Ger: Tue Aug 24, 2010 1:53 pm:]

congrats on collecting them all in one go, David!
There's one more I remember from the full body shots session. It was
featured on the title page of Rock n Roll Stars. A 1950s publication that
run 3 issues and all had Elvis on the cover and inside.
I can't remember which issue featured the rare Hecht shot... Its a frontal
one in a typical on stage action pose. Rare, and never again seen in other
publications.

I kinda start doubting Hecht's comments on Parker taking out all rolls
of film... Where the hell do all prints come from that have turned up
over the years? Did RCA or Presley's management handed them all out
to each and every publication that asked for free publicity shots back
then??? It doesn't keep me awake at night, but old men do make
mistakes relying on their memory...Hecht could be one of them?

Maybe the Colonel took out the ones that have turned up on the
various record releases, and left the black and whites, and some color
untouched? That way Hecht could still sell part of his work to
photoagencies who in turn supplied them to publishing houses as early
as 1956...?

Love the album covers photography on the non Elvis RCA releases.
How did you found those?
Great job Mister David.

[From the old TMMB Forum- Posted by Ger: Tue Aug 24, 2010 3:08 pm:]

SCOOP!

Well, I think I have a scoop.
Have you people noticed ( I hadn't till 30 minutes ago) the red jacket
he wears during the Hecht photo shoot turns out to be the same one
worn again during the MGM photosessions in 57 for Jailhouse Rock
publicity purposes?! Two landed on US 45's : Jailhouse Rock and One
Night, and also on the German made Playing For Keeps extended play,
and various other "foreign" Elvis vinyl releases during the 50s.
I even used one myself on the cd Gold Cuts , on Baxter if not mistaken...?

Experts, your thoughts please.

And now let's see how long it'll take before saulovich puts it on fecc as
his new discovery. The creep often turned out these tricks, stealing
info from Brian Petersen and me and delivering it as his own finds.

This must be the jacket

This iconic 1950's red suede jacket with black ribbed knit collar, waist and cuffs, pockets and front zipper was worn frequently by Elvis as his casual every day attire as well as for the RCA publicity photos taken at the time of his film "Jailhouse Rock." This jacket was purchased at Elvis' favorite men's clothier store, Lansky Brothers in Memphis. Photos of Elvis wearing this jacket graced the covers of two of Elvis' most famous and biggest RCA hits, "Jailhouse Rock" and "One Night." Both RCA 45 records with the picture sleeves featuring Elvis wearing this jacket and additional color photographs of Elvis wearing this jacket accompany the lot. With letter of provenance from hairdresser Homer Gilleland.





Davide

I don't understand the reasoning behind RCA changing the colour of the jacket to pink/purple for the All Shook Up 45. Was it meant to 'tame' him?

Sometimes colours get altered during the printing process...........

What's "tame"about a pink/purple jacket, Ben?!
I feel I have to correct you Great Grand Quizmaster. The color for the jacket was handtinted on
purpose. The colonel and RCA art dept also re-colored the background for the sleeve.
Around the same time the extended play Just For You was released also, sporting yet another
of the red jacket shots. The colonel might have thought it was getting a bit of the same
with all them Hecht pix...?

David, Im aware he wore the jacket on several ocassions .
But before the internet age, 90% of him wearing the jacket as seen mostly in American movie type
mags were printed in black & white... It didn't struck me until recently he wore the jacket while
arriving in NY for the 3rd Sullivan show, and during press conferences while on tour in early 57,
and also ( I believe) in Memphis while taking his Military IQ exams...?
And surely on other ocassions in 56-57.
Didn't he wear it during the JR recording sessions, wearing the headphones?
I think he did.
So being the modest guy I am, I can say: never seen or read he was wearing the red jacket for
the JR promo shoot also.

First of all here is the last bit of info I have regarding the publicity stills :

Here are some memories as told by Janis Martin

Interview with Janis Martin about meeting Elvis.

JM: only twice. First time I met him he still had a contract with the man before Colonel Tom and he had to finish his shows that he had booked through him. He was booked here in Danville. I met him that night. The only other time I met him was in New York. He was up there for a publicity session of picture stills and I was there to record. We saw each other for maybe 20 -25 minutes in the lobby and he slept most of the time then. So very few words ever passed between us.

"Most Promising Country & Western Female Artist of 1956" award.

Interview with Trevor Cajiao

"I was there to cut some records in the big RCA building which covered nearly a block in New York City,they had a big lobby and I was sitting in the lobby waiting for the studio to clear,and he came in. He sat down in the chair,he looked over and said 'How's it goin ? I said 'Oh pretty good',he said 'Oh , I'm so tired' He had black rings under his eyes and looked really exhausted. He closed his eyes he put his head back and went to sleep..and he slipped all the way down to the floor. He was like he didn't have a bone in his body,that's the way he was. Then they came and tapped him on the shoulder - he had hardly been asleep a few minutes-they woke him up and told him it was time to go. So I asked him,i said 'What are you here for?' he said 'To make some of these publicity stills'. They took him down the hall one way and i went the other,and he started to walk off,then he turned around,looked back and he said,' Good luck! he said 'It's hard road..it's a hard hard road. 'Oh,he was beautiful'

Taken from ETMAHM No. 57 sept 2002


Elvis, as far as we know, only had two Photo Session's during the period 1954-1958 located in New York City,the one with photographer 'Popsie' ,and the photo's featured in this topic by David B. Hecht. We can conclude that Janis Martin has over time merged the times when she visited the RCA building with a future date,and that Elvis and Janis' meeting took place at the RCA building prior to the photo sessions on either the thursday 26th (Afternoon) or friday the 27th January 1956.

To Gerr

I agree with you that's is has not been documented,as far as I am aware,that Elvis had the same red jacket on for both the Hecht stills and the Jailhouse Rock publicity photo's - thanks for highlighting this.
This is a candid shot of Red West on location in New Orleans,wearing a red jacket,did Elvis loan it to Red? or did he have one the same as Elvis'?


Here is a caption from the King Creole topic
Page 46 of the book "Inside King Creole" book by Ger Rijff, JeanPaul Commandeur, Glen Johnson, the two lower picture's show the scene of Elvis leaving this location. In the left picture Red West can be seen leading the group in his (red) jacket and fresh crew cut.
726 St. Peters Street ,New Orleans (scene 154)
Date : 3rd March 1958


Here are the cover's to the magazine's mentioned - any of these ?







Sure looks like the same jacket! thanks Ger



Davide

kool additions, David.
Yes, it's one of them 3 mags that features the Hecht action pose.
But can't remember which one. The photo is featured on page 1,
with the mag contents featured. Happy hunting! Only look for
the US editions! All 3 came out as UK editions as well. Their printing
is yuk muddy. The US editions are pretty okay on cheap paper.
Nice to see you responding to my posts.

It's that red jacket again !



Picture courtesy Freddy Freeman's post: The Elvis Files Vol.2

Another UK EP with a photo from this session on:

hi David, good news for you! This very morning while looking for
some Elvis photos, the contents page from Rock n Roll Stars number three
turned up! Can't remember having teared out this page from the actual
magazine... but I did. The prove is in front of me.
I can mail it to you for inclusion in the Hecht photo files.
Your full address please.

Email me at: g.j.rijff@hotmail.com

Best,
Ger

Good man Ger,love these storys about the man in the 50"s and it"s great having this page on this forum,so all fan"s can see the "HILLBILLY CAT",and what a "cool" dude he was!.

Thank you, Davide for this informative and illustrated thread! And thanks to you, Ger, for your input!

That's a cool picture of Elvis on the cover of the TV Radio Mirror magazine (and of course one that most of us had never seen before).



THEMEMPHISFAN

One more for the collection,I have reversed the scan to correct the image. From the Magazine Rock N Roll Stars No.3





Thank you to Ger Rijff


Davide

The red jacket was auctioned last year for $41,434.80. https://www.gottahaverockandroll.com/Lo ... lotid=4351
Great work again, Davide. Very much appreciated!

What a great thread.
I want to thank everyone for contributing.
I sure prefer this instead of jumpsuit discussions!

Me too! Gotta say, that jacket is one of my favourite pieces of Presley sartorial elegance : ) Super-cool!

I'm not so sure, Davide and Ger. I can't see the black cuffs and collar which are visible in the other pix, plus this coat looks a little longer/baggier.

Great pic of Red West wearing the Red Suede too!

excellent detective work Mr Wilde!
The colar and cuffs are indeed different!

Thanks very much Ger!

Tremendous piece of work. This is some excellent research.