Be Elvis! A Guide to Impersonating the King [Hardcover]

Rick Marino (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2000

spangly sunglasses, this hilarious yet practical step-by-step guide will enchant everyone who's ever wanted to capture the flashy and seductive charm of Elvis.

Learn from Rick what it's really like to be the King, from the peanut butter and banana sandwiches and bellbottoms to the adoring fans, from the scent of Elvis' favorite cologne to the way it feels to slip into your own gem-studded jumpsuit, and much, much more!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

For 24 years, Rick Marino has been performing his act worldwide, including appearances at the Olympics and a Presidential Inaugural Ball. He was featured in the movie Honeymoon in Vegas and was recently the technical advisor and mentor for the film Finding Graceland, featuring Harvey Keitel as Elvis Presley. Rick runs a 1,500-member fan club, and is president of the Elvis Presley Impersonators International Association. He lives in Jacksonville, Florida.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks; First Edition edition (October 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570715564
• ISBN-13: 978-1570715563
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 8.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,646,176 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating Details About Elvis and His Impersonators, October 23, 2000

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Be Elvis! A Guide to Impersonating the King (Hardcover)

"Wise men say, only fools rush in. But I can't help falling in love with you." That should help put you in the mood for reading this review. "You ain't nothin' but a hound dog!"

Although this book is about impersonating Elvis, I was intrigued about the many details about how Elvis achieved his effects on his audience.

The author is an Elvis impersonator who is president of the Elvis Impersonators International Association. You will learn almost everything you need to know to look, sound, and act like Elvis in a way that will stimulate those who meet you. After this book is widely read, Elvis sightings should definitely soar!

You get instructions for creating your own Elvis costume for around $170 (if you do your own sewing and can rent some blue suede shoes). If you are like me, you didn't know that Elvis used lots of make-up in his stage appearances. You will learn how to put that make-up on yourself, as well as dye your hair the right color (yes, Elvis dyed his hair, too).

If you are simply a loyal Elvis fan, you can be more like him by using only the products he did (Brut, Colgate toothpaste, Wella Balsam shampoo, Neutrogena soap, Scope and Listerine), so you can smell as nice as he always did.

The book contains instructions for making your entrance, putting together songs in the way Elvis would have done, and making a splashy exit. I never would have thought of hiring people to pretend to be your bodyguards.

You are cautioned to keep your act and costuming in sync.

If you do decide to become an impersonator, you get lots of marketing advice as well.

After Elvis died, many people resented impersonators. Since then, many people hunger for more Elvis and the impersonators have gotten better. Somewhere between 3,000 and 10,000 people now do Elvis impersonations. After this book, that number and quality will surely grow.

There is a lot of good humor in the book about what it is like to be an impersonator. Sometimes you can pick up tickets left for Elvis at the box office. Other times you may get a chance to advise on or appear in a movie, as the author did.

The many wonderful photographs of Elvis make this book fun to look at for Elvis fans.

There was only one let-down. The author says, "I firmly believe Elvis is dead." Maybe I'll have to go see an impersonator show after all.

You can enjoy this book as a serious look at Elvis, as a serious look at being an Elvis impersonator, or simply as good humored fun. In any dimension, you'll enjoy yourself!

After you have finished reading and enjoying your Elvis reveries, I suggest that you think about what else may be missing from your life that you once greatly enjoyed. How can you recapture that? This may mean revisiting old haunts, taking on new "old" experiences, or making new friends who share the old preferences. In any event, allow yourself to be real about what you once enjoyed. You can enjoy your youth at any age!

"Uh, thankya, thankya . . . very much!"

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars He's a hunka-hunka burning showman!!, July 15, 2001

By 

Caryn Suarez (Jacksonville, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Be Elvis! A Guide to Impersonating the King (Hardcover)

Being from Jacksonville, and a big fan of Rick's, I recommend this book for everyone whether you want to be Elvis, Priscilla or Lisa Marie!! Full of memorable pics of Elvis, Rick performing and pics of him with Celebs like Sarah Jessica Parker from "Honeymoon in Vegas". The book is colorful, entertaining and fun for any library! Rick is the "King" of showman himself, so slip into your blue suede shoes, lean back relax and enjoy "Be Elvis" - it rocks just like Rick and the forever King!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THIS NEEDED TO BE WRITTEN, December 5, 2000

By 

"esmeraldax" (boston, ma United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Be Elvis! A Guide to Impersonating the King (Hardcover)

As a collector of the unusual , I found this highly entertaining. I have seen plenty of Elvis impersonators in my day, and this struck me as amazing that there is a how to book...

A great gift for an elvis fans everywhere