When Elvis was in the army he asked Cliff Gleaves, most recently a joke crackin' DJ with a successful radio program to travel with him. This was on Elvis' dime. Cliff was ready to leave DJing behind and short noticed his bosses. "I'm going with with the great Elvis Presley!" he said.
So Cliff went to Germany and while Elvis was busy with the army, Cliff, who was hyper, went off touring Europe. There was only so much sitting around the villa he could do. He was there with Elvis when Elvis had his one and only leave in Paris.
When Elvis went to LA to make movies, Cliff went with him. Cliff had married while in Europe and he and is wife lived separate of Elvis. But he was there on the sets with him, and as Elvis liked to do, he often got movie "extra" work or bit parts for his friends and entourage. Cliff was in "King Creole" with Elvis as an extra.
In Los Angeles Cliff proved to be the comedic genious whose energy and spirit pulled Elvis Presley out of a depression. "Where's Cliff?" Elvis would ask when he wanted to come out of it.
Elvis wanted Cliff on the piano entertaining at his house parties. It was an honor that Cliff wasn't about to give up. So there he was banging on the keys - with talent to spare.
As an insider for some years Cliff Gleaves was there in Elvis' life, as a friend, confidant, advisor (Cliff was a no bullshit person, someone who Elvis actually asked for advice from, and when Cliff gave advice Elvis listened!), and as the Jester of the King's Court, there wasn't a man who could compete with Cliff.
Cliff made people laugh, he made them roll, he made them laugh till no sound came out of their mouths. He made Elvis roll!
If you can judge a man's greatness by how much he is missed as Will Rogers said, then Cliff Gleaves was one of the greatest.
So Cliff went to Germany and while Elvis was busy with the army, Cliff, who was hyper, went off touring Europe. There was only so much sitting around the villa he could do. He was there with Elvis when Elvis had his one and only leave in Paris.
When Elvis went to LA to make movies, Cliff went with him. Cliff had married while in Europe and he and is wife lived separate of Elvis. But he was there on the sets with him, and as Elvis liked to do, he often got movie "extra" work or bit parts for his friends and entourage. Cliff was in "King Creole" with Elvis as an extra.
In Los Angeles Cliff proved to be the comedic genious whose energy and spirit pulled Elvis Presley out of a depression. "Where's Cliff?" Elvis would ask when he wanted to come out of it.
Elvis wanted Cliff on the piano entertaining at his house parties. It was an honor that Cliff wasn't about to give up. So there he was banging on the keys - with talent to spare.
As an insider for some years Cliff Gleaves was there in Elvis' life, as a friend, confidant, advisor (Cliff was a no bullshit person, someone who Elvis actually asked for advice from, and when Cliff gave advice Elvis listened!), and as the Jester of the King's Court, there wasn't a man who could compete with Cliff.
Cliff made people laugh, he made them roll, he made them laugh till no sound came out of their mouths. He made Elvis roll!
If you can judge a man's greatness by how much he is missed as Will Rogers said, then Cliff Gleaves was one of the greatest.
Above link to Rockin Country Style Discography - Cliff Gleaves page!
King Creole on the IMBd database
And a YouTube presentation of Elvis singing the title song of the movie, "King Creole."
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