(106) ACTOR JOHN ASHLEY : ANOTHER PARTY INTIMATE

John Ashley, the actor, was also a great friend of Elvis' and me and the guys in the early 1960's. He had a zany cut-up personality and liked to pull pranks so he fit right in. John, Elvis, Nick Adams, and Bill Murphy and I played a lot of home pool tournaments together. John was married to actress Deborah Wally at the time who had been "the next Gidget." Like Frankie Avalon, he was in a lot of beach party type movies in his early career. John didn't seem to mind that he wasn't The Next James Dean, and made a good living acting in "B" pictures. He also financed some films.

The connections between us all continued for years. John eventually took five of my songs for the successful television series he performed in, "Straight Away."

BRIANS DRIVE IN THEATRE on JOHN ASHLEY link above!

(105) BILL MURPHY THE REAL GI JOE DOLL!

William "Bill" Murphy, sometimes called "Red", who had been in a number of films where he played service men was the model for the famous GI Joe Doll!

Check out this IMBd database for Bill's filmography and you'll see what I mean about military roles. His acting career began in the 1940's and went on 30 years.

He was friends with Robert Mitchum, who had written a script especially for Elvis that Colonel Parker turned down, as well as the actor associated most with Westerns, John Wayne. He was a great friend to Elvis and me and the guys and a lot of fun to be around. Fashions come and go but Bill was most often dressed in Western clothing - black and a big black cowboy hat. If you looked at him cross eyed he'd come over and part your hair right quick.

Linking here to the IMBd database BILL MURPHY filmography

I can still see Bill dancing with all the women at the house parties. I can still see Bill wearing his big cowboy hat as we rode down to the Sunset Strip to hear Johnny Rivers play at the Whiskey.