Elvis Presley’s 1956 Vegas Debut
on Apr 23, 2015 • Updated Dec 08, 2021
The King of rock and roll is most widely recognized for his time spent performing in Las Vegas, but imagine a time when he was new to sin city. In 1956, a fresh faced Elvis Presley made his debut alongside Freddy Martin and comedian Sheckly Greene, for what was supposed to be a two week residency at the New Frontier Hotel. Presley had just released his first album Elvis Presley, and was quickly gaining popularity with a young audience.
In the video below, you see a young Presley, enjoying his time in the spotlight and quickly learning what fame was all about. It wasn’t long before Presley was released from his debut residency due to unpopular reviews. But in 1969 after the release of “Blue Suede Shoes”, the singer was invited to return to the Las Vegas Strip. Booked for a month long residency at the International Hotel, he made more than $1 million in four weeks, quickly becoming one of the hottest attractions in the city.
Presley remained a Vegas staple until his death in 1977, and still remains an important part of the city’s culture. Enjoy this rare footage of his debut in 1956!
