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The Jewish World Of Elvis Presley by Roselle Kline Chartock Reviewed by Nigel Patterson, February 2021 McKinstry Place Publishers, USA, 2020, Softcover,252 pages, Illustrated (color/b&w), ISBN-13; 979-8686604445 ELVIS AND JEWS: At first glance these two words may not seem to go together. But the truth is that, despite growing up in a poor, fundamentalist Christian family in the Deep South – an area sometimes known for its anti-semitism – Elvis Presley nonetheless developed a deep affinity to Jews..... There is within this book ample evidence that Presley’s personality as well as his musical gifts were shaped, in part, by his Jewish world (promotion for the book) The last year has been a busy one for Elvis related books written by academics: Mark Duffett (Elvis Roots, Image, Comeback, Phenomenon), Mathias Haeussler (Inventing Elvis: An American Icon in A Cold War World), Bertel Nygaard (Elvis I Danmark), and most recently, Roselle Kline Chartock (The Jewish World of Elvis Presley). Many fans may not realise it, but the number of Jews in Elvis’ life was substantial. While it is understandable that as part of Elvis’ ongoing search for meaning in his life he closely studied Judaism, as he did other religions - this does not explain his close affinity with Jews. In a highly readable and accessible account, Professor Emerita of Education, Roselle Chartock, delves deep into, and answers, two questions:
As Ms Chintock notes, Jews make up only 2% of the population, yet are disproportionately part of Elvis’ life and inner circle. In answering the questions, the author discusses Elvis’ Jewish heritage (which he was well aware of) and key friendships and influences throughout his life. Elvis’ Jewish heritage has been traced back to the union of Nancy Burdine and Oscar Tackett in the 1800’s. Nancy Burdine was Elvis’ great, great grandmother.
Elvis and Billy Smith with David and Debbie Fruchter (photo: Harold Fruchter and Judith Minkove).
NOTE: EIN suspects that it is actually Elvis' cousin Gene Smith in the photo, since Billy Smith would be years younger. Ms Chartock may have confused the names as she did interview Billy Smith for the book. Many fans will be familiar with the close friendship between the Presley’s and Rabbi Fruchter and his family while living in the duplex at 462 Alabama Street in Memphis. The teenage Elvis would often spend a many hours in the Fruchter’s apartment and he assisted Rabbi Fruchter on Sundays. By the mid-1950s, a large number of Jews had gravitated to the Memphis area as it had established itself as a growing business hub. In this context, as Elvis started out on his journey to becoming the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll he befriended a number of Jewish business professionals in Memphis. Those he became friends with included Bernard Lansky (clothier), Harry Levitch (jeweller), Dr. Lester Hoffman (dentist), and Ruben Cherry (record store owner). Elvis’ friendships with Jews was just as strong when his career took off. In the Memphis Mafia, there were (at least) five Jews: George Klein, Mary Lacker, Alan Fortas, Larry Geller, and the only female Memphis Mafia member, Patti Parry. The jury is still out on whether or not there was a sixth, “The Great Speckled Bird”, Lamar Fike. In discussing the so-called Memphis Mafia, Ms Chartock observes:
Other Jews prominent in Elvis’ life included songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, various producers and directors in Hollywood and on TV, and Dr. Nick. The author notes that Elvis and Milton Berle shared a sense of humor that could be referred to as Jewish humor, as reflected in this exchange (although it should be noted this was scripted):
Berle: I wanna ask you something, Elvis. If I did that thing the way you did it, do you think I could get all the girls? Among Elvis’ acquaintances, the Jewish connection was also evident. The chapter, Other Jews with Meaningful Connections to Elvis Presley, features names that will be very familiar to most readers. They include, Tony Curtis, Al Dvorin, Barbra Streisand, Jackie Kahane, and Trude Forster (secretary to both Elvis and particularly Colonel Tom Parker). It is clear when reading The Jewish World of Elvis Presley that Elvis’ relationships with Jews were rich and rewarding. Many of his closest friends were Jews, as were his artistic colleagues and many business people who were able to provide him with his jewelry and fashion needs, and treat his medical conditions (interestingly, while Dr. Nick is discussed in the book, other Jewish doctors Elvis consulted, such as Dr. Max Shapiro, Dr. Elias Ghanem, Dr. Max Jacobson, and Dr. George Kaplan, are not).
Elvis with Bernard Lansky
An aspect of the book I really enjoyed were the detailed sections devoted to many of Elvis’ Jewish friends, including chapters devoted to the Lansky Brothers, the various Jews who wrote for Elvis (Leiber & Stoller, Florence Kaye, Aaron Schroeder, Ben Weisman), the Jewish members of the Memphis Mafia (it is great to have such detailed accounts of Marty, George, Alan, Larry, Patti, and Lamar, conveniently in the one book), and the many many people of Jewish faith who were involved in his Hollywood career. The background stories for many of the people are not only interesting, but rich in detail, and offer often powerful accounts reflecting oppression and adversity. For instance, film director, Norman Taurog, a Russian Jew from Riga, Latvia, whose father ‘had escaped the programs that that had spread through Russia in the late 1800’s’. Some of the other Jews discussed in the book are Leonard Bernstein, Walter Matthau, Bob Dylan, and photographer, Alfred Wertheimer. Colonel Tom Parker’s relationship with Jews is also discussed and is an interesting one. Byron Raphael, an employee of the William Morris [Entertainment] Agency, is quoted as saying:
When writing her book, Ms Chintock was confronted by a recurrent question: Was it just coincidence that there were so many Jewish connections in Elvis’ life or was there something more at work? She intriguingly addresses this issue in the first chapter, Elvis: Jewish Roots, Jewish Symbols. There is much to savour in The Jewish World of Elvis Presley. Other interesting information we learn about includes:
Regarding Elvis and fashion, the author offers a quote by Ann Powers, Senior Curator at the Experience Music Project in Seattle:
As foreshadowed in the book’s Preface, the chapter topics have common themes, for example: Chapter 2: Elvis and the Rabbi upstairs The Jewish World of Elvis Presley also features several fascinating chapters about the Elvis Diner in Israel and a Brief History of Jewish Memphis. There is also a Foreword by Hal Lansky.
A series of color, b&w and sepia images dot the narrative and are both a neat complement and important visual record of the subject matter. A standout b&w image is a double page spread of Elvis and his date, Bobbi Owens, at the counter of the Jefferson Hotel coffee shop in Richmond, Virginia. The more than 30 pages of End Notes and seven pages of Bibliography will please those wanting to further explore the book’s themes. Verdict: Readers will recognise many of the stories in The Jewish World of Elvis Presley, but certainly not have read them all in one volume. Roselle Chartock’s thoughtful and informative release is an important one – it offers a rich archival record and cogent analysis of Elvis’ friendships/relationships with Jews (rather than his relationship with Judaism). And by drawing attention to the importance of Jews in Elvis’ life, the book brings to life an aspect of the Elvis story previously viewed as a series of anecdotes, rather than as a coherent theme that was important to Elvis and had a major influence on both his life and career.
Book Review by Nigel Patterson.
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