Thomas C. Fensch - The FBI Files on Elvis Presley

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The FBI Files on Elvis Presley

Copyright 2001 by Thomas Charles Fensch

New Century Books

P.O. Box 7113

The Woodlands, Tx., 77387-7113

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Elvis Presley never committed a crime.

Elvis Presley was never accused of any crime.

But for decades the FBI kept a file on Presley, not for anything he did, but for threats made against him; complaints about his public performances; an extortion attempt; mention of a paternity suit; the theft by larceny of an executive jet he owned and the alleged fraud (subsequently proven untrue) involving the sale of a 1955 Corvette he had bought new.

These behind-the-scenes files show dramatically how the FBI had to react to others involved in Presleys world; how J. Edgar Hoover replied to citizen complaints; and how the Washington, D.C. headquarters of the FBI and field offices throughout the United States worked often with other government law enforcement agencies to prosecute individuals involved with crimes surrounding Presley.

In some cases, the work of the FBI and other agencies was fruitless when death threats were received on handwritten postal cards, the FBI was unable (in the cases cited in this file) to find the writer of such threats. In other cases, such as the theft by larceny of Presleys executive jet, individuals were accused of, and prosecuted for that crime.

In the case of the extortion threat by Laurens Johannes Griessel-Landau, material in the FBI files came from U.S. Military officials in Europe, alerted to the case by Presley himself.

These documents represent over 650 pages of FBI files in Washington DC. Other government law enforcement agencies may well have their own files about crimes against Presley; in his home town of Memphis, in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, perhaps (and even elsewhere). The extent of files about crimes against Presley, located outside the files of the FBI may never be known.

The files in these pages represent, in microcosm, the behind-the-scenes life of any major national or international rock star, and other national or international entertainers. These files could well be duplicated time after time, under the name of other stars, national politicians, government leaders and, certainly in the case of death threats, against each modern President of the United States.

As a caveat to the reader: these files were originally photocopied from FBI records, then stored on a CD-Rom. The files were then reprinted from the CD-Rom; commentary and analysis by the editor was added, then the manuscript was retyped and electronically coded for publication by print-on-demand technology.

Every effort has been made to retain the accuracy of these files; no changes have been made by the editor, save to clarify, whenever possible, material that appeared garbled.

Neither the editor nor New Century Books is responsible for any errors due to this chain of photocopying, CD-Rom storage, reprinting and eventual publication in book form.

These files show the thrust of activity against Elvis Presley throughout the years and the efforts of the FBI to react to these threats, complaints and crimes.

These files represent the raw history of our times.

The files reflect one individual, who became internationally known, and who changed not only our culture, but affected the entire western world. The files, however, represent the dark side of international fame; a side little-known to fans of Presley and his music, yet perfectly understandable to those in law enforcement and those behind the scenes in the entertainment world and in other facets of public life.

Incidents and cases in these FBI files act as a sober caveat for us all, entertainers as well as those who love them.

As an added advisory to the reader: before declassifying these formerly secret documents, the FBI has chosen to delete certain words, phrases, names, addresses, paragraphs and even whole pages of documents. Samples of the deletions (redactions, in legalese, meaning getting ready for publication) appear in the Appendix. Reasons for omitting material are not given, except for codings related to certain types of secrecy classifications.

Additional names, addresses, paragraphs, and pages related to Elvis Presley may still remain secret. The extent of any such continued secret documents is also unknown.

Thomas Fensch

The earliest set of documents in the Presley file is correspondence dated March and April, 1959 regarding a death threat made when Presley was serving in the U.S. Army in Germany. SAC is Special Agent in Charge of an FBI Bureau. (Copies of the letter about the threat, which is almost illegible, are in the Appendix):

TO: DIRECTOR, FBI

ATT:FBI LABORATORY

FROM: SAC, NEW YORK (62-12152)

SUBJECT:ELVIS-PRESLEY

INFORMATION CONCERNING

Enclosed herewith are the original and a Photostate of a letter dated 3/11/59, and the envelope postmarked 3/12/59, addressed to RCA VICTOR RECORDS, 155 East 24th Street, NY 10, NY, which contains information from an anonymous writer that plans had been made for a Red Army soldier to kill ELVIS PRESLEY, well-known entertainer, who is presently stationed in US Army in Germany.

Legal Department, RCA, who made letter available on 3/19/59, advised that it had been received 3/16/59, and was handled by numerous people on the staff. Stated that PRESLEYS manager, Col. THOMAS PARKER, Box 417, Madison, Tenn., phone # Nashville 8-2858, was informed of contents of letter and he advised that letter appeared identical to letters received in past from a woman in Ohio and that FBI had already looked into matter. PARKER stated woman was nuts. Letter contained no personal threats from writer.

Two Photostats are being forwarded for assistance of Memphis Office and it is requested that Memphis instruct Laboratory as to what action desired.

From: John Edgar Hoover, Director

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Subject:ELVIS PRESLEY

INFORMATION CONCERNING

Attached is a Photostat of an anonymous letter dated March 11, 1959; postmarked Canton, Ohio, and addressed to RCA Victor Records, 155 East 24th Street, New York 10, New York, which contains information to the effect that a Red Army soldier in East Germany is planning to kill Elvis Presley, a well-known entertainer, presently attached to the U. S. Army in Germany.

Legal Dept., RCA, has advised that the contents of this letter have been made available to Presleys manager, Colonel Thomas Parker, Madison, Tennessee. For your information, during 1957 and 1958, one wrote several threatening letter to Presley. Voluntarily entered the ??, an institution for mental patients, at. The Assistant U. S. Attorney at Cleveland, Ohio, declined prosecution of for violation of the Extortion Statute in view of her mental condition.

The handwriting on the enclosed letter was examined by the FBI Laboratory and it was concluded that the handwriting was not identical with that of known specimens by