Did you know Elvis Presley had a twin brother? What happened to
him? And how has he spurred fan conspiracy theories? Keep watching for the answers.
The simply titled Elvis Presley biopic "Elvis" hits theaters June 24, 2022,
which means the King is back at the center of the pop culture conversation.
The film explores Presley's childhood musical influences,
his meeting with the man who would become his manager, Colonel Tom Parker,
and their tumultuous relationship during Presley's time of enormous fame.
Countless biographies and documentaries have purported to tell Elvis' full story
in the 40 years since Presley's death in 1977,
so you'd think there wouldn't be that much left to tell about the erstwhile King of Rock and Roll.
Yet he continues to captivate fans and spur curiosity about his offstage life.
Presley had a close relationship with his parents, particularly his mother, Gladys Presley.
In his book about the album "From Elvis in Memphis," author Eric Wolfson explains that
he may have loved his mother even more than any of his girlfriends,
a sentiment echoed by Presley's wife, Priscilla Presley.
Elvis didn't grow up in a lavish home like the Graceland mansion he eventually
purchased after gaining fame. His father, Vernon Presley, worked pretty much any job
he could to support his family in the 1930s. All That's Interesting quotes him as saying,
"There was almost nobody poorer than my wife Gladys and me."
Unfortunately, Vernon spent some time separated from the family in the late 1930s after being
arrested for check forgery. He sold a hog, but the buyer underpaid him, so he changed
the amount on the check. He got caught over the forgery, and spent eight months in jail.
This obviously did nothing to help the Presley family's financial situation.
Gladys and Elvis had to move in with relatives during those months.
After Elvis was born in 1935, he and his parents regularly attended church services that included
gospel music. Elvis fell in love with it. Vernon and Gladys were both supportive of
Elvis's burgeoning interest in music as he grew up. Elvis was devastated when Gladys passed away
in 1958 due to liver problems and hepatitis. But Vernon stayed close with Elvis throughout
his career, even helping with his son's earnings and regularly spending time on tour with him.
"My land joins his. I live right at his back door. So we're still together."
One lesser-known reason for Elvis Presley's close relationship with his parents
had to do with his identical twin brother. Presley had a twin brother named Jesse Garon Presley,
who died at birth. In "Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley,"
biographer Peter Guralnick claimed that Gladys Presley said,
"When one twin died, the one that lived got all the strength of both."
According to All That's Interesting, Vernon Presley said he felt that God
intended for Elvis to be, quote, "the only child we'd ever need."
Jesse has been the subject of fan conspiracy theories for decades. One claims that Jesse did
not die at birth, and was instead a body double for Elvis at various appearances. For example,
in footage from a 1970 interview, fans have pointed out inconsistencies with Elvis's eye
color and mannerisms to support their theory that Jesse was actually doing the interview.
Conspiracy theorists also use the incorrect date on Jesse Presley's death certificate as further
proof he didn't die at birth. The certificate states his date of death as January 7th,
1935, though he and Elvis Presley were actually born on January 8th.
The theorists believe the incorrect date is the result of a cover-up.
This is hardly the only strange conspiracy theory that has followed Elvis. Just like
Tupac and Michael Jackson, many fans believe that Elvis is still alive, or at least that he
didn't die in 1977. There's a Facebook group with over 30,000 followers dedicated to proving this.
The theory about Jesse is a common topic of discussion within the group as well.
Conspiracies aside, Find a Grave reports that Jesse was buried in a shoe box next
to his uncle in Tupelo, Mississippi, the Presleys' hometown. In Graceland,
Jesse has a cenotaph next to Elvis's grave. Their parents Gladys and Vernon, grandmother Minnie Mae,
and Elvis's grandson Benjamin are also buried at Graceland.
Elvis's living relatives include his only child, Lisa Marie Presley, and her remaining children,
actress Riley Keough and twins Harper and Finley Lockwood.
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