“A STUNNED ELVIS FAN WAITS IN THE RAIN”

(PRESLEY, Elvis) UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL. Photographs taken at Elvis Presley's funeral. New York: United Press International, 1977. 11 original glossy 8 by 10 photographic prints. $1800.

Eleven original UPI captioned photographs of events surrounding the funeral of “a modern god.”

"Men die, but the legends they create are immortal… Elvis will be remembered as nothing short of a modern god" (ANB). "Elvis is rock 'n' roll. He sang like a dream, he was sexy enough to send girls swooning, and he exuded enough cool not to have the boys resent him… It was Elvis who made rock 'n' roll the internal language of pop… He forever changed pop music, recording acres of material over two short decades. Elvis (deservedly) remains the King" (Rolling Stone). Presley's funeral became a media circus, with thousands of fans arriving in Memphis to pay their respects to the King at Graceland mansion. At 3:00pm on August 17, 1977 the doors of the Graceland were opened to the public and mourners were able to view Elvis in repose. The crowd outside the gates was estimated to be 100,000 despite the stifling heat and humidity showers. This set of UPI photographs graphically captures the emotional mood of the occasion. "With Elvis Presley a part of our country died as well" (President Jimmy Carter). Photographs include images of pallbearers carrying the casket into the mausoleum, mourners paying their respects, and distressed fans waiting to enter the grounds of Graceland.

Fine condition, some with manuscript dimensions and crop marks.