When it comes right down to it, rock and roll owes much of its enduring existence to Elvis. 

Because every 1950s white boy saw and heard Elvis and many of them decided on the spot that they just had to be that. 

So far, no one has succeeded in equalling the King's unique combination of vocal prowess, good looks, charm, funky dancing, pure cool, goofball sense of humor and general quirky, downhome Southern weirdness. 

But many have tried.  Mick Jagger, Robert Plant and Paul McCartney, just to name a few.  And, as Elvis begat Mick, Plant and Macca and their contemporaries, they begat another generation, and so on, right down to the Chris Martins, Bonos and Thom Yorkes of today.

With all roads leading back to Elvis. 

Even in this cheeseball B-movie role, Elvis is electric.  His costar (here in Kid Galahad) looks like she's about to eat him alive.  Which she was; he purportedly slept with every costar from every movie, with the sole exception of Shirley MacLaine.  As we said, we wanna be Elvis.

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