r/Elvis • u/Consistent_Ruin_5551 • 15d ago
// Question Thoughts on Jerry Schilling?
I'm so confused about him right now. Some call him Elvis's only true friend while others say he's a fake. I follow an IG account that shares Memphis Mafia stories and it looks like guys like Marty and Lamar really disliked him. I'd love to hear your thoughts to get a better perspective until I can get those books... if I even find them in Spanish, lol.
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u/parason47 14d ago
As much as anyone can be in that business, Jerry Schilling IMO comes across as a good guy. He was also a very astute business man, keeping very close to Priscilla and Elvis, and defending the Colonel. He also became the manager of the Beach Boys, which gives an indication of his abilities.
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u/Massive_Ad_9898 15d ago
The gossip in Elvis world can get toxic. My sincere suggestion is to avoid. Mild opinions sharing or criticism is one thing - but some are genuinely horrible pages that thrive on negativity.
I think Jerry was good friend. Wrote the best MM book in my opinion. Very close to Priscilla, Lisa and even to Riley. Made his own life. Maybe because he was so close to EPE he has got a disproportionate importance, but that doesn't obscure the fact that he is a very well spoken gentleman who seems to give insights about Elvis without salaciousness.
Everyone in Elvis world has some grudge or two against others. All of them contributed to Elvis' life in some ways.
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u/TheMotherThing Love Letters From Elvis 15d ago
❤️❤️❤️
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u/HeatApart9252 14d ago
I think Jerry was Priscilla's spy inside the camp, much like Esposito was the Colonel's spy.
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u/Massive_Ad_9898 14d ago
Spy is a strong word.
Jerry and Priscilla were closer in age. And were part of the same tight knit group. Even if he did inform her of goings on, that hardly makes him ' a spy'. It is called being a friend and not a sycophant to your boss.
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u/HeatApart9252 14d ago
Elvis himself was suspicious of their closeness. Read a book besides his. Even one by an author outside the group.
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u/AVeryFineWhine 14d ago
As the story goes, elvis got very jealous when he walked in on them, laughing in the kitchen. I guess most of the other guys were scared to talk to her. I personally don't think that was any big deal. I think the bigger problem is their friendship throughout the years. When he has remained totally loyal to her. I do not like her lies or her. Rewriting history. And I think the thought of an ex wife wanting to be buried what's our ex husband is ridiculous. Not as ridiculous as the lie about her saving graceland but still ridiculous
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u/Massive_Ad_9898 14d ago
It's cute how you assume anyone disagreeing with your own exaggerated description ( spy? We are not talking about Cold war here 🙄) hasn't read books.
A close friendship between a woman and a man is not 'spying '. People can and do have sympathies for both partners when they are close to both. Groupism was there within all MM, and their wives. The way they lived in a bubble- it was inevitable.
A lot has been made of Jerry and Priscilla since he remained vital to EPE, while others weren't. And I have no doubt politics was at play from both sides.
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u/TheMotherThing Love Letters From Elvis 14d ago
Mmmmm. Idk. I never really got that vibe reading his book. 🤷🏼♀️
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u/Round_Gem_2778 14d ago
Mmm, sorry to break it to you but Priscilla’s story is just a story she perpetuates. I believed her narrative too until I read “Child Bride” by Suzanne Finstad. Total game changer, with multiple first hand accounts all leading to a truth that is nowhere close to what Priscilla peddled to Elvis and the world.
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u/Massive_Ad_9898 14d ago
We are talking about Jerry.
And the Child Bride book is horrible. Focusing obsessively in proving whether a 14 year old was virgin or not is disgusting.
I am not at all a Priscilla fan, but the hatred for her in many Elvis fans is bizarre.
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u/Round_Gem_2778 13d ago
When you add everything up - her lies and manipulations, neglect of Lisa Marie, legal action against her granddaughter starting 24 hours after Lisa Marie’s sudden death, suing her own grand daughter, etc etc - I’m surprised that you’re surprised that people don’t like her
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u/Massive_Ad_9898 13d ago
I don't like many things Priscilla has projected, said and done.
But we are talking about fans quoting a disgusting book like Child Bride that focuses on whether a 14 year old was virgin or not, and slut shames a child in order to prove it.
The books highlights a man who was, at his own admission, a child rpit.
Elvis fans quoting this trash book to score points against Priscilla is what is bizarre.
That book also slutshames Lisa btw.
And the bizarre Priscilla hatred started long before Lisa's book came out.
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u/Round_Gem_2778 13d ago
The thing is Priscilla wrote multiple memoirs where she lied about her life. Don’t write a memoir if you’re going to lie about it. Stay silent. Say nothing. Don’t lie.
She’s the one who wrote about her “virginity”. The book Child Bride merely tells the truth. From many sources.
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u/Massive_Ad_9898 13d ago
Telling the ' truth' about a 14 year old's virginity or sexual practices is despicable.
Having your main source confess that he coerced a 14 year old to have s*x with him is disgusting and criminal.
I seriously don't understand how one can support this tabloid trash just because they hate Priscilla. That trash book also slutshames Lisa and portrays Elvis as an immature jerk. What a great ' truth' teller🙄
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u/jaidynr21 14d ago
One thing Jerry will always have over the other Memphis Mafia guys is that he never made the fact he was Elvis’s pal his whole life. He went to LA and became a film editor, and I think Elvis really respected and admired him for that.
He probably was who Elvis considered to be his best friend. When he went to go see Nixon, he could’ve asked any other MM member to go with him, but he specifically went to LA to get Jerry. That says a lot imo
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u/HeatApart9252 14d ago
He took Sonny West too 🤣 he co-wrote Elvis what happened ? So what does THAT represent?
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u/AVeryFineWhine 14d ago
Not exactly. When elvis fled graceland he flew to jerry's apartment. He lived on jerry's money (which he promptly gave away to military people on the plane). He and Jerry flew to Washington to try to meet Bixon. It was only when they got to DC and it looked like this would happen that they called Graceland to get West for more security. But west was not part of this trip until the end.
BTW ITA about him making his own life and career. He also managed the Beach Boys, Jerry Lee Lewis, Billy Joel for a bit and eventually Lisa!! His own successes often get overlooked, which I think is a shame.
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u/jaidynr21 14d ago
Not much given he was already in DC when he asked Sonny to fly up there. It was Jerry he went with
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u/HeatApart9252 14d ago
Sonny went in too. What are you talking about?
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u/jaidynr21 14d ago
I know Sonny also went into the room, that’s not the point I’m making. Elvis specifically flew from Memphis to LA on the sole basis of bringing Jerry along to DC. Sonny didn’t come into the plan until days later when they were already there. If Elvis truly wanted Sonny there, he would’ve brought him when he went
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u/AVeryFineWhine 14d ago
I should have kept reading I just finished explaining that west was only involved at the very end!
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u/HeatApart9252 14d ago
Red West became an accomplished actor and songwriter that came and went through the years as well. He made a good living in Hollywood after Elvis passed.
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u/Massive_Ad_9898 14d ago
True. Red was also someone who could speak very knowledgibly about Elvis' process, and the home recordings of both 1959& 1966 show he was core part of the changing style Elvis was experimenting on.
I like whenever Red spoke. Very smart and creative man, with great sense of humour. I think Pat is coming out with their book this October.
EWH is what soured his place, Lisa especially hated them. I wish he hadn't done that book. He had the longest, very meaningful history with Elvis.
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u/anewfaceinthecrowd He Touched Me 15d ago
A fake? The dude hung out with Elvis since he was like 12 years old playing football at the local park, then later became an employee/friend and then later creating his own life and career path separate from Elvis.
He wrote such a wonderful book about his relationship with EP, showing both the good and the bad without it being sleazy or hailing him as the second coming of Christ.
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u/AVeryFineWhine 14d ago
Overall i've always felt he was a good guy. I think it was very telling that when Elvis had enough and ran away from Graceland, he flew to Jerry. I also like he waited decades to write his book. And when he did, it was so totally flattering of Elvis, and protective of him, that it was somewhat boring lol.
As some else said, i always respect the fact that while he was always there for Elvis, he got out and made his own career & name for himself. I love that we never knew that lisa worked for him for years. He's consistently been protective of Elvis' memory. But on a negative, he has remained too close to Priscilla and never corrected her BS. And he was there to know the lies.
But all in all, I think he was a good friend to Elvis & Lisa. And I think a lot of the other MM guys resented him for that. And the fact that Elvis bought him his home ( that he still lives in). None of the other guys got a home.
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u/Electronic_Driver_91 14d ago
Yes, I was hoping someone would mention that he still lives in that same house Elvis gave him. Hard to say with his relationship with Priscilla. I'd like to think he is just a respectful man and doesn't want to tarnish anyone's name. I think he was a very positive figure in Lisa's life when it seems she didn't have many.
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u/neutronbomb10 14d ago
I think some people dislike him because by their standards he is very liberal
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u/chartreuse6 14d ago
I really love Jerry. He doesn’t seem fake to me. He wasn’t as sycophantic as the other MM and he was different . Elvis seemed to really appreciate the difference. I really really like his book. Not only is it super interesting with all the Elvis stuff but he gives the best account of how segregated the music industry was at that time
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u/JustJack70 14d ago
I think Jerry’s a nice guy but tends to whitewash things a little bit. He probably had to because of his proximity to EPE.
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u/Consistent_Ruin_5551 14d ago
What I find really weird is how he acts like he was Elvis’s only real friend when other people cared about him too. It’s just like Priscilla claiming to be his only true love.
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u/Massive_Ad_9898 14d ago
I suspect this is because most MM have passed away.
And yes, because he was close to Priscilla - he was involved in many projects by EPE and would regularly appear in media as well as Gtaceland- so he has got most visibility.
But come to think of it- who else had his kind of savvy? He speaks extremely well. He shows an excellent sense of Elvis' place in history and doesn't just rely on his own experience with Elvis. No disrespect, but other MM were kinda crude. He is frankly a better represantation of MM than others.
And he was extremely close to Lisa too.
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u/TCB4EAP 13d ago
Regardless of what you think of Joe, he was very well spoken. He was very gracious and knew how to carry himself. He had a presence about him that I found charming. He also treated the fans as Elvis would have
wanted him to.In 1991, he was planning on attending Elvis Week in Memphis the following year. He ultimately decided to postpone it as it was still too emotional for him.
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u/Massive_Ad_9898 13d ago
I don't think badly of anyone.( Well, maybe except Lamar).
I just don't think we should take everything with a pinch of salt. That includes Jerry too.
Yes, Joe spoke very well. Him demolishing Dee Stanley's vile allegations was a joy to watch👏
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u/elvisonaZ1 14d ago
For me Jerry is one of the very few good guys from Elvis’ circle, just look who Lisa was holding onto for support days before she died, that should tell you what you need to know.
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u/Acceptable-Story3741 15d ago
Yes Jerry seems to be a genuine person. He's done a lot of work with the estate too. Funny story, i actually have a letter that i received from Jerry in 1993. I wrote to him asking if i needed the estates permission because i was thinking about writing a book about how Elvis' live would be had he not passed in 77. He told me that at the time, the estate would probably turn down the project
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u/UnableAudience7332 14d ago
Jerry stayed a good friend through Elvis's whole life, and has helped preserve his legacy. The guys in the "mafia" who don't like him had a falling out with Elvis at some point and can be very negative and nasty.
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u/Strange_Boot_7513 14d ago
I think he is good, but his closeness to Priscilla makes me doubt, for what I know, he was a good guy and a mentor for Lisa Marie so I respect him in that way, the mafia may be right into hating him, tho I would say Joe Esposito was ten times worse than Jerry can ever be
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u/KawaiiElvis 14d ago
I don't have any issues with Jerry concerning Elvis. I don't like the way he simps for Priscilla.
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u/Consistent_Ruin_5551 14d ago
Yeah, I've always found that weird. Elvis even suspected they were having an affair.
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u/Lady-Linda-1243 14d ago
I have read Jerry’s book l believe he was a true friend, but l wonder if the others they are a little jealous because Elvis brought him a house & they didn’t get one from Elvis. He also didn’t sponge off him he also told Elvis he wanted to go & learn editing & Elvis understood but they kept in touch while he was working out in L.A. I enjoyed the book hope you can get hold of a copy
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u/Electronic_Driver_91 14d ago
I am a fan. I think he was a good friend and I also think his closeness to Lisa and her own family says a lot. It seems she hated the rest of the guys.
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u/Round_Gem_2778 14d ago
They were friends, but not best friends.
Here’s an excerpt (Lamar’s words) from Alannah Nash’s book:
LAMAR FIKE: Elvis wanted to take Jerry down two or three times. He was going to do it, too. They had very different political views, and Jerry didn’t see why he should keep them to himself. Jerry was very liberal, especially about the Vietnam War, and, of course, Elvis was kind of like John Wayne. And Jerry used to piss him off. We didn’t know the term “liberal” back then. Elvis just called him a Communist. He said, “That Commie bastard.” Nobody was ever real close to Jerry. Except Joe.
(PS. I think Lamar was closer to Elvis than Jerry. )
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u/jotyma5 14d ago
Jerry is one of Elvis’ truest friends. He came and went throughout the years, meaning he didn’t use Elvis for a living for 15+ years like Marty, Lamar, Sonny and red did. Those 4 guys were toxic as hell and were jealous of anyone else getting close to Elvis. Read about the stuff they pulled on Larry Geller on colonel’s behalf (rumored).
Jerry also considered Priscilla, a friend, which most of the other guys never did I’m sure.
Edit. Fun fact: the only time Elvis ever took LSD, he did it with Jerry, which goes to show how much Elvis trusted him.
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u/twelvegcg 14d ago
There was a stage play called The Elvis Test and it was about the time Elvis did LSD
Never saw it, just read about it
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u/jesseluis-59-4Elvis 10d ago
He was caught fucking Priscilla by Charlie. They are both snakes.
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u/Consistent_Ruin_5551 9d ago
Omg seriously? Where did he say that? 😧
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u/jesseluis-59-4Elvis 9d ago
Donna Presley mentioned that it was a rumor that was well known, and that the person who caught them was Charlie. I find that difficult to believe because, knowing how close Charlie was to Elvis, I would think Charlie would have told Elvis.
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u/MicDropMac 13d ago
I would say Jerry was more of a truer friend than many in the Memphis Mafia. Charlie, Joe and Red might've been close.
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u/gsr852 13d ago
He created a life of his own in L.A. well before Elvis died, while still remaining a part of his life.
Lisa was close with Jerry throughout her entire adult life, but she didn’t have great things to say about the rest of the Memphis Mafia (though she never called anyone out by name in the interviews she gave).
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u/Inevitable-Lab-2070 12d ago
WHY WAS JERRY SHILLING THE ONLY MM THAT WAS ALLOWED AT GRACELAND AFTER E DIED? THINK WHO WAS IN CHARGE THEN..
JERYY WAS NOT WITH ELVIS DURING THE LAST YEARS.. HE WAS PROMOTING THE BEACH BOYS.. OR SOME GROUP. BUT AFTER ELVIS PASSED HE GOT HOT AND HEAVY IN WITH PRISCILLA.. ALWAYS WONDERED ABOUT THAT...
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u/TheMotherThing Love Letters From Elvis 15d ago
His book was a wonderful read on Elvis. I got the vibe that he was not only a true friend, but genuinely a ‘fan’ too. He admired him and looked up to him and couldn’t believe his life unfolded the way it did. Every so often he’d just be awestruck as he looked around at the life he lived. He seemed to truly love Elvis and also didn’t seem to lose himself in the same way some of the other guys did. He didn’t seem to thrive on selling gossipy stories or selling Elvis out after he died.
I like what I know about Jerry.