E-Day Is Almost Here

The Oregonian
August 28, 1957

Someday, maybe, a panel of psychologists will put their heads together and figure out how what is about to happen in Portland would possibly happen. On Labor Day that entertainment phenomenon, Elvis Presley, is to appear at Multnomah stadium to whomp the daylights out of his guitar, wiggle his midsection and utter the strange cries which trigger remarkable reflexes in very young females.

The stadium is expected to be chockablock with rabid Presley fans at an average of two bucks per, and with an estimated boxoffice gross of $50,000, Elvis will depart with $40,000, by a considerable margin the biggest haul for one night stand in all of Portland's theatrical history.

A possible explanation for this altogether incredible event has been supplied by Phylis Lauritz, The Oregonian's staff writer assigned to cover the events of E-day. She informs us all arrengements for Elvis' appearance are being made by his manager, one Col. Tom Parker, who has a reputation in the ballyhoo business as a very shrewd operator. For evidence of this, one need only to identify Colonel Parker as the mastermind of the promotional campaign for the patent-medicine, Hadacol.

When it appeared on the market a half dozen years ago, Hadacol differed little from many other elixirs which cause the patient to temporarily to feel better after taking a swallow, and for the same reason: A hefty alcohol content. But Hadacol had Colonel Parker, and in a few months he had millions of Americans talking about it and shelling out $1.25 per pint. As soon as the promotional fires went out, however, Hadacol cooled off fast. Now you really have to hunt to find a bottle on a drugstore shelf.

It could be that Elvis Presley like Hadacol, is just another example of what can be achieved by a promotional genius in making things appear to be more worthwhile and desirable than they really are. If so, when Colonel Parker gets tired of blowing the trumpet for Elvis, this young man speedily will find his way to his proper niche in the temple of the Arts. This we imagine would be as a pretty good hillbilly singer on some barn TV show.

And what will all the swooners over Presley do then? Why, they will quickly forget and find new subjects for allegiance. Just as the ex-customers for Hadacol did.

Courtesy of Francesc Lopez