Convention Wars, Elvis Style

Former Elvis co-star Suzanna Leigh's ambitious and well-intentioned plan to reunite many of the King's co-stars at the Night-of-a-Thousand-Stars convention during Elvis week in Memphis last week fell flat per first hand reports as the 1,000 stars dwindled down to 9. Most of the starlets slated to attend such as Sue Ane Langdon, Irene Tsu, Celeste Yarnall, Gail Gilmore (pictured with Elvis in Harum Scarum), Pat Priest, and Edy Williams dropped out. Can't blame them as at the last minute the venue changed and they had to pay their own way to Memphis though promises were made to reimburse them.

Making matters even worse was that the convention drew the ire of the official Elvis convention, which was unhappy with Leigh's event getting publicity. Suzanna was mysteriously banned from Sirius radio while some of her guests such as Victoria Meyerink who was advertised at one point on Leigh's web site bolted for the Elvis convention joining Elvis co-stars Mary Ann Mobley, Chris Noel, Cynthia Pepper, and Darlene Tompkins.

Instead of trying to sabotage Leigh, maybe the Elvis people will smarten up and work with her next year to have one big official convention with his co-stars and maybe say talented authors who have written about them such as moi!