Elvis In Playboy

The November 2005 US edition of Playboy magazine will include a feature by Byron Raphael and Alanna Nash (author of "Elvis and The Memphis Mafia" and "The Colonel"). The article, entitled "In Bed With Elvis", tells the story of Byron Raphael who in 1956 was a up and coming agent for the William Morris agency who represented the young Elvis Presley.

Raphael states in the article that among his responsibilities was: "making sure the King was visited by a steady stream of beautiful women." These beautiful woman included sex symbol stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Natalie Wood. "What went on behind closed doors wasn't as steamy, or as normal as his fans would think." Says Raphael and Nash. Do we smell another behind the scenes book looking at the private life of Elvis in the works?

Updated October 22 thanks to E.I.N. site:

Lamar Fike responds: Memphis Mafia member Lamar Fike also contacted EIN this week about the Playboy story. Lamar said: "This story is not true. There is no way that any of this ever happened. I was there."

Bill Burk writes: Raphael's claims rank right down there with "cousin" Earl Greenwood's; that he has read of certain things; and heard of certain things; and then inserted himself into an active roll in all that happened -- or did not happen. Not sure whether Raphael's stories rank just above, or just below, Greenwood's.

For example:

In checking with those closest to Elvis during his career, EW could find no one who could even hint that Raphael ever worked for Elvis, in any capacity, be it gofer or pimp. The nicest thing any of them said about his claims in Playboy was "BS" ... and that did not stand for "Before Stardom."

And on Raphael's claims (as written by Nash):

Elvis unzipped his pants and dry-humped RCA's Nipper on stage before thousands in a October 28, 1957 show in Los Angeles. Why -- with all the thousands of cameras that followed Elvis everywhere he stepped -- have there never been one photo of this event seen by anyone? And WHY, with Los Angeles police in attendance, was Elvis not arrested for public indecency on the spot?