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Fame And Fortune For Sonny West?

August 23, 2008 | Other

RLF Victor Productions Ltd has announced plans for a movie behind the fame of the legendary Elvis.

Fame & Fortune, an exhilarating and haunting portrait of Elvis, as seen through the eyes of his dear close friend and bodyguard of seventeen years, Sonny West. From his rocket ride to fame as the premier innovator of rock and roll, to the abundance of life in Hollywood as the highest paid actor of his generation, Elvis enjoyed a phenomenal lifestyle that he shared freely with his closest friends and protectors, The Memphis Mafia.

As a personal bodyguard and close friend of Elvis for seventeen years Sonny West lived the roller coaster ride of celebrity excess. But as the pressures of touring and maintaining his public image mounted, Elvis turned to the escapism of overprescribed medicines that ultimately became a life ending dependency.

Sonny West experienced it all and this movie depicts not only the truth behind the fame of the legendary Elvis, but also Sonny’s desperate measures to try to stop the inevitable and save the man he called his best friend, mentor and boss.

Based on the book, Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business, by Sonny West with Marshall Terrill

Source:Elvis Information Network
My boy, my boy wrote on August 23, 2008
Not again ?!
I am Buffalo-Horn! wrote on August 23, 2008
Dear close friend?? The truth? All these people violated Elvis' friendship & his trust in them; bottom line is they betrayed him.
Antjie wrote on August 23, 2008
Would love to know the "truth behind the fame of ... Elvis" (?) I guess Mr. Nolan ... eh, Mr. West is here with the truth. Well, well, well ...
Antjie wrote on August 23, 2008
The truth is, Mr. West needs a job ... eh, money?
Rev. Gerhard wrote on August 23, 2008
Harm set, harm get. God sees everything.
jacqui8135 wrote on August 24, 2008
I will be the first to say, i love reading about elvis, and have hundreds of books about him, but why do i always feel, that any book/interview that involves certain members of the memphis mafia, that there is no real love/respect for Elvis from them, i never feel any warmth either, i often think, that if they hadnt of been accepted into the priviledge world of Elvis, then what would they be doing, probably driving a 'truck'. No matter what went on behind Graceland walls or anywhere else, it should be kept there, cos it is none of our business, as usual Sonny West/Lamar Fike, are milking yet again as much as they can from their association with Elvis. i find it very very sad, shame that sonny hasnt learnt his lesson from elvis what happened book. he didnt convince me of being geniune when i met him in 2003 and still doesnt.
Mofoca22 wrote on August 24, 2008
sonny is a jerk so is red. but red is better than sonny cuz red actually gave a hoot about elvis proof is there and set when before elvis was anything he was getting beat up in school and red used to protect him. sonny is a jerk they all are.
Sean Ryan wrote on August 24, 2008
I like Sonny.Got nothing against him and loved his book he brought out.Comes across as a guy who really thought alot of Elvis and the Elvis firing him in the manner he did and when Sonny wanted an explanation, Elvis wouldnt even talk to him, that was a disgusting thing to do.As far as the film, i,ll wait till it comes out to make a comment on it.Sonny spent along time with Elvis and if feels he can make a living telling the world how great Elvis was in books and films then i dont have an issue with that.Id rather hear from someone who was there than someone like Goldman who wasnt.
Alant15 wrote on August 24, 2008
I like Sonny too. He comes across well. He's about 70 years of age now and presumably solvent so I don't think money is the driver here. If there wasn't a market then books wouldn't get published or films made. Elvis had a hell of an influence on these guys and the long standing ones like, Sonny, Red, Lamar, Joe, Charlie, Billy etc really wanted Elvis to stop abusing himself and get back to the Elvis they knew and loved. If none of them spoke up or worse still sugar coated everything then the fans would be the first to shout. As for Sonny's involvent in 'What Happened' well...all I can say is that if you read his latest book, Sonny (and Red too, don't know about Dave) were horrified with the tone of the book written by ghost writer Dunleavy. Regarding the timing? I truly believe that if Elvis died six months earlier then the tone of the book would have been completely different and may even have not come out. Time to leave the Wests alone I think.
Lefty wrote on August 24, 2008
This is going to be another straight to DVD or HBO release. I'm sure Sonny is cashing in on the royalities and movie rights. Whether the book or movie actually does anything for the Elvis legacy is an afterthought. The thing that gets me about the story tellers, be they positive or negative in their views, is that they manage to make money on rehashing the same old information. Whether it be Goldman, West, or Guralnick, most of us are smart enough to filter out the bull. What you have left are the same old stories told over and over again, just from a different perspective.
Steve V wrote on August 24, 2008
The timing of Elvis What Happened is very poor, we all know that. The content of it was sensationalized too much. But to think that Sonny or Red (forget Dave) didnt really care for Elvis is crazy. These guys put up with a lot besides getting fired. Calling them jerks or one less of a jerk because he protected Elvis in high school is so childish. You dont think Elvis acted like a jerk many times thru the years? Get real. These guys did all they could to protect both Elvis and his image for many years. His last book was very good and worth a read.
Getlow wrote on August 25, 2008
Fame and Fortune? I doubt it. I really like Sonny he has always been really great, open and honest when we've met and I've a lot of time for him. I agree with Steve V but at the same time when would have been a good time to write the book?
TBG wrote on August 25, 2008
People talk about the Memphis Mafia as if Elvis was perfect and never did say or do anything wrong. They can't handle whenever someone (mafia or whatever) say something wrong about him. Elvis wasn't perfect, and the mafia had to put up with a lot of crap from him (mood sick, bad temper etc, lots of 'bad' qualities that both you and I have on bad days). Elvis didn't have the right to treat them any way he wanted just cause he paid them. But hey, I really don't care. I like Elvis for his music. Elvis wasn't perfect, and neither am I. When I read stuff written by the 'mafia'-members I enjoy it, cause it's 95% good and written with care. Of course there's also some negative stuff about Elvis in those books, and that is what a lot of fans can't handle. That's why they call all people who says negative stuff about Elvis jerks..
Rev. Gerhard wrote on August 25, 2008
Nobody has the right to treat people in an unfair way. But it's pretty strange maintainig Elvis mistreated those who worked for him or yet had been his real friends.. It's just the reverse. Their behavior had become megalomaniac, and they poisoned the atmosphere in the whole house with bad behaviour. Lisa confirmed this too in an interview. And Elvis' patience had been big. And of course they knew that he will forgive them and reconstitute the situation. But they thought that bookwriting could give them an extraordinary personality. But what's the consequence? They are still taking care of business out of their former relationship to Elvis. It hadn't sufficed for a real own life. So they should have been glad that there are still a lot of fans who they can sell everything.
japio wrote on August 31, 2008
it's been 31 years ago now. Get over it. I don't read only books about sessions,music,movies And i don't care about his private life. Everybody makes mistakes. So if he wanted to do projects movie,books or whatever Let him do that.But if you was there at that time and you what happend then than you can give your oppion ( negative or positive) if not handle with respect
mature_elvis_fan75 wrote on September 02, 2008
First,we all know Elvis wasnt perfect,but again tell me why i need to know that Elvis didnt like to take showers and they he stunk,thats just mean spirited and classless,if it was sooo bad why not just leave? i think they got a pretty cool ride for not really doing anything thereseves talent wise!