ElvisNews.com: Red West In #1 Movie

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Red West In #1 Movie

The movie "Glory Road," which opened last Friday across the USA and was the #1 box office attraction of the weekend. Red West plays Ross Moore, trainer and "spiritual advisor," for the old Texas Western basketball team that became the first team to win the USA college basketball championship using all black players. Bill Burk says: "It's one of Red's better character roles. Josh Lucas plays Hall of Fame coach Don Haskins and deserves Oscar nomination for his inspirational performance. Haskins' assistant coach, Moe Iba, he of the horned rim glasses, would coach at MEM State shortly after the Miners won the NCAA championship. It's 2006's feel-good sports movie of the year."

Source: Bill Burk / Updated: Jan 19, 2006

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Sean Ryan (profile/ contact) wrote on Feb 27, 2006report abuse

sure. elvis fans shouldnt argue , just disagree. no hard feelings.keep on rockin'

Slava (profile/ contact) wrote on Feb 21, 2006report abuse

haha well your displaying some humour at last! let's move on :)

Sean Ryan (profile/ contact) wrote on Feb 20, 2006report abuse

sorry slava that i got one letter wrong in my post.give me a break.now your clutching at straws.re-read all the posts and most of them agree with me.just cause you dont agree with me it doesnt mean that i displayed a real lack of understanding.your the one that needs to grow up and dont let a discussion like this make you angry.i dont read the sun, there are too many long words.

Slava (profile/ contact) wrote on Feb 16, 2006report abuse

Don't you mean 'censored`? and bad language wasn't used it was only hinted at - strange world where they censor a row of characters :) I think you and I know that most posts on here were in support of my views and that your analysis was immature, ill thought-out and frankly displayed a real lack of understanding - your probably a Sun reader!

Sean Ryan (profile/ contact) wrote on Feb 11, 2006report abuse

slava, your first post was so childish that it has been sensored.check the first message you put. its not being rude to ask you to grow up.if your gonna disagree with me then thats fine but dont make stupid comments like you have.

Slava (profile/ contact) wrote on Feb 11, 2006report abuse

Sean - let's get it right - YOU started the flaming by saying I was childish - YOU were rude not me and YOU gave the immature analysis. Remember this? "slava, grow up will you" you don't think that is rude? to say that to a stranger and fellow Elvis fan? just because I said something you didn't like? short memory have we? You are obviously not much of an Elvis expert - Elvis was absolutely gutted about the book - you sound like your into denial here - in fact many Elvis fans I meet seem to be VERY selective about the history and the particular people they like and dislike. I am friends with a few people who were very close to Elvis and I KNOW alot more than you do about it - sorry my friend but you do not have the contacts and insight I have - let's leave it at that. TCB

Sean Ryan (profile/ contact) wrote on Feb 8, 2006report abuse

Hi paul. i respect your opinion.at least you gave a mature answer.my reply to that is , yes, red was bitter and had every reason to be. im sure now that they regret the book and wished they hadnt of done it.you cant change what has happened. i did hear from red that the reason he taped the phone call was in case elvis might sue red and he had evidence if anything was said. alot of people taped phone calls they had with elvis.but as i have said i respect your reply. at least its not as childish as slava.

Paul Reno (profile/ contact) wrote on Feb 8, 2006report abuse

Red and the others wrote the book out of bitterness. That was it. They didn't give a damn about Elvis and knew he would be hurt by what they had printed. Elvis was in trouble and certainly didn't need a book to be published about his private life. Red taped Elvis - without telling him, so he could use it in the book. What 'friend' does that? Elvis got even worse after he found out the book was to be published - it didn't help him quit the medication. It served to cause him grief during the last few months of his life.

Sean Ryan (profile/ contact) wrote on Feb 7, 2006report abuse

the main reason they are hated cause of the fact elvis died 2 weeks after the book was released. if elvis had died 2 years after the book was released then im sure they wouldnt be as hated.People wanted someone to blame and they were in the firing line.they didnt know elvis would die the way he would and they knew they could have got sued for printing what they did. at least they didnt wait till he died and wrote a book knowing they couldnt get sued.how many people have done that about elvis? one last point slava, if your gonna insult me then do it to my face cause i dont like cowards.arrange to meet me if you live in the uk and insult me then.i will have more respect for you if you did that.

Sean Ryan (profile/ contact) wrote on Feb 7, 2006report abuse

slava, just because you dont agree with me, dont insult me ok. you dont know me at all.you have your view and i have mine so lets just leave it like that.your mentality is amusing that my opinion upsets you so much. get a life and grow up and reply with a more adult answer if you are an adult. read my posts again and it was charlie hodge who cried at mablethorpe and not red. shows how much of my posts you have taken in.the book wasnt as bad as that and i doubt if it even bothered elvis that much and it didnt contribute to his early death. the point i am trying to make is that the book was written while elvis was still alive and if red and the others wrote it for money or revenge then i dont think it is that bad.seeing as you have met them i bet you never told them what you really thought about them cause you seem to get a kick out of insulting people not to their faces like you have to mine.

Slava (profile/ contact) wrote on Feb 5, 2006report abuse

oh and I nearly forgot - Red went to Mablethorpe? and cried in front of the audience...? so that's ok then :) and people queued for his thirty pieces of silver autograph? so that’s okay then... :) obviously this PROVES he was a good guy and that he REALLY didn't mean to write the book :) On one point I would agree I am disappointed that Elvis after all those years couldn't tell Red and the rest 'goodbye' himself - a character flaw that Elvis suffered all his life - but he 'fed' these guys for years and it doesn't make it right for them to crucify the King in public out of obvious vengance - do I hear a cockerel crowing? I think so... Elvis RIP

Slava (profile/ contact) wrote on Feb 5, 2006report abuse

sean ryan - an Elvis fan? think not... I have also met the guys - so what's the big deal? betrayal - obviously! you don't think it contributed to Elvis death??? you must be pretty stupid to think that Red and the 'boys' didn't publish to number 1 make money and number 2 get back at Elvis - they all made a lifetime of milking the Elvis 'machine' - to think differnelty is a 'denial' thing. I have re-read sean's abysmal attempt at analysis - he obviously doesn't know the true story or the people that I know! I would repsetc Red more if he just came out and said he was 'wrong' - which he was!!! as for 'growing up' I have been a major Elvis fan for years and probably have alot more 'inside-track' than most so don't insult me by tellingme to 'grow-up' when I know a lot more baout it than you do dude - that's for sure... :)

John4126 (profile/ contact) wrote on Feb 2, 2006report abuse

If we're talking loyalty and friends and all, i dont think its a particularly matey thing to get your dad to sack your life long buddy, and hole yourself up in your bedroom. Whatever the reasons were for Red writing the book, only one man killed Elvis. Himself. I've met Red. His love for Elvis was obvious. Im sure like most of us at some point in our lives, reflect and wish we'd done things differently.

chrisc (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 22, 2006report abuse

About 500 people turned up to see Priscilla sign books in London last May, but that doesn't mean to say that all her actions with regard to Elvis can be excused either. Just because people turned up to see Red doesn't make his actions all right. But, I agree with the people who are wishing you all the best, despite our not seeing eye-to-eye on this topic.

Sean Ryan (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 22, 2006report abuse

Hi Benny, Yes, there has only been one edition of it and it has never been reissued.In fact i think the guys who wrote it, after elvis died, wished they hadnt cause of all the flack they got from it but i dont dislike them at all for doing it.i see your side of the arguement but when i saw red at the UK fan club convention he got a great reception as i have said and people were queueing up for hours to have their photo taken with him so i dont think i am on my own as far as liking red.i think the majority of fans can see what it was like from red's point of view.im sure there would have been no way he would have wrote the book after elvis died. No hard feelings benny and all the best to everyone who doesnt agree with me. Keep on rockin'

benny scott (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 22, 2006report abuse

Hi Sean, Oh yes I read the book, I read it already in 1977!! It was sent to me, on my request, by Belgian family living in Florida for over 35 years.It's the 1st Edition I own and I doubt if there has been a second edition but that's not impotant. But O.K. you stick to your point of vew,I'll stick to mine. When I read the reactions of El-fans like crisc, andreas 77, ulrich, untamedhawk, jester and slava there is only one conclusion : you seem to stand pretty on your own with your opinion,and you probably consider the above mentionned guys also as being" childisch." I don' t want to discuss this matter any further. I know enough now. In spite of our " discussion " ( i don't see this as a " dispute " ) i wish you all the best. Always El

Sean Ryan (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 22, 2006report abuse

Chrisc,your post doesnt stand up.elvis needed someone like red around him who wasnt going to hesitate for a second if elvis's life was in danger.he said to red and the others after the jfk shooting to tear to pieces anyone who tries to kill him.elvis felt comfortable with those sort of people around him.how can you say red was too violent when elvis went on stage with at least 5 guns on him.elvis used to pull guns out all the time.you say that elvis was worried about lawsuits but if elvis was that worried he wouldnt have carried so many guns with him.elvis felt comfortable that guys like red were protecting him even if they went over the top now and then.its a known fact that the reason they got the sack was cause they were getting too close in elvis's personal life and the reason they were was cause elvis was destroying himself.they could have just said nothing like some of the people who stayed with elvis at the end.that is not what i call a true friend.

chrisc (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 22, 2006report abuse

And what was that occasion in the early fifties when Red was on the road with Elvis and got involved in a brawl in a diner, leaving Elvis to do the sorting-out and apologising afterwards? Wasn't Red also sent home early from his trip to German with Elvis for getting involved in bar-room brawls? Wasn't there another falling out with Elvis in about 1967 so that you don't see Red around until early 71? Then there were the occasions during the seventies where Red had to be cautioned for being too violent with the public, on one occasion breaking someone's jaw. The reason given for Red's dismissal in 76 was that he had become a liablility and that Elvis couldn't afford to end up facing lawsuits because of Red. If Elvis is at fault at all in the Red situation, it is because he kept allowing Red to stay on the payroll insted of getting rid of him years ago. The same applies to a couple of other people who were extremely close to Elvis and ought to have been shown the door, but Elvis just didn't seem to know how to do this, without later feeling sorry and letting them stay.

Andreas77 (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 22, 2006report abuse

Sean, you keep writing on, but one question remains: How can you write such a book and call yourself a friend? It just doesn't add up. And, it gets worse. You say that Red admitted writing the book for the money, but usually he says he wrote it to help Elvis! Those are two different explanations, you can't combine them. Anyways. Elvis was down, he was out. There is no question; he was depressed. Writing a book such as "E:WH" you disqualify yourself as a friend. It was at the hour when Elvis needed a friend the most. And Red failed.

Sean Ryan (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 21, 2006report abuse

Its true though isnt it.when red west gave a talk about his life with elvis at mablethrope a few years ago.there was hundreds of people there to see him.one person had something bad to say about him but most questions were not at all negative.fans queued for hours to get a photo and autograph with him.he got a great reception when he was there.by the way some of these people have come on here and said bad things about red i take it that anyone who thinks red is ok is not a fan. and that included todd slaughter then does it? no one can reply to that so they have to come up with a 'why dont you join a red west website then' as an answer. very childish.

Ulrich (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 21, 2006report abuse

Hi Sean, it should be the right time to found a Mr West Fan Club. But take the MrWestnews com. In my opinion you are at the wrong web-site.

Sean Ryan (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 21, 2006report abuse

thats right i was there.he got a great reception and fans queued for hours to get an autograph and have their picture taken with him.He told the truth that he did it for the money and whats wrong in that.every single person who was a friend of elvis has made money off elvis.he has said that the book is totally true and there is nothing made up.if you was there then you will remember the reception he got and not one person booed him.i guess then that Benny Scott must think that all those people who queued for hours to have their picture taken with him are not fans as well.

chrisc (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 21, 2006report abuse

The UK fan club asked Red over to speak to fans at a meeting, and after one fan refused to let Red get away with excuses and evasions he finally admitted that they did the book for the money.

Sean Ryan (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 21, 2006report abuse

benny, i doubt you havent even read EWH cause it is not as bad as people portray.it was unfortunate that it was released 2 weeks before elvis's death.red hasnt wrote a book since elvis's death and he could have easily.he gets a hard time off people like you who really dont know what they are talking about.i feel sorry for you, i really do.the book EWH was blown out of all portportion and didnt really bother elvis like people think it did.when elvis died everyone wanted to blame people whether it was his friends his manager his doctor his dentist etc,the sad fact is that the only one to blame for elvis's death is elvis himself.the telephone call red had with elvis shows how out of touch elvis was about his condition.to say that he was in the best shape of his life was obvious he was living in denial and was helpless. As dave hebler said'how can you protect a man from himself?'. .benny, we should agree to disagree but dont insult another fan just cause he doesnt agree with you,that is just so childish.you maybe 65 but need to grow up alot after reading your reply to me.

Sean Ryan (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 21, 2006report abuse

ok.i,ve read your opinion now you can read mine.I am a fan, massive fan and your reply didnt upset me in the slightest.for a 65 year old man to be so childish in his reply says alot about you. as far as charlie is concerned,i remember he came over to do a talk for the fan club about 10 years ago and he mentioned about the last song that elvis sung and he got it wrong cause someone in the audience corrected him, then he started crying, saying how it still upsets him about elvis's death but i know someone who spent time with him that afternoon and he talked and talked about elvis's death and went into so much detail and then for him to start crying in front of an audience said alot about him.i thought he was just very falseand wasnt it charlie who first introduced elvis to uppers and downers while they were in the army.if anyone should have helped elvis it should have been him.yes, they were all taking pills in the 60's cause elvis wanted everyone who was around to but most realised how the pills were affecting there lives and stopped.sadly, it wasnt elvis.

benny scott (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 21, 2006report abuse

Hi Sean, How do i dare to doubt if you're a real Elvis-fan? Well,first i asked myself if you were.Now i know for sure : you're not ! Calling Elvis a betrayer, pretending Elvis had no guts, Elvis treated his "friends " like puppets etc.. etc..Are those the words of an Elvis-fan ? Pretending Red was ready to beat someone up because that someone would give pills to Elvis ? Perhaps you forget that those guys took as many of that stuff themselves as Elvis did. You met Red and Sonny ? You think they're nice chaps ? O.K , that's your opinion. Let me tell you something my friend. Way back in 1981 Charlie Hodge came for the first time to Belgium.As i'm a professional singer i had the honour to do 2 concerts with Charlie, one in Antwerp and one in Brussels, but we had to do rehearsels with the band in Bruges. I was with Charlie almost a whole week.We talked a lot about Elvis. Never, never never ever did i hear one unkind word about Elvis coming out of Charlie's mouth. That's what i call a real friend.He did not help to write the book EWH. So don't give me that crap anymore that Red and Sonny were and are the good blokes. From a 65 years-old man and Elvis-fan for almost 50 years, that's 15 years more than your age !

Ulrich (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 21, 2006report abuse

O what a bad life with Elvis. Mr West was old enough to say: Elvis, I have to leave you for earning money for my family. He didnt. He stayed with Elvis for 20 years. The BOOK: Elvis had not read this book, maybe some extractions. The issue date was August 1 in 1977, two weeks before Elvis passed away. I agree with Andreas77, this book could not change Elvis´ life. He wanted to avenge the firing. But he punished himself. This book was no bestseller. And he is not mentioned in any publication of EPE on DVD. Finally I have to say: Let Mr West do some movies and earn some money. But every conversation about him is unnecessary. Let Elvis and his music be in ours minds.

untamedhawk (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 21, 2006report abuse

Thank you Sean R. Elvis never paid these guys as well as most think, he just took care of all of the expenses for the guys, and occassionally bought extravagent gifts, but the families had to earn another living while the husbands were gone with Elvis. Yes "Sorry to say", but Elvis did in fact do his part in turning his friends against him. I'm one of the biggest Elvis fans/collectors, and I'm always looking for more, but the cold hard facts are........ Elvis was human, and with this in mind - even Elvis made mistakes. As far as WHAT HAPPENED, supposedly Elvis DID read the book, made a phone call to Red (which I have), and tried to talk his way out of the printing of the book. Elvis never once made the statement of there being lies in the book. Instead he remained as calm as anyone half stoned could. I'm not trying to make enemies here, or turn anyone against Elvis, but stop and think..... If you gave all of the years that Red did to Elvis, and find yourself in the position he did after being fired, you too would do what you could to earn a living even if it cost your own dignity. Red told of the things he did also, not everything was Elvis. Elvis just bought most of it for everyone.

Andreas77 (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 20, 2006report abuse

Sean! Please explain to everybody how writing a book such as "What Happened" is being a friend. Do you think Red honestly thought Elvis would read the book and say to himself "oh, that's true, I need to change"? How do you define friendship?

byebye (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 20, 2006report abuse

Red´s "best caracter role" was playing to be Elvis´friend. And since the "West´s" are such jolly good fellows, I think it´s wonderful that they have a few fans to tag along with down "the Judas track"!

Sean Ryan (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 20, 2006report abuse

everyone goes on about betraying a friend but elvis betrayed red first didnt he? red loved elvis dearly and would have taken a bullet for elvis without hesitation.he gave elvis 20 years of his life and what did elvis do to red?got his dad to sack him cause elvis didnt have the guts to do it himself cause deep down elvis thought he could click his fingers and red would come running back like some of the others who worked for elvis would have done.wrong.everyone knows why red got the sack.lets get the facts right.elvis betrayed red first.elvis was treating his friends more like puppets than friends and elvis couldnt see it.the book was a last attempt to see what he was doing to himself cause he wouldnt listen to anyone.so give red a break and remember who betrayed who first.

chrisc (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 20, 2006report abuse

The question of whether or not the Wests are decent people depends on your own standards. If you think it is acceptable to betray your friend then they probably seem OK. If you wouldn't mind the same done to you when you are sick, tired and in all kinds of difficulties, then the West must seem perfectly all right. As for meeting them and finding them fine people, I would say that what counts is their actions and deeds - "By their fruits shall ye know them." I would have thought that if you were an Elvis fan, then his problems and severe sufferings might matter to you. "Careless Love" explains all in painful detail. Page 642 describes how Elvis thought he might try to deal with the situation if he ended up getting booed off stage by people who had gone off him having read "What Happened" - very very unbearable reading for anyone who loves Elvis.

untamedhawk (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 20, 2006report abuse

Let's not forget that Red was Elvis' best friend first and foremost, he never betrayed Elvis, he tried to save his life with the truth. LOL He deserves "In his own right" the same fame as any of the MAFIA can be credited for. He's a man that doesn't care about the bad mouthing he's received over the years, and only him and a handfull can actually criticize the others for any actions they've taken for or against Elvis. Besides...... If I remember correctly, it was Vernon that fired them with no intentions of rehiring (which created the WHAT HAPPENED?), while Elvis on the other hand gave them pay with the intentions of them coming back. Hell, I'm just here for the music ;-)
Hawk

Sean Ryan (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 20, 2006report abuse

am i an elvis fan? how dare you.i have met red and sonny and they are good blokes. at least they had the guts to try and do something about it.if im not mistaken red threatened to beat up one of the stanley boys cause he found out he was giving pills to elvis and that is why he was sacked cause it got back to dee and she told elvis's dad to fire them which he did,many times he was sacked by elvis over stupid things and always brought them back but red decided he wasnt gonna be treated like that by a friend and decided to quit.he wrote the book with others as a final attempt to see what elvis was doing to himself.how many books as red written since elvis has died, none.he makes a living doing guest appearences talking about elvis and doing small time roles.he could have chosen another career in something and not had anything to do with elvis but who would turn down the chance to spend 20 years with elvis, not one.

benny scott (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 20, 2006report abuse

Hi ep3577 and Sean Ryan. Are you real and really Elvis-fans ? Always El

elvislady (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 20, 2006report abuse

why not, he had a few little rolls in some of elvis,is movies good on you Red.

cathyreno (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 20, 2006report abuse

Its time to move on lads, 100 years from now. who's gonna care. T C B Everyone x

Ulrich (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 20, 2006report abuse

I agree Slava!! Let´s forget this betrayer!!!

ep3577 (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 20, 2006report abuse

Go Red, Great Movie, Some peaple need to grow up.

Sean Ryan (profile/ contact) wrote on Jan 20, 2006report abuse

slava, grow up will you.you talk aload of rubbish.