Anyone have Sonny West's book "Still Taking Care Of Business"?

[mojo-workin]

Hey all, hoping someone can help with this.
Does anyone have a copy of Sonny West's book "Still Taking Care Of Business" at all?

sonny west.jpeg

I'm looking for a specific recollection of Sonny's from the set of "Fun In Acapulco" which is supposedly mentioned there.

The story goes that director Richard Thorpe was being verbally abusive/disrespectful to some of the Mexican actors - and Elvis stepped in to "have a word" with Thorpe to put an end to it.

It would be cool to see a scan or transcription if the book recounts it.

Thanks!

[Ben]

I did have it but I'm not sure if I still do. I'll look over the weekend unless someone beats me to it.

[mojo-workin]

I did have it but I'm not sure if I still do. I'll look over the weekend unless someone beats me to it.

Thanks Ben, much appreciated

[Thomas Weiss]

Yes, it's mentioned on page 144. I sent you a pdf scan by e-mail

[mojo-workin]

Yes, it's mentioned on page 144. I sent you a pdf scan by e-mail

Thanks Thomas, i'll inbox you/sent you a private message

[Mister Moon]

Hey all, hoping someone can help with this.
Does anyone have a copy of Sonny West's book "Still Taking Care Of Business" at all?
sonny west.jpeg
I'm looking for a specific recollection of Sonny's from the set of "Fun In Acapulco" which is supposedly mentioned there.

The story goes that director Richard Thorpe was being verbally abusive/disrespectful to some of the Mexican actors - and Elvis stepped in to "have a word" with Thorpe to put an end to it.

It would be cool to see a scan or transcription if the book recounts it.

Thanks!

Elvis was such a smart guy, and he must have known that the way those "natives" were portrayed in many of them movies was nothing but racist crap.

Marlon Brando was pretty smart, too :


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4xtO4RBwPs

[Mountain Mist]

Hey all, hoping someone can help with this.
Does anyone have a copy of Sonny West's book "Still Taking Care Of Business" at all?
sonny west.jpeg
I'm looking for a specific recollection of Sonny's from the set of "Fun In Acapulco" which is supposedly mentioned there.

The story goes that director Richard Thorpe was being verbally abusive/disrespectful to some of the Mexican actors - and Elvis stepped in to "have a word" with Thorpe to put an end to it.

It would be cool to see a scan or transcription if the book recounts it.

Thanks!

Elvis was such a smart guy, and he must have known that the way those "natives" were portrayed in many of them movies was nothing but racist crap.

Marlon Brando was pretty smart, too :


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4xtO4RBwPs

Every single thought shared by Marlon, was on point.

I also liked the way that he classily expressed same.

[mojo-workin]

Hey all, hoping someone can help with this.
Does anyone have a copy of Sonny West's book "Still Taking Care Of Business" at all?
sonny west.jpeg
I'm looking for a specific recollection of Sonny's from the set of "Fun In Acapulco" which is supposedly mentioned there.

The story goes that director Richard Thorpe was being verbally abusive/disrespectful to some of the Mexican actors - and Elvis stepped in to "have a word" with Thorpe to put an end to it.

It would be cool to see a scan or transcription if the book recounts it.

Thanks!

Elvis was such a smart guy, and he must have known that the way those "natives" were portrayed in many of them movies was nothing but racist crap.

Marlon Brando was pretty smart, too :


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4xtO4RBwPs

Absolutely. I'm convinced that Col Parker forced a gag order on him, making sure that he never made any public politically charged statements (hence why he could never show open support for civil rights like Brando and Frank Sinatra). For those of us that know, it's obvious in some ways that Elvis was politically & morally progressive, always showing respect for people of colour and people from other cultures.

[mojo-workin]

Thanks to Thomas Weiss for the book scans.
Here's a transcription from pages 144-145 of Sonny West's book:

Actors Elsa Carndenas and Alejandro Rey were in the doghouse with director Richard Thorpe for screwing up their lines. Both Latino actors spoke broken English and had trouble getting their dialogue straight. Thorpe had directed more than one hundred films (including Jailhouse Rock), and one day his patience ran out. “Jesus Christ!” he shouted at Cardenas and Rey. “Can’t you get the lines right?”

When word of Thorpe’s outburst got back to Elvis, he took the sixty-seven-year-old director aside and said. “Mr. Thorpe, those people were hired to do the part and were hired specifically to speak they way they do. They are working very hard to get it right. I don’t think they should be yelled at because of their difficulty with the English language, which the producers knew about when they were hired. We’ll work with them if we have to, but don’t make them feel bad.”

To his credit, Thorpe apologized to the two actors, and the movie commenced with any further problems. To me, that epitomised the Elvis who never failed to show proper respect for older people and could always be counted on to root for, and protect, the underdog.

[LJM]

I'm so used to hearing negative things about Elvis this transcription is a breath of fresh air describing the person behind the music I've admired most of my life.

[Mister Moon]

Thanks, mojo-workin, for this interesting thread. The most interesting stuff I've read here in months, by far.

[mojo-workin]

Thanks, mojo-workin, for this interesting thread. The most interesting stuff I've read here in months, by far.

Thanks. There are a lot of stories like this which i think are important to Elvis' legacy, but are rarely highlighted in popular biographies & documentaries. Considering recently that music producer Quincy Jones recounted false claims about Elvis' supposed racism in the mainstream media, it's imperative that anecdotes to the contrary are public knowledge. It's frustrating that EPE/The Estate & the family never make any concerted attempt to debunk the false claims and rumours. They are resources available that could highlight the almost forgotten history of Elvis' affinity to people of colour & other cultures.

[Lina]

Yes, Mojo-Working, it's very important to mention these stories. I don't remember, where I read about it. I would like to keep track of so many details in Elvis' life, but it's impossible. It's about Elvis helping the little girl Sue-Lin in "It happened at the World's Fair", played by Vicky Tiu from the Philippines. They rehearsed over and over again the dance, they should do together, but she just couldn't get it right. In the end she was exhausted, and Elvis put a stop to it and took the girl out to dinner. The next day the scene was done in one take. When she married, Elvis was invited and was present at the wedding.

Does anyone remember, where the story is told and able to confirm that I remember the story correctly?

[mojo-workin]

Yes, Mojo-Working, it's very important to mention these stories. I don't remember, where I read about it. I would like to keep track of so many details in Elvis' life, but it's impossible. It's about Elvis helping the little girl Sue-Lin in "It happened at the World's Fair", played by Vicky Tiu from the Philippines. They rehearsed over and over again the dance, they should do together, but she just couldn't get it right. In the end she was exhausted, and Elvis put a stop to it and took the girl out to dinner. The next day the scene was done in one take. When she married, Elvis was invited and was present at the wedding.

Does anyone remember, where the story is told and able to confirm that I remember the story correctly?

Yes, think this is the story:

Today Vicky (Tiu) Cayetano is first lady of Hawaii. She remembers that Presley even had a way with girls as young as she. One day she was nervous and struggling with one scene that stretched into about 30 takes, and could see the director getting frustrated. She started stuttering. Finally, Elvis said, "That’s it, it’s a wrap, the little lady and I are going to have something to eat,'” she recalled.. After Elvis took her to dinner, the next day she nailed the scene immediately. “At that age, I didn’t understand the magnitude of his fame and popularity. But he was a gentleman,” said Cayetano, now in her late 40s.

link: https://www.elvispresleynews.com/vickytiu/

[Lina]

Yes, Mojo-Working, it's very important to mention these stories. I don't remember, where I read about it. I would like to keep track of so many details in Elvis' life, but it's impossible. It's about Elvis helping the little girl Sue-Lin in "It happened at the World's Fair", played by Vicky Tiu from the Philippines. They rehearsed over and over again the dance, they should do together, but she just couldn't get it right. In the end she was exhausted, and Elvis put a stop to it and took the girl out to dinner. The next day the scene was done in one take. When she married, Elvis was invited and was present at the wedding.

Does anyone remember, where the story is told and able to confirm that I remember the story correctly?

Yes, think this is the story:

Today Vicky (Tiu) Cayetano is first lady of Hawaii. She remembers that Presley even had a way with girls as young as she. One day she was nervous and struggling with one scene that stretched into about 30 takes, and could see the director getting frustrated. She started stuttering. Finally, Elvis said, "That’s it, it’s a wrap, the little lady and I are going to have something to eat,'” she recalled.. After Elvis took her to dinner, the next day she nailed the scene immediately. “At that age, I didn’t understand the magnitude of his fame and popularity. But he was a gentleman,” said Cayetano, now in her late 40s.

link: https://www.elvispresleynews.com/vickytiu/

Thanks, Mojo-Workin':-) I love that Elvis calls her "the little lady"