Old Kraftsman
(used in Follow That Dream, Kid Galahad and
Change of Habit)


Lobby card for Follow that Dream - 1962
Photo courtesy eBay

Location shooting for the 1962 United Artist release of Follow That Dream, Elvis' first of four movies for United Artist, began in Florida in the summer of 1961. Directed by Gordon Douglas, it was produced by David Weisbart, who had  produced Love Me Tender and Flaming Star and would also produce Elvis' next film, Kid Galahad.


Elvis with location prop guitar preparing to shoot a scene in Follow That Dream - 1962
Photo courtesy David English


Elvis with location prop guitar preparing to shoot a scene in Follow That Dream - 1962
Photo courtesy Elvis Presley: The Family Album by George Klein


Anne Helm and Elvis performing with location prop guitar in Follow That Dream - 1962
Screen capture © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.


Elvis with prop guitar and Anne Helm on location of Follow That Dream - 1962
Photo courtesy David English


Elvis performing with location prop guitar in Follow That Dream - 1962
Screen capture © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

In the film, Elvis is seen performing with two different guitars, likely an unavoidable mistake in continuity. Early in the film he is seen on location with a parlor sized guitar reminiscent of an inexpensive Harmony or Stella made beginner guitar, much like the H929 used by Elvis in Jailhouse Rock.  In the film he uses it to sing "I'm not the Marryin kind" to co-star Anne Helm.


Anne Helm, Arthur O'Connell with auctioned acoustic and Elvis in Follow That Dream - 1962
Screen capture © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.


Elvis with auctioned acoustic performing Angel in Follow That Dream - 1962
Screen capture © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Not long after another guitar is used in shots that were likely filmed on the studio set in California. The guitar is first seen played by costar Arthur O' Connell, who would also appear in Kissin' Cousins.  In the final scene of the film Elvis is seen playing the guitar while singing the song Angel.


movie poster for Kid Galahad - 1962
Photo courtesy Movie Poster.com

The same guitar is again used in a couple of scenes in Elvis' following movie, Kid Galahad, also a 1962 United Artists release. 


Elvis in a scene with the auctioned acoustic from Kid Galahad - 1962
Screen capture © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.


Elvis and Joan Blackman in a scene with the auctioned acoustic from Kid Galahad - 1962
Screen capture © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

The film which casts Elvis as a boxer also stars Charles Bronson, Gig Young, Lola Albright and Joan Blackman, who previously appeared opposite Elvis in Blue Hawaii. In this film the guitar is not used by Elvis, but rather played by another actor to accompany him in the songs This is Living and I Got Lucky.


Shot from the set of Change of Habit - 1969
Photo courtesy David English

Finally, the guitar makes a cameo played by another actor on the set of Elvis' final film as an actor, the 1969 Universal release of Change of Habit, in the opening scene of the movie where Elvis is singing Rubberneckin'.


auctioned acoustic from Follow That Dream - 1962
Photo © Heritage Auction Galleries

Though reputed to be an Italian made acoustic, it too is a parlor sized guitar identical in design to a model of an "Old Kraftsman," a brand name of guitars made be the Kay company in Chicago and marketed through the Spiegel catalog.  According to Heritage Auctions, who sold the guitar in 2009, the guitar was at one time owned by Elvis. Elvis became friends with a prop man who worked on both films and presented him the guitar, and the prop man consequently gave it to his young son, who idolized "The King".Unfortunately this doesn't explain how it appeared in Change of Habit.


auctioned acoustic from Follow That Dream - 1962
Photo © Heritage Auction Galleries

The boy cherished this guitar until his premature death a few years ago, at which time his widow put the instrument on display at the Warner Bros. Museum. She has since decided to part with it, hoping the guitar will find a new owner who will appreciate its distinction as deeply as her husband did.*


auctioned acoustic from Follow That Dream - 1962
Photo © Heritage Auction Galleries

The guitar appears to be of a hard wood construction with a faux flame sunburst finish and painted binding. Heritage described the guitar as a 3/4-style guitar, 38" long and in very Fine condition aside from a minor ding about the size of a dime and approximately 2" from the upper-face edge. It sold at auction for $26,290.00 on June 5, 2009.*


Elvis with "Old Kraftsman" in Publicity Stills - 1961
Photo © EPE, Inc.

Though he did not play the guitar in Kid Galahad, studio photos with it were at least used in promotional materials for the film. The guitar today is part of The Moss Collection.

This page added August 15, 2010 is part of the section The Movie Guitars of Elvis Presley.

* courtesy Heritage Auction Galleries - June 2009

Special thanks to Paul at Jedistar and his database of historical information on guitars, amplifiers, effects and drums which assisted in identifying this guitar as an Old Kraftsman.



Elvis performs "Angel" in Follow That Dream

 

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