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Old Kraftsman
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.
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.
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.
The same guitar is again used in a couple of scenes in Elvis' following movie, Kid Galahad, also a 1962 United Artists release.
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.
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'.
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.
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.*
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.*
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.
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All photos on this site (that we didn't borrow) unless otherwise indicated are the property of either Scotty Moore or James V. Roy and unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited. |
