Elvis Sings Hound Dog to Actual Hound Dog
About this episode
The episode discusses Elvis Presley's iconic performance of 'Hound Dog' on The Steve Allen Show in 1956.
On July 9th, 1956, one of the most iconic photographs in entertainment history was taken when a young truck driver from Tupelo, Mississippi, appeared on The Steve Allen Show and did something that would become legendary in the annals of television. Elvis Presley, already causing a sensation with his hip-swiveling performances that had parents across America clutching their pearls, was booked to perform on the variety show. But there was a catch that would make this appearance absolutely unforgettable. Steve Allen, the witty host competing against the enormously popular Ed Sullivan Show, decided to take a different approach with the controversial young singer. In what can only be described as a brilliant publicity stunt mixed with a dose of satirical commentary on the Elvis controversy, Allen put the King of Rock and Roll in a tuxedo and had him sing his hit song "Hound Dog" to an actual basset hound sitting on a pedestal. Picture this: Elvis, dressed to the nines in formal wear, his famous pompadour perfectly coiffed, standing on national television singing to a droopy-faced dog who looked about as interested in rock and roll as your grandmother might have been at a motorcycle…
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