“Viva Las Vegas” 1964 Movie Poster

Elvis Presley  was born on January 8, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi, and was one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century, he is often referred to as “the King of Rock and Roll”, or simply, “the King”

Here is a list of Elvis engagements in the Vegas heyday  1969 – 1976.

April 23 – May 9, 1956, Elvis made his first appearance in Las Vegas at the New Frontier Hotel in the spring of 1956. Audiences in Las Vegas gave Elvis a cool reception.

July, 1963, Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret are in Las Vegas filming what would be Presley’s 15th film, “Viva Las Vegas.” The movie was released in June of 1964.

July 31 – Aug. 28, 1969, The King is back, Elvis returns to Las Vegas. He is booked for a four-week, 57-show run at the newly built International Hotel (later the hotel name changed to the Hilton Hotel then to the Las Vegas Hotel). The show breaks all existing Las Vegas attendance records. Elvis’ first live album is recorded during the shows.

January – February, 1970, Elvis returns to Las Vegas for a month-long run at the International Hotel. Once again, Elvis breaks attendance records.

Aug. 10 – Sept. 7, 1970: A month-long appearance at the International Hotel. MGM films some of the rehearsals and stage performance for its documentary “Elvis – That’s the Way It Is.”

January – February, 1971, A month-long appearance at the International Hotel.

Aug. 9 – Sept. 6, 1971 Elvis returns to Las Vegas and appears at the International Hotel to record audiences. During his month-long appearance he is given the Lifetime Achievement Award presented each year during the Grammy Awards. Elvis was 36 years old.

1972 – 1975 Elvis performs a few months per year in Vegas for the over the next 3 years at the International.

August 18 – September. 5, 1975 Elvis opens at the Hilton (now called the Las Vegas Hotel & Casino), but ends his appearances on Aug. 20, 1975, when he is flown to Memphis and hospitalized due to illness.

December 2-15, 1975, Elvis returns to the Hilton to make up for shows that were cancelled because of his ill health.

December 2-12, 1976, Elvis appears at the Hilton for a two-week engagement. It turns out to be his final Las Vegas appearances.

August 16,1977, Elvis dies at Graceland in Memphis, Tenn. In Las Vegas, fans and friends mourn the passage of an entertainment and Vegas legend.

Tags: January