Legends: Anita with Elvis in
the 50's and Anita, today.
Andrew Hearn from Essential Elvis talks to Elvis'
former '50s sweetheart:
A dream came true for me last year when I got
to meet one of Elvis' serious girlfriends, Anita Wood. Lamar Fike
introduced me to Anita, who was in Memphis catching up with old
friends, and she agreed to talk to me, for the first time, about her
romance with Elvis. Although wedding bells almost rang for the pair,
who dated seriously for several years, Anita eventually married NFL
football personality Johnny Brewer. She now teaches in a Christian
School in Mississippi.
"1961 was the last time I saw Anita. We had
the best time when she was around, you just can't imagine. Anita had
a crazy sense of humour just like Elvis. She was just a wonderful
lady and we all loved her very much. We were all disappointed when
it didn't work out." - Sonny West.
Why is this the first time you've spoken
about your time with Elvis?
I really don't do any interviews because
it makes me sad sometimes when I think back to Elvis' tragic death,
he should still be here with us and I just get upset. So I've stayed
at home in Mississippi with my husband, three children and six
grandchildren.
Tell me about your first date with Elvis.
I went on to do Dance Party with Wink
Martindale which was a Saturday programme for teenagers where George
Klein worked. I really was not an Elvis fan before I met him but I
was a disc jockey and I did play his records. Well, one particular
Saturday Lamar Fike called me and said that Elvis would like to meet
me and I told him that I was sorry but I already had a date for that
night. I explained that I couldn't let my date down, Elvis wouldn't
have liked it if it were him and that I was very sorry.
A couple of weeks later Lamar called again and
said Elvis would like a date and was I free that night. At the time
I was living with a lady that I had met called Miss Patty who became
a real mother figure to me and I told Lamar to ask Elvis to pick me
up there and we set a time. When he came by in his Cadillac, Elvis
was driving. He sent George Klein up to the door, which was a big
mistake, and Miss Patty told him that she was sorry but Elvis would
have to come himself if he wanted a date.
Anyway, Elvis came back with George, this was
just after he had made Loving You and he wore a red velvet shirt and
looked very, very handsome. I must say that he was the best looking
man that I have ever seen. Anyway, George made the introductions to
me and to Miss Patty who told them to have me back at a sensible
hour or she wouldn't let me go.
I went out to the Cadillac and there was Lamar
and a few other guys. We just drove around laughing and talking,
having a great time. Elvis got hungry so he stopped by the store for
some hamburgers.
We drove up to Graceland were I remember he
had a whole lot of teddy bears in the dinning room. All of a sudden
Elvis said, "I want to show you my bedroom" and so we went upstairs
and he started to kiss me. Now, this was the first date and his
hands started to move were I thought they shouldn't so I said, "I
think I need to go home now." He acted real nice, we went down
stairs and he took me home.
And the second date?
The second date was a couple of nights
later and we went up to Graceland again. You know Elvis still had an
old truck and we'd get in it and he would drive me down to
Lauderdale Courts to show me where he used to live. He'd show me
around Memphis and nobody would ever bother us because they really
didn't recognise him in that truck. We just went back to his house,
we watched television, ate and had a good time, then Elvis took me
home.
How long were you with Elvis before you
both felt that you were really in love with each other?
Well, I'd never really had a serious
boyfriend because my parents were very strict. I wasn't allowed to
go on dates and I was nineteen when I met Elvis so he was really my
first one. I've always said that Elvis was my first love but Johnny
is my true love. Elvis and I saw each other a lot and after about
two months we were on a date and after he took me home we stood on
the porch and he said, "Little, I think I'm falling in love with
you." He was loving, kind and he made me laugh.
What are you recollections of Elvis' army
induction?
When Elvis was inducted into the army I
had to go to New York for thirteen weeks to work on the Andy
Williams talk show. Before this though, Elvis took me to Killeen,
Texas where he was stationed. His mother wasn't feeling to good at
this time and I thought the world of her. She and I often talked
about the time that Elvis would marry me and we would have a little
boy and that just made her very happy. But anyway, she got real sick
and Elvis called me one morning and told me of her death. I drove up
to Graceland and there was Mr. Presley and Elvis sitting on the
front porch and they were so sad. I couldn't really sympathise with
them because at that time I didn't know what it was like to lose a
parent. When I did loose my Dad, I talked to Elvis to let him know
that I knew how he had felt.
After that I spent time with Elvis on base at
Fort Hood with his family. Elvis looked tanned and wonderful. He had
no dye on his hair, it was not a crew cut but it was cut short, he
looked great. I would just go over and it was like a regular date
but the guys had to be with us all the time but I love them, really.
We'd go to Waco to visit friends and have a really good time.
How was it for you when Elvis left for
Germany?
It was not very nice as Mrs. Presley was
not there and there were lots of women and girlfriends around and I
felt uneasy.
Do you remember the last thing Elvis said
to you before he left?
Do I remember the last thing he said to
me? Yeah, I remember, he said, "I love you, Little."
I understand Elvis bought you a 1957 Ford
and a diamond friendship ring before he left?
He gave me a lot of things but I never
asked for anything because I loved him. The ring was the first thing
he ever gave me and now my daughter has it and she wears it to this
day. I gave the car to my brother when I got married and I gave
certain toys and jewellery that he gave me to my bridesmaids. I
thought that my husband would not appreciate me bringing these
things into our marriage, gifts I received from another man. I would
not appreciate him doing that so I gave everything away except that
little ring.
Do you have any photographs of Elvis that
we haven't seen?
You know, I do have one of Elvis when he
came by Miss Patty's. We were standing out front talking when the
picture was taken. I do have some pictures but Elvis did not want
the newspapers to know anything about how serious we were so not
many photographs were taken.
In all honesty, why didn't you two get
married?
Elvis told me that Colonel Tom Parker had
said no because if he got married or engaged or anything, with that
kind of career, he didn't need that kind of publicity.
How did you finally find out about
Priscilla?
I was with Elvis when he was shooting a
movie in 1962 and one time when he went to the studio I stayed at
home. I was up in Elvis' room looking through some books in the
library and inside one was a letter. I opened the letter and it was
from Priscilla. Let me tell you, I was mad because he had not
mentioned any other women. When I asked him about it he got upset
and told me that it was just a love letter from some fan. We had a
big fight and Elvis grabbed me and threw me up against the closet.
Thing's obviously became difficult from
then on. How did it finally end?
One afternoon Elvis was sitting in the
kitchen, I think he was with Alan Fortas, and I was on my way down
the backstairs. All of a sudden I heard Elvis say, "I'm having a
hard time making up my mind between them." I was hurt and I walked
in and simply said, "Well, I'm going to make your mind up for you"
and I left. I wasn't going to remain there in that situation. Elvis
came after me and said, "I pray to God you're doing the right thing"
and I told him that it didn't matter and it didn't make any
difference. Elvis became upset and Mr. Presley began to cry too.
Elvis was trying to put money in my purse and I just didn't know
what was going on. It was very hard but I never went back.
Did you ever see Elvis in Vegas during the
1970's?
I went to Las Vegas with a girlfriend once
and I ran into Joe Esposito, George Klein and Lamar who said, "Elvis
is performing tonight. If you'll come I'll save you a seat up
front." So I talked to Johnny about it who had been the night before
and he had no problem with me seeing the show. So, I had a seat
right there next to the stage and when Elvis walked on he looked
wonderful. He saw me there and a lot of the songs he sung straight
to me. When the show was over Charlie Hodge came over and told me
that Elvis would like to see me backstage. I went and saw him and we
hugged for a long time before he said, "Little, I wondered if we
made a mistake," and I said, "No Elvis, we didn't, you wouldn't have
Lisa and I wouldn't have my children and my husband." This was the
last time I saw him but I talked to him sometime later when my
Father died like I told you before. I wanted to tell him that I knew
what he felt when his Mother died but his voice sounded so slow and
deep at that time.
What's your most precious memory of Elvis?
I have a lot of good memories but the time he gave me
the friendship ring in California was special moment. He gave it to
me in our hotel out there and it was really sweet, I was just
amazed.
In closing, how about a final thought?
I just can't believe
ya'll still love him so much and I really wish he could be here now.
He would be laughing with us, he had such a great sense of humour.
Source:
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