Elvis’ Entourage Had to ‘Con Him’ Into Bathing

Elvis Presley’s entourage supported him in many ways: they ordered him food, vacationed with him, rushed to his side when he needed them, and, apparently, convinced him to bathe. According to several members of his entourage, Elvis preferred to rely on deodorant tablets to keep himself smelling fresh. Those who knew him said they weren’t all that effective.

Elvis Presley’s entourage had to talk him into bathing

By 1975, Elvis’ health had deteriorated significantly. He dealt with physical symptoms exacerbated by his drug use, but he also had mood swings and rising paranoia. According to his entourage, Elvis began to refuse to bathe. 

Per The Washington Post, Elvis wiped down his “armpits and crotch” when necessary. He also relied on deodorant tablets to kill any odor.

“They’d kill any type of body odor from bad breath to butt,” his cousin, Billy Smith, said in the book The Colonel by Alanna Nash.

This reportedly did not work well. He began to develop sores on his body and, despite the heavy consumption of deodorant tablets, began to smell. His friends had to coax him into bathing when he grew too dirty.

“We used to con him into the bathtub when he was filthy,” his friend Lamar Fike said, “but you didn’t physically make him do anything when he wasn’t loaded. He’d fight you like a hawk.”

Elvis’ entourage wanted him to take a step back from performing

As all this was happening, the people close to Elvis began to fear for his well-being. 

“He would be so damn drugged he couldn’t make it to the bathroom,” Fike said. “Or he’d get in there and be so groggy he’d fall down on the floor. That’s where they’d find him.”

Several people, Fike included, believed it would be best for Elvis to take a step back from his busy schedule of performances to focus on his health. Unfortunately, Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, disagreed. While he didn’t want Elvis taking drugs, he insisted that the performances continue. 

“I used to tell the Colonel, ‘You’re killing this guy! This guy is sick!’” Fike recalled. “And he’d say, ‘Just as long as he can keep doing the dates, we don’t have to worry. He’ll get himself back together again.’”

Elvis continued to have performances scheduled up until his untimely death in 1977.

His girlfriend did not have a problem with the way he smelled

Evidently, Elvis’ personal hygiene became a major point of concern for his entourage. They saw him grow dirty enough that they had to trick him into showering. His girlfriend, Linda Thompson, did not describe such issues. She said Elvis always smelled good.

“He smelled of Neutrogena soap,” she told Memphis Commercial Appeal. “He always had this little essence of the clean, fresh smell of Neutrogena. Their sales are going to go up, aren’t they?”

Elvis’ friends confirmed that Neutrogena was his favorite brand of soap. The problem was that Elvis didn’t use it often enough.

How to get help: In the U.S., contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-4357.