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Why Elvis Presley Was ‘Embarrassed’ Around Bond Girl Ursula Andress

Elvis Presley crossed paths with numerous celebrities over the course of his career, including Bond girl Ursula Andress. Andress is known for playing Honey Ryder in the 007 film Dr. No. According to Priscilla Presley, her husband was embarrassed to be around Andress for one specific reason. Here’s a look at what Elvis had to say. …

Elvis Presley crossed paths with numerous celebrities over the course of his career, including Bond girl Ursula Andress. Andress is known for playing Honey Ryder in the 007 film Dr. No. According to Priscilla Presley, her husband was embarrassed to be around Andress for one specific reason. Here’s a look at what Elvis had to say.

Elvis Presley with a dark background
Elvis Presley | CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images

Priscilla Presley bared all in a famous book about her husband

Firstly, a little background. Numerous books have been written about the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, but none are more famous than Elvis and Me. The book was written by Priscilla with Sandra Harmon and features Priscilla’s recollections about everything from her husband’s supposed healing powers to his favorite movies. In the book, Priscilla discusses what Elvis had to say about Andress, his co-star in the movie Fun in Acapulco.

How Elvis Presley felt about Bond girl Ursula Andress

Here’s what Priscilla writes about what Elvis said about Andress. “‘Godd*mn, she was a big woman,’ Elvis was saying about his costar. ‘Body like a man – no hips, and shoulders broader than mine. I was embarrassed to take my goddam shirt off next to her.’”

Priscilla recalled what Elvis’ friend Alan Fortas said to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. “‘Yeah, but E,’ Alan Fortas kidded him, ‘she only had eyes for you.’ ‘No way, Son, not with John Derek lurking all over the place. I’d be godd*mned if I’d start a conversation with her and see his possessive eyes glaring at me. You know he gave her a car, and on the steering wheel it said, ‘Baby, you’re indispensable.’ Head over heels in love with her. Never saw anything like it.”

Ursula Andress in Dr. No

Priscilla responded to her husband’s feelings about Andress. “I was surprised to hear how Elvis was talking about Ursula Andress, the alluring sex goddess of Dr. No. ‘Wasn’t she pretty?’ I asked. ‘Pretty?’ he snickered. ‘Hell, she had a bone structure so sharp, it could cut you in half if you turned too fast.’”

Did Elvis Presley and Ursula Andress have an affair?

This passage from Elvis and Me is notable in light of an interview Elvis’ friend Sonny West gave to Elvis Australia. West said the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll was close to Andress. In addition, he said Elvis didn’t want to be alone with Andress because he refused to go after married women. It’s possible that the King formed a bond with Andress while also disparaging her looks.

The title track from Fun in Acapulco
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West says “nothing happened” between Andress and the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. However, that didn’t stop Priscilla from worrying. In the book Elvis by the Presleys, Priscilla says she stayed in Graceland while Elvis filmed movies. Because of this, she feared he might be having an affair with Andress. Priscilla saw Andress as a potential mistress for her husband — meanwhile, he was embarrassed to take his shirt off around Andress.