Elvis Presley Love Me Tender Standee (20th Century Fox, 1956). One of the most coveted artifacts for Elvis memorabilia collectors is this six-foot tall heavy die-cut cardboard display showing Presley in a singing and guitar playing pose from the film. An inset near the bottom reads: Elvis Presley as he appears in his first motion picture Love Me Tender from 20th Century-Fox in CinemaScope. The film was originally slated to be called The Reno Brothers but was changed to the title of the song that had already achieved over a million advance sales on its way to becoming one of the King's all-time biggest hits. Elvis was third-billed behind Richard Egan and Debra Paget in this Civil War-era drama, but would be top-billed on all of his remaining 32 films. Reportedly at the Memphis advance screening, Elvis's beloved mother Gladys cried at the death of his Clint Reno character at the end of the film, which led to Elvis insisting that none of his future characters would die onscreen.
These standees were made in limited numbers to be placed in the lobbies of movie theaters for the release date in November 1956. If a standee survived the hordes of screaming girls who saw it, walking by it, then it would be shipped to the next theater for another run. It's understandable that not many of them actually survived, making our offering all the more attractive. This one is intact, folded at the center as issued, with general wear around the top of the head, face, and through the body, and some soiling on the background between the feet. There are also two manufacturing defects, one across the neck and chin, another across the chest and arms. But it's still an imposing piece and difficult to find in any condition. It's only the second time we've offered one in over 10 years.