Elvis (also known as Elvis â Good Rockin' Tonight) is an American drama series about the early life of Elvis Presley that aired on ABC from February 6 until May 19, 1990 before its cancellation due to the high cost of each episode. These ten episodes, along with three unaired episodes, were edited into a four-hour mini-series titled Elvis: The Early Years. The series starred Michael St. Gerard as Presley, Jesse Dabson, Blake Gibbons, Millie Perkins, and Billy "Green" Bush. Elvis voice-impersonator Ronnie McDowell provided the singing voice for St. Gerard on the series.
Elvis: Good Rockin' Tonight was a series offering a dramatic re-creation of Presley's time just before becoming a major star, focusing on him in 1954 and 1955 as he was beginning his recording career at Sun Records.
Michael St. Gerard had played Presley twice before, in the 1989 films Great Balls of Fire! and Heart of Dixie; and once again after this series, in a 1993 episode of Quantum Leap.
Millie Perkins starred as the real Elvis's love interest in the 1961 film, Wild in the Country. Here she plays his mother.
Matt Dillon and Scott Valentine were the first two choices for the role of Presley.
St. Gerard's audition was a line read, and him lip syncing to "Baby, Let's Play House". He was flown to Memphis the next day to start filming. The brown-eyed St. Gerard refused to wear blue contacts for the role.
1151 Tanglewood St. Memphis, TN 38114 was the filming location for the home of Elvis's high school girlfriend in the series, Mattie Walker. One scene includes her and Elvis talking on the front porch.
The show struggled with low ratings and mediocre reviews. Then-ABC Entertainment president Bob Iger opted cancel the series early into its run on March 14, 1990. This was two months before it officially ceased airing, with the show also not being able to air the last three episodes which were filmed.