Mint Sheet Honors Elvis' 22nd Film – Roustabout

The idea for Roustabout came from Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, who was a former carnival worker.  Elvis filmed Roustabout in the spring of 1964.  Based in a carnival setting, the film co-starred Hollywood legend Barbara Stanwyck.  Elvis’ character, Charlie Rogers, joins Stanwyck’s carnival as a roustabout, falls in love with Cathy, and makes the faltering show profitable by singing to increasingly large crowds.  A bad temper leads to trouble before true love, hard work, and great lyrics win out to earn Roustabout a 1964 Best Written American Musical nomination.

Elvis refused to use a double during the film’s many fight scenes.  For the first time in his career, Elvis suffered a head injury that required nine stitches.  Paramount incorporated a crash scene into the script, allowing Elvis to wear a plaster over the injury.