Elvis Presley’s Film Debut: Love Me Tender. Love Me Tender (1956) was Elvis Presley’s first movie, set after the Civil War. Originally titled The Reno Brothers, it was renamed to promote the song “Love Me Tender,” which became a huge hit. Elvis played Clint Reno, a character inspired by the real-life Reno Gang.

At the premiere in New York, thousands of fans gathered, and audiences screamed so loudly that some of Elvis’s lines couldn’t be heard. Even though he was only third-billed, Elvis took the role seriously and memorized the entire script.

He didn’t plan to sing in the movie, but producers added musical scenes after casting him. The song “Love Me Tender,” adapted from…

Elvis Presley’s Film Debut: Love Me Tender. Love Me Tender (1956) was Elvis Presley’s first movie, set after the Civil War. Originally titled The Reno Brothers, it was renamed to promote the song “Love Me Tender,” which became a huge hit. Elvis played Clint Reno, a character inspired by the real-life Reno Gang.

At the premiere in New York, thousands of fans gathered, and audiences screamed so loudly that some of Elvis’s lines couldn’t be heard. Even though he was only third-billed, Elvis took the role seriously and memorized the entire script.

He didn’t plan to sing in the movie, but producers added musical scenes after casting him. The song “Love Me Tender,” adapted from the Civil War-era tune “Aura Lee,” became a gold record before its release due to massive preorders.

Elvis’s co-star, Debra Paget, said he was respectful and polite. Elvis reportedly had strong feelings for her, though they didn’t end up together.

At the end of the movie, Clint Reno dies. This upset Elvis’s mother, so producers added a scene of Elvis singing during the closing credits. However, by then, he had dyed his hair black, creating a noticeable change from earlier scenes where his hair was light brown.

The film includes several bloopers, like a visible zipper (which didn’t exist in the 1860s), a modern car in the background, and some musical playback mistakes. Despite these, Love Me Tender remains a classic moment in Elvis’s career — the start of his journey in Hollywood.