August 11th in Elvis History

It's August 11, and on this day in 1955, Elvis performed at the Reo Palm Isle in Longview, Texas. In 1956, he gave three shows at the Florida Theater in Jacksonville, Florida, at 3:30, 7:00, and 9:00 p.m. In 1958, Elvis began his Basic Unit Training. And in 1961, location filming for *Follow That Dream* wrapped up in Florida. The previous day, August 10, 1970, marked the opening of Elvis’s summer engagement at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. While reviews noted the show lacked some of the excitement of previous years, the audience reaction remained strong. Elvis appeared confident, spending much of the show talking, joking, and making fan interactions a highlight—especially by handing out scarves, a practice he turned into a signature part of his performances.