”He almost didn’t leave his dressing room,” Hehir explains. ”He was terrified of going back out in front of an audience, and he always had horrible stage fright. This goes back to the days of Ed Sullivan and the early days of performing in his career. He always had tremendous anxiety about going out and performing in front of people. But then, once he got out there, that’s where he was the most comfortable in the world, on a stage with a microphone in his hand.”
Truth behind iconic outfit
Once he did step onto that stage, he wasn’t just any performer — he was a man reinventing himself. There’s an iconic photo of Elvis performing that night, where he famously channeled one of his acting idols, Marlon Brando, by wearing a black leather suit. But why?
Belew, ever the visionary, suggested designing a custom leather ensemble that would be uniquely Elvis — perfect for his big comeback.
Belew initially envisioned Elvis in a bold, Napoleon-inspired look, with a high-collared leather jacket that framed his face perfectly. To complete the outfit, he paired it with soft silk shirts and a scarf around his neck. But would the King approve? Absolutely. Elvis was on board with the vision, and together, they settled on the final design.
The outfit made its way into both the arena and improvisation segments of the special. While Binder hadn’t fully anticipated how scorching hot the stage lights would be, Belew had a feeling that Elvis, ever the professional, would still love the outfit — even if it meant sweating under the intense heat.
