August 30th in Elvis History

It's August thirtieth, and on this day in 1957, Elvis Presley performed at Memorial Stadium in Spokane, Washington. He made a grand entrance in a Cadillac with a police escort and delivered an 18-song set to an ecstatic crowd, showcasing the raw energy that defined his early live performances.

That same day in 1962, Kid Galahad, his tenth film, opened in theaters across the country to generally positive reviews. Daily Variety noted that Elvis had found a comfortable screen persona as the “soft-spoken, unaffected, polite, unspoiled, forthright, and ultimately two-fisted country boy.” The Hollywood Reporter called it a good vehicle for his talents—though The New York Times was less impressed, writing that “Mr. Presley does not make a convincing pug.