Frank Sinatra’s Welcome Home Party for Elvis Presley – Nostalgia Central

1 9 6 0 (USA)
1 x 60 minute episode

Presented as the kickoff to Elvis Presley‘s return to the United States after his discharge from the army, he was actually on camera for only six minutes of this one-hour ABC special, which aired on 12 May 1960.

The premise of the show (which was taped on 26 March in the grand ballroom of the Fontainebleu Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida) was that of a star-studded “welcome home” party.

In the beginning sequence, Elvis appeared in his formal army uniform, being greeted in song by Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford.

For the next 40 minutes, the troupe sang all the music that represented what Presley had supposedly missed while abroad for two years on his tour of duty in Germany. Following that musical interlude, Elvis jumped into his newest single, Fame and Fortune.

Much to the relief of his fans, it was the old Elvis Presley, as frantic and sexy as the day he left the States.

In the final segment of the show, Frank and Elvis performed a duet by singing one of each other’s hits.

While Frank did a ring-a-ding-ding version of Love Me Tender, Elvis launched into a rocking rendition of Witchcraft.

For his appearance on Sinatra’s Welcome Home, Elvis show (also known as The Frank Sinatra Timex Show), Presley received the sum of $125,000.

Colonel Parker announced after the show that Presley’s new fee for a single television appearance would be set at $150,000.

From 1960 to 1968, Elvis Presley starred in 23 more movies, but he didn’t appear on a single network television show.