George Di Domizio and Elvis Presley on
the set of "Flaming Star" in 1960.
Photo courtesy of George Di Domizio
Not a day goes by that Tylersport resident George Di Domizio doesn't think of his friend. Reminders of him seem to be everywhere; he pops up in conversation every couple days. Di Domizio even carries a couple photos of his good friend in his pocket, a black-and-white reminder of some great days gone by.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of circumstances that eventually lead to the first meeting between Di Domizio and his good friend. And like anyone who's had a longtime friend who's passed away, there's always a little sadness, but there's definitely plenty of happy, funny and special memories.
Di Domizio's situation is just a little bit different.
His friend was Elvis Presley.
Di Domizio was drafted into the U.S. Army on March 11, 1958, a little less than two weeks before the "King of Rock & Roll" was inducted and arguably became the most famous private in U.S. Army history.
After completing basic training, both Di Domizio and Presley would be posted to Friedberg, Germany, as part of the 3rd Armored Division. Soon after his arrival in Germany, Di Domizio's army roommate, Joe Esposito, who'd become friends with Presley, offered an introduction to Elvis. It would be Di Domizio's first glimpse of how decidedly different the rock-and-roll star was out of the spotlight.
"At our first meeting at his rental home in Bad Nauheim, I was struck by his personal style of greeting people - 'Hi, I'm Elvis Presley,'" said Di Domizio. "He has the most recognizable face in the world, and he opened every first contact with the same line, 'Hi, I'm Elvis Presley... what's your name?'
"When I said George Di Domizio, he stepped back, flashed his famous grin and said, 'I'll call you D.' I said, "OK. And I'll call you E.'"
The quick comeback got a huge laugh from Presley and was the beginning of conversation amongst army buddies that would last into the night. At one point Di Domizio mentioned he'd played quarterback for Lansdale Catholic High School. Two-hand touch football was popular on the base, especially with Presley, who'd taken it upon himself to supply black and white sweatshirts for the game. Elvis' team always wore black. When the night came to a close, Presley asked Di Domizio if he'd like to play in the upcoming Sunday's game.
When Esposito and Di Domizio showed up on game day, Presley told the former LC quarterback to grab one of the black sweatshirts. After the game, a strong camaraderie had begun amongst the three, and Esposito and Di Domizio were frequent visitors to Presley's off-base home in Bad Nauheim.
So everybody knows that Elvis was an incredible entertainer even before he entered the army, but could he play football?
"He was excellent!" laughed Di Domizio. "He really was a good athlete. Another army friend of ours, Bill Greene, who had a tryout in 1959 for the Olympic soccer team, said even he had a little trouble keeping up with Elvis's pace."
While Di Domizio learned that Presley had some fairly decent athletic skills, he also learned a lot about a side of the person very few people ever saw.
"He was very, very down to Earth, very shy," said Di Domizio. "He was as nice as can be behind the scenes and off the stage. It sounds funny, but he was just a friendly funny guy. He loved to laugh and joke around with his friends.
"That's the friendship I had with him and it remained that way through the years."
When their time with the army came to a close Elvis invited Di Domizio to come visit him in Hollywood.
Back in the U.S. and settling into civilian life, Di Domizio took him up on the offer in September 1960 while Presley was making the movie "Flaming Star." Di Domizio wasn't sure what to expect. What he got was the full VIP treatment, staying with Presley at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel and riding with him - and the ever-present entourage - daily to the filming location. He ended up spending three weeks with his army buddy.
Di Domizio couldn't wait to meet up with Presley as their schedules allowed, visiting him in Crystal River, Fla., during the filming of "Follow That Dream" in 1967. After he married his wife June the following year, the couple honeymooned in Scottsdale, Ariz. Elvis was working on another movie, "Charro," in nearby Apache Junction. A couple phone calls later and another meeting was set up.
Di Domzio said he was amazed when Elvis delayed shooting a scene by coming over to meet his new wife while the director and about 50 cast and crew members waited and wondered.
Those moments still get a laugh out of Di Domizio. He still wonders exactly what prompted the overwhelming response his visits generated in Presley.
"He would absolutely go out of his way," he said. "The attention he would pay to me was interesting in that it came over intervals of years. It wasn't a situation where I saw him all the time. But he always made time for me when we were able to get together.
"I've never been able to figure it out completely, but I do have ideas.
"He was so proud of his army service. It was something that meant a great, great deal to him. I think when we got together it was a fresh reminder of his time in the army."
Maybe it was a chance for two good friends to have some laughs, catch up and share some memories outside the whirlwind that was Presley's professional life. Maybe it was a break from a sort of chaos that Presley himself never understood.
"There were times when I was riding in the car with him and there'd be police lights flashing and this long trail of cars in front of and behind us as we drove somewhere," said Di Domizio. "You couldn't help but be amazed by it all, the way there were fans everywhere.
"I'd ask him about it. One of his recurring comments that he made was, 'I don't know. I just don't know.' He was as amazed by his enduring popularity as anyone else."
The last time Di Domizio saw Elvis was at the Spectrum in Philadelphia on May 28, 1977. Presley would pass away in his home at Graceland nearly three months later.
As Di Domizio, and Elvis, celebrate an army anniversary, they also celebrate a memorable friendship.
"It's a huge part of my life," said Di Domizio. "Not only for the music, but for the impact he had on people, the excitement he created. It was an amazing thing to see up close.
"I learned a lot from him. He was a good friend."
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Fri Apr 04, 2008 1:24 am