Elvis Presley Dermatologist Blackmail Attempt

As the David Letterman attempted blackmail case continues to play its way out in court, people are often reminded of other high profile blackmail attempts in showbiz history. One of the biggest, strangest of all was the blackmail attempt on Elvis Presley by his dermatologist!

Elvis had been seeing a South African self-proclaimed skin care expert doctor for some skin treatment to keep up his famous looks. The doctor was felt to be making untoward advances on Elvis and his staff though, and he soon got fired. But he took the firing badly and hit back with threats to release compromising tapes and photos. But Elvis did not budge and only gave $200 and plane ticket back to London. The doctor kept coming back with more threats, but eventually gave up when Elvis never gave in, and also discovered that the doctor was also lying about being a doctor! You can't get over on the King.

Elvis Presley Dermatologist Blackmail Attempt
mentalfloss

When Elvis was stationed in Germany in 1959, he hired South African doctor Laurenz Johannes Griessel-Landau to carry out a series of skin treatments on his famous face and shoulders. After a month, Elvis and his entourage allegedly grew tired of Griessel-Landau constantly making passes at them, so Elvis fired the dermatologist. This angered the doctor, who then threatened to reveal compromising photographs...

Elvis Presley Dermatologist Blackmail Attempt