At last: Graceland and Las Vegas converge

Friday, Dec. 6, 2002 | 9:14 a.m.

What: Mobile Graceland.

When: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., through Dec. 15 (dark this Monday).

Where: Harrah's.

Admission: Free with a Harrah's Total Rewards Card.

Information: mobilegraceland.com.

Though they are longtime Elvis Presley fans, Margaret and Willard Berry of Covina, Calif., had never been to Graceland.

So when Mobile Graceland, a 53-foot tractor-trailer featuring the late King's personal items and memorabilia, rolled into Las Vegas last week, Willard Berry stood in line for more than two hours.

"I gotta see it," Willard Berry said, while standing with Margaret at the entrance to Mobile Graceland. "He was a great singer."

The traveling exhibit, which began in Memphis in August, is on its last stop of a 31-city tour. It will be on display outside Harrah's through Dec. 15, and is free to anyone with a Harrah's Total Rewards Card.

More than a dozen of the King's clothes and personal items are featured. Among them are a white wool gaberdine jumpsuit and boots, a shirt Elvis wore during the 1957 movie "Jailhouse Rock," a 1956 Gibson guitar with Elvis' name inlaid and an Elvis report card from third grade (1943-'44).

Sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment and FYE stores, Mobile Graceland marks the 25th anniversary of Elvis' 1977 death and promotes "Elvis 30 # 1 Hits," the CD released this fall featuring his No. 1 hits and the release of the 1968 song, "A Little Less Conversation."

"If you've never been to Memphis, this brings a piece of Graceland to the people," Jill Walter, spokeswoman for Mobile Graceland, said.

"I've had women collapse against the glass and cry. I've had people linger for eight hours in here ... Auction Arizona was amazing. We had to stop the line at 5:30 because there were so many people. Atlantic City was big. Elvis is just a whole different vibe."

Elvis songs are piped into the trailer. Highlights from his 31 movies and two documentaries are featured on video screens.

Also on display are a box of crayons from childhood, a Colt .45 pistol, police badges, a briefcase phone, an Army jacket given to Priscilla and a pair of Everlast boxing gloves given to the King by Muhammad Ali.

Other items, such as Elvis' "TCB" ring and a 1964 telegram to The Beatles have never been displayed outside of Graceland, Walters said.

The "TCB" ring (encrusted with 16 carats of diamonds) stands for Elvis' motto, "Taking Care of Business."

"Some people have come just to see the ring," Walter said,

The exhibit has made stops at Harrah's casinos and FYE stores throughout the United States.

The Berrys, who were celebrating their 24th wedding anniversary, were pleased that the exhibit opened while on their trip to Las Vegas.

"He came from such a humble background and rose to such great success and became the king of rock," Margaret Berry said. "It just shows that in America, anything can happen."

Referring to the display, Willard Berry, whose eyes were filling with tears, simply said, "It's touching."