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Red West

May 04, 2023

Robert Gene "Red" West (March 8, 1936 – July 18, 2017) was an American actor, film stuntman and songwriter.[1] He was known for being a close confidant and bodyguard for rock and roll singer Elvis Presley. Upon his firing, West wrote the controversial Elvis: What Happened?, in which he exposed the singer's dangerous drug dependence in an attempt to save him.[2]

Red West
Born
Robert Gene West

(1936-03-08)March 8, 1936
Memphis , Tennessee, U.S.
DiedJuly 18, 2017(2017-07-18) (aged 81)
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Alma materJones County Junior College
Occupation(s)Actor, stunt performer, songwriter, author
Years active1959–2015
Spouse
Pat Boyd
​
(m. 1961)​
Children2
RelativesSonny West (cousin)

West was probably best known to American film audiences for his role as Red in Road House, alongside Patrick Swayze. West appeared to critical acclaim in the 2008 independent film Goodbye Solo as William.[3]

Early life

West was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to Lois and Newton Thomas West.[4] West was the cousin of actor 'Sonny' West.[5] While attending high school in Tennessee, West and Sonny met Elvis Presley.[6]

An excellent athlete and U.S. Marine, West played football for his high school and junior college at Jones County Junior College teams and was a boxer in the Golden Gloves championships.[7]

In 1961, West married his wife Pat Boyd.[6] Together, they had two children.[7]

West and Presley

Songwriting career

West collaborated with Elvis Presley two songs in 1961 and 1962,[7] which Elvis got a token credit on, "That's Someone You Never Forget" and "You'll Be Gone".[8]

"That's Someone You Never Forget" is the final track on the 1962 album Pot Luck. The song was released as a 45-rpm B-side single in 1967 and features on the Artist of the Century compilation.[9] "You'll Be Gone" is a bonus track on the Girl Happy soundtrack LP. West co-wrote "If You Think I Don't Need You" with Joey Cooper for the motion picture Viva Las Vegas.[8] He teamed up with Joey Cooper again on "I'm A Fool", which Ricky Nelson recorded,[10] and which was later a hit for Dino, Desi and Billy (the partnership of Dean-Paul "Dino" Martin, Desi Arnaz Jr., and William "Billy" Hinsche).[10]

West co wrote the song "Separate Ways" with Richard Mainegra for Elvis in 1972,[11] and "If You Talk in Your Sleep" with Johnny Christopher for Presley's 1975 album Promised Land.[12] Red wrote "If Every Day Was Like Christmas", recorded by Presley in 1966.[7]

In addition to writing for Elvis, Red had songs recorded by Pat Boone, Rick Nelson, Johnny Burnette, Johnny Rivers, Dino, Desi & Billy, Petula Clark, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, Andre Kostelanetz and His Orchestra, and Little Milton, among others.[citation needed]

Elvis' entourage and firing

In 1976, West was criticized in the media for his involvement in a series of heavy-handed incidents with aggressive fans in Las Vegas.[7] He was also becoming vocal about Presley needing help for his drug problem. Elvis's father, Vernon Presley, who hated the members of his son's entourage, fired West, his cousin Sonny, and bodyguard David Hebler.[5]

The three subsequently wrote the book Elvis: What Happened?, claiming to be an attempt to warn and obtain help for Elvis. Some suspected it was a retaliatory money-making exercise, but with Elvis' death within weeks of publication the book's claims proved accurate.[11] Presley had offered the publisher $1,000,000 to stop printing the book.[2]

Acting career

When Presley was making films in the 1960s in Hollywood, Red West appeared in small roles in sixteen of the star's films.[13] During this time, West became good friends with actor Nick Adams and his physical abilities got him hired on as a stuntman on Adams' television series, The Rebel.[4] From there, West went on to do more stunt work in film as well as developing a career as an actor in a number of motion pictures and on television. He was often on screen as a henchman in the television series The Wild Wild West.[14]

West also played the role of Sheriff Tanner of Alcorn County, Mississippi in the 1973 film Walking Tall. He also reprised the role in the 1975 film Walking Tall Part 2.[15]

West also played the ornery, sometimes violent Master Sergeant Andy Micklin on Baa Baa Black Sheep.[16] He guest starred twice on the CBS hit detective series Magnum, P.I. as different characters, as five different ones on The A-Team, the Knight Rider pilot episode "Knight of the Phoenix", on The Fall Guy, Simon & Simon and in "The Once and Future King", an episode of The Twilight Zone which concerned Presley.[6][17] In 1989, West appeared in the action film Road House with Patrick Swayze as Red Webster, the auto parts store owner.[2]

West played the lead role in the 2008 independent film Goodbye Solo as William, an elderly depressed man who befriends a Senegalese man in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.[3] The film received positive reviews and critic Roger Ebert remarked that "West isn't playing himself, but he evokes his character so fully that he might as well be. West's face is a map of hard living".[3]

His last film role was in the 2013 film Safe Haven as Roger, an elderly store clerk in Southport, North Carolina.[18]

Death

West died on July 18, 2017, aged 81, from an aortic aneurysm, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in his native Memphis.[13]

His death occurred less than two months after the death of his cousin, actor Sonny West, in May 2017.[5] His funeral and burial at Memorial Park Cemetery was held on July 24 in Memphis.[19]

In popular culture

In John Carpenter's 1979 film Elvis, West was portrayed by Robert Gray. West was also portrayed by his son John Boyd West in the 2005 Golden Globe winning CBS mini-series Elvis and in the 21st episode of the fifth season of Quantum Leap, Memphis Melody.

Selected filmography

References

  1. ^ Daily Telegraph Issue no 50,439 dated Friday 21 July 2017- "Long-serving member of Elvis Presley's entourage who wrote a shocking exposé about his boss"
  2. ^ a b c "Red West, Longtime Elvis Confidant, Dies at 81". Chicago Tribune. July 20, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d Roger Ebert (March 25, 2009). "Goodbye Solo Movie Review". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "Red West profile". Filmreference.com. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  5. ^ a b c "Sonny West of Elvis' Memphis Mafia dies at 79". WMCActionNews5.com. May 31, 2017.
  6. ^ a b c "Red West, Longtime Elvis Confidant, Dies at 81". Fox News. July 20, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Red West, Songwriter and Actor Who Was Elvis Presley's Confidant, Dies At 81". The Hollywood Reporter. July 20, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  8. ^ a b "Red West Dies: 'Road House' Actor, Stuntman & Songwriter Was 81". Deadline. July 20, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  9. ^ Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p. 892. ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
  10. ^ a b "I'm A Fool Facts". SongFacts. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  11. ^ a b "Interview with Red West". Elvis.com. May 29, 2008. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  12. ^ "If You Talk in Your Sleep - Elvis Presley". AllMusic. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  13. ^ a b Beifuss, John (July 19, 2017). "Red West, Elvis friend and actor, is dead". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  14. ^ "Red West Interview". ElvisInfoNet. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  15. ^ Barnes, Mike (July 19, 2017). "Red West, Actor, Songwriter & Longtime Elvis Presley Confidant, Dies at 81". Billboard. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  16. ^ Ken Sharp (June 24, 2017). "Red West Remembers Writing For The King". Elvis.com. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  17. ^ ""The Twilight Zone" The Once and Future King/A Saucer of Loneliness (TV Episode 1986)". IMDb.com. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  18. ^ Roeper, Richard (February 12, 2013). "Safe Haven". Rogerebert.com. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
  19. ^ John Beifuss (July 20, 2017). "Red West: Services set for Elvis friend, actor". Commercial Appeal. Retrieved July 23, 2017.
  20. ^ a b c Kate Feldman (July 20, 2017). "Red West, actor and longtime friend of Elvis Presley, dead at 81". The New York Daily News. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  21. ^ Tony Scott (November 9, 1995). "Review: 'Nbc Sunday Night at the Movies Her Hidden Truth Sun.'". Variety. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  22. ^ "'The Black Dove' film premiered at AMC Newport Sunday". WTOL. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  23. ^ David Rooney (August 30, 2012). "At Any Price: Venice Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 20, 2017.

External links

May 04, 2023
west, robert, gene, west, march, 1936, july, 2017, american, actor, film, stuntman, songwriter, known, being, close, confidant, bodyguard, rock, roll, singer, elvis, presley, upon, firing, west, wrote, controversial, elvis, what, happened, which, exposed, sing. Robert Gene Red West March 8 1936 July 18 2017 was an American actor film stuntman and songwriter 1 He was known for being a close confidant and bodyguard for rock and roll singer Elvis Presley Upon his firing West wrote the controversial Elvis What Happened in which he exposed the singer s dangerous drug dependence in an attempt to save him 2 Red WestBornRobert Gene West 1936 03 08 March 8 1936Memphis Tennessee U S DiedJuly 18 2017 2017 07 18 aged 81 Memphis Tennessee U S Alma materJones County Junior CollegeOccupation s Actor stunt performer songwriter authorYears active1959 2015SpousePat Boyd m 1961 wbr Children2RelativesSonny West cousin West was probably best known to American film audiences for his role as Red in Road House alongside Patrick Swayze West appeared to critical acclaim in the 2008 independent film Goodbye Solo as William 3 Contents 1 Early life 2 West and Presley 2 1 Songwriting career 2 2 Elvis entourage and firing 3 Acting career 4 Death 5 In popular culture 6 Selected filmography 7 References 8 External linksEarly life EditWest was born in Memphis Tennessee to Lois and Newton Thomas West 4 West was the cousin of actor Sonny West 5 While attending high school in Tennessee West and Sonny met Elvis Presley 6 An excellent athlete and U S Marine West played football for his high school and junior college at Jones County Junior College teams and was a boxer in the Golden Gloves championships 7 In 1961 West married his wife Pat Boyd 6 Together they had two children 7 West and Presley EditSongwriting career Edit West collaborated with Elvis Presley two songs in 1961 and 1962 7 which Elvis got a token credit on That s Someone You Never Forget and You ll Be Gone 8 That s Someone You Never Forget is the final track on the 1962 album Pot Luck The song was released as a 45 rpm B side single in 1967 and features on the Artist of the Century compilation 9 You ll Be Gone is a bonus track on the Girl Happy soundtrack LP West co wrote If You Think I Don t Need You with Joey Cooper for the motion picture Viva Las Vegas 8 He teamed up with Joey Cooper again on I m A Fool which Ricky Nelson recorded 10 and which was later a hit for Dino Desi and Billy the partnership of Dean Paul Dino Martin Desi Arnaz Jr and William Billy Hinsche 10 West co wrote the song Separate Ways with Richard Mainegra for Elvis in 1972 11 and If You Talk in Your Sleep with Johnny Christopher for Presley s 1975 album Promised Land 12 Red wrote If Every Day Was Like Christmas recorded by Presley in 1966 7 In addition to writing for Elvis Red had songs recorded by Pat Boone Rick Nelson Johnny Burnette Johnny Rivers Dino Desi amp Billy Petula Clark Gary Puckett amp The Union Gap Andre Kostelanetz and His Orchestra and Little Milton among others citation needed Elvis entourage and firing Edit In 1976 West was criticized in the media for his involvement in a series of heavy handed incidents with aggressive fans in Las Vegas 7 He was also becoming vocal about Presley needing help for his drug problem Elvis s father Vernon Presley who hated the members of his son s entourage fired West his cousin Sonny and bodyguard David Hebler 5 The three subsequently wrote the book Elvis What Happened claiming to be an attempt to warn and obtain help for Elvis Some suspected it was a retaliatory money making exercise but with Elvis death within weeks of publication the book s claims proved accurate 11 Presley had offered the publisher 1 000 000 to stop printing the book 2 Acting career EditWhen Presley was making films in the 1960s in Hollywood Red West appeared in small roles in sixteen of the star s films 13 During this time West became good friends with actor Nick Adams and his physical abilities got him hired on as a stuntman on Adams television series The Rebel 4 From there West went on to do more stunt work in film as well as developing a career as an actor in a number of motion pictures and on television He was often on screen as a henchman in the television series The Wild Wild West 14 West also played the role of Sheriff Tanner of Alcorn County Mississippi in the 1973 film Walking Tall He also reprised the role in the 1975 film Walking Tall Part 2 15 West also played the ornery sometimes violent Master Sergeant Andy Micklin on Baa Baa Black Sheep 16 He guest starred twice on the CBS hit detective series Magnum P I as different characters as five different ones on The A Team the Knight Rider pilot episode Knight of the Phoenix on The Fall Guy Simon amp Simon and in The Once and Future King an episode of The Twilight Zone which concerned Presley 6 17 In 1989 West appeared in the action film Road House with Patrick Swayze as Red Webster the auto parts store owner 2 West played the lead role in the 2008 independent film Goodbye Solo as William an elderly depressed man who befriends a Senegalese man in Winston Salem North Carolina 3 The film received positive reviews and critic Roger Ebert remarked that West isn t playing himself but he evokes his character so fully that he might as well be West s face is a map of hard living 3 His last film role was in the 2013 film Safe Haven as Roger an elderly store clerk in Southport North Carolina 18 Death EditWest died on July 18 2017 aged 81 from an aortic aneurysm at Baptist Memorial Hospital in his native Memphis 13 His death occurred less than two months after the death of his cousin actor Sonny West in May 2017 5 His funeral and burial at Memorial Park Cemetery was held on July 24 in Memphis 19 In popular culture EditIn John Carpenter s 1979 film Elvis West was portrayed by Robert Gray West was also portrayed by his son John Boyd West in the 2005 Golden Globe winning CBS mini series Elvis and in the 21st episode of the fifth season of Quantum Leap Memphis Melody Selected filmography EditJourney to the Center of the Earth 1959 Bearded Man at Newspaper Stand University Student uncredited Ice Palace 1960 Train Passenger uncredited Flaming Star 1960 Indian uncredited Wild in the Country 1961 Hank Tyler uncredited Blue Hawaii 1961 Party Guest uncredited Follow That Dream 1962 Bank Guard uncredited Kid Galahad 1962 Opponent uncredited Girls Girls Girls 1962 Bongo Playing Crewman on Tuna Boat uncredited Two for the Seesaw 1962 Party Guest uncredited It Happened at the World s Fair 1963 Fred uncredited Palm Springs Weekend 1963 Card Player uncredited Viva Las Vegas 1964 Son of Lone Star State uncredited Shock Treatment 1964 Orderly uncredited The Americanization of Emily 1964 Soldier uncredited Roustabout 1964 Carnival Worker uncredited John Goldfarb Please Come Home 1965 Football Player uncredited Girl Happy 1965 Extra in Kit Kat Club uncredited Tickle Me 1965 Mabel s Boyfriend uncredited Harum Scarum 1965 Assassin uncredited Paradise Hawaiian Style 1966 Rusty uncredited The Navy vs the Night Monsters 1966 Navy Fireman uncredited Spinout 1966 Shorty s Pit Crew uncredited Clambake 1967 Ice Cream Vendor uncredited Live a Little Love a Little 1968 4 Newspaper Vendor uncredited Walking Tall 1973 20 Sheriff Tanner Framed 1975 Mallory Walking Tall Part II 1975 4 Sheriff Tanner Angel City 1980 Sud Road House 1989 20 Red Webster Trapper County War 1989 George The Legend of Grizzly Adams 1990 Bodine Raw Nerve 1991 Dave Prey of the Chameleon 1992 Pritchard The Gun in Betty Lou s Handbag 1992 Judge Natural Born Killers 1994 Cowboy Sheriff Felony 1994 Chief Edwards The Expert 1995 Judge Her Hidden Truth 1995 TV Movie 21 Fireman Leon Sykes The P A C K 1997 Sheriff Charlie Stone The Rainmaker 1997 4 Buddy Black I Still Know What You Did Last Summer 1998 4 Paulsen Cookie s Fortune 1999 Mr Henderson Above Suspicion 2000 Officer Ward Woman s Story 2000 Judge Ewing Vampires Anonymous 2003 Tom Miller Forty Shades of Blue 2005 Duigan Glory Road 2006 4 Ross Moore Goodbye Solo 2008 3 William Father of Invention 2010 4 Sam Bergman The Black Dove 2012 22 Detective Randall Hayward At Any Price 2012 23 Cliff Whipple Safe Haven 2013 20 RogerReferences Edit Daily Telegraph Issue no 50 439 dated Friday 21 July 2017 Long serving member of Elvis Presley s entourage who wrote a shocking expose about his boss a b c Red West Longtime Elvis Confidant Dies at 81 Chicago Tribune July 20 2017 Retrieved July 20 2017 a b c d Roger Ebert March 25 2009 Goodbye Solo Movie Review RogerEbert com Retrieved July 20 2017 a b c d e f g h Red West profile Filmreference com Retrieved November 15 2014 a b c Sonny West of Elvis Memphis Mafia dies at 79 WMCActionNews5 com May 31 2017 a b c Red West Longtime Elvis Confidant Dies at 81 Fox News July 20 2017 Retrieved July 20 2017 a b c d e Red West Songwriter and Actor Who Was Elvis Presley s Confidant Dies At 81 The Hollywood Reporter July 20 2017 Retrieved July 20 2017 a b Red West Dies Road House Actor Stuntman amp Songwriter Was 81 Deadline July 20 2017 Retrieved July 20 2017 Graff Gary Durchholz Daniel eds 1999 MusicHound Rock The Essential Album Guide Farmington Hills MI Visible Ink Press p 892 ISBN 1 57859 061 2 a b I m A Fool Facts SongFacts Retrieved July 20 2017 a b Interview with Red West Elvis com May 29 2008 Retrieved July 20 2017 If You Talk in Your Sleep Elvis Presley AllMusic Retrieved July 21 2017 a b Beifuss John July 19 2017 Red West Elvis friend and actor is dead The Commercial Appeal Retrieved July 19 2017 Red West Interview ElvisInfoNet Retrieved July 20 2017 Barnes Mike July 19 2017 Red West Actor Songwriter amp Longtime Elvis Presley Confidant Dies at 81 Billboard Retrieved May 3 2018 Ken Sharp June 24 2017 Red West Remembers Writing For The King Elvis com Retrieved July 20 2017 The Twilight Zone The Once and Future King A Saucer of Loneliness TV Episode 1986 IMDb com Retrieved April 14 2023 Roeper Richard February 12 2013 Safe Haven Rogerebert com Retrieved February 15 2015 John Beifuss July 20 2017 Red West Services set for Elvis friend actor Commercial Appeal Retrieved July 23 2017 a b c Kate Feldman July 20 2017 Red West actor and longtime friend of Elvis Presley dead at 81 The New York Daily News Retrieved July 20 2017 Tony Scott November 9 1995 Review Nbc Sunday Night at the Movies Her Hidden Truth Sun Variety Retrieved July 20 2017 The Black Dove film premiered at AMC Newport Sunday WTOL Retrieved September 24 2017 David Rooney August 30 2012 At Any Price Venice Review The Hollywood Reporter Retrieved July 20 2017 External links EditRed West at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Red West amp oldid 1149801517, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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