Who was Elvis’ girlfriend Linda Thompson and why was she ‘erased’ from his biopic?

15 July 2022, 13:38 | Updated: 15 July 2022, 13:43

Throughout his life, Elvis Presley had many romantic relationships.

Some biographical authors have written that Elvis' "list of one-night stands would fill volumes."

Despite his well-documented philandering and wandering eye, however, the "King of Rock and Roll" also had his fair share of women he was entirely devoted to.

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The most iconic of his partners was undoubtedly Priscilla Presley, who he shared a daughter Lisa-Marie with and was married from 1967-1973.

Then after their split, Elvis spent the next four and a half years with beauty pageant winner and model/actress Linda Thompson.

But who was she, and why wasn't she mentioned in the recent Baz Luhrmann biopic?

Six months after Priscilla had left but before their divorce was finalised, Elvis met Linda Thompson in 1972 and they were an item for four and a half years.

Bonding over their shared beliefs in a higher power and their love for gospel music, Thompson moved in with Elvis at his Graceland home after only months of knowing one another.

She later recalled the first moment she set eyes on Presley, having been invited to a midnight film screening hosted by Elvis who had rented out the entire cinema.

"“It was the middle of July in Memphis, and it was very humid, just sweltering" she remembered.

"He had on this black cape with a high collar and a red satin lining, and I said, ‘dressed a little like Dracula, aren’t we?’ so you see, we both shared a sense of humour that was very much like the other."

“We just hit it off immediately because we grew up in Memphis and had the same religious beliefs, love for our family, and devotion to our mother and father as well as the same sense of loyalty."

They remained loyal to one another for a considerable time, but in 1975 Elvis began dating Mindi Miller on the side which prompted Thompson to leave him.

It was during the period when Elvis stopped taking care of himself, and hit a downward spiral of excess.

"There were times when he was very, very difficult" according to Linda.

"There was a lot of heartache and he exhibited a lot of self-destructive behaviour which was very difficult for me, you know, watching someone I loved so much destroy himself."

Linda Thompson later became a successful songwriter for major artists such as Whitney Houston, Céline Dion and Barbra Streisand, penning ballads like 'I Have Nothing' and 'The Power of the Dream'.

But after the release of Elvis Presley's recent biopic, she's accused the filmmakers of having 'erased' her from his history.

When asked if she'd seen the biopic, she responded by saying: "I wouldn’t call it a biopic."

After spending years on the road with Elvis, she was also hurt by her absence from the film after revealing that she "literally saved his life on several occasions."

She took to Instagram to address her omission, posting pictures of her inside the Graceland Estate where she is still clearly very much welcomed.

"Wednesday wisdom. No one can ever take away your knowledge of the TRUTH. Your memories are indelibly etched forever—your significance and importance in the lives of others" Thompson shared.

"Carve out your accomplishments and know your place in the world."

"No one can ever take that away from you. Carry the dignity of authenticity and wear it like a crown of honor! Your history and the grace in which you handle it is your legacy,” she posted alongside the photos.

Fans of both the King and Linda Thompson are evidently angered by the lack of acknowledgement for Elvis' post-Priscilla relationships.

Even Ginger Alden - his final romantic partner who found his unresponsive body - wasn't mentioned.

In fact, Linda was the first person that Lisa-Marie Presley called after finding out that her father had died.

Responding to her Instagram post, one of her fans commented: "You were a huge part of Elvis’s life. No movie can diminish your time with him."

Another commented: "It is again that spin that there was only Priscilla in his life. To deny and erase these women, including you, doesn’t make his story real cause I think you all had a place in his heart and shaped him."

“Linda, please remember all of us that know the truth and the many more after, who will learn the real story,” claims a third of her Instagram followers.

Despite her absence from Elvis Presley's biopic, her impact on his and his daughter's life is unmistakable.