Elvis Presley’s Blue Hawaii isn’t just a visual treat with its breathtaking Hawaiian scenery and swoon-worthy soundtrack — it’s also packed with amusing mistakes that only make fans adore the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll even more.
As Elvis dazzled audiences with his unmistakable charisma in the 1961 musical, a few errors still managed to escape the editors’ notice.
No one — not in their wildest dreams — could ever compete with Elvis Presley in terms of music, performances, or his legendary good looks.
The debate about his greatest movie will likely continue forever, but when experts rank Elvis’s films, Blue Hawaii seldom makes it into the top three. Nonetheless, there’s something undeniably captivating about this fan-favorite.
A few little-known bloopers
Filled with hilarious moments and highlighting Elvis’s exceptional comedic skills, the movie gave him the chance to interact with other talented actors, many of whom were renowned comedians of the era. Although it received mixed reviews from critics, Blue Hawaii became the 10th highest-grossing film of 1961, bringing in $4.2 million at the box office. Elvis’s portrayal of Chad Gates — a charming ex-G.I. who trades his father’s fruit business for life as a beach-loving tour guide — was both captivating and amusing.
And who could forget the soundtrack? It introduced timeless classics like Can’t Help Falling in Love, which soared to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and continues to be a beloved favorite.
While Blue Hawaii won over audiences with its breathtaking scenery and Elvis’s undeniable charisma, it also featured a few lesser-known bloopers and behind-the-scenes mishaps that make watching it today even more enjoyable. Ready to uncover these hidden treasures? Let’s dive in!
Blue Hawaii marked a big change
I’m not sure how many people have picked up on this, but for me, it was a real revelation. Blue Hawaii marked the first time an Elvis character wasn’t portrayed as a performer with a built-in reason to sing.
Instead, Chad Gates would unexpectedly burst into song at the most random moments — whether relaxing on the beach or paddling a canoe. Sure, it might come off as a bit cheesy, but that spontaneous musical charm is exactly what makes Blue Hawaii such an enjoyable, feel-good film.
A blueprint for all future Presley movies
When Blue Hawaii became a major success, both as a movie and a soundtrack, Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, recognized it as a winning formula.
He chose to use this approach as the template for all future Presley films — placing Elvis in an exotic setting, pairing him with a few beautiful co-stars, and ensuring he performed enough songs to fill a full album. And guess what? “It worked!” Elvis managed to secure a spot on the Top Ten Box-Office Stars list an impressive seven times during the 1960s.
Hundreds of screaming fans
Here’s an interesting detail to remember the next time I watch Blue Hawaii. According to IMDb, when Chad (Elvis Presley) first steps off the plane, if you turn the sound up loud enough, you can actually hear hundreds of screaming fans who were there watching the filming. How cool is that?
Juliet Prowse’s special demands
It’s hard to picture Blue Hawaii without Elvis and Joan Blackman, who portrayed Maile Duval. But here’s a fascinating fact: Juliet Prowse, who starred with Elvis in G.I. Blues (1960), was originally signed to play Maile.
However, she made some unusual requests—she wanted to bring in a makeup artist from another studio and asked for the film’s studio to cover the cost of flying her secretary to Hawaii. When those demands were rejected, she decided to step away from the role.
Elvis looked ‘disgusted’ and ‘ashamed’
In my view, Elvis was often underrated as an actor. When given quality material, he consistently delivered impressive performances.
While Blue Hawaii is frequently praised and associated with positive imagery of sunshine and palm trees, the experience wasn’t entirely pleasant for Elvis. Anne Fulchino, a publicity director who worked with him, revealed that the King himself found the experience somewhat humiliating.
Fulchino recounted visiting Elvis during the production of the film and noticing his discomfort.
“It was a while before he came over and talked to us, and when he did — you see at the beginning I used to call him Chief and I said, ‘Hi, Chief,’ and he just looked at me like he wished I hadn’t come,” Fulchino shared in Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick.
She understood why Elvis felt this way.
“I said to myself, ‘If I was making these crappy pictures, I wouldn’t want to see anybody from my past either,’” she explained. “That’s the reason I didn’t hang around.”
Fulchino decided to leave the set early, noting how obvious Elvis’s discomfort was.
“He was obviously uncomfortable with what he was doing, he was frustrated and disgusted — it was all in his face,” Fulchino continued. “The emotion I respected most was that he was ashamed of it, which meant that he knew better — but you could see that he was trapped.”
When Elvis yelled ”CUT!”
Filming Blue Hawaii wasn’t exactly smooth sailing for Elvis Presley. With crowds of fans constantly trying to catch a glimpse of The King, security had to remain vigilant at all times. Elvis could barely move around without extra protection, which meant he missed out on visiting many of the island’s tourist attractions. However, there was one thing he made sure to do—take golf lessons from professional golfer Gary Player.
Gary reminisced: “After I won my first Masters in 1961, I received an invitation telegram from Elvis – The King. A telegram, not as easy as a text is today. We were playing in Los Angeles and I went to the set of ‘Hawaii’ where Elvis was filming. He saw me walk in the room and yelled ‘CUT!’ The gentleman he was, Elvis went and put a jacket before he came to shake my hand. Elvis was just starting to play golf and asked for a few swing tips. He gave me a practice swing, and I swear, it was like a cow giving birth to a roll of barbwire. So, I adjusted his grip and told him he really had to use his hips during the downswing. He said, ‘Baby, you’re talking to the right man.’ And gave us all a little shake.”
Elvis played a frightening prank
Whether it was frustration or just a bit of mischief, Elvis certainly knew how to have fun on set. During filming of Blue Hawaii, his girlfriend at the time, Anita Wood, joined him in pulling off a hilarious prank. The plan? Elvis would pretend to be dead.
Out of nowhere, Wood began screaming that Elvis wasn’t breathing, sending his entourage into a panic. Everyone rushed to his house, frantically trying to call an ambulance — only to find Elvis sitting up and casually explaining:
“I just wanted to see what you guys would do,” according to Cheatsheet.
The red MG roadster
If you’re an Elvis fan, you probably already know about his lifelong love affair with cars – and not just any cars, but the top-of-the-line luxury ones.
One car that really caught his eye during the filming of Blue Hawaii was the 1960 MGA 1600 MkI roadster. He loved it so much that he ended up buying it. Now, that very red MG is part of the impressive collection at Graceland, sharing space with his motorcycles, Cadillacs, Stutzes, and a whole lot of other shiny toys.
A popular wedding location
Hawaii quickly became one of Elvis Presley’s favorite filming spots, and for good reason! He filmed three movies there, and one of the most iconic scenes was the picnic scene with Chad and Maile.
This picturesque moment was filmed at an overlook off Tantalus Drive, and guess what? You can still enjoy that stunning view today. In fact, it’s such a breathtaking spot that it’s become a popular wedding location.
And here’s a cool tidbit about Blue Hawaii’s filming locations: While shooting the movie, Elvis Presley stayed at the iconic Coco Palms Resort, which actually appeared in the film itself. The Coco Palms Resort is probably most famous in as the setting for Elvis Presley and Joan Blackman’s on-screen wedding. It also featured in the iconic scene where Elvis sings “Hawaiian Wedding Song.”
In its prime, the resort attracted Hollywood legends like Frank Sinatra, Rita Hayworth, and Bing Crosby.
Sadly, the resort was destroyed by Hurricane Iniki in 1992 and has never been rebuilt or developed. So, if you’re ever in Hawaii, you can still find the remains of the Coco Palms, a little piece of Elvis history.
Elvis wanted to marry Joan Blackman
While filming Blue Hawaii in 1961, Elvis Presley developed quite the connection with his co-star, Joan Blackman. In fact, their chemistry was so strong that Joan admitted to feeling a special spark between them when they first met in 1957.
”When we first set eyes on each other, there was a spark, a magic in the air… There was just that special something between us, sometimes so warm and wonderful you could almost reach out and touch it,” Joan shared in a 1977 interview with Midnight Globe.
Despite their undeniable connection, Elvis wasn’t shy about wanting Joan as his wife, even begging her to appear in more of his films.
However, Joan had other plans: “I wanted parts because of my ability, not because I was dating Elvis,” she stated.
A bad cut
Now, let’s dive into some bloopers that only the true Blue Hawaii fans might have caught.
In the “Almost Always True” car scene, there’s a noticeable edit mistake: Maile’s hands suddenly change position on the steering wheel, and Chad’s left arm magically shifts from resting on his seatback to stretched out behind Maile.
Pineapple field scene
In the pineapple field scene, Ellie stays in the car (clearly in the back seat on the driver’s side) while the others head to the stand.
But when Chad returns with some pineapple, Ellie has mysteriously switched to the passenger side, all to accommodate the camera angle and dialogue — a classic continuity slip!
The magic ukulele in Blue Hawaii
Blue Hawaii contained 14 songs, more than any other Elvis movie.
But do you remember when Chad was strumming the ukulele? Well, if you paid close attention, you’ll notice he’s not changing chords, even though the music is
Later, Elvis actually gave that famous ukulele to his buddy Hank Garland, aka “Sugarfoot.” Hank was a top-notch guitar player in Nashville and even toured with Elvis from 1958 to 1961. Elvis liked Hank so much that he even etched his initials into the ukulele. At a 1961 Hawaiian benefit concert, Elvis called Garland ”one of the finest guitar players in all of the country.”
The patch Chad wears on his uniform
The patch that Chad wears on his uniform in Blue Hawaii isn’t just a random decoration. It’s actually the insignia of the 3rd Armored Division of the U.S. Army, also known as ‘Spearhead.’
This was the very division Elvis Presley served with during his time stationed in Germany, where he earned the rank of buck sergeant.
Final holiday
In a beautiful full-circle moment, Elvis Presley’s final vacation in March 1977 took him back to Hawaii, a place that held such special memories for him.
Elvis Presley and his Memphis Mafia stayed at the Hilton Rainbow Tower. But that’s not all — he later moved to a beach house with his girlfriend Ginger Alden and her two sisters.
From golf lessons with Gary Player to the magic of Hawaii’s stunning landscapes, Blue Hawaii wasn’t just another movie for Elvis—it was an unforgettable chapter in his life. Behind the scenes, Elvis proved that even when surrounded by chaos, he could still find time for fun, humor, and, of course, a bit of musical magic. Whether it was the epic scenes, quirky bloopers, or his personal connection to the Aloha spirit, this film remains a classic.
So, next time you watch Blue Hawaii, keep an eye out for the little details and fun facts. After all, Elvis wasn’t just The King on screen—he was a true legend, on and off the set. Don’t forget to share your favorite Elvis moments and let’s keep the Aloha spirit alive!
