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1956 was a defining year for Elvis Presley as he quickly progressed from
regional celebrity to national icon. His first Number One hit, 'Heartbreak
Hotel,' came out in January and his first album, also a chart topper, was
released in March.
On September 9th almost everyone in America who owned a
television tuned in to watch Elvis's first appearance on the Ed Sullivan
Show. It drew 60 million viewers, more than 80 per cent of the national TV
audience.
In November Elvis's first film Love Me Tender opened to packed-out
theatres. As his fame grew so did the intensity of his critics who saw Elvis
as an oversexed enchanter; a danger to American culture who was leading
teenagers to ruin.
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