Larry Geller

Larry Geller (born August 8, 1939) is an American writer, hairstylist, and public speaker. He was a spiritual advisor and personal hairstylist to Elvis Presley. He "played a major role in shaping the King's iconic hair looks". Elvis hired him on April 30, 1964 during the filming of Roustabout. He became "the man in whom [Elvis] confided in matters of the spirit."

Career

Geller's career began when he joined forces with famed hairdresser Jay Sebring, opening the first men's hair salon in America in 1959. This salon provided services like women's hair styling salons as opposed to the traditional barber shops.

Their salon, Sebring International, attracted Hollywood's A-list. Film stars, TV and recording artists such as Frank Sinatra, Paul Newman, Sammy Davis, Jr., Kirk Douglas, Marlon Brando, Peter Sellers, Steve McQueen, Henry Fonda, Robert Wagner, Glen Campbell, James Garner, Bobby Darin, Tony Bennett, Rock Hudson, Roy Orbison, Sam Cooke, and Jackie Gleason were among their clientele.

Personal hairstylist to Elvis Presley

Beginning in 1964, Geller left Sebring to accompany Elvis and style his hair for entertainment engagements, including film productions, concert performances, and reception of guests at Graceland. Their relationship went far deeper than hairstylist and client. Geller was Elvis’ confidant and friend. He brought Elvis many new age ideas on "[r]eligion, philosophy, ... life, and anything else you can think of", and books which contained them, which helped Elvis in his search for identity and purpose.

Geller styled Elvis’ hair for nearly a dozen movies: Roustabout, Girl Happy, Double Trouble, Easy Come, Easy Go, Frankie and Johnny, Harum Scarum, Paradise, Hawaiian Style, Tickle Me, Clambake, and Spinout. Geller prepared Elvis’ hair for the last time for his funeral in August, 1977.

Personal life

Geller was first married to Stevie, from 1963 to 1972. Geller remarried in 1995. He and his wife Shira lived in Los Angeles, and now live in Sedona, Arizona. He has twin sisters. Elvis studied with him for years.

Notable appearances

In November 2010, Geller appeared on the Elvis Cruise 2010, which sailed from Jacksonville to Nassau, Bahama on a Carnival Cruise Lines ship named the Carnival Fascination.

Bibliography

• If I Can Dream: Elvis' Own Story. Simon & Schuster. March 1989. ISBN 978-0-671-65922-6. (with Joel Spector and Patricia Romanowski)
• Elvis' Search for God. Greenleaf Publications. November 1998. ISBN 978-1-883729-07-3. (with Jess Stearn)
• Healthy Life, Great Looks, Healthy Hair!. Beverly Hills: GellerCare Press. 2005. ISBN 978-0-9764350-3-7. A "small printing".
• Leaves of Elvis' Garden: The Song of His Soul. Bell Rock Publishing. 2008-03-01. ISBN 978-0-9764350-0-6.
• Elvis & Larry: A Journey Shared. Pan Pacific Productions. 2012. ASIN B009GNGBAA.

In popular culture

• Played himself and was a technical advisor in Elvis, a 1979 TV movie with Kurt Russell
• Portrayed by Patrick O'Connell in Elvis and the Colonel: The Untold Story, a 1993 TV movie
• Portrayed by Robert C. Treveiler in Elvis, a 2005 TV mini-series with Jonathan Rhys Meyers

References

Further reading

• Nash, Alanna; Smith, Billy; Lacker, Marty; Fike, Lamar (1995-05-01). Elvis Aaron Presley: Revelations from the Memphis Mafia (Hardcover ed.). Harpercollins. ISBN 978-0-06-017619-8.
• Tillery, Gary (October 1, 2013). The Seeker King: A Spiritual Biography of Elvis Presley. Quest Books. ISBN 978-0-8356-0915-9.

External links

• Geller, Larry (2010). "Official website 1, LarryGellerAuthor.Com". Bell Rock Publishing. Archived from the original on 2010-06-11. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
• Geller, Larry (2015). "Official redirect 1, BellRockPublishing.Com". Bell Rock Publishing. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
• Geller, Larry (2010). "Official website 2, ElvisPresley-Biography.Com". Bell Rock Publishing. Archived from the original on 2010-07-19. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
• Geller, Larry (2015). "Official website 3, ElvisPresleyBiography.Net". Bell Rock Publishing. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
• Larry Geller at IMDb