The Unforgettable ElviA Golden Moment in Hawaiian Cinema
By 1966, the allure of Elvis Presley’s movie career was dimming. The King, once a box office titan, was stuck in a cycle of repetitive plots with little room to showcase his undeniable acting talent. His co-star in Paradise, Hawaiian Style, Brit Suzanna Leigh, reflected on this, stating, “Elvis was a fabulous actor, very underrated by a lot of the conventional (movie) theatre people.”
During filming, Suzanna formed a close bond with Elvis, who expressed his desire to collaborate with her again. Unfortunately, this aspiration was stifled by his overbearing manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Leigh recounted, “Colonel Parker never liked our friendship, mainly because I was introducing him to actors like Richard Harris. Elvis wanted to be a real actor, but Colonel Parker only looked for easy money.”
Suzanna’s journey to Hollywood was as colorful as the kaleidoscopic world of cinema itself. Originally named Sandra Eileen Anne Smith, she adopted her stage name from the illustrious Vivienne Leigh, whom her father claimed was her godmother. At just 11, she knocked on the legendary actress’s door, leading to a brief mentorship that forged her path in the industry.
She reminisced, “It was really exciting. She was so fantastic to me. She said that so many of my dreams seemed like hers.”
With determination, Suzanna carved her niche, first on television in The Saint and later in a French series. It was during her stay in France that she learned of Hollywood heavyweight Hal Wallis scouting for talent in London. Feigning an illness, she rushed to the airport, found his hotel, and, with relentless ambition, banged on his door, proclaiming, “I’m the one you’re looking for!” This bold move landed her a contract with Paramount Pictures, starring alongside Tony Curtis and Jerry Lewis in Boeing Boeing.
Elvis would be her next notable co-star, much to her delight. “The moment when Hal disclosed that my next film would be with none other than Elvis, I was over the moon. As a huge admirer of his, learning that we’d be shooting in Hawaii was just the icing on the cake,” she exclaimed.
In Paradise, Hawaiian Style, Suzanna played Judy ‘Friday’ Hudson, while Elvis took on the role of Rick Richards, a suave helicopter pilot. Rick’s iconic pickup line, “We met before, on a surfboard, in Waikiki. You were wiped out,” epitomized the film’s blend of charm and cheesiness.
In her 2003 autobiography, Paradise, Suzanna Style, Leigh vividly recounted their on-screen chemistr”His kisses held an intensity that melted my very being.” This intense connection was more than professional; it was a passionate entanglement that blurred the lines between reality and fiction.
The pair’s shared interests in spirituality brought them even closer, with Elvis deeply resonating with her stories about her convent school days. She fondly remembered their first hand-holding on set and how their brief kisses ignited worldwide headlines. Yet, despite the press frenzy, their relationship remained platonic.
Leigh mused, “We remained friends throughout my passionate affair with Richard Harris, and wanted to make another movie together  but it was never to be.” Unfortunately, a dispute between British actors’ union Equity and its American counterpart, SAG, put a halt to British actors making Hollywood inroads, prompting Suzanna’s return to the UK.
Her subsequent career spanned various genres, including horror films and cheesy spy flicks, with memorable performances in Hammer Horror classics like Lust For A Vampire and The Lost Continent. Yet by 1981, after welcoming her daughter Natalia, her film career faded into the background.
In a poignant full-circle moment, Suzanna became a regular at Graceland during the annual Elvis Week in August, engaging with fans and selling her autobiography. Though she passed away in 2017 from liver cancer, her involvement with the Elvis legacy remained a testament to their enduring connection.