USA: ELVIS PRESLEY FAN OPENS GRACELAND TOO AS SHRINE TO THE KING

(10 Aug 1997) English/Nat

Elvis Presley, the King of rock and roll, may have been dead for almost exactly 20 years.

But his ultimate fan lives on.

Paul Macleod, an Elvis fanatic since the age of 13, has opened Graceland Too, just a few miles (kms) down the road from where the legend all began.

At first glance, Paul MacLeod may seem to be just another Elvis impersonator.

He's not.

But he may be the world's ultimate Elvis fanatic. A title he proudly accepts.

SOUNDBITE (English):
"I gave up everything I owned which any normal person would love to have. Which consisted of over a million dollars. My own money and time and everything like that to keep doing this collection."
SUPER CAPTION: Paul MacLeod, Elvis fan

MacLeod's home, Graceland Too, is a shrine to the king.

It's a 143-year-old house in Holly Springs, Mississippi, located half-way between Tupelo, where Elvis was born, and Memphis, where he died.

It opened to the public less then three years ago, a museum to house MacLeod's 40-year-old collection of Presley memorabilia.

SOUNDBITE:
"What we are trying to do here, like I said, is preserve a piece of American history here."
SUPER CAPTION: Paul MacLeod, Elvis fan

Inside Macleod's record room, there are four copies of every record Elvis ever made, including his first 45 on Sun records.

It was that recording which turned him onto Presley's music, back when Macleod was just 13 years old.

Beside it sits the King's Moody Blue LP released right before Elvis died and everything in the 23 years in between.

SOUND ON TAPE:
Q- What do you have in these bookcases?
A- Well, these are all TV Guides and everything from 1956 of Elvis. Two of the most expensive TV Guides in the history of the world are with Elvis on the front cover, or the actress Lucille Ball.

It's been an expensive hobby, in more ways than one.

MacLeod admits his Elvis obsession has even cost him his marriage.

SOUNDBITE (English):
"Three years ago she told me, 'Paul, you have a decision to make.' And I says,'What's that Rita?' And she says 'Its either me or this Elvis collection.' And I says 'Man, I can't get over it. Bye.' And that's the last time I seen her."
SUPER CAPTION: Paul MacLeod, Elvis fan

Paul MacLeod's son, Elvis Aaron Presley Macleod is carrying on the tradition.

He leads the tours around Graceland Too.

Today, the 24-year-old is showing a couple from Atlanta around the exhibit, for a small fee.

Alongside the movie posters and vintage albums, Macleod stores an estimated 60-thousand newspaper clippings.

SOUNDBITE (English):
"This is no brag, just pure fact. I'd give up my own life to bring this guy back, because I was lucky enough to have been loved by a few. But this man has been loved by millions." SUPER CAPTION: Paul MacLeod, Elvis fan

MacLeod keeps a data base of Elvis trivia, and does research on the side -- for 50 dollars an hour.

But MacLeod insists Graceland Too is really a labour of love.

SOUNDBITE (English):
"I don't think it's never going to die. Not in my time or your time. His family thought it would die two years after all this happened. They figured this would all die out. As long as there's fans like me and my son alive here, it ain't never going to die."
SUPER CAPTION: Paul MacLeod, Elvis fan

And when Paul Macleod joins Elvis beyond the grave, he promises to maintain his devotion.

He's already picked out his Elvis-style gold jump suit for the funeral.

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