Elvis Presley’s Film Debut: Love Me Tender. Love Me Tender (1956) was Elvis Presley’s first movie, set after the Civil War. Originally titled The Reno Brothers, it was renamed to promote the song “Love Me Tender,” which became a huge hit. Elvis played Clint Reno, a character inspired by the real-life Reno Gang.
At the premiere in New York, thousands of fans gathered, and audiences screamed so loudly that some of Elvis’s lines couldn’t be heard. Even though he was only third-billed, Elvis took the role seriously and memorized the entire script.
He didn’t plan to sing in the movie, but producers added musical scenes after casting him. The song “Love Me Tender,” adapted from…
