"I knew I wasn't destined to be famous, so I always sought out people who were always making news," Silver says. "I was born to be a watcher, a witness to these things.
"I've always sought out uncommon things to write about," he says.
Silver's breakthrough book Great Balls of Fire: The Uncensored Story of Jerry Lee Lewis (which he wrote with the help of Lewis and the Killer's child bride Myra) earned mixed reviews when it hit bookstores in 1982. But less friendly assessments of the work hardly mattered because Hollywood was interested, and Silver had a movie deal in the works.
"Scorsese was going to make the movie with Robert De Niro [playing Jerry Lee Lewis]," he says, explaining how he thought the film could easily become the Raging Bull of rock-and-roll biopics. "Then Dennis Hopper was going to do it with Sean Penn," he says. "Then it was Michael Cimino and Mickey Rourke." In the end, Great Balls of Fire was adapted into a Grease-like musical comedy starring Dennis Quaid and Winona Ryder. Murray's bitchy, behind-the-scenes account of the film, which was largely shot in Memphis, is appropriately sensational and reads like it a best-of compilation from the supermarket tabs.
Throughout his book's early chapters, Silver depicts himself as an obnoxious combination of Jiminy Cricket and the Phantom of the Opera haunting the movie set and telling anybody who will listen why the screenplay for Great Balls of Fire was a lie and a sick, possibly pornographic distortion of his work. Silver loved nothing more than to tell the cast and crew why the film was destined to suck. And suck it did. Great Balls of Fire drew hostile reviews and never lived up to financial expectations.
After the disaster of Great Balls of Fire, Silver attempted to collaborate with Elvis' personal physician Dr. George Nichopoulos, or Dr. Nick, on a tell-all book about the original rocker's private life and medical history. Dr. Nick's reputation was ruined by allegations that he'd over-prescribed drugs to Presley, and the jury of public opinion continued to hold him at least partially responsible for the King's untimely passing. Sensitive to Dr. Nick's peculiar needs, Jerry Lee Lewis recommended Silver as a biographer, saying, "He did a pretty good job with my book -- and he's way out there."
According to Silver, the book was also supposed to provide readers with evidence from Dr. Nick that Elvis was murdered.
"This was going to be the most explosive, shocking story of all time," he says. "It was going to be bigger than the Kennedy assassination. Bigger than the grassy knoll."
From the moment Silver encounters Dr. Nick, the tone of his book changes from grumpy and disgruntled to claustrophobic and paranoid. Shortly after sending off a proposal for publication, including five sample chapters, the writer and the infamous rock-and-roll physician were swarmed by the national news media.
"That's when the wheels came off the wagon," Silver says. "Nick and I were [portrayed as] wackos, weirdos, and liars. Ted Koppel was trying to get me on Nightline. Bill O'Reilly was trying to track me down. They all wanted to do a story about the book." The problem was, there wasn't any book, only a proposal and five sample chapters.
"I was told, 'You don't understand, sir. If you've got proof Elvis Presley was murdered, we want to hear it.'"
Silver describes working with Jerry Lee Lewis as something of a nightmare but swears dealing with the national news media was even worse. And then came the death threats.
"There were drug dealers out there who thought I might [expose them]," Silver says. "My apartment was broken into. They were trying to kill me."
Afraid for his life, Silver left Memphis and returned to his home in Georgia, but he continued to shop his book around. He found a potential benefactor in British publisher Robert Maxwell.
"I sent him a copy of my manuscript to read on vacation," Silver says. "Then I got a phone call saying that Maxwell was found floating face-down in the Atlantic Ocean. My manuscript was still on his desk, my contract blank."
It's been speculated that Maxwell's death was a suicide, committed in light of the businessman's spiraling debt. There's also been speculation that he was killed by everyone from the CIA to various Arab groups. Silver suggests that somebody just didn't want the world to know who really killed Elvis.
From hanging out in rundown honky tonks on Christmas Eve with Jerry Lee Lewis to partying down in New York with Richard Gere, the Dalai Lama, and Allen Ginsberg, When Elvis Meets the Dalai Lama is never wanting for interesting characters or exotic locales. It may be completely true, or it may be the result of an author's fevered imagination. Either way, it's amusing, occasionally insightful, and a decided change from the overly reverent Elvisanalia that tends to crop up in conjunction with Death Week in Memphis.
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Chris, is this for real? This story about Murray Silver and his book about Dr Nick? Dr Nick has a book coming out soon, apparently by another author. I live in Fort Worth now, but lived in Memphis for about 30 years. I am an Elvis researcher and have heard and read stories stating that Vernon Presley and Dr Nick (at different times) suspected that Elvis might have been murdered. Vernon immediately upon Elvis' death was suspicious, but it was decades later that Dr Nick offered that theory, way after he had lost his license, of course you are aware of all of that. Anyway, I'm curious about Mr Silver and his claim about that the guy who died while reading his manuscript. Is he implying that he finally did finish the book? Where is it? Thanks Des
Oh my LORD. I've known Mr. Murray Silver, Jr,for almost 35 years and in that time known him to tell the truth one time in twenty. His constant lies and bids for attention didn't just get him thrown out of Memphis, he got run out of Atlanta, too. Half of what he says in this book is pure fiction. It wouldn't matter.... but it DOES matter to the people who read it and believe it. Don't get taken in, folks. As we used to say down in Savannah, just ask Murray and see what stories he comes up with today. They are bound to be different than what he said yesterday! Bless his heart.
How funny to see this article on Murray's book. I met Murray years ago and he told me some of the things that are now in this book. Only he told them differently back then and it seems a lot of the details have now changed. He told me he never thought Elvis was murdered, he just thought it would make a good book. I guess he was right! Portia.
How funny to see this article on Murray's book. I met Murray years ago and he told me some of the things that are now in this book. Only he told them differently back then and it seems a lot of the details have now changed. He told me he never thought Elvis was murdered, he just thought it would make a good book. I guess he was right! Portia
Here's what I know about Murray Silver Jr. Murray Silver Jr drops the "N" word in his blog so I don't see how he claims to have any kind of in with the Dalai Lama who really wouldn't hang with a racist. Here's just an except from Murray Silver Jr's blog. If you're offended, don't worry, you're not alone. http://www.blogsmith.com/profile/734527/page/3/ The Rules of Language This Just In Apr 19th 2007 4:25PM I am a 53-year-old white male living in the South, where people of all colors have said the word "nigger" and always will. There are no rules of application, of who can and who can't use the word, and you have no better chance of erasing it from common usage than you have of forcing mandatory universal brotherhood. Millions of years from now--when the races have intermarried and screwed up the gene pool until we are all one color--there will still be niggers among us and everyone will know them when they see them. And as Martin Luther King said, (niggers) will be judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin. There, i said it. Imus Gets the Axe Apr 12th 2007 8:24PM The boycott of all sponsors who support the Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson shows begins now! ...I believe Mr. Silver Jr to be the worst kind of racist. The kind who hides it to make money. ICK.
To Whom It May Concern: I do not know any Sandra, not for 35 years or 35 minutes, nor have I ever confided in any Portia my opinion on the death of Elvis Presley. I find it curious that a book review published herein some seventeen months ago still receives any attention at all, but if either lady has a problem with me, I am not hard to find: Google me, and we can get to the bottom of your problem. As for Donna S., please be advised that I do not now maintain a blog nor have I ever maintained a blog and that the article you refer to is not by my hand. I have been libeled herein, and demand that these comments be stricken from the Flyer's record. Signed, Murray Silver, Jr.
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