’60s Vegas Showgirl Turned Iconic Actress, 74, Says Elvis Presley ‘Saved Her Life’

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Cassandra Peterson has spent more than 40 years as Elvira, the quick-witted “Mistress of the Dark,” but she credits another icon for setting her on the path that led to stardom—Elvis Presley.

In a viral TikTok video shared by AP News Entertainment, Peterson, 74, opened up about a life-changing encounter with the King of Rock and Roll when she was just 17-years-old working as a showgirl in Las Vegas.

“He absolutely changed my life 100%,” Peterson said in the emotional video. “I was a showgirl in Vegas. I was 17 years old. And he said, ‘This is no place for a 17-year-old girl. You need to get the hell out of here.'”

Elvis Presley Gave Cassandra Peterson Life-Changing Advice in the 1960s
Peterson was the youngest showgirl in Las Vegas history at the time, performing in Vive Les Girls at the Dunes Hotel. Ironically, it was Elvis’s 1964 film Viva Las Vegas that inspired her dream of becoming a Vegas showgirl in the first place.

When she told Elvis she had accomplished her dream, he didn’t let her settle. Instead, he sat down at a piano with the teenage performer and listened to her sing.

“We sat down at the piano and he played. And I sang along with him. It was unbelievable,” Peterson recalled. “And he said, ‘You have a nice voice. Why don’t you become a singer? Do that. Take some voice lessons.'”

The encouragement from one of the biggest stars in the world gave Peterson the confidence she needed. “When Elvis tells you to do something, you think, maybe I can do this,” she explained.

Looking back decades later, Peterson is grateful Elvis pushed her to leave Vegas. “I tell everyone I was the youngest showgirl in Las Vegas at the time. I would now be the oldest showgirl in Las Vegas. Probably be doing it still,” she joked. “So, thank you Elvis. Oh, you saved my life.”

How Did Cassandra Peterson Become Elvira After Meeting Elvis?
Following Elvis’s advice, Peterson traveled to Europe, where she pursued careers in both singing and acting. She appeared in several Italian films, including Federico Fellini‘s Roma in 1972, and performed as the lead singer of an Italian rock band.

After returning to the United States, she toured with her own musical-comedy show before settling in Hollywood. She spent four and a half years with the legendary improv comedy group The Groundlings, honing the skills that would later define her Elvira character.

In 1981, Peterson auditioned for the role of horror hostess on a Los Angeles television station. Her show Elvira’s Movie Macabre and her newly created character became an overnight sensation. The witty, raven-haired horror hostess with the signature black dress and sharp sense of humor captured audiences nationwide.

Elvira’s Legacy Continues More Than 40 Years Later
Peterson has spent over four decades building the Elvira brand into something synonymous with Halloween and horror. She co-wrote and starred in two feature films, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark in 1988 and Elvira’s Haunted Hills in 2001. She’s also returned to television multiple times, including a 2021 special on Shudder celebrating Elvira’s 40th anniversary.

The response to Peterson’s Elvis story has been overwhelmingly positive. “We need her biopic, her life is so interesting,” one TikTok commenter wrote. Others called her “a national treasure” and praised her ageless appearance at 74.

“I love that woman. Not so much for her iconic Elvira, but she just truly seems to be a good person,” one fan shared. Another noted, “Elvis with his heart of gold.”

Born Sept. 17, 1951, in Manhattan, Kansas, Peterson has indeed lived an extraordinary life—from teenage Vegas showgirl to European performer to comedy troupe member to beloved horror icon. And it all started with some wise words from the King himself.

As one fan perfectly summed up: “She has had the coolest life.”

about the author
Deborah Cruz
Lifestyle Writer, Parade

Deborah’s sharp cultural commentary has appeared in HuffPost, Scary Mommy, Parents, and CafeMom Media, where she’s built a reputation for delivering authentic takes on parenting, entertainment, and lifestyle topics.