Priscilla Presley, born Priscilla Ann Wagner, is an American actress, author, and businesswoman who transcended her identity as the wife of Elvis Presley to become a formidable figure in her own right.
As co-founder and former chairwoman of Elvis Presley Enterprises, she played an instrumental role in transforming Graceland into one of the most visited private homes in the United States and in building a multi-hundred-million-dollar estate from what was, at the time of Elvis’s death, a financially troubled legacy.
Beyond her business achievements, she established herself as an actress through the long-running television series Dallas and the Naked Gun film trilogy.
| Priscilla Ann Wagner (birth); Priscilla Presley (married name) | |
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Priscilla Ann Wagner (birth); Priscilla Presley (married name): History · Bio · Photo
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| Wiki Facts & About Data | |
| Full Name: | Priscilla Ann Wagner (birth); Priscilla Presley (married name) |
| Born: | May 24, 1945 |
| Age: | 81 years old |
| Birthplace: | Brooklyn, New York, United States |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | Actress, Businesswoman, Author |
| Religion: | Scientology |
| Spouse: | Elvis Presley (married 1967; divorced 1973) |
| Children: | Lisa Marie Presley (with Elvis Presley); Navarone Garibaldi (with Marco Garibaldi) |
| Relationship: | Single |
| Net Worth: | $50 million |
Early Life
Priscilla Ann Wagner was born on May 24, 1945, in Brooklyn, New York. When she was just six months old, her father, James Wagner, a U.S. Navy pilot, died in a plane crash.
Her mother, Ann, subsequently married Air Force officer Paul Beaulieu, who adopted Priscilla and gave her his surname.
Growing up in a military family, Priscilla experienced a nomadic childhood, moving frequently across the United States and eventually to West Germany, where her stepfather was stationed.
It was in West Germany in 1959, when Priscilla was fourteen years old, that she was introduced to Elvis Presley, who was then stationed there while serving in the United States Army.
The two met at a party and began seeing each other regularly. When Elvis completed his military service and returned to the United States, the pair maintained their relationship over the following years.
Education
Priscilla attended schools associated with military postings throughout her childhood.
After Elvis arranged for her to move to Memphis with her parents’ agreement, she completed her secondary schooling at Immaculate Conception High School in Memphis, Tennessee, residing at Graceland during this time.
Career
After her divorce from Elvis in 1973, Priscilla relocated to Los Angeles and pursued a career in acting. She made television appearances during the 1970s and gained wider recognition in 1981 when she joined the cast of the long-running CBS primetime soap opera Dallas, playing the role of Jenna Wade. She remained on the show for several seasons and earned considerable critical attention for her performance.
Her most commercially successful acting work came through the Naked Gun film trilogy. Starring alongside Leslie Nielsen, she appeared in The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988), The Naked Gun 2 and a Half: The Smell of Fear (1991), and Naked Gun 33 and a Third: The Final Insult (1994), playing the recurring character Jane Spencer. The films were box-office hits and demonstrated her considerable comedic talent.
Beyond acting, Priscilla’s most significant contribution came through her stewardship of Elvis’s estate. When Elvis died in 1977, the estate was in financial difficulty. Priscilla became a co-trustee and later the driving force behind Elvis Presley Enterprises, the company that managed the licensing, merchandising, and tourism aspects of Elvis’s legacy.
Her decision to open Graceland to the public in 1982 was transformative; the estate grew from near-insolvency to a valuation of over $100 million by the time Lisa Marie Presley came of age and assumed control. Priscilla also co-authored the bestselling memoir Elvis and Me, published in 1985, which detailed her life with Elvis and became a New York Times bestseller.
Awards and Nominations
- Priscilla Presley has not received major film or television awards, though her role in the Naked Gun franchise brought significant public recognition.
Social Media
- Instagram: @priscillapresley
Personal Life
Priscilla and Elvis married on May 1, 1967, at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. Their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, was born on February 1, 1968. The couple divorced in October 1973. Despite the end of their marriage, Priscilla and Elvis maintained a close friendship until his death in August 1977.
Following her divorce, Priscilla was in a long-term relationship with actor and producer Marco Garibaldi from 1984 to 2006.
Together they have a son, Navarone Garibaldi, born in 1987. After Lisa Marie Presley’s death in January 2023, Priscilla entered a public dispute with her granddaughter Riley Keough over control of the Elvis estate and the terms of Lisa Marie’s 2016 will. The parties reached a settlement out of court in 2023.
Net Worth
Priscilla Presley’s net worth is widely estimated at approximately $50 million.
Her primary income streams include acting fees, royalties from Elvis and Me, proceeds from the eventual sale of an 85 percent stake in Elvis Presley Enterprises, ongoing estate-related revenues, and real estate holdings.
Her role in building Elvis’s posthumous commercial legacy is considered one of the most successful celebrity estate management efforts in entertainment history.
Works and Contributions
- Elvis and Me (memoir) — 1985 (New York Times bestseller)
- Dallas (television series) — Jenna Wade — 1981 onwards
- The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (film) — Jane Spencer — 1988
- The Naked Gun 2 and a Half: The Smell of Fear (film) — Jane Spencer — 1991
- Naked Gun 33 and a Third: The Final Insult (film) — Jane Spencer — 1994
- Co-founder and former chairwoman, Elvis Presley Enterprises
- Instrumental in opening Graceland as a public museum — 1982
Conclusion
Priscilla Presley’s story is one of remarkable reinvention. Introduced to the world as a teenager on the arm of the most famous entertainer alive, she emerged from that relationship to become an accomplished actress, a savvy businesswoman, and one of the most effective stewards of a celebrity legacy in the history of the entertainment industry.
Her transformation of Graceland from a financially struggling estate into an international tourist landmark stands as her most lasting contribution.
Now in her eighties, Priscilla Presley continues to be a compelling figure whose life intersects uniquely with the cultural history of modern America.
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