Elvis

Trumpeter Wayne Jackson was the personification of mixed emotions in February when he and his longtime musical partner, saxophonist Andrew Love, were presented with a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award for their work over half a century together as the Memphis Horns. Jackson tearfully acknowledged the music industry accolade for the hundreds of recordings that he and Love made in Memphis and elsewhere. They had backed such R&B and soul music greats as Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Sam & Dave and Wilson Pickett, and rock, pop and country luminaries that included Elvis Presley, U2, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Robert Cray and James Taylor.

'God Is the Bigger Elvis' Where: HBO When: 8 p.m. Thursday Rating: Not rated

"God Is the Bigger Elvis," Rebecca Cammisa's Oscar-nominated short subject, which comes to HBO Thursday -- Holy Thursday, by the Catholic calendar -- tells the story of Dolores Hart, who turned her back on Hollywood stardom in the early 1960s to become a Benedictine nun. "I often wonder why the Lord gave me such an opportunity to audition for Elvis," wonders Hart, who still gets and answers fan mail. ("What are you doing now?" one young admirer writes.) She made her movie debut opposite Presley in the 1957 "Loving You," reteamed with him the next year in "King Creole," and made eight more movies and starred on Broadway before entering the Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, Conn., of which she is now the mother prioress.

Gospel music isn't necessariiy the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Elvis Presley. But he did win three Grammys for spiritual recordings and often used gospel groups as back-up singers in his live shows. Now three gospel singers who performed with him -- Joe Moscheo and Terry Blackwood of the Elvis Imperials and Bill Baize -- will come along as featured guests on the Elvis Presley Holy Land Tour of Israel. Elvis Presley Enterprises partnered with Israel Theme Tours to offer fans a May 2013 tour that begins with a flight from New York City to Tel Aviv.

When Dolores Hart, 73, walks the red carpet at this year's Academy Awards as planned, no interviewer will need to ask who made her dress. She will be wearing her nun's habit from the Benedictine Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, Conn., where she lives a life of contemplation and hospitality and is mother prioress. Mother Dolores, as she is now known, is the subject this year of an Oscar-nominated documentary short, "God Is the Bigger Elvis," which airs April 5 on HBO. The documentary chronicles her life as a nun after a Hollywood career that saw her costar with Elvis Presley ("Loving You" in 1957 and "King Creole" in 1958)

Elvis Presley was born Jan. 8, 1935, an important date for fans who will be celebrating what would have been his 77th birthday this year. And what better place to start than a tour of the unusual Midcentury Palm Springs home he once lived in. The Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway , as its called, at 1350 Ladera Circle was the place where Presley and then-wife Priscilla retreated to after their Las Vegas wedding in 1967. The furnishings and memorabilia didn't belong to Presley, but the house has been restored with him in mind.  In honor of his birthday weekend, special guided tours of the home the King leased for just one year will be held on the hour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and 9 to 11 a.m. Sunday.

Elvis was not cooperating. I wanted to raise his back left leg and clean his hoof. Elvis wanted to be left alone. I pinched, prodded and pulled. Elvis remained as rigid as a carousel charger. "Do you rely on charming people?" asked Wyatt Webb, a beefy, bearded, cowboy-therapist who was monitoring my futility. Huh? Sure. I guess so. "Charm's not going to work on a horse," he said. "Stop thinking, and commit to what you're going to do. Walk purposely to him. The last step same as the first.

Elvis Mitchell has come full circle: In 1980, he ventured to California after graduating from Wayne State University in Detroit and landed his first job selling tickets for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's film series at the Bing Theater. After years as a movie critic, radio and TV personality, he's returned to LACMA — as head of the film series at the museum that kicks off this week. Two years ago, LACMA Director Michael Govan announced he was going to shutter the museum's long-running film series, curated by Ian Birnie, because of financial concerns and dwindling audiences.

Jerry Leiber, who with his songwriting partner, Mike Stoller, created a songbook that infused the rock 'n' roll scene of the 1950s and early '60s with energy and mischievous humor, has died. He was 78. Leiber, the words half of the duo, died Monday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles of cardiopulmonary failure, said Randy Poe, president of the songwriters' music publishing company. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, Leiber and his lifelong writing partner, Stoller, wrote hits that included Elvis Presley's rat-a-tat-tat rendition of "Hound Dog" in 1956 and Peggy Lee's 1969 recording of the jaded "Is That All There Is?"

A roundup of entertainment headlines for Tuesday. Elvis Presley died 34 years ago today. ( Chicago Sun Times ) A national fad has ended: TLC has canceled "Kate + 8. " ( Los Angeles Times ) But it sounds as if Kate Gosselin could have a job waiting for her on "The Bachelorette. " If she wants it... ( Entertainment Weekly ) The drama around "Sons of Anarchy" and Kurt Sutter extends beyond the creator's Twitter account. ( Los Angeles Times ) Kathy Griffin called Michele Bachmann a bigot to her face.