An actress who starred alongside Elvis Presley in the 1960s has died aged 96. Jan Shepard died at a hospital in California on January 17. Her death was caused by pneumonia brought on by respiratory failure. She starred alongside the rock n roll icon in his 1958 movie King Creole as well as 1966's Paradise, Hawaiian Style. She also had a successful TV career away from the big screen.
Jan had a lengthy resume on the small screen. Among her credits included roles on Western hits such as Rawhide, The Virginian and Gunsmoke. She first appeared on TV in 1952. She played a part on Fireside Theatre, which was one of the first successful filmed television shows.
She is best known for starring alongside Suspicious Minds star Elvis and previously opened up on the experience. In a chat with Elvis Australia, Jan once shared her first encounter with the singer. She said: "I went in the office and I was waiting to be called in.
"In walks Elvis with two of his buddies. I looked at him and he looked at me and we started to laugh. His jacket was the identical material and colour of my slacks. He looked at me and he said, ‘Honey, I’m either going to have to give you my jacket or you’re going to have to give me your pants’.".
For the movie King Creole, Jan took on the role of Mimi Fisher, who was the sister of Danny, played by Elvis. She labelled the performance the "break of her life". For In Paradise, Hawaiian style, Jan starred as Better Kohana, who was the wife of Elvis' character's business partner.
