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45 Years Later, Questions Remain Regarding Elvis's Death

Elvis Presley's death left fans devastated, and curious. To this day, 45 years after his untimely passing, people still question what exactly happened—and how did it all end so quickly? Now, with the King's thrilling new biopic, Elvis, cleaning up awards season, the details of Elvis Presley's life and death are under the microscope yet again.

The film is directed by Baz Luhrmann, and stars Austin Butler as Presley. The actor totally disappeared into the role, even learning how to sing for production. The movie focuses primarily on the chaos of Presley's rise, but closes with a powerful musical performance that took place just a couple of months before he died. Here, we're breaking down the singer's legacy—and why mystery still swirls around his final moments.

A Rockstar's Legacy—and His Controversies

Elvis Presley's life first turned into a spectacle in the '50s. He changed the way America thinks about music and challenged the very limits of decorum. He notched 108 Billboard Hot 100 hits during his tenure—and his home, the Graceland Mansion, is the second-most-visited property in the United States. (The White House is first.) He is widely regarded as the king of rock music. But Presley also had his fair share of controversies, from his embrace of the holy trifecta of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, to dating a 14-year-old. It has been claimed that he frequently pursued underage women while on tour.

elvis presley performing
Elvis performing just two months before his death in 1977. Bettmann - Getty Images

When And Where Did Elvis Die?

The King's life came to an end on August 16, 1977. He was found unconscious by his then-girlfriend, Ginger Alden, on the bathroom floor in his Graceland mansion home. He was rushed to the hospital but after several attempts to revive him failed, Presley was pronounced dead at 3:30 p.m. He was only 42 years old.

At the time, his death was ruled a heart failure. However, what actually happened?

The Truth Of Elvis's Death

Mystery still surrounds the exact cause of Elvis's death, because his autopsy was sealed at the request of his family for 50 years. It will continue to be private until 2027, though some telling information was revealed at the time. Notably that Dilaudid, Percodan, Demerol, Codeine, and Quaaludes were all found in the singer's blood at his time of death. This was shocking to the public, as his family—despite Elvis's degrading appearance—largely kept his substance abuse under wraps. Many complained, including doctors, that the pronouncement of his cause of death seemed rushed, overly accommodating to his loved ones, and incomplete.

Drugs were not Presley's only health issue, though. He gained a substantial amount of weight throughout his life, and even refused to bathe throughout 1975—which led him to develop sores on his body. Elvis also suffered from insomnia, which was an influence in his eventual amphetamine addiction.

Who's To Blame?

Even though Elvis didn't take street drugs, he was still an addict. And he was overprescribed by Doctor C. Nichopoulos, also known as Dr. Nick. The medical professional prescribed thousands of drugs for Elvis during the final years of his life. In a PEOPLE report from 1980, it was revealed that he wrote orders for 12,000 pills in just the 20 months that preceded his death. That same year, Dr. Nick had his license suspended for three months by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners, who charged him with dangerously overprescribing drugs—not only for Elvis Presley, but for 19 other patients as well.

The following fall, in 1981, Dr. Nick was charged with 11 felony counts of overprescribing drugs. He was, however, acquitted. In 1995, his license was permanently revoked.

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