Red West

Robert Gene "Red" West (March 8, 1936 – July 18, 2017) was an American actor, film stuntman and songwriter. He was known for being a close confidant and bodyguard for rock and roll singer Elvis Presley. Upon his firing, West co-wrote the controversial Elvis: What Happened?, a tell-all book about Elvis co written with two other Presley associates and Steve Dunleavy, a Rupert Murdoch journalist; the book was published in May 1977 in UK and later in USA (just two weeks before Presley's August 1977 death).

West was also known to American film audiences for his role as Red in Road House, alongside Patrick Swayze. West appeared to critical acclaim in the 2008 independent film Goodbye Solo as William. West was the cousin of actor 'Sonny' West.

An athlete and U.S. Marine, West played football for his high school and junior college at Jones County Junior College teams and was a boxer in the Golden Gloves championships.

In 1961, West married his wife Pat Boyd who was Elvis' secretary.

"That's Someone You Never Forget" is the final track on the 1962 album Pot Luck. The song was released as a 45-rpm B-side single in 1967 and features on the Artist of the Century compilation. "You'll Be Gone" is a bonus track on the Girl Happy soundtrack LP. West co-wrote "If You Think I Don't Need You" with Joey Cooper for the motion picture Viva Las Vegas. and which was later a hit for Dino, Desi and Billy (the partnership of Dean-Paul "Dino" Martin, Desi Arnaz Jr., and William "Billy" Hinsche). and "If You Talk in Your Sleep" with Johnny Christopher for Presley's 1975 album Promised Land. Red wrote "If Every Day Was Like Christmas", recorded by Presley in 1966.

The three subsequently looked for publishers to make money by writing the tell all book Elvis: What Happened?

Acting and stuntman career When Presley was making films in the 1960s in Hollywood, Red West appeared in small roles in sixteen of the star's films. according to Conrad and the show's stuntman and choreographer Whitey Hughes, West had broken his skull during one incident on the show (but they do not specify during the filming of which episode that this injury occurred). The show was ultimately eventually cancelled because of pressure from President Lyndon B. Johnson, members of Congress, and concerns from the public over violence on television, which all of whom were concerned was causing, or would cause, an increase in violence across the country.

Conrad himself also suffered a concussion falling from a chandelier in "The Night of the Fugitives" (and other injuries at various points of the series' production, including a "6-inch fracture of the skull, high temporal concussion, [and] partial paralysis."; was often used by Ross Martin and his double, Bob Herron. Conrad criticized congressional pressure for years afterwards, but in other interviews he admitted that it probably was time to cancel the series because he felt that he and the stuntmen were pushing their luck. He also believed the role had hurt his craft.

West also played the role of Sheriff Tanner of Alcorn County, Mississippi in the 1973 film Walking Tall. He also reprised the role in the 1975 film Walking Tall Part 2.

West played the ornery, sometimes violent Master Sergeant Andy Micklin on Black Sheep Squadron. He guest starred twice on the CBS hit detective series Magnum, P.I. as different characters, as five different ones on The A-Team, the Knight Rider pilot episode "Knight of the Phoenix", on The Fall Guy, Simon & Simon and in "The Once and Future King", an episode of The Twilight Zone which concerned Presley. In 1989, West appeared in the action film Road House with Patrick Swayze as Red Webster, the auto parts store owner.

Death West died on July 18, 2017, aged 81, from an aortic aneurysm, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in his native Memphis.

His death occurred less than two months after the death of his cousin, actor Sonny West, in May 2017.

In popular culture In John Carpenter's 1979 film Elvis, West was portrayed by Robert Gray. West was also portrayed by his son John Boyd West in the 2005 Golden Globe winning CBS mini-series Elvis and in the 21st episode of the fifth season of Quantum Leap, Memphis Melody.

Selected filmography

Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959) - Bearded Man at Newspaper Stand / University Student (uncredited) Ice Palace (1960) - Train Passenger (uncredited) Flaming Star (1960) - Indian (uncredited) Wild in the Country (1961) - Hank Tyler (uncredited) Blue Hawaii (1961) - Party Guest (uncredited) Follow That Dream (1962) - Bank Guard (uncredited) Kid Galahad (1962) - Opponent (uncredited) Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) - Bongo-Playing Crewman on Tuna Boat (uncredited) Two for the Seesaw (1962) - Party Guest (uncredited) It Happened at the World's Fair (1963) - Fred (uncredited) Palm Springs Weekend (1963) - Card Player (uncredited) Viva Las Vegas (1964) - Son of Lone Star State (uncredited) Shock Treatment (1964) - Orderly (uncredited) The Americanization of Emily (1964) - Soldier (uncredited) Roustabout (1964) - Carnival Worker (uncredited) John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965) - Football Player (uncredited) Girl Happy (1965) - Extra in Kit Kat Club (uncredited) Tickle Me (1965) - Mabel's Boyfriend (uncredited) Harum Scarum (1965) - Assassin (uncredited) Paradise, Hawaiian Style (1966) - Rusty (uncredited) The Navy vs. the Night Monsters (1966) - Navy Fireman (uncredited) Spinout (1966) - Shorty's Pit Crew (uncredited) Clambake (1967) - Ice Cream Vendor (uncredited) Live a Little, Love a Little (1968) - Sheriff Tanner Framed (1975) - Mallory Walking Tall Part II (1975) - Fireman Leon Sykes The P.A.C.K. (1997) - Sheriff Charlie Stone The Rainmaker (1997) - William Father of Invention (2010) - Detective Randall Hayward At Any Price (2012) - Cliff Whipple Safe Haven (2013) - Roger