A Young Kurt Russell Made His Movie Debut Kicking Elvis Presley In The Shins ‘A Bit Too Hard’

by: Nina Ross
April 19, 2023

Source: Reddit

Kurt Russell is a well-known and celebrated actor in Hollywood, known for his roles in films like “Escape from New York,” “Big Trouble in Little China,” and “The Hateful Eight.” However, many may not know that Russell got his start in acting at just 11 years old when he landed a role in the 1963 film “It Happened at the World’s Fair.” In the movie, Russell played a young boy who was tasked with kicking Elvis Presley in the shins so that Elvis’s character, Mike Edwards, could use the injury as an excuse to see his love interest, a nurse named Diane Warren.

Despite the fact that Elvis was already a cultural icon at the time, Russell revealed in a recent interview on the Graham Norton Show that he wasn’t aware of Elvis’s fame when he first met him on the set of the film. In fact, he claims that he didn’t really know who Elvis was at all. It wasn’t until a group of women came to the set hoping to catch a glimpse of Elvis and his car that Russell realized just how famous the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll really was.

But despite his lack of knowledge about Elvis’s celebrity status, Russell still managed to kick him in the shins over a dozen times during the filming of the movie. In an interview with GQ, Russell admitted that he may have kicked Elvis a bit too hard during one of the takes, causing the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll to tell him to “stay on the pad.” But Russell was determined to make the scene look perfect, and he kept at it until they got the shot they needed.

Despite the challenges of working with a cultural icon like Elvis, Russell has nothing but good things to say about the experience. In fact, he called Elvis an “incredibly nice guy” and praised him for his trust in Russell on set. And while Russell may have started out as a young boy who was unaware of Elvis’s fame, he went on to have a long and successful career in Hollywood, becoming a star in his own right.

All in all, the story of Kurt Russell’s debut in “It Happened at the World’s Fair” is a fascinating look at the early days of his career, as well as a glimpse into the world of one of the most famous musicians of all time. And while it may have been a rocky start for Russell, he certainly proved himself to be a talented actor and a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood.