The Aloha From Hawaii live show was famously a benefit for the Kui Lee Cancer Fund. Although the initiative of making the concert a charity event was Colonel Parker's, it was respected Hawaiian entertainment writer Eddie Sherman who suggested that the beneficiary be the local cancer research charity.
Eddie Sherman passed away in 2013, aged 88. He was quoted in the Honolulu-Star Advertiser as part of his obituary;
"…I had started the Kui Lee Cancer Fund, through my column, for a doctor at the University of Hawaii doing cancer research. Lee was the legendary songwriter who died of cancer at 34. In the TV concert, Elvis sang Kui’s most famous tune, I’ll Remember You, to millions of global viewers. Thanks to Elvis and Colonel Tom Parker, his manager, I received, for the fund, a check for $75,000 from the live concert gate…The audience was allowed in via their own contributions. Some kids saw the show for only 10 cents. Next day, Elvis and the Colonel took out full-page newspaper ads thanking Hawaii…"
The Aloha From Hawaii concert was broadcast 50 years ago this January. There'll be a few more posts to come about some the people behind the scenes, and one or two disasters that nearly derailed the entire project at the last moment...
See also:
Producer and director Marty Pasetta;
Marty Pasetta (1932-2015) was perhaps the top producer and director of event, variety and entertainment television in the 1970s and 80s. In
Hawaiian DJ and Music Promoter Tom Moffatt;
When Elvis arrived in Honolulu on January 9th, 1973, several days ahead of the Aloha From Hawaii rehearsal concert and satellite broadcast,
