Dolores Fuller - Television Performer and Songwriter

Television Performer and Songwriter

Fuller had already had earlier experience on television in Queen for a Day and The Dinah Shore Show. As Fuller remembered, she was the one "putting bread on the table." Another quote from her: "I had a size four and a half foot, so I modeled the slippers in an artist's short smock."

She lost her job on The Dinah Shore Show when, as she said, "We were shooting all night, and into the next day, and time just got away from me, and I didn't realize that I was supposed to be on the set working as Dinah's double on her show, Chevy Theatre. I completely messed up my job, I was what they called a no show." She also appeared on an episode of It's a Great Life as "the blonde in the mink coat."

Fuller's ability as a songwriter manifested itself through the intervention of her friend, producer Hal Wallis; Fuller had wanted to get an acting role in the Elvis Presley movie Blue Hawaii, which Wallis was producing, but instead he put her in touch with Hill & Range, the publisher that provided Presley with songs. Fuller went into a collaborative partnership with composer Ben Weisman and co-wrote one song, "Rock-A-Hula Baby", for the film. It was a beginning that eventually led to Elvis Presley recording a dozen of her songs, including "I Got Lucky" and "Spinout". Fuller also had her music recorded by Nat 'King' Cole, Peggy Lee, and other leading talents of the time.