by Peter Harry Brown and Pat H. Broeske
Dutton (1998)
This intimate portrait of Elvis Presley, America’s favorite music idol, cuts through the lies and the legends to present the real Elvis Presley, a man who was troubled, talented, and unfailingly human. “Exhaustingly well-researched. . .the best bio ever done of the King of Rock ‘n Roll. . .There is a real affinity by the authors for the complicated, tortured Presley.” –The Evening Tribune (N.Y.)
Family Circle, May 18, 2004
Once upon a time kids looked up to public figures like President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King. Today’s potential role models are more likely to include pouty pop tarts, bad boy rappers and the latest athlete to have a run-in with the law.
Encyclopedia of Popular Culture (2000)
As long as there are teenagers, there will be teen idols. From the vintage “Frankie” Sinatra to Elvis Presley, from the Beatles to David Cassidy, from the New Kids on the Block to ‘N Sync, the names and faces may change with the decades, but the emotions that drive the phenomenon do not. Teen idols are a rite of passage for pre-teens and early teens. They are dream mates who fuel romantic daydreams, and provide a safe release for hormonally-charged emotions. After all, unlike flesh-and-blood boyfriends and girlfriends, the teen idols make no demands.
Pat H. Broeske was a segment producer / field producer / writer on this half-hour documentary series from Langley Productions (of “COPS” fame) that highlights how video has has become a vital tool in the hands of law enforcement in the pursuit of justice. The episodes first aired in 2006-2007 on Court TV and later, truTV.
The New York Times, November 19, 2006
Fifteen years after his death Miles Davis has been enjoying a comeback tour. A new marketing campaign, capitalizing on what would have been his 80th birthday earlier this year, has been touting Davis, the trumpeter, bandleader and jazz legend, as “the original icon of cool.”