London: Have you seen the king? As the 29th anniversary of his death passes, a $3 million reward is being offered for anyone who finds Elvis Presley alive.
US writer, actor and filmmaker Adam Muskiewicz says he and a producer friend set up the website www.elviswanted.com mostly for publicity and to get the public involved in an independent documentary exploring the myth that Elvis is still alive.
"The hoaxing of Elvis Presley's death is the biggest myth in the history of pop culture. Does it have any merit? What are the facts behind it?" the site asks.
The film and site aim to explore persistently popular rumours that Elvis did not die on August 16, 1977, but may have gone into hiding.
Muskiewicz says he has interviewed countless fans and up to 175 people who either knew Elvis or had insight into his music or lifestyle for the documentary, planned for release next year on the 30th anniversary of the American singer and actor's death.
"Right now, about 75 per cent (of those interviewed) definitely think he's dead," Muskiewicz says. "The rest think he's alive," he adds.
The website, linked to www.truthaboutelvis.com, offers pictures of possible Elvis sightings and opportunities for people to share their Elvis-related experiences and conspiracy theories.
Muskiewicz says he currently installs indoor advertising in Lakewood, Ohio, to get by.
He has not decided what he believes but the main reasons for some fans' suspicions are the strange behaviour of Memphis medical staff at the time, and inconsistencies in events surrounding Elvis's funeral.
"You don't have to be an expert to see there were procedural questions: why was the funeral so fast? Things were sealed and people went quiet," he says.
Another question always on people's minds is the spelling of his middle name — Aaron on his tombstone, this was Aron in his life, according to the site.
Whatever the search for Elvis reveals, the website's $3 million reward is genuine.
Backed by a bet with UK bookmakers William Hill Plc, it is a particularly pricey version of one of the company's longest-standing novelty bets, said the company's media relations director, Graham Sharp.
"The odds we're giving to the rest of the world on this are 1,000 to 1," he added, noting that if Elvis were found alive today he would be an elderly figure, not the rocker we remember.
"I think that's what we're pinning our hopes on. If he is found alive, he's going to deny it!" he says.
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