Red West (1936–2017) — American actor, stuntman and songwriter

Early life and Memphis roots

West was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, where he became part of the city’s active music and entertainment scene. He maintained working relationships in the region and eventually became a close associate of fellow Memphian Elvis Presley. Family ties connected him to other figures in Presley’s circle: his cousin was Sonny West, who also served as a member of Presley’s personal staff.

Association with Elvis Presley and the "Memphis Mafia"

For many years West was a member of Elvis’s inner entourage, sometimes called the "Memphis Mafia," performing duties that ranged from bodyguard work to organizing travel and stage logistics. He and other aides accompanied Presley on tours and were part of the singer’s personal and professional life through the 1960s and into the 1970s. Their relationship eventually soured and West was dismissed from Presley’s staff in the mid-1970s; in the aftermath he became one of the co-authors of the book Elvis: What Happened?, which was published shortly before Presley’s death and sparked substantial public debate about motive and timing.

Film, stunt work and songwriting

After leaving Presley’s circle, West expanded a parallel career in the film industry. He worked as a stuntman and character actor, often cast as tough, world-weary supporting figures. Notable appearances include the cult favorite Road House and later character work in films such as Safe Haven. He also pursued songwriting and contributed material connected to the Memphis music community; his creative output mixed the pragmatic demands of Hollywood with roots in regional popular music.

Controversy and published account

The book that West helped produce about Presley’s private life drew both criticism and attention. West and his co-authors presented the book as an effort to confront and help Presley, but others characterized it as a retaliatory or commercial move following their dismissal. Accounts from that period describe offers and attempts to suppress the book, and the release added to already intense public scrutiny of Presley’s later years. The episode remains one of the more controversial elements of West’s public biography.

Later life, death and legacy

Through his later years West continued to take on small film and television parts, do stunt work, and remain a recognizable figure in stories about Elvis and the Memphis entertainment community. He died in Memphis in July 2017 from complications related to an aortic aneurysm. His life is often recalled for the combination of roles he straddled—friend and aide to a major cultural figure, working stuntman and character actor, and a songwriter rooted in the Memphis scene—and for the debates that followed his split from Presley’s circle.

• Professions: actor, stuntman, songwriter.
• Notable films: Road House, Safe Haven.
• Memphis connections: born and died in Memphis, Tennessee; cousin of Sonny West.
• Association with: Elvis Presley.