Killing the Legends: The Lethal Danger of Celebrity

by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard, Martin Dugard

In the next book in the multimillion-selling Killing Series, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard tell the larger-than-life stories of Elvis Presley, John Lennon, and Muhammad Ali.

The King is dead. The Walrus is shot. The Greatest is no more.

Elvis Presley, John Lennon, and Muhammad Ali. These three icons changed not only the worlds of music, film, and sports, but the world itself. Their faces were known everywhere, in every nation, across every culture. And their stories became larger than life—until their lives spun out of control at the hands of those they most trusted.

In Killing the Legends, Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard explore the lives, legacies, and tragic deaths of three of the most famous people of the 20th century. Each experienced immense success, then failures that forced them to change; each faced the challenge of growing old in fields that privilege youth; and finally, each became isolated, cocooned by wealth but vulnerable to the demands of those in their innermost circles.

Dramatic, insightful, and immensely entertaining, Killing the Legends is the twelfth book in O’Reilly and Dugard’s Killing the most popular series of narrative history books in the world, with more than 18 million copies in print.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Audiobook, Music, American History, Historical

287 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 27, 2022

Reviews

[*TUDOR^QUEEN* · Rating 4 out of 5]

These authors' series of "Killing" books have maintained a secret sauce of making history easy and interesting to read about. So when I saw this book exploring the tragic outcomes of three major icons of the entertainment industry. I wanted to read it. The cover of the book is very inviting in itself. I am an ardent lifelong Beatles fan, and also fascinated with Elvis as a person. When I grew up during the sixties and seventies, if you asked me who was the boxing champ I would instantly think of Mohammad Ali. My family would always watch his televised fights.

The book started off with the death scene of Elvis dying in his bathroom in August 1977. Engrossing details followed of the hours immediately following the discovery of Elvis's lifeless body, covering his fruitless transport to the hospital, wake at Graceland where thousands of fans were invited to pay their respects, his entombment at a nearby cemetery, and his ultimate final burial in the Meditation Garden at Graceland (after thieves attempted to steal his body from the cemetery). It then backtracks to opine how the self-serving Colonel Parker, Elvis's only manager, shortened the entertainer's life. He siphoned off 50% of Elvis's income, and kept pushing Elvis out to tour even though he was addicted to prescription drugs and his overall health was suffering. Parker had huge gambling debts and squandered his riches, just as much as Elvis emptied his large pockets gifting Cadillacs, homes and jewelry to his friends and family.

Part two covers John Lennon. I was truly disappointed by several glaring mistakes I quickly discovered throughout his narrative. Although it didn't change the overall point of how John Lennon's life was cut short way too soon, as a huge Beatles fan I was cynical that these tried and true mega successful authors could have been this sloppy. Some of the factual mistakes were as follows:

-John Lennon was not raised by his grandmother....he was raised by his Auntie Mimi- his mother's older sister.

-John did not grow up impoverished, even though he liked to sing about being a "working class hero". His Aunt Mimi and Uncle George had their own beautiful private home with stained glass windows, and his Uncle George owned a dairy.

-Yoko's daughter Kyoko was not a product of her first marriage, it was from her second marriage to Anthony Cox. Her first marriage was to a Japanese pianist and composer named Toshi Ichiyanagi.

-The songs performed on the Apple Corps rooftop concert were not for The Beatles album "Abbey Road", but were for the album that would ultimately be titled "Let it Be".

-There's a picture of John Lennon and Yoko Ono at "The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus" in 1968 and John's son Julian (who he had with first wife Cynthia) is sitting on his lap. The picture is captioned to say that it's Lennon's son Sean. Sean Lennon wasn't even born until 1975.

The implication in John Lennon's section was that the overpowering influence of Yoko Ono led to The Beatles breakup, his move to America and New York City (initially to find Yoko's daughter Kyoko whose father Anthony Cox went into hiding with) contributing to his fateful, early, violent death.

The final section covered heavyweight fighting champion Mohammed Ali. His monies were being siphoned off considerably in much the same way as Elvis experienced, through his manager and his association with a religious entity. He should have stopped fighting much earlier in his career due to the toll Ali's injuries in the ring caused. Ali had gone through several wives with multiple children, had a penchant for helping people and being generous- so was pushed to keep fighting and the money train going. He lived longer than the other two musical icons, but for him it was a slow, gradual descent with declining neurological health that affected his quality of life.

This was a quick, sometimes riveting read of three entertainment legends. Aside from some factual errors with the John Lennon section, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

Thank you to my free public library for purchasing this book at my request.

[Kon R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the Killing series, so when this came out, I was excited. That excitement quickly diminished once I started reading. As cool as the premise is, this was problematic. I'm not really sure what inspired O'Reilly to cover three people in one book as opposed to the usual format. Also, two of the people covered here weren't really killed, as the title suggests. I learned a lot about Elvis, Lennon, and Ali, so I wouldn't say it was time wasted. I just think he should have focused on Lennon alone as he is the only one who truly fits the theme of the series. The storytelling was as good as always, even though the direction of the book was a bit misguided.

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner in the Killing series. It was sad how all three of these stars succumb to the pressure of society and/or drugs.

As usual, the book was an easy and flowing, read chock-full of details that many people are not aware of.

This is an absolute winner that I could not recommend higher.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Bill O’Reilly book. I’ve been hesitant to read him because, honestly, I always found him a little annoying. But the book is entirely apolitical and is a co-authored project by two dudes who really love history and seek to bring it alive.

This book covers the fall and ultimate deaths of Elvis Presley, John Lennon, and Muhammed Ali. I knew very little about all of them as I don’t follow entertainment celebrities closely. “Killing” is a bit misleading of a title in this case, as only Lennon was murdered outright, but all were betrayed by people they trusted.







Elvis was the saddest case, being taken advantage of by an unscrupulous manager and pushed into abuse and addiction of prescription drugs. I had the impression he was careful to avoid illegal drugs but never thought that legal ones could be equally dangerous. Lennon was kind of a jerk, but I do love his music. Ali seemed to be genuinely kind-hearted.

The accounts jumped in time a little, which resulted in mixed tenses—mostly writing in present tense, then jumping to future tense to tell how something turned out or returning to the past (past tense) to explain something else. Overall, very interesting.

Language: Strong language in quotes, including slurs (n-word is censored)
Sexual Content: None
Violence/Gore: Assassination, descriptions of death
Harm to Animals: None
Harm to Children: None
Other (Triggers): substance abuse/addiction, cheating (adultery), people taken advantage of/betrayal

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Killing the Legends: The Lethal Danger of Celebrity. (Audio CD) by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard.
Bill did his usual excellent research on all three subjects. The problem was I found it depressing with Elvis and Ali. Let me explain -I was an Elvis fan since childhood. Reading about the underhandedness of the Colonel was beyond sickening. To make it even more so he got away with it. It was heart breaking. The end of Elvis's life due to drugs and a horrible diet didn't make things any better.
The 3rd subject was Ali. Here was another exciting athlete that followed ever since his winning 2 Gold Medals in the Olympics while still Cassius Clay. Ali's personality drew a crowd where ever he went. As a teenager I remember listening to Cassius Clay whooping the old man(Sonny Listen) on my transistor radio. Ali actually did bring back boxing to TV. He was definitely worth watching. His decline however was painful to watch and just as painful to listen to on CD.
The 2nd subject, which I'm putting last held no real sympathy from me. John Lennon was a selfish and totally self centered person. From being abusive to his first wife, Cynthia, to abandoning his first son Julian. His marriage to Yoko Ono led to him pushing her being accepted into the group or he leaves was hard to swallow. Yoko had no talent whatsoever-not in art or musical. So, of course, I would not wish anyone to be murdered but my sympathies would be for his first son, Julian.
Sure, I didn't need to listen to this book. The Killing of Lincoln I did listen to first (read by Bill) and it was excellent and thought I'd give this a try. Bill did no wrong in his research or writing. It was my own take on the subject matter.

[Kasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stars in a nutshell

[Staci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the 12th installment in Bill O’Reilly’s Killing series. It’s well researched and organized into three parts focusing on three different celebrities.

Part one is about Elvis and begins with his life after he got out of the army, which was the beginning of his downhill trajectory. I’ve read a previous Elvis biography and am pretty familiar with his life but I still learned a few new things. This book provided more details that focused on his health and Tom Parker’s toxic influence.

Part two is about John Lennon and is the shortest section of the book. It begins with the break up of The Beatles. This was the least interesting part of the book me. His life was a lot less interesting once The Beatles broke up and then he is killed on the cusp of his comeback.

Part three is about Muhammad Ali and begins with the Thrilla in Manila. This was the most interesting part of the book as I know very little about Muhammad Ali. As is often the case, he was surrounded by sycophants that took advantage of him for most of his career. He was often his own worst enemy, making one bad decision after another. His best decision was marrying his fourth wife who seemed to have his best interests at heart. She sorted out his finances and took care of him until his death from sepsis in 2016.

I would recommend this book regardless of your level of interest in any of these celebrities. It provides just enough information on all three celebrities to be enlightening but not so much that it bogs the reader down.

[John Magee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another outstanding book in O'Reilly's "killing" series. I had all but forgotten about Ali and Lennon but I was around when they were still major influences on pop culture. This book brought back memories of my younger days when boxing was way more popular and Lennon still had hits playing on FM radio so I greatly enjoyed learning more about their struggles outside the public eye. I disapproved of them then and reading this book only confirmed my scorn of younger days. On the other hand, I always admired Elvis. The most salient aspect of this book was Colonel Tom Parker's (or whoever that guy was) abuse of Elvis. Reading about Parker grinding Elvis into the ground was very disturbing. O'Reilly is easily one of the best historians of today.

[John Strauss · Rating 5 out of 5]

hard to put down

“All that glitters is not gold,” as the saying goes. A very interesting insight into three prominent lives from my generation. A sensitive and fair representation of each. It was interesting to read so many examples that reinforce one of my favorite quotes from economist/author Thomas Sowell, ���everything in life is a trade off.”

[Twobchelm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read all of the Killing books and enjoyed each one.
So sad to see such talented people overcome by their fame and all the parasites waiting in the wings to benefit from it.

[Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fairly quick & interesting read. It’s an abbreviated biographies on Elvis, Lennon, & Muhammad Ali. I felt like I learned a lot about the private lives these three megastars. The Killing series by O’Reilly seems to always be a lot of fun to read. If a reader wants to learn more in depth about the celebrities mentioned, they would have to watch some informative videos and/or read other biographical books. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a short & interesting read.

[Cynthia · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is in three parts, each of which gives a shattering description of the actual moment of death, then a biographical section, then a recap. Each 'legend' gets a soubriquet - Elvis Presley is the King, Mohammed Alil is the Greatest, and John Lennon is the Walrus. Well, okay. I quibbled at first because while Elvis and Ali were actually referred to by those titles, and used them to refer to themselves, nobody ever called John Lennon 'the Walrus', as in 'The Walrus has left the building', but okay. I get it. It's cute and not inaccurate. But then - THEN! the author says John was called the Walrus because Don McLeon first referred to him that way in his song "American Pie"! Ah, no! Mr. O'Reilly (hence known as 'Bill' because brevity) how dare you write about John Lennon without researching his music? Specifically "I Am the Walrus" by John Lennon & Paul McCartney? Written well before "American Pie", and McLeon may be referencing this word but I am quite sure that he would not lay claim to inventing it. Strike one, Bill. This is when I started folding down the corners of the pages to mark your inaccuracies. I don't know much about Elvis Presley so I couldn't see anything amiss in that section, and in fact it is very well written and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Same for Mohammed Ali. Although I had to fold down a page corner towards the very end when you say that Will Smith learned the boxing moves he used on Chris Rock while playing Ali in the film. Bill. If you think a bitch slap (because that is what Smith did to Rock, he bitch slapped him) is a boxing move, heaven help you if you ever get into the ring!). But now on to John Lennon.

The rooftop session at Apple Records did NOT, repeat NOT, becoome part of the Abbey Road album, as you state. It was part of the "Let It Be"' album and film.

Oh my word. Nobody ever ever ever called John's aunt "Mater". It's "Mimi", Bill. Aunt Mimi. The barest thread of research would have told you that.

On the 6th page of the photo section you include a photo labeled, John Lennon holding young Sean. Ah, no, you ignorant man. This is Julian. Sean was not even conceived yet much less born.

If I were a member of Brian Epstein's family I would sue you for saying he was the British version of Colonel Tom Parker, considering that you describe Parker as a thief and embezzler who deliberately, or at best uncaringly, drove Elvis to his death. Brian Epstein was not a great business manager in some ways, but he loved the Beatles, would never have stolen from them, and would never have put his income and fame ahead of their physical or emotional health. You should be ashamed of yourself.

And then comes your pompous, finger wagging wrap up, telling how each of these men could have avoided their issues if they had only been better, smarter; more like you, I suspect, Bill. This book is the poorest excuse for journalism I have ever read. I am sure that if I knew more about Elvis and Ali I would have spotted similar egregreous errors. You, sir, are a disgrace to your profession. And Martin Dugard, whose name appears in small print on the cover (but not, I notice, on the Goodreads heading) I don't know what your role was. If it was research and fact checking, well, I guess I owe Bill an apology for that part of it although that's what he gets for putting his name in gigundo print and leaving yours off the Goodreads heading altogether.

[Kelli V Spann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The King is dead. The Walrus is shot. The Greatest is no more.

In the vein of “The Killing Series”, this one holds its own. “The Legends” a trio of superstars: Elvis Presley, John Lennon, and Muhammad Ali. Though well known, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard, never fail to uncover interesting nuggets of awe and wows to satisfy our insatiable curiosity of those whose lives seem supernatural.

Per usual, there is plenty of new information uncovered by the authors to make it worth the read. The Killing series never fails to deliver. Robert Petkoff narrates, and he continues to be one of my favorites.

Recommend ✔️

[Jeanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a better read than 3 stars, IMHO, for those who have not lived through these eras' lifetimes.

Three men who had charisma and talent. And who also had flaws. The largest common denominator being dependent personality which was massively used by others for profit. Generally NOT for the better well being of the three men either, in any sense.

Honestly there was nothing new that Elvis or John Lennon information imparted to me here in this book. Elvis I've read probably 10 to 15 books back in the day and for Lennon about 1/2 of that. I also have read non-fiction on Mohammed Ali, but this book was much more specific and interested me far more than the others of decades past. This gave me greater insight into the decision making to do those fights after he was 32.

The Mohammed Ali section was close to a 5. He was a smart and savvy individual who knew what he believed and tried to live it. But like many of us, his financial and personal lives were hugely detrimental to him as a person- both physically and mentally. And for pure greed he was physically manipulated and destroyed without much quibbling about it, as well. Because the Nation of Islam and much else of his manager and financial guru's life was in Chicago, I have witnessed some of the criminal behaviors involved myself. But putting him through that much harm after terrible injury, again and again with so much slanted money going to nearly everybody by Ali? Oh the people who gained over his misery! Terrible. I do remember the torch lighting ceremony at the Olympics. Touching plus.

All three tales were researched to the max. But each life had so many horrific negatives based within the characters and habits of the 3 themselves? Well, it is hard to tell stories of addicts in any sense. Or in most any addictions, as well. Heroin and opiods or attention. But still addiction plus. But especially within the spheres of great celebrity. But all three lived within huge dependencies to stronger personalities and whims and were manipulated far, far more than it looked from the outside.

Lastly, Ono was continually made the bad guy in nearly ever sense of talent use or lifestyle or break up choices etc. It's not true. I always knew that too. People on the "outside" so seldom see the depths of flaws within their idols. Overall that is accurate. They would rather see the perfections and the image (and the replays of their talent) rather than the person anyway even unto long memory.

[Phillip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by the authors. Never knew much about these people other than little bits and pieces here and there. Shocked at how Elvis, and Ali to some extent, were blatantly abused as a means to the manager’s grossly negligent ends. Down right murder! Or at least manslaughter. Wow! Culture talks about the ever-evolving goodness of man. The above mentioned example is a case study of devolving degradation. The authors do end on a positive note for each of the people discussed in this book. A good read, but be prepared to have your eyes opened!

[Greg Kopstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truthfully, I’m getting a little tired of this series, and it’s definitely lost a step. Much like the legends in this book at the end of their own careers, trying to stay relevant. But the legends here make this book interesting, fast, and dazzling.

I know enough about The King and The Champ (and have no interest in The Walrus) but this added a much deeper pool of information. I found it fascinating.

After reading the Elvis section, I watched the 2022 biopic, which was VERY good. And now, having finished, I’ll watch the 2001 film, Ali, which has been on my list forever.

I’ve never been a big Beatles fan, so the middle section on Lennon was fine, but not great.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, having not known much about these legends prior to this book. But it’s speed and bright lights, not to mentioning the compelling legends themselves, made it a solid installment to this series.

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another well written book by Mr O'Reilly. Always a informative read. Recommended

[Tom Barber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to give this book 5 stars because I enjoyed it so much. However, I just can't justify that rating when I know it includes several factual errors. There is no Beatles fan who does not know that the concert on the roof was for Let It Be, not Abbey Road. I was shocked that a mistake like that could make it into print, especially in a section of a book that is specifically about John Lennon. There were other factual errors in the John Lennon section of the book as well.
Also, I'm not sure about the premise of the book or putting these three celebrities together. The idea is that all three gave up their autonomy and that ultimately led to their deaths. I don't see how that has anything to do with Lennon's situation.
All things considered, though, I did enjoy it and found it very hard to put down. Hopefully there weren't any errors in the Elvis and Ali sections, since I would not have caught those. Those two certainly did have a lot in common, as both were managed by self-centered tyrants. I knew relatively little about those guys and learned a lot about all three of the celebrities from reading this book.

[Christine Dosa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t like the style of writing used in this series of Reilly and Dugard’s Killing books. It’s Dateline in book form. My husband keeps giving them to me. I’ve read one before this one and gave another one away without reading it.

The subjects of this one, though, were interesting to me. Presley, Lennon and Ali. Some of the biggest celebrities of my time. So I proceeded. I thought I knew everything there was to know about Elvis and his death, but I didn’t. I knew Colonel Parker was powerful, but this book shows the tremendous extent of his power. Without this man pushing him, Presley might have been around a lot longer,

It turned out the Lennon section didn’t have much new material. If you are a Beatles fan, you will have read most of it elsewhere and a long time ago.

The section on Muhammad Ali was interesting. I loved him as a boxer. He had charisma no boxer before or since him ever equaled. “I’m pretty,” he’d say and he was. I was unaware who the power behind his throne was and that is all laid out here.

All of these stories are sad and except for their extreme fame and talent, these three men were no different than many other celebrities that have been unable to reach fame without dire consequences and Svengalis riding their coattails.

I should really give this book a higher rating, but I can’t get past the writing. I know these two are writing for the “masses”, but can’t they give the masses more credit for intelligence?

[Beth Farley · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 3.5 stars. Pretty sure I would have read a complete book about the killing of Elvis or John Lennon. The sections felt rushed because they were fitting all three in one book. Still lots of interesting information, lots that I didn't know. And I felt sad, sickened and baffled, as I did when I walked out of the recent movie, how one man could have had so much ruinous influence over Elvis' life. This book also reinforced my opinion (not good) of Yoko Ono.

[Drew Morelock · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful read! Dugard and O’Reilly present three legends in a way that makes them human. They tear down the facades and mystic behind these individuals and deliver very real, and at times very uncomfortable, facts. What I found most fascinating about this book was the similarities between all three of these “legends.” Elvis, Lennon, and Ali all are known as the best to do it in their respective fields. Elvis, the king of rock n’ roll, Lennon, dominating America with the Beatles and later his own solo work, and Ali, the man widely regarded as the greatest boxer of all time. They all found extreme fame and admiration from millions across the globe, yet none of them were in control. Elvis was controlled by his manager Tom Parker, Lennon by his partner Yoko Ono, and Ali by his manager Elijah Muhammad. It makes the reader change their perception of these great people’s lives. They did not live good lives, and that’s putting it lightly. They all succumbed to their own demons without thought of how it was affecting others. Whilst doing this they were being completely taken advantage of by the people they were closest with. It makes you wonder whether or not being remembered as a great person, as a “legend,” is worth the price of a short life of suffering and betrayal.

[Janine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can’t say I really cared a lot about any of the men who were the focus of this book. Of the three, I ended up being the most invested in Ali’s story. From the Introduction, I thought O’Reilly was going to connect their stories, but it ended up seeming fractured and abrupt.

[Don Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. I learned a lot about all three celebrities. Super sad how bad Elvis was taken advantage of by someone he truly trusted. I never knew the severity of betrayal by Tom Parker on Elvis. The book was broken down in three parts so it made for an easy read.

[Morgan Le Fay ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only comment I feel like leaving is why did this entire book decide to have exactly one joke in it, which was about the Will Smith Oscar slap?

[Aaron Christensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Educational. Sad. Fascinating.

[gotta read more · Rating 5 out of 5]

They’ve done it again! Another amazing book. Keep them coming.

[Gunnar Berg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This “killing” book was different than the others in the sense of being historical, but having a primary focus of cultural icons. I actually really enjoyed the change of pace and found the subject matter: Elvis, John Lennon, and Mohammad Ali to be fascinating. These men were regular every day people who had unimaginable talent in their fields. The real story behind these individuals is who surrounded them and what those people did to further their own gain at the expense of the stars. Sad really. This is a story of having tremendous fame and how sometimes it takes people over. Check it out if you want to read an exciting fun history book that is fast paced. I read each chapter and would look on YouTube at these events such as the Mohammad Ali fights talked about. It enhanced the read to an even greater level.

[Robert Melnyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good book in the "Killing" series by O'Reilly and Dugard. Not quite as good as some of the others I have read (I've read every book in the series except Killing the Killers), but still very good. These books always provide a good insight into the subject of the book as well as the history at the time. There was much presented about Presley, Lennon, and Ali which I already knew, but there were things I learned about each that I had not known until reading this book. If you have read and enjoyed other books in this series, you will enjoy this one as well.

[Jennie Thill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed the book. There were a few errors that made me question how much of the rest of the rest of the book was factual.

[Brian Katz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and learning some things about the three legends that I had previously not known.

However, I disagree that Lennon belongs with Ali and Presley. Both Ali and Presley died because their celebrity killed them. They couldn’t properly manage their celebrity. Lennon was not killed by his celebrity, he was killed because he was a celebrity. Both Ali and Presley were slaves to their celebrity and those who managed them. They both died because of the excesses associated with their fame.

Lennon was shot on the street in 1980, so I reject that his failure to manage his celebrity a full decade earlier prior to the Beatles disbanding was the cause. I believe Lennon was included simply because he was a Beatle and the enormous cultural impact of this band.

The authors could have easily found a few other examples of rock & rollers succumbing to an early death under the weight of their celebrity. People like Jerry Garcia, Keith Moon, Jimmy Hendrix, Janis Joplin and John Bonham (Bonzo) come to mind. Or what about Marilyn Monroe ?