Introduction
The Valentine’s Day Elvis Spent Without Anita: A Secret Romance Revealed
In 1958, just weeks before Elvis Presley was drafted into the U.S. Army, fans expected him to spend his final Valentine’s Day as a civilian with his widely recognized girlfriend, Anita Wood. However, to everyone’s surprise, Elvis shared the romantic holiday with someone else—Kitty Dolan, a lesser-known but deeply connected figure in his life. While Anita was often seen as his “official” girlfriend, Kitty remained a quiet constant in the background, hidden from the public eye.
Elvis met Kitty, a talented singer and model, in Las Vegas in late 1957 while she was performing at the Tropicana Hotel. Their chemistry was instant, and they continued to date quietly in Vegas, Hollywood, and even during Elvis’s training at Fort Hood. Kitty later revealed that she kept their relationship private to avoid appearing as though she was exploiting Elvis’s fame, and to dodge jealousy from other women. Despite the secrecy, Kitty described their time together with warmth and humor—especially their carefree Valentine’s evening spent tossing chocolates at each other in Elvis’s penthouse suite.
Although Elvis was deeply fond of Anita and even gifted her a pink Ford just days before his deployment, he didn’t stop seeing other women. Friends of Elvis, like Marty Lacker, recalled instances when Elvis juggled relationships, sneaking girls out of Graceland as Anita arrived. Despite these betrayals, Anita often accepted Elvis’s excuses, believing his assurances that he only loved her.
Kitty’s farewell visit to Elvis in September 1958 further highlighted his complex love life. Just as she was leaving Fort Hood, Anita was arriving—part of a pattern where Elvis rarely liked being alone and always had someone waiting in the wings.
Kitty would go on to marry and leave show business behind, but her brief, sweet moments with Elvis remain a testament to a lesser-known chapter in the King’s storied romantic history. Her recollections shed light on the playful yet conflicted heart of Elvis Presley in the final days before military duty changed everything.