06/05/2026
70 years ago today, June 5, 1956, Irish McCalla, star of the TV series Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, was photographed backstage joking with Elvis Presley during an appearance related to The Milton Berle Show at NBC Studios in Burbank.
The moment captured two rising pop culture figures of the 1950s era—McCalla, known for portraying the jungle heroine Sheena, and Presley, who was rapidly becoming a national music sensation. Their backstage meeting reflected the growing crossover between television, film, and the emerging rock and roll scene.
The appearance took place during a period when Elvis’s early television performances were drawing massive national attention and helping cement his rise to superstardom.