Filmed over a period of several months, starting in July 1963, Viva Las Vegas was Elvis's 14th starring role and proved to be his biggest box-office hit. With an exciting co-star in Ann-Margret, great locations, quality songs and a lively script by Sally Benson, the film offered a very effective package of entertainment. Veteran director George Sidney knew his way around MGM musicals, having helmed the Frank Sinatra-Gene Kelly hit Anchors Aweigh (1945). Likewise, musical arranger George Stoll had also worked on this earlier film.

The title change occurred due to the release of the earlier MGM Dan Dailey-Cyd Charrise musical Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956). In the UK, that film went on release as Viva Las Vegas!. Consequently, Elvis's movie had to undergo a title change for its UK release - hence Love in Las Vegas.

This was Elvis's first of three portrayals of a race car driver. He took to the wheel again in Spinout (UK Title California Holiday) in 1966, and finally in Speedway (1968) - both of which, though entertaining, failed to match the standard of Viva Las Vegas.

The soundtrack music for the film was recorded over July and August 1963 at Radio Recorders Studios in Hollywood. Surprisingly, much of this material did not make it into the finished production. Surprisingly, because with a rather brief running time of 86 minutes, the movie could certainly have included further songs. Those recorded, but discarded, included Do the Vega, Night life, and You're The Boss - the latter a duet with Ann-Margret which did not see an official release until 1991. The other `missing' tracks surfaced on the first budget album release Elvis Sings Flaming Star in 1969. Also missing from the UK Love in Las Vegas release version was the song My Rival, sung by Ann-Margret. The sequence is included in the Viva Las Vegas video release, and has been seen in the Viva television screenings. It would appear then that it was intended for the US version only. Ann-Margret also had a solo spot with the impressively choreographed Appreciation song sequence - seen in all versions of the film.

A single release of Viva Las Vegas b/w What'd I Say was issued to promote the film, whilst an extended-play soundtrack was also released. In the late 1970's, a bootleg album became available, and even included radio advertisements to accompany the soundtrack songs. The planned soundtrack set was indeed a superior selection and it was rather unfortunate, not to say commercially unwise, to issue this material in such fragmented form.

This information was produced by the Elvis Presley Film Society in September 1999