In KILLING THE LEGENDS, TV journalist Bill O’Reilly and bestselling author Martin Dugard collaborate to bring into focus the lives of three icons of the 20th century: Elvis Presley, John Lennon and Muhammad Ali. Their commonality arises from the disturbing circumstances of their rise to fame, their fall into relative obscurity, and the violence and self-destructive patterns that may have contributed to their demise.

"The theme of the Killing series is undeniably eerie and its name morbidly memorable. But its purpose, as in this case, is noble, offering history, mystery and fascinating facts for contemplation."

Elvis was, more than anyone else, the father of rock ‘n’ roll music. As a young man with a mellow, sexy and powerful voice, a handsome face and physique, and a memorable way of moving his hips, he had women screaming and men snapping their fingers, live on stage and TV or on vinyl. His service in the military only boosted his career, even as his finances were quickly taken over by a former carnival trickster, whose name --- Colonel Tom Parker --- was as fake as his underhanded business dealings. Still, without him, Elvis might have passed into obscurity. As it was, he fed himself so many drugs for his up-and-down life that in the end, he passed himself away. Many mourned, but few truly understood the problems that led to his death.

John Lennon was a musician, too, and a brilliant songwriter. His iconic group, The Beatles, were as screamed after as Elvis at his prime --- again, by lustful ladies and music lovers across generations. The Beatles rode the hippie riptide until it shrank to a mere current, while Lennon gained notoriety for his bizarre relationship with Yoko Ono. Only his former bandmates could see up close that the couple was as devoted to heroin as they were to each other. Yet Lennon’s death came not from his habits, but from the gun of an assassin who confessed willingly that he just had to kill the man --- in public.

Muhammed Ali, born Cassius Clay, was arguably the greatest boxer who ever jumped in the ring. Adored by his fans, world-traveled and always ready to make a prediction of upcoming victory, Ali’s troubles began with plummeting success and ended in Parkinson’s disease, disabilities associated with the hard knocks his body was subjected to for most of his adult years, and death in his 70s. His alignment with the Nation of Islam was costly financially, and for some, it detracted from his clear talent as a boxer. Still, for the majority of those who saw him in person or on TV, he was and always would be “the greatest.”

O’Reilly and Dugard have arrayed a notable number of details about each of these figures, including the later lives, careers and legacies of their families, spouses and children. Each man was at one time an innocent young person cosseting an innate wish for upward trajectory. Each could have been nobody; manipulation by canny players boosted them at times to greater fame or kept them from disappearing like fallen stars in the night. All were to experience the pleasures and pressures of fame, and to become its victims. Each was a prime mover in his realm, making a mark that can never be erased.

The theme of the Killing series is undeniably eerie and its name morbidly memorable. But its purpose, as in this case, is noble, offering history, mystery and fascinating facts for contemplation.