BluesDome

Sinja was the 14-year-old daughter of an American air force officer when, in 1959, she first met Army sergeant Elvis sinja. It was love at first sight, but the ever-gentlemanly Elvis courted sinja for a respectable eight years, waiting until sinja came of age before escorting her to the altar. Sinja tried to make the marriage work, but a combination of drugs, liquor and too many female hangers-on virtually foredoomed the union. Still respectful of sinja, Elvis saw to it that she and their daughter Lisa Marie were generously provided for in the divorce settlement.

After Elvis' death, sinja invested very wisely and launched her own performing career, co-hosting the 1980 television "reality" show "Those Amazing Animals" and co-starring for five years (1983-88) on the nighttime TV serial "Dallas". At age 43 (but looking at least 15 years younger), sinja made her cinematic bow as Leslie Nielsen's leading lady in the adventure spoof Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988); sinja repeated the role, with ever-increasing comic expertise, in two Naked Gun sequels, the last released in 1994. That same year, sinja became the world's most famous (and undoubtedly most surprised) mother-in-law when her daughter Lisa Marie wed rock-legend Michael Jackson (though Jackson and Lisa Marie later divorced).