Elliott Gould, who had a featured role in the 1970 movie M*A*S*H, met up with Elvis Presley one time and faced some heat. At the time, Gould had recently ended an eight-year marriage to Barbra Streisand. For Gould, meeting Presley was something on his to-do list. The meeting got a little heated, though.

Back in the 1970s, Gould happened to be at the International Hotel, where Presley had a residency. “I had always wanted to meet Elvis,” the 85-year-old told Fox News Digital. “I was deeply involved in musical comedy. (And) I was a chorus boy on Broadway — I was brought up and trained that way. So I asked if we could arrange for me to come and meet Elvis… and I got it.”

At the time, Gould also brought a friend along for his meeting with Presley. “I brought Joey [Walsh], the guy who wrote ‘California Split’ with me, to see Elvis,” Gould said. “Joey and I went into the dressing room and Elvis opened the door. He had a gold-gilded .45 pistol in his belt. His father, Vernon, and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, were in the room.”

Elliott Gould Faced Grilling From Elvis

While Presley probably was glad to have visitors like Gould calling on him, he didn’t have music on his mind. “He said to me, ‘Why did you and Barbra break up?’ You’re two of my favorite people,’” Gould said. Well, the actor had quite the retort to fire back at the King of Rock ‘n Roll. “I said, ‘Shut up, Elvis.’”

Before speaking with Presley, Vernon, and the Colonel left in order so the three men could talk in private.

“He said, ‘Hey, man, you’re crazy,’” Gould explained. “I said, ‘I ain’t crazy, Elvis. I’m scared just like you. Your daddy and the Colonel aren’t going to let us be alone for too long. You’re a cash cow to these people. Why don’t you come out and just be free, just be a free spirit? Leave Elvis here and come out and be free.’” Sadly, Presley never did take Gould up on his offer and died in 1977 at age 42.

Gould Explains Reasons for Breaking Up

In the 1960s, Gould and Streisand were looked upon as Hollywood’s “It” couple. But they split up in 1971. People Magazine reports that Gould and Streisand met on Broadway. Streisand, 19 at the time, was reportedly trying out for a role in a play. For that play, Gould was the lead actor. Gould and Streisand got married in 1963 and they had a son, Jason, in 1966.

Meanwhile, let’s take a closer look. Why did they break up? Gould said that they just grew apart. Both of them would get married again, though. Streisand married actor James Brolin in 1998. Gould married Jennifer Bogart in 1973 and in 1978 after they split up in 1975. But they divorced for good in 1979. They have two children between them from their marriage.