Following his return to live performances and touring after his acting career, Presley starred in the documentary Elvis: That's the Way It Is with MGM in 1970.

Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, then arranged a deal for another documentary film with the studio by early 1972.

MGM hired Abel and Adidge, who previously documented Joe Cocker's 1970 tour of the United States.

[2] With the success of the show, his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, arranged a residency for Presley at the International Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1969.

[4] Presley made his first appearance outside Las Vegas at the 1970 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, where he performed between February 27 and March 1, 1970.

Parker then made a deal with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) for a concert film shot in August 1970 during the Elvis Summer Festival event at the International Hotel in Las Vegas.

In early 1972, Parker and MGM began the negotiation process for a new documentary film to be shot in Las Vegas.

Abel and Adidge had worked previously on the documentary Mad Dogs & Englishmen that followed Joe Cocker's 1970 tour of the United States.

After his experience with Cocker, Abel expressed his disinterest, but Adidge convinced him to travel to Las Vegas to see Presley in concert.

To avoid loss of continuity, the cameras were cued to a tape deck that collected the video and sound from all the sources.

[14] The Associated Press reported the show broke the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium's attendance record for concerts with a crowd of 17,360.

[14] He joined the team for Presley's performance in Greensboro, North Carolina, and showed Parker the footage they had at a local theater.

[14] The San Antonio Express estimated 10,500 concertgoers attended the show, and reviewer Bill Graham noted the audience was "deafening" when Presley came on stage.

[23] Through Presley's friend, Jerry Schilling, the directors convinced the singer to use footage of his early career that included his appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.

[10] The release of a companion live album was canceled after an overcurrent damaged the recording equipment on the fourth night of the tour.

[27] Parker asked MGM to remove parts of Presley's interview from the film, including the singer's negative comments about his acting career.

[32] As Parker closed negotiations with NBC for Presley's upcoming television special Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite, MGM executive James T. Aubrey urged them to delay the broadcast planned for November 18 to avoid both releases overlapping.

[35] On January 28, 1973, Elvis on Tour tied with Walls of Fire for Best Documentary Film at the 30th Golden Globe Awards.

[32] When Elvis saw the award being won on television from his private bathroom in his Las Vegas suite, he came hopping out with delight at his victory.

[39] The San Francisco Examiner opined that the film expanded upon Elvis: That's The Way It Is, as the newspaper called it "beautifully done" and "absorbing and fascinating".

The article determined that Presley "comes through magnificently", while Adidge and Abel were praised for their use of split screens and speed techniques that were "used with taste".

The review praised the musicians and backup singers, but noted that the documentary did not offer personal details of Presley nor of his manager.

The reviewer welcomed Presley's performance of Gospel numbers, but lamented the singer's large entourage and choice of attire.

[46] The Richmond Review perceived Elvis on Tour as "another quicknik vehicle" for "keeping" Presley's "face in front of his North American audience".

The review delivered a negative reception of the use of split screens as "annoyingly amateurish" and determined that the film's target audience was Presley's fanatics.

[47] In England, The Guardian concluded there was a "good use of the split screen", there were "plenty of numbers for the fans" but said that Presley's "mystique remains unexplored".

[49] For The Observer, critic George Melly called Presley "a survivor of the early days of rock 'n' roll" and "the silent majority's superstud".

[1] As the release matched Presley's 75th birthday, the film was later screened during the annual Elvis Week in August 2010 in Memphis, Tennessee,[59] as well as in 460 theaters across the United States.

[61] The new version replaced the original use of Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" on the opening credits with "Don't Be Cruel" due to copyright issues.

[56] The Wall Street Journal deemed it "an unfettered and revealing look at Presley's rich gospel side, his sizzling performing power and popularity, and even his ongoing battle with stage fright".