In the 60s, Mott started showing signs of dementia, causing Parker to distance himself from her and find refuge in gambling. In 1973, Colonel Parker sold the master tapes for 700 of Presley's songs to RCA for $5.4 million. In 1977, Elvis died of a heart attack at only 42. [4] During his first visit there, he traveled with a Chautauqua educational tent show, before returning briefly to the Netherlands. [52] In Las Vegas, he was starting to appear drugged on stage, slurring his words and forgetting song lyrics. and he was hired as a hotel consultant for $50,000 per year (323,906 in 2021 dollars). Subsequently, Parker managed the singer's successful return to live performing, with several dates set up in Las Vegas. [15] The rank was honorary, since Louisiana had no organized militia, but Parker used the title throughout his life, becoming known simply as "the Colonel" to many acquaintances. [39] Throughout the 1960s Parker would continually renegotiate Presley's film contracts, often paying little attention to the scripts or the concerns of his client. [48] (During Presley's career, except for a few concerts in Canada in 1957, he never performed outside the United States.) Thomas Andrew Parker (born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk; June 26, 1909 January 21, 1997),[1] commonly known as Colonel Parker, was a Dutch musical entrepreneur, best known for being Elvis Presley's manager. [62], One of Parker's brothers, Adam "Ad" van Kuijk, visited Parker once in Los Angeles in April 1961. Profession: Elvis' manager. In 1956, Presley was launched to superstardom with the release of his first single for RCA Victor, "Heartbreak Hotel." For two years he served in the 64th Coast Artillery at Fort Shafter in Hawaii. [citation needed], After the success of Presley's return to live performing in Las Vegas, Parker decided it was time to take him back out on tour for the first time in 13 years. . [4] Although Parker had served honorably for a time, he went AWOL this time and was charged with desertion. [4], On August 14, 1981, Judge Evans ordered Elvis Presley Enterprises to sue Parker for mismanagement. "[72] She reiterated her positive opinion to Tom Hanks in 2022 when the actor prepared to play Parker for Elvis (2022). ELVIS PRESLEY's ex-wife Priscilla Presley vehemently defended The King's manager Colonel Tom Parker to Elvis movie's Tom Hanks, shutting down rumours he was 'an evil puppet master like Rasputin'. [72] By this point, he was stricken with diabetes, gout, and other health problems such that he could barely leave his own house. . [14] In 1945, Parker became Arnold's full-time manager, signing a contract for 25% of his earnings. So Where'd All The Money Go??? [16] He arranged live appearances and became something of a father figure to the then-15-year-old Sands. [citation needed] After a cold reception during his first few shows,[30] Parker cut Presley's appearance to two weeks. The Amazing ComebackOf Colonel Tom Parker. Parker was consequently sent to solitary confinement. [50] They hired private detectives to find out where the drugs were coming from and were successful in stopping any more from reaching Presley. Colonel Tom Parker was born in Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands in June 1909 and passed away in January 1997. While working in the circus in 1935, Parker wed Marie Francis Mott. [68] From then on, he continued living in Las Vegas, mostly avoiding contact with the press. According to Presley's biographer Peter Guralnick, Presley and Parker "were really like, in a sense, a married couple, who started out with great love, loyalty, respect that lasted for a considerable period of time, and went through a number of stages until, towards the end of Presley's life, they should have walked away. Presley went on to star in "Love Me Tender," which spawned his eponymous hit single. Elvis was given a spot in the Louisiana Hayride, a radio show, and Colonel Parker knew that this young lad could prove to be a dark horse. The majority of Elvis's reported net worth at the time of his death was comprised of royalties from record sales, publishing, film and concert tickets. [5] Parker countersued. Colonel Tom Parker's House. [44] He offered RCA Records the opportunity to buy Presley's entire back catalog for $5.4 million. To further boost his profile, Parker arranged for him to appear on such popular television programs as "The Ed Sullivan Show" and "The Milton Berle Show." Col. Tom Parker, 87, a onetime carnival pitchman who shrewdly guided singer-actor Elvis Presley's career for 22 years, died here Jan. 21 after a stroke. "[60], In 1994, a Golden Palm Star on the Walk of Stars in Palm Springs, California, was dedicated to him. Parker served two years in the 64th Coast Artillery (United States), at Fort Shafter, in Hawaii, and shortly afterwards re-enlisted at Fort Barrancas, Florida. But the Colonel quickly got to work, starting as Elvis' advisor before they signed a contract giving him sole rights . Colonel Tom Parker acted as Presley's promoter and, then manager and promoter, for most of his career. Nash said of Elvis' late manager: "The Colonel is a complicated character, and while he always took too much of Presley's money, he made some very sound decisions for him. None of the rules of the relationship was operative any longer, yet neither had the courage to walk away, for a variety of reasons." [48], Aloha from Hawaii proved to be the last great moment in Presley's career. Upon his return from the Army, Presley appeared on Frank Sinatra's television show. 3. [37] After that, until 1968, Presley gave no live performances, and had very little contact with his fans. [13] Instead, Parker decided to stay in Temple Terrace, Florida, with his family, perhaps to avoid having to submit paperwork that could expose his illegal status. On January 20, 1997, Parker's wife heard a crashing sound from the living room, and when she heard no response to her calls, she went in to find him slumped over in his chair after suffering a stroke. At the time of his death in 1997, he was worth $1 million. [41] The Cadillac tour proved to be somewhat more successful than the film itself. [4] After a lifetime that saw him earn in excess of $100 million, Parker's estate was worth barely $1 million when he died. Colonel Tom Parker was a Dutch-American talent manager and music businessman. Growing up, he worked as a carnival barker in his hometown. Colonel Tom Parker died at the age of 87 years. He arranged for Presley to appear on popular television shows, such as The Milton Berle Show and The Ed Sullivan Show, securing fees that made Presley the highest-paid star on television. [65] Marie was one of six children,[65] had been married twice before, and had a son from her first marriage. [54], In July 1976, three of Presley's personal bodyguards and members of the "Memphis Mafia", Robert Gene "Red" West, his cousin Sonny West and David Hebler, were fired by Vernon Presley and decided to write a tell-all book about their life in his inner circle, Elvis: What Happened? Let's find out. Presley's first manager was Scotty Moore, the guitarist in his band, who was encouraged by Sun Records owner Sam Phillips to become Presley's manager to protect Elvis from unscrupulous music promoters. Into his late 80s, Colonel Tom Parker began to struggle with various illnesses including diabetes and gout. In 1955, Parker and Memphis radio personality Bob Neal began promoting the young up-and-coming singer Elvis Presley. Colonel Tom Parker Salary Detail. That number is down significantly from an estimated $100 million . With Presley serving in West Germany, Parker did everything he could to keep the singer's name on everyone's lips, as he worried that Presley would fade in the public eye. . when Elvis died, he was only worth $5 . Following this, Neal chose not to renew his management contract with Presley, leaving Parker as the singer's sole manager. Parker managed his career with an iron fist. At the time, many people predicted that he would have a long and lucrative career . While Neal was originally the singer's official manager, Parker was the one most involved in running Presley's career. And the value of his estate at the time of his death in 1997? Colonel Tom Parker died on January 21, 1997 at the age of 87. He also lost a large portion of Elvis' personal wealth. Parker did not appear to care if the films were good or bad but only about the profits. [18] Neal was struggling at the time to accommodate his new client's success, and in February 1955, following a meeting with Parker, Presley agreed to let Parker take some control of future bookings and promotions. and he died worth only US$1,000,000. [50] This would be successful for a short time, but when Presley discovered the trick, he simply found himself other doctors. After all the money he took from Elvis???? Nor did he ever suggest onstage that he knew of the colonel's immigration issues. [26] With over 78 different possibilities, from charm bracelets to record players, Presley merchandise brought in $22 million by the end of 1956. [67] Author Alanna Nash has suggested that the couple may have simply placed their hands on a Bible and given themselves a "carny wedding".[67]. [32], In 1957, Parker finally managed to give Tommy Sands his big break by arranging for him to audition for and star in The Singin' Idol, a drama for NBC that was loosely based on the life and career of Presley. Tom Hanks took on the role of the so-called villain. "[70], Songwriter Mac Davis recounted a similar experience where Parker rubbed his head and declared "You're going to be a star. Following this, he entered the music industry as a music promoter. [15], In 1948, Parker received the honorary rank of colonel in the Louisiana State Militia from Jimmie Davis, the governor of Louisiana and a former country singer, in return for work Parker did on Davis's election campaign. . It was producer Steve Binder who put forward the idea of Presley singing his old hits and even the staged section with his old band, Scotty Moore and D. J. Fontana, the latter inspired by a post-rehearsal informal jam in Presley's dressing room. The Colonel was involved in Elvis' music career from very early on. [16] Parker had intended to mold Sands into the next Roy Rogers, but Sands had no interest in such a plan. You tell everybody the Colonel touched your head." How Elvis Presley Died Nearly Broke Then Became One Of The Richest Dead Celebrities Of All Time. [15] Eventually, Parker began getting more involved in music promotion again, this time for himself rather than the Society. Later, in 1983, Parker admitted during an interview that after 1966, the income from Presley films and soundtracks was dramatically reduced. The Wanted singer Tom Parker has died from a brain tumour at the age of 33. [15] Although Neal remained Presley's official manager, Parker was becoming increasingly involved in the running of his career, and by the summer of 1955 he had become Presley's "special advisor". His death certificate lists his birth name as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk, his country of birth as . Elvis Presley was only 42 years old when he died on August 16, 1977 (via History). Burial. 4. Parker appeared at posthumous events honoring Presley, such as the 1993 issuing of a U.S. postage stamp with Presley's likeness. All net worths are calculated using data drawn from public sources. [15], Parker immediately went to work to find a new label for Presley. He cared about making sure that his boy didn't just have a million dollars worth of talent . Colonel Tom Parker was a music entrepreneur, well-known for being Elvis' manager. No, Elvis didn't fire the Colonel from the stage at Las Vegas in real life. [61], As Presley's fame grew, people became interested in Parker as well. [46] Parker had also decided that it was time for Presley to return to New York, and had arranged for him to perform at Madison Square Garden in June. This is because Elvis' manager, Colonel Tom Parker, had previously arranged a deal to sell those to RCA for $5.4 million, out of which only $1.35 million went to Elvis after Parker's 50% fee and income taxes. [56], In September 1978, shortly after the first anniversary of Presley's death, Parker arranged a fan festival, Always Elvis, where he, Vernon, and Presley's ex-wife Priscilla, dedicated a bronze statue of him in the lobby of the Las Vegas Hilton. Parker then managed a series of highly successful tours for Presley. [60] However, he did occasionally bother them by criticizing some decisions. [1], Parker was born as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk on June 26, 1909, in Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands,[4] and was the seventh of eleven children. Parker's net worth was estimated to be $50 million as of 1977. [68] Marie died on November 25, 1986, of a chronic brain syndrome at age 78. While Presley was serving in West Germany, Parker was hard at work keeping Presley's name known to the public. [66] Some suggested that Parker married Marie to disguise his illegal status in the United States;[65] a marriage to a U.S. citizen with a child could help him bury his past in a "ready-made family". Parker died in 1997 at the age of 87. He first met the future star in 1955, when Elvis was already being managed by the guitarist in his band. At that time Parker believed Elvis to be black. [15] RCA Victor, Hank Snow's current label, also showed an interest, but they were put off by the cost of the contract. [23] Later, when Hank Snow asked Parker about the status of their contract with Presley, Parker told him: "You don't have any contract with Elvis Presley. By this time, Parker was aware that Presley needed a rest from touring and the chance to deal with his prescription drug addictions. He adopted a new name and claimed to have been born in the United States. He became Presley's manager in 1955 just as . Soon, he secured Presley a record deal with RCA Victor. [65] However, there is no definite proof that anything other than romance led to their marriage. Although Parker infrequently saw Presley over the ensuing years, he remained his manager until Presley's passing in 1977. [4], "Colonel Tom Parker rubbed my head in Vegas", Eddie Murphy stated in 1989. [18] According to Moore, Presley agreed to take 50 percent, with Moore and Black splitting the other 50 percent. For his part, Parker himself died with a net worth of $1 million, or roughly $1.8 million in today's money (via Dollar Times ). Stories appeared in the press regularly about Presley, including that he would do a live CCTV broadcast when he returned and that he had signed a deal for a series of annual television spectaculars to be broadcast across the country. Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis's manager from 1955 to his death in 1977, earned an estimated $50 million from the singer's estate. [19][20] Part of Parker's role was to secure a new recording contract with a bigger label. The next morning he died from complications of the stroke at a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 87. The killing happened a few streets from where the Van Kuijk family lived, and Parker had been hired to make deliveries from this and other grocery stores in the area. [9] He began to build up a list of contacts that would prove valuable in later years. [26], In April 1956, Parker made his first mistake with Presley's career. "Colonel Tom Parker managed Elvis Presley's career from 1955 to 1977. He married his secretary in 1990 (she'd worked for him since 1972). 'Life with you was never dull' More on The Wanted Colonel Tom Parker was best known for being the manager of Elvis Presley. [50] Author Alanna Nash suggests that one of the reasons Parker didn't do more is because he may have just not known how to handle the situation. [8], In May 1929, Van Kuijk returned to the United States at age 19, finding work with carnivals due to his previous experience in the Netherlands. June 30, 2022. After Presley passed away, Parker established a licensing deal with Factors Etc. To garner Presley new publicity and to help tame his wild impulses, Parker had him marry Priscilla Beaulieu, who had been living with Presley for four years already. [4] Fans and biographers alike believe that one of the main reasons Parker signed Presley to a Vegas hotel in 1969 for his live comeback was to help cover losses he experienced in their casino. [15] Around the same time, realizing the deal for Presley might fall through due to the cost of the contract, Parker attempted to sell Tommy Sands to RCA. What Tom Hanks Thinks Of His Tom Parker Role . [4] A year later at 18, with enough money to sustain him for a short period, he entered America illegally by jumping ship from his employer's vessel. When critics questioned this arrangement and that Parker was exploiting Presley for more money because of greed, Presley quipped "I could have signed with East Coast Entertainment where they take 70 percent! Colonel Tom Parker was a Dutch-American talent manager and music businessman. According to Priscilla, Elvis was happy to pay 50% to Parker to manage him.[73]. Elvis had just as many white influences and announced as early as seventh grade that he was going to sing at the Grand Ole Opry . According to Presley's friend, Jerry Schilling, Presley was excited about the opportunity to take on a new challenge. Loanne Parker, wife of Colonel Tom Parker, passed away earlier this week.Loanne had a strong connection to Las Vegas, Nevada - even though she was from southern Ohio - and she had an even stronger connection to Elvis. Presley had a singing style different from the current trend, and Parker was immediately interested in the future of this musical style. [citation needed], When Presley died on August 16, 1977, one day before he was due to go out on tour, some accounts suggest Parker acted as if nothing had happened.
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