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. Thomas Andrew Parker (born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk; June 26, 1909 - January 21, 1997), commonly known as Colonel Parker, was a Dutch musical entrepreneur, best known for being Elvis Presley's manager.. Parker, who was born in the Netherlands, entered the United States illegally when he was 20 years old. Instead, Parker sent demonstration recordings to record producer Steve Sholes at RCA Victor. [61], As Presley's fame grew, people became interested in Parker as well. [7] As a boy, he worked as a barker at carnivals in his hometown, learning many of the skills that he would require later while working in the entertainment industry. Colonel Tom Parker died on January 21, 1997 at the age of 87. [58], Following Presley's death, Parker set up a licensing operation with Factors Etc. He was punished with solitary confinement, from which he emerged with a psychosis that led to him spending two months in a mental hospital,[4] and he was discharged from the Army because of his mental condition. This led Parker to insist that films be made cheaply, on a strict schedule, and with as little hassle as possible. In 1994, following the marriage of Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson, Parker stated that Presley would not have approved. 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. [50] As well as being their employer and paying their wages, he was also their main source of access to drugs for themselves. In 1935, while travelling with a circus, Parker met and married 27-year-old Marie Francis Mott. [44] At the time, Presley's back catalog was not considered very important and RCA initially calculated it at being worth much less, but in later years it would become one of the most valuable record catalogs in the music business. And there certainly would've been no Elvis without Colonel Tom Parker.' And when he said that, I said, 'Oh . [15] Both Mercury Records and Columbia Records showed interest, although their initial offers were nowhere near the $40,000 requirement. [15] However, Parker remained involved in many of Arnold's live tours and demanded a buyout of $50,000 (US$506,405 in 2021 dollars[11]) to settle their contract. What was Colonel Tom Parker worth when he died? Inc.[4] However, because Parker was still entitled to 50% of all Presley's income, and after taxes were taken off, the overall amount going towards the upkeep of the estate was less than $1 million a year.[4]. Parker encountered Presley in 1955, and by 1956 had become his primary representative. . The 30th Anniversary of the death of Elvis' father, Vernon Presley. Death. [41] With Priscilla's father dropping heavy hints, and fear that their relationship might become public beforehand, Parker persuaded Presley that he should make an "honest woman" of her in the very near future. In 1973, Colonel Parker sold the master tapes for 700 of Presley's songs to RCA for $5.4 million. In 1968, Presley achieved renewed fame when he starred in the NBC television special "Elvis." [53] Several members of Presley's band later stated that Parker had no idea just how bad the situation was getting. Soon, he secured Presley a record deal with RCA Victor. The sale of the back catalog to RCA meant that after his death, Presley's estate would not receive any royalties for any Presley recordings made prior to 1973. Elvis Presley & Colonel Parker. He feels exploited and fires Parker on the stage during his Las Vegas show. [21] In return for a larger financial stake in the deal, Neal agreed not to renew his management contract with Presley after it expired in March 1956,[22] allowing Parker the opportunity to claim the job for himself. 4. 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. It was also reported that he had up to $ 30 million in gambling debts several times in his life. [14] The job not only offered him a secure wage, it also offered a rent-free apartment above the Humane Society in a remote part of West Tampa for him and his family. Picture: Getty Parker managed the Presley estate for the rest of his life, but he had also sold the rights to Presley's early recordings. [26] He had even come up with the idea to market "I Hate Elvis" badges. For two years he served in the 64th Coast Artillery at Fort Shafter in Hawaii. [53], From 1974 onward, Presley's weight gain and prescription drug abuse became too much to be controlled. [15] RCA made it clear it were unwilling to go above $25,000 for a practically unknown singer,[15] but Parker persuaded them that Presley was no ordinary unknown singer. [citation needed], For the remainder of Presley's life, Parker saw little of him. His death certificate lists his birth name as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk, his country of birth as . In the 60s, Mott started showing signs of dementia, causing Parker to distance himself from her and find refuge in gambling. There, he worked at carnivals. As per reports, Colonel Tom Parker's Cause of Death was revealed that he died of stroke . Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis's manager from 1955 to his death in 1977, earned an estimated $50 million from the singer's estate. Loanne was born on July 11, 1935 in Covington, Ohio to Paul E. an With Parker's help, Presley signed a recording contract with RCA Victor, leading to his commercial breakthrough in 1956 with his sixth single "Heartbreak Hotel" and propelling him to become one of the most popular and commercially successful entertainers in the world. Colonel Tom Parker was astonished to hear that Elvis Presley was a white man. The world's music and pop culture changed forever when the greatest performer of them all joined . No, he didn't. That's the kicker. Following this, Presley's career declined drastically as he became increasingly reliant on prescription drugs. He said 'Did I really?' Parker appeared to be in complete control during Presley's time away, but he was worried about the outside influence that . According to Alanna Nash, who wrote The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley . Parker decided that Las Vegas was the perfect place to do it,[41] and on May 1, 1967, the couple were married in a ceremony that lasted only eight minutes and had a handful of guests. Elvis is signed exclusively to the Colonel. [16] He suggested to Sholes that Sands could record material similar to Presley's style. [16] In the drama, the role of Sands was portrayed as a "twisted psychopath". [50] In later years, several of Presley's inner circle would tell of how difficult it was to persuade Presley to quit the drugs. 21 Jan 1997 (aged 87) Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, USA. [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. [13] Within a year, he had the opportunity to become a legal citizen of the United States a new law allowed illegal aliens the chance to become citizens in return for their promise to fight for the country during World War II, if required. Additional Crew: Spinout. By 1984, with his gambling debts reportedly rising again, he was evicted. He was subsequently in "Loving You," "Jailhouse Rock," and "King Creole." [62], One of Parker's brothers, Adam "Ad" van Kuijk, visited Parker once in Los Angeles in April 1961. He then re-enlisted at Fort Barrancas in Florida. After being discharged, Parker returned to carnival work, working as a carnie with Royal American Shows from 1931 to 1938. The interviews of Elvis' Parents are well worth hearing too . [4] By this time, with the IRS demanding almost $15 million in taxes, the estate was facing bankruptcy. . to control the singer's merchandise. [69] In October 1990, Parker married Loanne Miller, his secretary since 1972. Luhrmann hasn't really . And now I need to locate my wallet, because I noticed there was no ticket booth on the way in here, but I'm sure that the Colonel must have arranged for some toll on the way out. 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. [33] Parker, on the other hand, was fully aware that any special treatment given to Presley would instantly be used against him in the media and by those who disliked his style of music. For his part, Parker himself died with a net worth of $1 million, or roughly . [60] On the surface, however, relations between the two were as good as ever, with Parker helping the Hilton to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Presley's death. Colonel Tom Parker passed away on January 21, 1997 at 87 years old.Colonel Tom Parker Net Worth. [35] All of these stories were fabrications, but it kept his name in view of the public. But behind the music, behind th. [55] Worried about the impact such details might have on his career, Presley, through his father, asked Parker to stop the publication. [26] With over 78 different possibilities, from charm bracelets to record players, Presley merchandise brought in $22 million by the end of 1956. [53] Presley was beginning to consider new management, with Concerts West co-founder Tom Hulett being the clear favorite for the job. He is also said to have had gambling debts of up to $30 million at different times. The premises had been ransacked in search of money. Col. Tom Parker, the former carnival barker who helped guide Elvis Presley to stardom, died Tuesday of complications from a . 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! [59] Due to an ill-advised agreement between Parker and Presley that gave RCA sole ownership of all his recording royalties prior to 1973, the estate was relying heavily on the income from Factors Etc. Their's was probably the most unique artist-manager relationship ever in show business, clearly one of the most successful. Parker then managed a series of highly successful tours for Presley. Following the success of Presley's Las Vegas return, Parker signed a contract with the International Hotel to guarantee Presley would play a month-long engagement for $125,000 a week ($974,043 in 2021 dollars[11]), an unheard-of sum at the time. Tom Hanks describes the larger-than-life character he portrays in the new Baz Luhrmann film, "Elvis," which opens in theaters next Friday. [15], A young singer, Tommy Sands, caught Parker's eye in 1952, and Parker immediately set about promoting him. . [19][20] Part of Parker's role was to secure a new recording contract with a bigger label. [15] However, RCA Victor producer Steve Sholes was convinced that Presley's style of music would be a huge hit with the right label, and he began talks with Parker. He said 'Well then there ain't no doubt about it. To hide that he was an illegal immigrant, he adopted the name Tom Parker, which was the name of the officer who interviewed him. But he had less than $750,000 in his savings account when he died, and his estate was valued at less than $10 million. 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'. Parker, who was born in the Netherlands, entered the United States illegally when he was 20 years old. Nor did he ever suggest onstage that he knew of the colonel's immigration issues. After Presley showed signs of rebellion again in 1966 and because of his flagging career, Parker decided that it was time for a new approach: marriage. These four shows alone grossed $730,000 ($4,729,029 in 2021 dollars[11]). Parker's net worth when he died was $1 million. [15] Eventually, Parker began getting more involved in music promotion again, this time for himself rather than the Society. [35] He sent Presley's friends to keep him company, arranged for business associates to watch over him while they were working in Europe, and kept in regular contact with him. The contract, dated July 12, 1954, eight days after their first recording session, was signed by Presley and his parents. What was Colonel Tom Parker worth when he died? The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley by Alanna Nash Aurum 19.99, pp394. "He fully believed the colonel's story that Parker hailed from Huntington, West Virginia; Elvis died not knowing the truth," she says. He was one of the most influential voices in the industry. While Presley was serving in West Germany, Parker was hard at work keeping Presley's name known to the public. [4] He would often spend 1214 hours at a time gambling in the casinos, betting large sums. During the interview, Parker said that he was not aware that another one of his sisters, Adriana van Kuijk, had died in the Netherlands a few years before. He adopted a new name and claimed to have been born in the United States. Returning to music, he began managing such singers as Eddy Arnold and Tommy Sands. 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. "[24], With his first RCA Victor single, "Heartbreak Hotel", in 1956,[25] Presley became a recording star. [37] Parker, not one to forget harsh criticism, stated that the fee would be $125,000 (equivalent to about $1,145,000 in 2021) for two songs, a total of eight minutes on screen; Sinatra himself was receiving a lower sum for the whole show,[38] but he agreed. None of the rules of the relationship was operative any longer, yet neither had the courage to walk away, for a variety of reasons." [12] Parker, with the task of promoting Austin, found the career transition smooth, using much of his "carny" experience to sell tickets and attract the crowds. Blues," "Wild in the Country," "Blue Hawaii," "Viva Las Vegas," "Paradise, Hawaiian Style," "Clambake," and "Change of Habit." [56] Shortly afterward, he traveled to Memphis for Presley's funeral. Colonel Tom Parker was a Dutch-American talent manager and musical entrepreneur who had a net worth of $1 million at the time of his death in 1997. Into his late 80s, Colonel Tom Parker began to struggle with various illnesses including diabetes and gout. [53] Parker, who had always dealt with Presley's film contracts and viewed the offer as a starting bid to earning more money, instead asked for a salary $1 million ($5,035,869 in 2021 dollars[11]), 50% of the profits, plus another $100,000 ($503,587 in 2021 dollars[11]) for expenses, and spoke of needing to arrange details of a soundtrack deal. [4] He enlisted in the United States Army a few months later, taking the name "Tom Parker" from the same name of the officer who interviewed him, to disguise the fact he was an illegal alien. She said she was at home with him when he had his stroke. [18] A one-year management contract with Presley provided Moore with a 10-percent commission, which Moore said he never took. Phillips told them to make a separate deal with Elvis. In the 1950s, he helped Elvis Presley become a big star. Elvis Presley shot to stardom as a rock 'n roll legend, a legacy that still continues almost 50 years after the King's death. Parker was looking ahead when he persuaded Presley to sign up as a Soldier. In 1969, she was an employee of the International Hotel when Elvis made his record-breaking performances there. [53] Parker later claimed that Presley had asked him to make the contract so demanding so that they would not offer him the part, although many of Presley's friends have contradicted Parker's statement because they had said Presley was furious at losing the role.[53]. When provided, we also incorporate private tips and feedback received from the celebrities or their representatives. Despite earning over $100 million during his lifetime, at the time of his death Colonel Tom Parker was reportedly worth less than $1 million. Burial. Parker privately acknowledged his brother and even introduced him to Presley. [43] A breakfast reception was arranged, taking place after the media got their photographs of the couple. He also reportedly had as much as $30 million worth of gambling debts at various times in his life. Parker hoped that marriage would not only boost Presley's career but also possibly tame him. During this part of Presley's career, Parker and Presley agreed to a 50/50 "partnership", which, with Parker controlling merchandising and other non-music related items, resulted in Parker earning more than his client. Colonel Tom Parker used to earn a good amount of money while he was working for US army. The Amazing ComebackOf Colonel Tom Parker. 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. The truth about his early years was revealed in 1960 when one of Parker's sisters, Nel Dankers-van Kuijk, living in the Netherlands, recognized him in photographs standing next to Presley. So Where'd All The Money Go??? 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. And the value of his estate at the time of his death in 1997? You tell everybody the Colonel touched your head." RCA was eager for Presley to record in West Germany, but Parker insisted that it would ruin his reputation as a regular soldier if he was able to go into a recording studio. According to Biography, Presley's father let Colonel Tom Parker have the run of things for two more years, but after the elder Presley also died in 1979, things got complicated for the manager. Meanwhile, his gambling habit increasingly eroded the huge fortune he had built up, and he died worth only US$1,000,000. In any case, Parker remained Presley's manager without a break until Presley's death in 1977. In 1973, Parker had one of his greatest coups with Presley's "Aloha from Hawaii" concert, which was broadcast worldwide from Hawaii. "[52], Parker accepted that their working relationship was over, Parker telling them over the phone that Dr. Nick's services are no longer required, and demanded that Presley pay him $2 million to end their contract; money Parker claimed he was owed. Tom Hanks took on the role of the so-called villain. 1. James L. Dickerson's book "Colonel Tom Parker: The . Parker was still worried that Presley would return to nothing, that the public would have found a new star to fawn over by then, and that his golden goose would be reduced to nothing more than a "has-been".[35]. He wasn't a colonel and he wasn't even born in America. But Col Thomas Andrew Parker - the all-American father figure - wasn't the first to discover Elvis. Colonel Tom Parker was Elvis Presley's manager for more than 20 years, and was with him when he died on August 16, 1977. . I said, 'Yeah, you rubbed my head.' 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 . [16], Regardless of the success that Parker and Presley had achieved, Parker was still struggling to believe that Presley's career would last longer than a year or two. Parker held another press conference on September 4, 1972, in Las Vegas to confirm that the concert, now titled Aloha from Hawaii, would be broadcast on January 14, 1973. He completed basic training at Fort McPherson in Atlanta, Georgia.[4]. [55] Although Parker publicly denied these claims, he had been in talks with Peter Grant, the manager of Led Zeppelin, about the possibility of him overseeing a European tour for Presley. In January 1979, it was discovered that Presley had lost out on royalties for songs on which he had been listed as an author or composer because Parker had unwisely advised him not to sign up to ASCAP or its younger competitor, BMI. The Colonel was involved in Elvis' music career from very early on. According to several people who knew Presley at the time, the talks with Hulett got so far along that it seemed almost inevitable the deal would be done. Tom discovered Elvis in 1955 when he was 20, but their partnership wasn't . 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." Attorney Blanchard E. Tual concluded that Parker's deal of taking 50% of the singer's profits was extortionate, as the industry standard was closer to 15-20%. . After the special, Parker managed Presley's return to live performance, including a set of brief U.S. tours and many engagements in Las Vegas. [53] Streisand's production company, First Artists, offered Presley a salary of $500,000 ($2,517,934 in 2021 dollars[11]) and 10% of the profits. [56] Other accounts suggest he slumped in his chair at his office, muttered, "Oh, dear God", and then quickly phoned Vernon Presley, where Parker advised Presley's father that his son's image needed to be protected. [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". ", "Photos: Elvis Presley and Colonel Tom Parker", https://www.elvis.com.au/presley/a-new-light-on-colonel-tom-parker.shtml, "A Larger-Than-Life Look at a Larger-Than-Life Star", "Meet the Fifth (Jewish) Beatle Manager Brian Epstein", "The All American Boy: Enter Elvis and the rock-a-billies", Tom Parker collection and interviews with co workers, ED Bonja Interview Elvis Photographer - the Elvis Information Network exclusive. This proved very lucrative, especially when the single for Presley's first film, Love Me Tender, sold over one million copies in advance sales. p. 258.
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