"[24], With his first RCA Victor single, "Heartbreak Hotel", in 1956,[25] Presley became a recording star. But behind the music, behind th. [4], "Colonel Tom Parker rubbed my head in Vegas", Eddie Murphy stated in 1989. A carnival worker by background, Parker moved into music promotion in 1938, working with one of the first popular crooners, Gene Austin, and then country music singers Eddy Arnold, Hank Snow, and Tommy Sands in his early career. [4] It was later revealed that Presley owned 22% of the company, Parker owned 56%, and the final 22% was made up of various business associates. The King supposedly earned $100 million during his limelighted lifetime, which ended 10 years ago today. 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. [39], For the remainder of the 1960s, Presley made films that relied heavily on exotic locations and mundane songs, and he was tied into contracts that he could not escape. A large part of Tom's net worth he made from his Salary as a Colonel. [44] These live performances, as well as being financially satisfying, also allowed Parker to fulfill Presley's recording contract with RCA Victor. Just the opposite. [67] It is also recorded that Marie did not divorce her second husband until 1936, and her brother, Bitsy, recalled no ceremony of marriage between Parker and Marie. Nor did he ever suggest onstage that he knew of the colonel's immigration issues. This led Parker to insist that films be made cheaply, on a strict schedule, and with as little hassle as possible. [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. . But the Colonel quickly got to work, starting as Elvis' advisor before they signed a contract giving him sole rights . "[42] Parker used the argument that Presley was his only client and he was thus earning only one fee.[42]. Meanwhile, his career began stagnating as the British Invasion took over the United States. [33] If Presley could show the world that he the same as any other young man, Parker told him, then more people would accept him and his music. Colonel Tom Parker was born in Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands in June 1909 and passed away in January 1997. [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. But this guy is like eighty years old too old to be taught the limits of racism He probably doesn't realize how horrible a thing that was to do. [6] He was the son of Maria Elisabeth (Ponsie) and Adam van Kuijk. [53] According to Parker himself, he did privately attempt to talk to his client a number of times about the matter, but allegedly every time Parker casually told Presley to quit or at least tone it down with the pill popping and binge eating, Presley would respond by telling Parker to stay out of his personal business. Between 1969 and 1972 alone, RCA released three albums of live material. [48] The press were told that an audience of one billion was expected to tune in to see the "first entertainment special to be broadcast live around the world",[48] although Parker had not taken into account the fact that many countries, including parts of Europe and America, would not see the concert live due to the time of the broadcast. Later, in 1990, Parker married his longtime secretary Loanne Miller. Parker did not appear to care if the films were good or bad but only about the profits. [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. Col. Tom Parker dies. [41] Selling it to RCA for $24,000 ($200,443 in 2021 dollars[11]), it was used to promote Presley's latest film, Frankie & Johnny. Their's was probably the most unique artist-manager relationship ever in show business, clearly one of the most successful. [4] He would often spend 1214 hours at a time gambling in the casinos, betting large sums. In 1958, Presley received his draft notice from the US Army. "[27][28], Parker signed a deal with Beverly Hills film merchandiser Hank Saperstein for nearly $40,000 to turn Presley into a brand name. And the value of his estate at the time of his death in 1997? Presley went on to star in 27 films during the decade, including "G.I. June 30, 2022. [65] Unbeknown to Parker at the time, she had a second son from her first marriage, but had given him up for adoption at birth due to his disability (a club foot). [53] Parker turned the offer down, and Presley was overjoyed when they replied with another offer of $10 million. However, that was not the case since Elvis was still under contract to Bob Neal. 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. Specifically: The services for Tom Parker were held at Palm Mortuary Downtown location, but his cremains were taken to Memphis, TN and the mortuary has no record of the exact location. However, other friends and members of Presley's entourage have stood by the suggestion that Parker didn't want to admit there was such a problem because he didn't know how to deal with it, and he was also worried about any negative publicity it would create. When he came out, he suffered from a psychosis that led to a brief stay at a mental ward, causing him to be discharged from the Army. [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. He completed basic training at Fort McPherson in Atlanta, Georgia.[4]. At the time of his death in 1997, he was worth $1 million. The premises had been ransacked in search of money. However, it would be a quiet wedding. [35] Parker had declined to travel to Europe, denying that he spoke any language other than English. You tell everybody the Colonel touched your head." [60], The disputes with the Presley estate did not terminate Parker's association with Presley. Parker continued to manage the Presley estate, but he had sold the rights to Elvis's early recordings, which would have ensured a steady income. The opposing counsel responded by presenting into evidence a copy of Parker's U.S. Army enlistment form which stated, through a legal loophole, that because Parker signed his enlistment papers under his alias "Thomas Andrew Parker" and once he took the oath by swearing allegiance to the United States of America, he unofficially renounced his Dutch citizenship, although it is claimed that he died a Dutch citizen. [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. He also became friendly with the estate again, attending special ceremonies and events in Memphis, invited by Priscilla. For all intents and purposes, this should have made Elvis Presley a very wealthy man, yet when he passed away in 1977, the King was down to his last $1million and prior to his death The Colonel . At the time of his death, Elvis was only worth . . [17] In the beginning, Presley, Moore, and the bassist Bill Black were a trio, the Blue Moon Boys. "He fully believed the colonel's story that Parker hailed from Huntington, West Virginia; Elvis died not knowing the truth," she says. [4], Parker had worked as a "consultant" for Hilton Hotels since Presley's death,[60] with some believing he was working to pay off debts owed to the casino from his gambling during Presley's performances there. [68] From then on, he continued living in Las Vegas, mostly avoiding contact with the press. Parker began 1956 intending to bring his new star to the national stage. Then she was hired on as Elvis' tour secretary and traveled . 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 . Following this, Neal chose not to renew his management contract with Presley, leaving Parker as the singer's sole manager. A few actors have tackled Parker on screen, most notably Beau Bridges in 1993s "Elvis and the Colonel: The Untold Story" and Randy Quaid in the 2005 miniseries "Elvis." Colonel Tom Parker acted as Presley's promoter and, then manager and promoter, for most of his career. 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. [52] Angered by this outburst, Parker declared: "You can't fire me. Parker made several attempts to have it stopped, but failed to do so. Presley's career stagnated while artists like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys dominated the charts. 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. Their instincts were proven right; the TV special proved an enormous hit, and the album that was released featuring performances from the special became a best-seller, but the comeback special was interrupted when Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated on June 5, 1968. In the 1950s, he helped Elvis Presley become a big star. Let's find out. Presley went on to star in "Love Me Tender," which spawned his eponymous hit single. [1][4], At age 15, Van Kuijk moved to Rotterdam, gaining employment on boats in the port town. [26] Parker, with his 25% share of profits, found ways to make money from his artist that other managers before him had never thought of. He had expressed interest in making films when he first met Parker, and now Parker was working to make that happen. 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. In later years, Parker's influence waned, but he continued in his management role until Presley's death in 1977. What was Colonel Tom Parker worth when he died? [50] As well as being their employer and paying their wages, he was also their main source of access to drugs for themselves. That number is down significantly from an estimated $100 million . In 1935, while travelling with a circus, Parker met and married 27-year-old Marie Francis Mott. Parker was able to receive more than half of the income from the enterprise, an unprecedented figure for a music manager. In 1994, following the marriage of Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson, Parker stated that Presley would not have approved. [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. On March 26, 1956, after Presley's management contract with Neal expired, Presley signed a contract with Parker that made him his exclusive representative. Loanne was born on July 11, 1935 in Covington, Ohio to Paul E. an When provided, we also incorporate private tips and feedback received from the celebrities or their representatives. [56] Shortly afterward, he traveled to Memphis for Presley's funeral. [55] According to Presley's friend, Larry Geller, Parker secretly wanted the book to be published, hoping that it would help Presley realize the severity of his situation and persuade him to do something about it. Additional Crew: Spinout. [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. [51] In her book, The Colonel, she writes: "in the days before the Betty Ford Clinic, the Colonel didn't know where to take him for discreet, effective help and loathed risking the loss of work if the truth got out". [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. [62], One of Parker's brothers, Adam "Ad" van Kuijk, visited Parker once in Los Angeles in April 1961. The singer was raking in cash hand over fist from these engagements, but he found them artistically . [16] He arranged live appearances and became something of a father figure to the then-15-year-old Sands. He negotiated Presley's lucrative merchandising deals, TV appearances, and acting roles in films. The King of Rock 'n' Roll's only daughter inherited his iconic Graceland estate and was once married to Michael Jackson and Nicolas Cage - but now she's reportedly US$16 million in debt Colonel Tom Parker was a Dutch-American talent manager and music businessman. He cared about making sure that his boy didn't just have a million dollars worth of talent . Austin had spent much of his fortune on partying, cars, mansions, and women, and his popularity had been eclipsed by other singers, such as Bing Crosby. After a heated argument between the two, Presley told Parker he was fired. [68] Parker began to distance himself emotionally from her, heartbroken by her slow mental deterioration from the woman he once knew. [53] Despite this, however, the deal never materialized. Elvis' estate, on the other hand, reportedly owed the Las Vegas . [53] Seeing it as a chance to finally be taken seriously as an actor, Presley agreed to take the role if the contracts could be worked out. [37] For the first few years Presley's films were somewhat successful, his albums topped the charts, and any singles that were released were mostly hits. Colonel Tom Parker passed away on January 21, 1997 at 87 years old.Colonel Tom Parker Net Worth. So Where'd All The Money Go??? A few years after that, he illegally entered the United States by jumping ship from the boat of his employer. Instead, he found employment as a field agent with a local animal shelter, the Hillsborough County Humane Society. While Presley was serving in West Germany, Parker was hard at work keeping Presley's name known to the public. The Wanted singer Tom Parker has died from a brain tumour at the age of 33. This was, with hindsight, a mistake on his part; if he had negotiated each deal separately based on the profits of the previous film, he could have received more money. 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. His films still made money and his albums still sold well, but the profits were falling. 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]. [4] From about 1931 until 1938, he worked as a "carny" with Royal American Shows. 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. 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. Elvis is signed exclusively to the Colonel. [67] According to interviews given by Parker to the Associated Press many years later, he and Marie were married in Tampa, Florida, during the winter of 1932,[67] but the Florida Office of Vital Statistics had no record of such a marriage any time between 1927 and 1946. "Colonel Tom Parker managed Elvis Presley's career from 1955 to 1977. Both Priscilla and Jerry said he was a lovely man". During this time, Parker secured him long-term deals with film studios. Parker appeared to be in complete control during Presley's time away, but he was worried about the outside influence that . 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. [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. "Last Train to Memphis". Colonel Tom Parker made more than $100 million in his lifetime, but when he died, he was reportedly worth less than $1 million. He died on 21 January 1997 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Parker then managed a series of highly successful tours for Presley. "No, he never would have done that," Nash says. [69] In October 1990, Parker married Loanne Miller, his secretary since 1972. [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. ", "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.