Many Parker biographers, including Dirk Vellenga and Alanna Nash, have stated that Parker's gambling habit began to get out of control in the mid-1960s. [69] In October 1990, Parker married Loanne Miller, his secretary since 1972. 26 Jun 1909. Upon his return from the Army, Presley appeared on Frank Sinatra's television show. Here are the best information about what was colonel tom parker worth when he died voted by users and compiled by 5 WS, invite you to learn together. In 1969, she was an employee of the International Hotel when Elvis made his record-breaking performances there. "There would have been no Elvis without Colonel Tom Parker; there would have been no Colonel Tom Parker without Elvis. Stick around for t. [43], It took the energetic 1968 television special Elvis, which the Singer Company sponsored, and a subsequent series of acclaimed recording sessions in Memphis, Tennessee, that included songs such as "Suspicious Minds" and "In the Ghetto", to restore Presley's musical reputation. What was Colonel Tom Parker's net worth when he died? Parker's main role during these tours was to plan the logistics and make sure tickets were sold. [53] Promoters in South America also made offers, as much as $2.5 million, and all of them were turned down by Parker; "Well, whenever I need $2.5 million I'll call you," he once said to them. Both Priscilla and Jerry said he was a lovely man". [5] However, Judge Joseph Evans, aware that Lisa Marie Presley was still a minor, appointed attorney Blanchard E. Tual to investigate Parker's management. Colonel Tom Parker was born in Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands in June 1909 and passed away in January 1997. [16] He suggested to Sholes that Sands could record material similar to Presley's style. [34] He was upset about the possibility that would affect his career, but Parker was secretly overjoyed. Parker was also afraid that any attempt to block Presley from being drafted would result in a more detailed look into his own service record. However, he also continued to blow his fortune on his gambling addiction and he died heavily in debt. 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 [33] He also realized that it would be a great opportunity to promote Presley by having the media witness his induction day, including the Army haircut that would see the most famous hair style in the world destroyed.[33]. Tom Parker had a net worth of $8 million at the time of his death. [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. But he had less than $750,000 in his savings account when he died, and his estate was valued at less than $10 million. Colonel Tom Parker was astonished to hear that Elvis Presley was a white man. However, that was not the case since Elvis was still under contract to Bob Neal. [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. [57], Parker set out to protect his future income. [50] In later years, several of Presley's inner circle would tell of how difficult it was to persuade Presley to quit the drugs. You tell everybody the Colonel touched your head." [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. [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. [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. 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. [15], Parker and Neal worked together to promote Presley, using their own Hank Snow Tour to book him and tour him. Subsequently, Parker managed the singer's successful return to live performing, with several dates set up in Las Vegas. Colonel Tom Parker was a Dutch-American talent manager and music businessman. 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. Later, in 1990, Parker married his longtime secretary Loanne Miller. [35] All of these stories were fabrications, but it kept his name in view of the public. Mourners recall being surprised at his wearing a Hawaiian shirt and baseball cap, smoking his trademark cigar, and purposely avoiding the casket. [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. [45], By 1972, Parker had managed to increase Presley's weekly wage in Las Vegas to $150,000 ($971,718 in 2021 dollars[11]), and secured $50,000 a year ($323,906 in 2021 dollars[11]) for himself as a "consultant to the hotel chain". This proved very lucrative, especially when the single for Presley's first film, Love Me Tender, sold over one million copies in advance sales. He realized that by keeping RCA Victor, and more importantly the public, hungry for more Presley material, he would be able to negotiate a better contract when Presley returned from active service. After the Sinatra special, Parker decided that Presley's future lay in Hollywood. [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. [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. Colonel Tom Parker used to earn a good amount of money while he was working for US army. Presley's star continued to rise as Parker signed a merchandising deal with Hank Saperstein to fully commoditize the young singer. [1][4], At age 15, Van Kuijk moved to Rotterdam, gaining employment on boats in the port town. Colonel Tom Parker's House. [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. [16] In the drama, the role of Sands was portrayed as a "twisted psychopath". [6] He was the son of Maria Elisabeth (Ponsie) and Adam van Kuijk. [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. "That didn't come out in this country until 1981." His Dutch birthplace and immigrant status were not revealed for many years. The world's music and pop culture changed forever when the greatest performer of them all joined . His death certificate lists his birth name as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk, his country of birth as the Netherlands, and his citizenship as American. A large part of Tom's net worth he made from his Salary as a Colonel. The talks had included details about European tours, and buying out Presley's contract would not have been a problem for Hulett and his company. In 1953 Parker bought a house in Madison, Tennessee, where Presley would visit and stay while recording. [33] He had arranged for Presley to record five singles before his induction,[35] guaranteeing RCA Victor enough material to release over a two-year period. [44] The tours were so popular and financially successful that they determined Presley's workload for the remainder of his life and career. [14] Parker decided against registering, possibly to prevent his previous Army record from becoming public. Col. Tom Parker, the former carnival barker who helped guide Elvis Presley to stardom, died Tuesday of complications from a . [49] The album was released simultaneously around the world, and went to number 1 on the US charts, the first Presley album to do so since the Roustabout soundtrack, in 1964. In 1980, a judge ordered an investigation into Parker's management practices and found that Parker's management had been unethical. [15], A young singer, Tommy Sands, caught Parker's eye in 1952, and Parker immediately set about promoting him. Frank Sinatra, who had declared Presley a rock and roll disgrace in the 1950s, was keen to have him appear on his show. He first met the future star in 1955, when Elvis was already being managed by the guitarist in his band. He arranged for a screen test with Paramount Pictures, and after impressing them with Presley's acting ability, Presley was signed to a seven-picture contract. He's a very smart man. There were no witnesses and almost no evidence, except that the killer spread pepper on and around the body before fleeing in hopes that police dogs would not pick up the scent. During the week-long visit, Parker was informed by Adam van Kuijk that their mother had died three years earlier in 1958, never knowing what happened to her son after he left the Netherlands for good in 1929. He married his secretary in 1990 (she'd worked for him since 1972). [53] Presley was beginning to consider new management, with Concerts West co-founder Tom Hulett being the clear favorite for the job. Parker returned to the U.S . The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley by Alanna Nash Aurum 19.99, pp394. Returning to music, he began managing such singers as Eddy Arnold and Tommy Sands. Between 1969 and his death on Aug. 16, 1977, Presley played over 600 shows at the Hilton. 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. Then she was hired on as Elvis' tour secretary and traveled . . While working in the circus in 1935, Parker wed Marie Francis Mott. [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. It was also reported that he had up to $ 30 million in gambling debts several times in his life. The next morning he died from complications of the stroke at a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 87. "He fully believed the colonel's story that Parker hailed from Huntington, West Virginia; Elvis died not knowing the truth," she says. [4], In 1935, Parker married 27-year-old Marie Francis Mott. Parker then returned to the Netherlands before going back to the US when he was 19, again illegally. He then re-enlisted at Fort Barrancas in Florida. [60] However, he did occasionally bother them by criticizing some decisions. Part biography, part murder mystery and perhaps the most thoroughly researched . The premises had been ransacked in search of money. Later, in 1983, Parker admitted during an interview that after 1966, the income from Presley films and soundtracks was dramatically reduced. That number is down significantly from an estimated $100 million . Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 02:32, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Tom Parker Is Dead at 87; Controlled Presley's Career", "Colonel Parker Managed Elvis' Career, but Was He a Killer on the Lam? "[42] Parker used the argument that Presley was his only client and he was thus earning only one fee.[42]. He died on Aug. 16, 1977, of a heart attack. Following this, Neal chose not to renew his management contract with Presley, leaving Parker as the singer's sole manager. [33], Presley had been showing signs of rebellion against Parker, and Parker believed that a stint in the Army would cure him of this. [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. For Presley's return in March 1960, Parker had arranged for a train to take him from Washington, D.C., to Memphis, with stops along the way for fans to see their idol in person. During this time, Parker secured him long-term deals with film studios. Colonel Parker died of a stroke on January 22, 1997, aged 87. . In any case, Parker remained Presley's manager without a break until Presley's death in 1977. [15], In early 1955, Parker became aware of a young singer, Elvis Presley. He also became friendly with the estate again, attending special ceremonies and events in Memphis, invited by Priscilla. He also worked to maintain Presley's estate, which was estimated to have cost around $500,000 a year in upkeep. Snow attended the signing, thinking that Elvis had signed a management contract with Jamboree Attractions, which he owned with Parker. Due to his years of excessive spending and being bilked by his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis' estate was . 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. And there certainly would've been no Elvis without Colonel Tom Parker.' And when he said that, I said, 'Oh . Meanwhile, his career began stagnating as the British Invasion took over the United States. Parker appeared to be in complete control during Presley's time away, but he was worried about the outside influence that . [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]. [5] The case against Parker was settled out of court in 1983, with the estate paying him $2 million ($5,441,363 in 2021 dollars[11])[5] in exchange for all Presley audio recordings or visual images that he owned[4] and the termination of his involvement in any Presley related earnings for five years. [48] (During Presley's career, except for a few concerts in Canada in 1957, he never performed outside the United States.) Additional Crew: Spinout. Austin offered Parker the opportunity to move to Nashville, Tennessee, where music was becoming a big business, but for reasons unknown Parker turned him down. By the time Elvis died, the "Can't Help Falling In Love" singer's estate was in poor condition with only about $5 million. Presley remembered the event as one of the worst moments of his career. Parker was able to receive more than half of the income from the enterprise, an unprecedented figure for a music manager. [41] In Houston alone in one afternoon, 40,000 people paid to see it, with one woman offering to have sex with the tour manager if he would allow her to sit in it. Profession: Elvis' manager. [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? There, he worked at carnivals. [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. [18] A one-year management contract with Presley provided Moore with a 10-percent commission, which Moore said he never took. 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%. [15] Despite this, Phillips was not keen to let him go easily, advising Parker that he would require $40,000 (US$404,621 in 2021 dollars[11]) to secure the release of Presley's contract, a completely unheard-of sum at the time. [4], "Colonel Tom Parker rubbed my head in Vegas", Eddie Murphy stated in 1989. Colonel Tom Parker was a Dutch-American talent manager and music businessman. 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. So Where'd All The Money Go??? By Alanna Nash. [4] During his first visit there, he traveled with a Chautauqua educational tent show, before returning briefly to the Netherlands. [50] As well as being their employer and paying their wages, he was also their main source of access to drugs for themselves. According to Alanna Nash, who wrote The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley . 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. Colonel Tom Parker passed away on January 21, 1997 at 87 years old.Colonel Tom Parker Net Worth. A few years after that, he illegally entered the United States by jumping ship from the boat of his employer. Colonel Tom Parker died at the age of 87 years. [49] Sherman had read in news accounts that there was to be no charge for admittance to the concerts, a donation to charity being required instead. [58], Following Presley's death, Parker set up a licensing operation with Factors Etc. Even Tom Hanks thought he was an odd choice to play Elvis Presley's manager Colonel Tom Parker in . In 1973, Parker had one of his greatest coups with Presley's "Aloha from Hawaii" concert, which was broadcast worldwide from Hawaii. Nearly as legendary as his famous client was Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's manager. Parker, who was born in the Netherlands, entered the United States illegally when he was 20 years old. [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. [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. Tom discovered Elvis in 1955 when he was 20, but their partnership wasn't . He also lost a big chunk of Elvis's own money. [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. Elvis Presley & Colonel Parker. [14] In 1945, Parker became Arnold's full-time manager, signing a contract for 25% of his earnings. 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. No, Luhrmann has really framed this through a present-day lens. [31] Parker made sure that the contract allowed Presley the freedom to make at least one film a year with another studio, and also managed to set up an office, with staff, at Paramount. On January 20, 1997, Parker suffered a stroke, and died the following morning in a Las Vegas hospital. [53], From 1974 onward, Presley's weight gain and prescription drug abuse became too much to be controlled. Presley's acting career was originally intended to be a serious one, but after seeing a chance to cross-promote singles and albums with the films, Parker persuaded Presley to sing in his films. Parker was consequently sent to solitary confinement. [4] During the 1960s, with his wife's health deteriorating, and Presley's career struggling, Parker found an escape with gambling at Las Vegas casinos. [9] He began to build up a list of contacts that would prove valuable in later years. "No, he never would have done that," Nash says. [16] Parker had intended to mold Sands into the next Roy Rogers, but Sands had no interest in such a plan. [68] Parker began to distance himself emotionally from her, heartbroken by her slow mental deterioration from the woman he once knew. Parker then managed a series of highly successful tours for Presley. He was best known for being the manager of Elvis Presley. [53] First Artists, not used to such huge demands, didn't put forward a counter-offer and decided instead to offer the role, along with the original salary offer, to Kris Kristofferson, who accepted. 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. Parker appeared to be in complete control during Presley's time away, but he was worried about the outside influence that Presley might encounter in West Germany. "Every entertainer should go to bed at night and pray he . Colonel Tom Parker was best known for being the manager of Elvis Presley. [4] Although Parker had served honorably for a time, he went AWOL this time and was charged with desertion. [29] While Presley was a hit among the youth of America, the middle-aged audiences found him an oddity. [46], On July 8, 1972, inspired by the visit of President Richard Nixon to China a few months earlier,[47] Parker announced that there would be a worldwide satellite broadcast from Hawaii to allow the whole world the chance to see a Presley concert, "since it is impossible for us to play in every major city". 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'. What Tom Hanks Thinks Of His Tom Parker Role . [16] Critics were very positive in their reviews of both the drama and Sands, leading to Capitol Records signing Sands within a week. It took a probate court to remove Parker and his 50% fee from future dealings. [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. At the time of his death in 1997, he was worth $1 million. [48] Two weeks after the Las Vegas press conference Parker received a letter from Honolulu Advertiser columnist Eddie Sherman. He was one of the most influential voices in the industry. Presley had been living with Priscilla Beaulieu, ten years his junior, for the past four years, but it had not been public knowledge. [52], Although many around Presley were worried about his worsening drug dependency, Parker appeared to ignore the problem. That's $35 million (28m) today and considerably less than what they were actually worth. 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. 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. On January 20, 1997, Parker's wife heard a crashing sound from the living room, and found him slumped over in his chair after having a stroke. In 1963, Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's audacious manager who had gotten his start selling candy apples in carnivals, read in the paper that Franklin Delano . Cremated. Little, Brown. "Colonel Tom Parker managed Elvis Presley's career from 1955 to 1977. [44], During a closing night performance on September 3, 1973, following news that a Hilton staff member whom Presley was fond of had been fired, Presley attacked Hilton Hotels chairman Barron Hilton in a verbal rage on stage. Death. During the 1960s, after many years of ill health, Marie began to display signs of dementia. [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. 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. In 1994, following the marriage of Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson, Parker stated that Presley would not have approved. Asked by a journalist what he would do now, Parker responded: "Why, I'll just go right on managing 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. [60] Part of this role resulted in Parker keeping the same fourth-floor suite he occupied when Presley was alive. Although Parker infrequently saw Presley over the ensuing years, he remained his manager until Presley's passing in 1977. and he was hired as a hotel consultant for $50,000 per year (323,906 in 2021 dollars). Adam van Kuijk died from emphysema in 1992, never seeing or visiting Parker again.[63]. [52] After nearly two weeks of trading insults back and forth, Parker and Presley decided to continue to work together. Between 1969 and 1972 alone, RCA released three albums of live material. 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. With no touring or public appearances to be made, Parker was able to keep costs to a minimum. "[70], Songwriter Mac Davis recounted a similar experience where Parker rubbed his head and declared "You're going to be a star. [41], On January 2, 1967, Parker re-negotiated his managerial/agent contract with Presley, persuading him to increase Parker's share from 25% to 50% on certain transactions.