At the time of Presley's death in 1977, it was suspected that Parker owed the Las Vegas Hilton over $30 million ($134,151,565 in 2021 dollars[11]) in gambling losses. The Tom Hanks Tom Parker portrayal has caused quite a bit of controversy upon the film's release. [6] He was the son of Maria Elisabeth (Ponsie) and Adam van Kuijk. Parker encouraged Presley to make film musicals which became the focus of his career during his commercial decline in the 1960s until his 1968 comeback and return to touring. According to Priscilla, Elvis was happy to pay 50% to Parker to manage him.[73]. Their's was probably the most unique artist-manager relationship ever in show business, clearly one of the most successful. Potomac, was going to be salvaged. The two had become almost strangers, and false reports in the media suggested that Presley's contract was up for sale. [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. [15] Parker and Snow eventually formed Hank Snow Enterprises and Jamboree Attractions, a successful promotional outfit for up-and-coming country singers. Never one to miss an opportunity to make money off of his prized client, Colonel Tom Parker jumped on Elvis' death as a marketing cash grab. [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. [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. Although from the Netherlands originally, actor Tom Hanks' Parker had a Southern-style accent due to a huge chunk of his life being spent there, but it was more of a mixture with his native Dutch accent. 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. By this time, Parker was aware that Presley needed a rest from touring and the chance to deal with his prescription drug addictions. But according to Alanna Nashwho spent time with the real Colonel in the '90sthere were times when he was just as scary as what you see onscreen. Guralnick, Peter (1994). Parker realized early on the bigger potential of Austin Butler's Elvis and transitioned to managing him full-time. [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". [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. [55] The book was published one year later on July 12, 1977, one month before Presley's death. In 1967, Parker pushed Elvis to marry Priscilla Beaulieu, hoping that it would help change the tide of his career. After Elvis's drug-related death in 1977, Parker virtually retired and only occasionally emerged to defend his role as Presley's mentor. [46] Originally planned as three performances, demand was so high that Parker decided to add a fourth performance, making Presley the first performer to sell out the venue four consecutive times. Paul Shirey is a senior news writer for Screen Rant. [58], Following Presley's death, Parker set up a licensing operation with Factors Etc. [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. So the uncompromising Colonel told her that Elvis couldn't cover the track as those were the terms. 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. In 1935, while travelling with a circus, Parker met and married 27-year-old Marie Francis Mott. After a lifetime of earning well over $100 million managing Elvis, The Colonel's estate was barely worth $1 million upon his death. [8] This may have motivated Parker to avoid seeking a passport, as the Netherlands has an active extradition treaty with the United States, and he may have wanted to avoid criminal arrest by Dutch authorities. [4] During his first visit there, he traveled with a Chautauqua educational tent show, before returning briefly to the Netherlands. [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. It was in 1948 that Parker pulled off one of his most inspired "snow-jobs" when he persuaded Jimmie Davis, former country-singer turned Governor of Louisiana, to grant him the honorary title of "Colonel". [26] With over 78 different possibilities, from charm bracelets to record players, Presley merchandise brought in $22 million by the end of 1956. [16] NBC had originally wanted Presley for the role, but Parker had turned them down. [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, who was born in the Netherlands, entered the United States illegally when he was 20 years old. In the early days of their marriage, Marie and Parker worked together in the carnivals. What Really Happened To Colonel Tom Parker? [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. Known for his keen promotion and merchandising savvy, Parker, or "the Snowman," would help to make Elvis a household name, putting the singer on everything from lunch boxes to board games to trading cards and beyond. "[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. 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. The actor has talked about the project, what drew him to it, and how he felt about the overall story. Parker's net worth when he died was $1 million. He was 87. [15] As Presley was still a minor, his parents had to sign the contract with Parker on his behalf. [53] Several members of Presley's band later stated that Parker had no idea just how bad the situation was getting. 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. Before getting into the relationship between the King and his manager, a quick crash course in the pre-Elvis life of Colonel Tom Parker is in order and hoo boy, what a life it was. In 1983, he was paid $2 million dollars in an out-of-court settlement, which had him turn over any and all audio and video recordings he had of Elvis and terminated his involvement in any Elvis-related earnings for five years. He was 87 years old at the age of his death. Presley had a singing style different from the current trend, and Parker was immediately interested in the future of this musical style. [16] In the drama, the role of Sands was portrayed as a "twisted psychopath". However, Hanks, who has six prior nominations and won twice, was snubbed for his role as Colonel Tom Parker. [9] He began to build up a list of contacts that would prove valuable in later years. [4][5] Tual, once appointed as Lisa Marie's guardian ad litem, chose to investigate the entire period of Parker's management of Presley; his preliminary finding was that Parker's management deal of 50% was extortionate compared to the industry average of 1520%. Here's why Colonel Tom Parker is so controversial. He is passionate about film, comics, TV and spends way too much on collectibles. [51], After the Aloha special, Parker made a deal that would later be used in court to prove that he had not acted in the best interests of Presley. More: Does Elvis Have An After Credits Scene? [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. On January 20, 1997, Parker suffered a stroke. During the 1960s, after many years of ill health, Marie began to display signs of dementia. [4][5] Parker's final years were spent living in Las Vegas, in increasingly poor health before his death in 1997. Colonel Tom Parker, as played by Tom Hanks in Elvis, was the controversial manager of singer Elvis Presley (played by Austin Butler) with a mysterious past who had a key role in both The King's . [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. These four shows alone grossed $730,000 ($4,729,029 in 2021 dollars[11]). You read that right, $146.6 million dollars. While the . [16] Parker had intended to mold Sands into the next Roy Rogers, but Sands had no interest in such a plan. [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. "[72] She reiterated her positive opinion to Tom Hanks in 2022 when the actor prepared to play Parker for Elvis (2022). I said 'Yeah'. The claim of Parker's Dutch heritage was publicly confirmed when Parker unsuccessfully tried to avert a lawsuit brought against him in 1982 by asserting in open court that he was a Dutch citizen. 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. PIONEERING EARLY MANAGEMENT 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. Baz Luhrmann's musical biopic Elvis explores the eponymous singer's career, leading up to his tragic death, and one of the characters that has caused a fair amount of controversy is Elvis and the Colonel, Tom Parker. [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. For his part, Parker himself died with a net worth of $1 million, or roughly . His Dutch birthplace and immigrant status were not revealed for many years. Dutch-born US musical entrepreneur (19091997). Parker had unknowingly backed himself into a financial corner. Tom Parker didn't enjoy a good reputation even after being associated with one of the legendary artists that history has ever seen. [4] By this time, with the IRS demanding almost $15 million in taxes, the estate was facing bankruptcy. His death certificate lists his birth name as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk, his country of birth as the Netherlands, and his citizenship as American. The Colonel seized on the moment and put Elvis back on tour, eventually settling on a residency in Las Vegas and a non-stop barrage of venues and recordings that took the singer to the brink, as he deteriorated into a mockery of his former self. [26] Presley said of Parker: "I don't think I would have ever been very big if it wasn't for him. [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. [17] In the beginning, Presley, Moore, and the bassist Bill Black were a trio, the Blue Moon Boys. [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. 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. Despite the shady financial dealings Parker maintained with Presley, his net worth when he died was much less than that of Elvis, who died with a . I quit! He was a heavier-set man with balding hair and frequently wore a fedora and a suit of some type, sometimes made of gaudy designs to help promote something. 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. [72], His funeral was held at the Hilton Hotel and was attended by a handful of friends and former associates, including Eddy Arnold and Sam Phillips. [4], In 1935, Parker married 27-year-old Marie Francis Mott. For the rest of his life, Parker managed the Presley estate. [citation needed], For the remainder of Presley's life, Parker saw little of him. [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. . 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. [48] Two weeks after the Las Vegas press conference Parker received a letter from Honolulu Advertiser columnist Eddie Sherman. [65] Marie was one of six children,[65] had been married twice before, and had a son from her first marriage. [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. what happened to jackie bradley in heartbeat. [44] These live performances, as well as being financially satisfying, also allowed Parker to fulfill Presley's recording contract with RCA Victor. However, Parker claimed that his issue with overseas performances was over security issues, as well as poor venues not suitable for the star's stature. [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. With more and more fans learning about Presley and his legacy, many are developing an intense curiosity about those in the King's inner circle. [50] However, it wasn't long before Presley was able to find other doctors to meet his demands. Dolly admitted: "I cried all night. This proved very lucrative, especially when the single for Presley's first film, Love Me Tender, sold over one million copies in advance sales. [33] Presley had wanted to join Special Services, allowing him the opportunity to perform while at the same time getting an easier ride than other soldiers. In January 1997, Parker suffered from a stroke and died the next day in a hospital in Las Vegas at the age of 87. [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. [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 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]. [50] As well as being their employer and paying their wages, he was also their main source of access to drugs for themselves. [62], One of Parker's brothers, Adam "Ad" van Kuijk, visited Parker once in Los Angeles in April 1961. 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. 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. After a heated argument between the two, Presley told Parker he was fired. At the time of his death, Parker was suffering with diabetes, gout, and various other health problems. [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. 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. It's one of only a very few villainous roles that Hanks has taken in his long career in movies, making it a relatively rare departure for the actor. [18] When the contract expired, the Memphis radio personality Bob Neal stepped in and made a deal with Phillips to become Presley's manager. [44] However, Presley had asked him to raise funds to pay for his upcoming divorce settlement, and Priscilla divorced Elvis in 1973. In any case, Parker remained Presley's manager without a break until Presley's death in 1977. "[56] Almost immediately, before even visiting Graceland, Parker traveled to New York City to meet with merchandising associates and executives with RCA Records, instructing them to prepare for a huge demand in Presley products. [16] Soon after, Sands' song "Teen-Age Crush" reached number 2 on the pop charts, eventually selling 800,000 copies. [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. He was believed to have been in debt to the Las Vegas Hilton for over $30 million at one point, which led to his eviction from the property after Elvis' death. Parker was eventually sued by the Elvis estate over mismanagement, which found his dealings over the years to be unethical and extortionate. [5] During a second, more detailed investigation, Tual discovered that all earnings were paid directly to the Trust instead of Parker. [26] He had even come up with the idea to market "I Hate Elvis" badges. While it is believed that he made over $100 million dollars during his time with Elvis, he was rumored to only be worth a million dollars when he died, and at one point, had gambling debts in excess of $ Continue Reading Related questions There are probably a number of reasons for this. The premises had been ransacked in search of money. 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. [15] Over the next few years, he helped Arnold secure hit songs, television appearances, and live tours. You tell everybody the Colonel touched your head." He's a very smart man. But according to IMDb, it was because Elvis just didn't like dealing with confrontation. [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. Despite the court controversy, Parker continued to appear at Elvis-themed events, from anniversaries to special events, etc. [14] With the Society in need of funds, Parker set about using his promotional experience to raise money and awareness for the shelter. "[40], Presley had to do no more than provide RCA Victor with three albums a year,[37] and his film soundtracks did that for him. Colonel Tom is credited as being the man who made Elvis Presley a star. [15] Presley had been at Sun Records since the beginning of his career, but Sam Phillips, the owner of Presley's current label, was aware that to have any kind of a successful future Presley would need the backing of a much larger label. [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. The very next morning, Tom died in a renowned hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada due to stroke-related complications. Never one to miss an opportunity to make money off of his prized client, Colonel Tom Parker jumped on Elvis' death as a marketing cash grab. " [Elvis] let us all know when he was upset, and he'd go on a rampage and, you know, cursing. For the entirety of Presley's nearly 25-year career as "The King," his manager, "Colonel" Tom Parker, was the man who made all the career decisions. [15], Parker immediately went to work to find a new label for Presley. [4] It is believed that Parker lost at least $1 million a year from gambling. His accent wasn't so theatrical, and he was way funnier than Baz Luhrmann gives him credit for. What happened to the Colonel who managed Elvis? [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. He takes fifty percent of everything I earn." He adopted a new name and claimed to have been born in the United States. [44] He offered RCA Records the opportunity to buy Presley's entire back catalog for $5.4 million. "[27][28], Parker signed a deal with Beverly Hills film merchandiser Hank Saperstein for nearly $40,000 to turn Presley into a brand name. That never happenedElvis died not knowing of Parker's illegal statusbut he would have had . [39] When Presley complained to him that he wanted better scripts, Parker reminded him of his lavish lifestyle and that risking $1 million a year for doing practically no work was dangerous. Parker made his last public appearances in 1994. [15] Eventually, Parker began getting more involved in music promotion again, this time for himself rather than the Society. Tom Parker wasn't a household name before Elvis, but it's clear that after the biopic, it soon will be. [4] He also noted that Parker's handling of Presley's business affairs during his lifetime, including the decision to sell off past royalties to RCA for $5.4 million in 1973, was unethical and poorly handled. [35] Parker had declined to travel to Europe, denying that he spoke any language other than English. 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. Related: Elvis Cast Guide: What The Characters Look Like In Real Life. Parker began 1956 intending to bring his new star to the national stage. [16] Sholes showed little interest in Sands, but promised that he would attempt to find songs Sands might be able to record. Elvis didn't really fire Colonel Parker on stage in Vegas. While Presley was serving in West Germany, Parker was hard at work keeping Presley's name known to the public. 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. According to Smithsonian Magazine, Parker liked to present himself as an American man called Thomas Andrew Parker . First, Baz Luhrmann joined a list of directors including Joe Wright, Frank Darabont, and Lawrence Kasdan as someone who had two Best Picture nominations but didn't get a Best Director nomination either time. February 27, 2023 . Austin Butler won the Golden Globe for Best Actor, beating out favorite Brendan Fraser (The Whale), and he picked up a nomination for the same award at the Oscars. In the end, both Elvis and Colonel Parker shared a tragic journey that mirrored their working relationship. [60] However, he did occasionally bother them by criticizing some decisions. 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