At the time of Elvis' death, he was worth just $5 million, a relatively-modest amount considering his enormous level of success and fame. [72] Priscilla Presley attended the funeral to represent the Elvis Presley Estate and gave a eulogy that, to many in the room, summed up Parker: "Elvis and the Colonel made history together, and the world is richer, better and far more interesting because of their collaboration. Even Tom Hanks thought he was an odd choice to play Elvis Presley's manager Colonel Tom Parker in . A few years after that, he illegally entered the United States by jumping ship from the boat of his employer. 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. 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. "That didn't come out in this country until 1981." [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. 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. [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. [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. 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. [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. [50] As well as being their employer and paying their wages, he was also their main source of access to drugs for themselves. In 1953 Parker bought a house in Madison, Tennessee, where Presley would visit and stay while recording. [26] With over 78 different possibilities, from charm bracelets to record players, Presley merchandise brought in $22 million by the end of 1956. [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. Luhrmann hasn't really . [49] Seeing the chance to publicize Presley's charitable nature once again, Parker eagerly agreed. [48], Aloha from Hawaii proved to be the last great moment in Presley's career. [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. [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". . Their's was probably the most unique artist-manager relationship ever in show business, clearly one of the most successful. The next morning he died from complications of the stroke at a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 87. 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. In reality, Nash told USA Today that Presley would "never do that." Presley apparently never knew that Parker wasn't . Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it! Elvis' estate, on the other hand, reportedly owed the Las Vegas . 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. In 1977, Elvis died of a heart attack at only 42. While working in the circus in 1935, Parker wed Marie Francis Mott. [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". He also assisted Jimmie Davis' campaign to become Governor of Louisiana. [15], In early 1955, Parker became aware of a young singer, Elvis Presley. [62], One of Parker's brothers, Adam "Ad" van Kuijk, visited Parker once in Los Angeles in April 1961. [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". Tom Parker had a net worth of $8 million at the time of his death. Meanwhile, his career began stagnating as the British Invasion took over the United States. The document that was signed on November 21 pertained to the record label transfer. After a lifetime of earning well over $100 million managing Elvis, The Colonel's estate was barely worth $1 million upon his death. [55] Worried about the impact such details might have on his career, Presley, through his father, asked Parker to stop the publication. [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. "[27][28], Parker signed a deal with Beverly Hills film merchandiser Hank Saperstein for nearly $40,000 to turn Presley into a brand name. Tom Parker. 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. Parker's main role during these tours was to plan the logistics and make sure tickets were sold. Parker appeared to be in complete control during Presley's time away, but he was worried about the outside influence that . In November, Parker and Snow persuaded RCA to buy Presley out from Sun for $40,000, and on November 21, Presley's contract was officially transferred from Sun Records to RCA Victor. 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 [41] The Cadillac tour proved to be somewhat more successful than the film itself. [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. We welcome all corrections and feedback using the button below. In 1969, she was an employee of the International Hotel when Elvis made his record-breaking performances there. [11][10], Parker first became involved in the music industry as a music promoter in 1938, working with the popular singer Gene Austin. The two had become almost strangers, and false reports in the media suggested that Presley's contract was up for sale. Memorial ID. [44] These live performances, as well as being financially satisfying, also allowed Parker to fulfill Presley's recording contract with RCA Victor. This led Parker to insist that films be made cheaply, on a strict schedule, and with as little hassle as possible. Part biography, part murder mystery and perhaps the most thoroughly researched . [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". In 1955, Parker and Memphis radio personality Bob Neal began promoting the young up-and-coming singer Elvis Presley. The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley by Alanna Nash Aurum 19.99, pp394. [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." After Presley passed away, Parker established a licensing deal with Factors Etc. [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. [43] A breakfast reception was arranged, taking place after the media got their photographs of the couple. Colonel Tom Parker was astonished to hear that Elvis Presley was a white man. [56] At the funeral, he persuaded Presley's father to sign over control of Presley's career in death to him. [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. 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. 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. When he was 15, Parker moved to Rotterdam, where he worked on boats. "That didn't come out in this country until 1981." [55] The book was published one year later on July 12, 1977, one month before Presley's death. "Last Train to Memphis". There, he worked at carnivals. [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. [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. After being discharged, Parker returned to carnival work, working as a carnie with Royal American Shows from 1931 to 1938. [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. [50] In later years, several of Presley's inner circle would tell of how difficult it was to persuade Presley to quit the drugs. Parker was looking ahead when he persuaded Presley to sign up as a Soldier. Colonel Tom Parker was born as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk on June 26, 1909 in Breda, Netherlands as the seventh of eleven children of Adam and Maria. Parker hoped that marriage would not only boost Presley's career but also possibly tame him. 1. to control the singer's merchandise. 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's star continued to rise as Parker signed a merchandising deal with Hank Saperstein to fully commoditize the young singer. After Parker's death in 1997, the home was used as a law . 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. [34] He was upset about the possibility that would affect his career, but Parker was secretly overjoyed. Colonel Tom Parker was best known as Elvis Presley 's manager. By 1980, the cost of running the estate was estimated to be as much as $500,000 a year. [33] He then re-enlisted at Fort Barrancas in Florida. During this time, Parker also served as a field agent for the Hillsborough County Humane Society, helping to raise funds and awareness for its work.