He suggested to Parker that, as Presley had recorded and was still performing the song "I'll Remember You" written by Kui Lee, the donations could go to the Kui Lee Cancer Fund that had been set up following the death of the songwriter in 1966. Parker had unknowingly backed himself into a financial corner. That was 1977 money, using the inflation calculator $30 million in 1977 is equaled to $146,671,287.13 in 2022. The document that was signed on November 21 pertained to the record label transfer. [26] He had even come up with the idea to market "I Hate Elvis" badges. "I had the luxury of essentially recreating somebody who no one really knew. He's a very smart man. Snow attended the signing, thinking that Elvis had signed a management contract with Jamboree Attractions, which he owned with Parker. So the uncompromising Colonel told her that Elvis couldn't cover the track as those were the terms. 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. For his part, Parker himself died with a net worth of $1 million, or roughly . On January 20, 1997, Parker suffered a stroke. [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. [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. On top of that, Parker found venue upon venue for Elvis to perform in, be it recording studios, Hollywood films, TV specials, and even satellite broadcasts, immersing the artist into the cultural zeitgeist while keeping him landlocked in North America. He takes fifty percent of everything I earn." Parker's cut of Presley's earnings was typically 50%, and by the time Presley died in 1977, Parker had earned an estimated $40 million from his share of Presley's income. February 27, 2023 . Parker made several attempts to have it stopped, but failed to do so. He received more than half of the income from Elvis's early success, which at the time was an unprecedented figure. I had a different layer of expectations," the actor said. He said 'Well then there ain't no doubt about it. [15] Over the next few years, he helped Arnold secure hit songs, television appearances, and live tours. In 1994, following the marriage of Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson, Parker stated that Presley would not have approved. [15], Parker and Neal worked together to promote Presley, using their own Hank Snow Tour to book him and tour him. Tom Hanks has built a reputation for disappearing into his roles. 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. [29] Some viewed him as a clown-like figure, wiggling his hips for screams, while others found him vulgar and more suitable for late-night gentleman's clubs. [55] The book was published one year later on July 12, 1977, one month before Presley's death. He adopted a new name and claimed to have been born in the United States. Instead, he found employment as a field agent with a local animal shelter, the Hillsborough County Humane Society. [29] While Presley was a hit among the youth of America, the middle-aged audiences found him an oddity. The Tom Hanks Tom Parker portrayal was a shocking one. He had a matter-of-fact method of speaking and didn't suffer fools lightly. [49] Seeing the chance to publicize Presley's charitable nature once again, Parker eagerly agreed. These four shows alone grossed $730,000 ($4,729,029 in 2021 dollars[11]). [50] Presley's main doctor, George C. Nichopoulos, would often replace Presley's medication with placebos in an attempt to wean him off the drugs. [44] He would usually fly ahead to the venues and prepare the way for Presley's entourage to follow so that he and Presley rarely saw each other, and, as time progressed, it became even more difficult for Parker to get in contact with Presley. However, the music scene had radically changed. [52], Although many around Presley were worried about his worsening drug dependency, Parker appeared to ignore the problem. [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". 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. Parker remained Elvis' manager until Presley's death in 1977. A gambling, circus- and cigar-loving illegal immigrant: that's who created the buzz behind the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis Presley.Colonel Tom Parker was the one person you'd see at . Parker's Net Worth When He Died Was $1 Million. ( Elvis' Manager ) Alpha 11 201K subscribers Subscribe 2.3K Share 313K views 5 years ago Colonel Tom Parker managed Elvis Presley for the majority of. [19][20] Part of Parker's role was to secure a new recording contract with a bigger label. [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. Thats insane! [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. [53] Yet, despite Presley's eagerness to do the shows, Parker again turned them down. 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. Parker suffered a stroke on Jan. 20, 1997 and died the next morning at a hospital in Las Vegas. The "Colonel" badly mismanaged Elvis. Tom discovered the then-unknown 20-year-old Elvis Presley in 1955. 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. Elvis and the Colonel were associated throughout the musician's entire career, including music, movies, and TV specials. [52] In Las Vegas, he was starting to appear drugged on stage, slurring his words and forgetting song lyrics. 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. 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. The two had become almost strangers, and false reports in the media suggested that Presley's contract was up for sale. 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. While the . [18] A one-year management contract with Presley provided Moore with a 10-percent commission, which Moore said he never took. [16] Remembering his previous experience with Sands, Sholes dismissed Sands as a viable replacement for Presley.[16]. Tom Parker didn't enjoy a good reputation even after being associated with one of the legendary artists that history has ever seen. Parker found ways to market Elvis through merchandise, TV appearances, and films, always working in some kind of cross-promotion to make more money off the endeavor. He also pocketed some $6 million on a deal for Elvis'. [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. Dutch-born US musical entrepreneur (19091997). [41] The Cadillac tour proved to be somewhat more successful than the film itself. At that time Parker believed Elvis to be black. He was 87 years old at the age of his death. Dolly admitted: "I cried all night. Parker hoped that marriage would not only boost Presley's career but also possibly tame him. 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. In January 1958 Presley received his draft notice from the United States Army. You're going to be a star.'"[71]. [65] Marie was one of six children,[65] had been married twice before, and had a son from her first marriage. [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. 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. [5] During a second, more detailed investigation, Tual discovered that all earnings were paid directly to the Trust instead of Parker. [53] Despite this, however, the deal never materialized. 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. [15] Both Mercury Records and Columbia Records showed interest, although their initial offers were nowhere near the $40,000 requirement. Parker returned to the carnival (one not-too-dissimilar to the 1950s carnival in American Horror Story thanks to the setting), where he made his living for a time before getting involved in music promotion, working with the likes of Gene Austin, Minnie Pearl, Eddy Arnold, and Hank Snow. [4], In The Colonel, her 2003 biography of Parker, Alanna Nash wrote that Parker may have been a suspect or a person of interest in an unsolved murder case in Breda. [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. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The Masked Lookalike Explained, Every Baz Luhrmann Movie, Ranked According To Box Office Mojo, Tom Hanks' Tom Parker isn't his usual role. [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. They struggled to survive during the Great Depression, working short cons and traveling across the country in search of work. [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. Finally, Tom Hanks wasn't nominated for Best Supporting Actor. This deed on the part of Vernon and Gladys Presley marked a permanent separation of Elvis from his mother, and as Elvis was a classic "mama's boy". Both Priscilla and Jerry said he was a lovely man". [11][10], Parker first became involved in the music industry as a music promoter in 1938, working with the popular singer Gene Austin. [6] He was the son of Maria Elisabeth (Ponsie) and Adam van Kuijk. The complex Elvis/Parker relationship is the glue that holds Elvis together, making it different from yet another musician biopic. The premises had been ransacked in search of money. By this time, Parker was aware that Presley needed a rest from touring and the chance to deal with his prescription drug addictions. And there certainly would've been no Elvis without Colonel Tom Parker.' [26] With over 78 different possibilities, from charm bracelets to record players, Presley merchandise brought in $22 million by the end of 1956. 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. 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