Instead, he found employment as a field agent with a local animal shelter, the Hillsborough County Humane Society. [49] Seeing the chance to publicize Presley's charitable nature once again, Parker eagerly agreed. You tell everybody the Colonel touched your head." [55] Although Parker publicly denied these claims, he had been in talks with Peter Grant, the manager of Led Zeppelin, about the possibility of him overseeing a European tour for Presley. [60], The disputes with the Presley estate did not terminate Parker's association with Presley. 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. Potomac, was going to be salvaged. In the early days of their marriage, Marie and Parker worked together in the carnivals. However, when Presley signed a recording contract with Phillips, Moore and Black were excluded. [4] At age 17, he first displayed signs of wanting to run away to the United States to "make his fortune". [18] A one-year management contract with Presley provided Moore with a 10-percent commission, which Moore said he never took. According to Presley's friend, Jerry Schilling, Presley was excited about the opportunity to take on a new challenge. K-pop stars break under the. 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. 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 . [16] Soon after, Sands' song "Teen-Age Crush" reached number 2 on the pop charts, eventually selling 800,000 copies. [37] He allowed him to perform three live shows in 1961, all charity events, two in Memphis and one in Hawaii. Guralnick, Peter (1994). In 1994, following the marriage of Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson, Parker stated that Presley would not have approved. 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. After Elvis' death in 1977, the Elvis Presley manager continued on as if The King were still alive. He said 'Did I really?' [35] All of these stories were fabrications, but it kept his name in view of the public. 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. [12] Despite having sold over 86 million records since 1924 and earning over $17 million, Austin's career was at a low point. The actor has talked about the project, what drew him to it, and how he felt about the overall story. [56] At the funeral, he persuaded Presley's father to sign over control of Presley's career in death to him. 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. 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. Paul Shirey is a senior news writer for Screen Rant. [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]. 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. [52] In Las Vegas, he was starting to appear drugged on stage, slurring his words and forgetting song lyrics. Parker held another press conference on September 4, 1972, in Las Vegas to confirm that the concert, now titled Aloha from Hawaii, would be broadcast on January 14, 1973. [55] The book was published one year later on July 12, 1977, one month before Presley's death. Elvis had gone to the home of an employee he liked, whose wife was dying from cancer, and Hilton terminated the employee because of a rule banning any contact between employees and hotel talent . [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. Even so, he continued to sell out shows and hit the Top 10 charts. Having previously sold the rights to Presley's early recordings to RCA Records, he struggled to secure a steady income, and his financial situation worsened after he sustained significant gambling losses. 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. Parker privately acknowledged his brother and even introduced him to Presley. After a lifetime of earning well over $100 million managing Elvis, The Colonel's estate was barely worth $1 million upon his death. 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? Little, Brown. [8], In May 1929, Van Kuijk returned to the United States at age 19, finding work with carnivals due to his previous experience in the Netherlands. [16] NBC had originally wanted Presley for the role, but Parker had turned them down. Elvis and the Colonel were associated throughout the musician's entire career, including music, movies, and TV specials. [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. The two had become almost strangers, and false reports in the media suggested that Presley's contract was up for sale. [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 adopted a new name and claimed to have been born in 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. [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. After his Army hitch, he had him stop making personal appearances, and limited his public exposure to three sappy movies a year. Finally, Tom Hanks wasn't nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Parker suffered a stroke on Jan. 20, 1997 and died the next morning at a hospital in Las Vegas. At that point, Moore and Black had no contractual ties to either Phillips or Presley. While proving to be a frequent challenge for Parker, Elvis and the Colonel stuck together. He then did the unthinkable, convincing Elvis' father, Vernon, to sign over control of Elvis' movie and singing "career" to him. The very next morning, Tom died in a renowned hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada due to stroke-related complications. However, that was not the case since Elvis was still under contract to Bob Neal. 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 success and downfall. [21] In return for a larger financial stake in the deal, Neal agreed not to renew his management contract with Presley after it expired in March 1956,[22] allowing Parker the opportunity to claim the job for himself. [15] Both Mercury Records and Columbia Records showed interest, although their initial offers were nowhere near the $40,000 requirement. By this time, Parker was aware that Presley needed a rest from touring and the chance to deal with his prescription drug addictions. In 1967, Parker pushed Elvis to marry Priscilla Beaulieu, hoping that it would help change the tide of his career. Snow attended the signing, thinking that Elvis had signed a management contract with Jamboree Attractions, which he owned with Parker. [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. [68] Marie died on November 25, 1986, of a chronic brain syndrome at age 78. Parker's response: "That's not true at all. He is passionate about film, comics, TV and spends way too much on collectibles. [citation needed], For the remainder of Presley's life, Parker saw little of him. According to several people who knew Presley at the time, the talks with Hulett got so far along that it seemed almost inevitable the deal would be done. Parker adopted the title as if it were part of his identity, frequently being referred to as "The Colonel," despite his military discharge. PIONEERING EARLY MANAGEMENT In 1968, he was asked in an interview if it was true that he took fifty percent of everything Elvis earned. However, there were some interesting omissions from the award announcements. Nash portrays the Colonel as a psychopathic murderer born June 26, 1909 in Breda, Holland, whose real name is Andreas "Andre" Cornelis van Kuijk. [14], Through the fundraising, Parker headed to Tennessee to find acts to perform at his charity events,[14] among them stars such as Minnie Pearl and Eddy Arnold. Presley's career stagnated while artists like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys dominated the charts. [68] Parker began to distance himself emotionally from her, heartbroken by her slow mental deterioration from the woman he once knew. [53], From 1974 onward, Presley's weight gain and prescription drug abuse became too much to be controlled. [50] This would be successful for a short time, but when Presley discovered the trick, he simply found himself other doctors. In particular, Hanks was looking forward to taking part in a fresh look at the story, as the tale of Elvis is well-known enough to garner fatigue. Parker struggled with a gambling addiction while keeping Elvis on a short leash, halting the singer from touring overseas and pushing him into cheap projects that were frequently averse to what the artist wanted to be a part of, eventually taking 50% of Elvis' earnings, of which they both agreed upon. In January 1958 Presley received his draft notice from the United States Army. Having been a staple in The King's life for so long, he was well known to Elvis' ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, who humored his appearances at such venues, regarding him as a family friend despite their clashes over the estate. However, they had a dispute over an incident Presley had done on stage, and Parker was about to get fired. [16] Remembering his previous experience with Sands, Sholes dismissed Sands as a viable replacement for Presley.[16]. "I had the luxury of essentially recreating somebody who no one really knew. [41] The Cadillac tour proved to be somewhat more successful than the film itself. [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. [10] Parker later said that at times they had had to live on as little as $1 a week (US$20 in 2021 dollars). [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. [29] While Presley was a hit among the youth of America, the middle-aged audiences found him an oddity. "[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. I said 'Yeah'. [54] He phoned Presley's father once to suggest taking time off, but Vernon Presley told him they couldn't afford to stop touring due to Presley's constant and lavish spending of money. "[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. [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? The contract, dated July 12, 1954, eight days after their first recording session, was signed by Presley and his parents. 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". Parker's main role during these tours was to plan the logistics and make sure tickets were sold. [6] He was the son of Maria Elisabeth (Ponsie) and Adam van Kuijk. His death certificate lists his birth name as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk, his country of birth as the Netherlands, and his citizenship as American. [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. While Presley was serving in West Germany, Parker was hard at work keeping Presley's name known to the public. [16] Critics were very positive in their reviews of both the drama and Sands, leading to Capitol Records signing Sands within a week. [4] It is believed that Parker lost at least $1 million a year from gambling. His films still made money and his albums still sold well, but the profits were falling. [48], Aloha from Hawaii proved to be the last great moment in Presley's career. Both Priscilla and Jerry said he was a lovely man". [50] As well as being their employer and paying their wages, he was also their main source of access to drugs for themselves. Instead, Parker sent demonstration recordings to record producer Steve Sholes at RCA Victor. The premises had been ransacked in search of money. He adopted a new name and claimed to have been born in the United States. [54] Vernon also threatened to find a new manager if Parker wouldn't continue to tour Presley. [53] Yet, despite Presley's eagerness to do the shows, Parker again turned them down. God, yes! The Tom Hanks Tom Parker portrayal was a shocking one. Formerly the Editor-in-Chief of JoBlo.com, he has over a decade of writing and reporting about the entertainment industry and has covered everything from Comic Con to CinemaCon to Star Wars Celebration, as well as covering numerous set visits and junkets all over the world. He takes fifty percent of everything I earn." [14] Parker served in the peacetime army as a precondition for taking advantage of that stipulation, but he never subsequently applied to become a citizen. In January 1979, it was discovered that Presley had lost out on royalties for songs on which he had been listed as an author or composer because Parker had unwisely advised him not to sign up to ASCAP or its younger competitor, BMI. 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. [50] They hired private detectives to find out where the drugs were coming from and were successful in stopping any more from reaching Presley. He negotiated Presley's lucrative merchandising deals, TV appearances, and acting roles in films. Asked by a journalist what he would do now, Parker responded: "Why, I'll just go right on managing him! 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 . 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. The Colonel (Tom Hanks) first sees Elvis (Austin Butler) backstage at the Louisiana Hayride. [68] From then on, he continued living in Las Vegas, mostly avoiding contact with the press. Despite the fact that no one is certain what actually happened on that tragic day in 1977, it is clear that Colonel Parker had a significant impact on the singer's life and death. [26] With over 78 different possibilities, from charm bracelets to record players, Presley merchandise brought in $22 million by the end of 1956. 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. The actor has proven time and again that he's up to the challenge of playing a real-world personality and the role of Elvis and the Colonel is no different. But as time went on, as the Beatles began their dominance of the music charts and the worldwide phenomenon known as Beatlemania began, Presley became less significant. [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. In the end, they'd become dependent on one another and were in too deep to even know how to start over. All in all, the manager was known for some appalling behavior towards his star client, and Elvis tries its best to portray that accurately. I said no." Yet, in the end, standing up to the Colonel proved to be an expert . [4] He would often spend 1214 hours at a time gambling in the casinos, betting large sums. "[70], Songwriter Mac Davis recounted a similar experience where Parker rubbed his head and declared "You're going to be a star. Parker remained Elvis' manager until Presley's death in 1977. So clearly the rock star never worked up the will to actually go through with the firing. February 27, 2023 . [9] He began to build up a list of contacts that would prove valuable in later years. More: Does Elvis Have An After Credits Scene? Presley was never one to stand up against Parker, but he knew that this TV show was his one chance at a true comeback, and with Binder backing him, Presley told Parker he was doing it "Binder's way". [26] By the summer Presley had become one of the most famous new faces of the year, causing excitement among the new teenage audience and outrage among some older audiences and religious groups. Elvis: The Controversy Behind Colonel Tom Parker Explained, Elvis Cast Guide: What The Characters Look Like In Real Life, illegal immigrant (the theme of the Netflix series, Elvis True Story: Who Was Orion? While Elvis and the Colonel carried the movie to several awards, Hanks' omission stands out above most others. [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%. [18] According to Moore, Presley agreed to take 50 percent, with Moore and Black splitting the other 50 percent. 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. [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 Elvis's drug-related death in 1977, Parker virtually retired and only occasionally emerged to defend his role as Presley's mentor. While it sometimes borders on cartoonish parody, with Hanks seemingly becoming a supervillain of sorts, it fits the overall style and narrative of Director Baz Luhrmann's movie. Later, Davis says "He remembered me, and he said 'I told you you were going to be a star.' His Dutch birthplace and immigrant status were not revealed for many years. Despite the court controversy, Parker continued to appear at Elvis-themed events, from anniversaries to special events, etc. For his part, Parker himself died with a net worth of $1 million, or roughly . These four shows alone grossed $730,000 ($4,729,029 in 2021 dollars[11]). [57], Parker set out to protect his future income. The actor won his first Oscar for Philadelphia, where he played an AIDs-afflicted lawyer, losing significant weight to portray the character's declining health. During the 1960s, after many years of ill health, Marie began to display signs of dementia. [53] Streisand's production company, First Artists, offered Presley a salary of $500,000 ($2,517,934 in 2021 dollars[11]) and 10% of the profits. Coupled with the fact that the character of Tom Hanks' Tom Parker isn't his usual role, and Hanks was eager to play the part. p. 258. [14] With the Society in need of funds, Parker set about using his promotional experience to raise money and awareness for the shelter. [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. [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. [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. According to financial documents, Parker took nearly half of Elvis' income, which is an indication that the singer's lifestyle was heavily reliant on debt. Colonel Tom Parker was a man with a shady past. Reportedly, Hanks was approached by movie director Baz Luhrmann, and after a short conversation, the actor was hooked. [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. [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. 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. It was producer Steve Binder who put forward the idea of Presley singing his old hits and even the staged section with his old band, Scotty Moore and D. J. Fontana, the latter inspired by a post-rehearsal informal jam in Presley's dressing room. Parker's net worth when he died was $1 million. He also pocketed some $6 million on a deal for Elvis'. [33] Parker had seen many acts come and go during his earlier years in management, and felt that it would be foolish to believe that Presley, despite being Parker's most successful act to date, would be any different. [52] Parker was furious, and he stormed into Presley's dressing room after the show to confront him. The Amazing Comeback Of Colonel Tom Parker "Colonel Tom Parker managed Elvis Presley's career from 1955 to 1977. 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 had booked Presley into a four-week Las Vegas engagement, misjudging the reaction of the slightly older, more reserved audiences that Las Vegas attracted. 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. More than 40 years after his death, Elvis Presley remains one of the most famous and most easily recognized people in history. [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. 1. 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. . [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. Hanks said, "I was anticipating hearing horror stories about this venal, cheap crook. [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.