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. [44] He offered RCA Records the opportunity to buy Presley's entire back catalog for $5.4 million. [54] Vernon also threatened to find a new manager if Parker wouldn't continue to tour Presley. He takes fifty percent of everything I earn." Instead, Parker sent demonstration recordings to record producer Steve Sholes at RCA Victor. The sale of the back catalog to RCA meant that after his death, Presley's estate would not receive any royalties for any Presley recordings made prior to 1973. [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". By this time, Parker was aware that Presley needed a rest from touring and the chance to deal with his prescription drug addictions. [52], In February 1975, during his engagement in Las Vegas, Presley, along with Parker, met with Barbra Streisand and Jon Peters. Tom discovered the then-unknown 20-year-old Elvis Presley in 1955. [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. [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. 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 Roosevelt's presidential yacht, the U.S.S. Colonel Tom Parker was a man with a shady past. [4] It is believed that Parker lost at least $1 million a year from gambling. The Amazing Comeback Of Colonel Tom Parker "Colonel Tom Parker managed Elvis Presley's career from 1955 to 1977. 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. [4] By this time, with the IRS demanding almost $15 million in taxes, the estate was facing bankruptcy. [53] Despite this, however, the deal never materialized. 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. 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[15] Over the next few years, he helped Arnold secure hit songs, television appearances, and live tours. The very next morning, Tom died in a renowned hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada due to stroke-related complications. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. And now I need to locate my wallet, because I noticed there was no ticket booth on the way in here, but I'm sure that the Colonel must have arranged for some toll on the way out. After a lifetime of earning well over $100 million managing Elvis, The Colonel's estate was barely worth $1 million upon his death. [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. [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. [35] He was reportedly afraid that Presley would realize that there were other managers available prepared to sign contracts that did not require as much as 25% of his earnings. [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. [16] He arranged live appearances and became something of a father figure to the then-15-year-old Sands. 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. [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. Related: The Darkest Moments In Oscars History. Hanks has portrayed real-life people in a number of films, from Jim Lovell in Apollo 13 to Mr. Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood to Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger in Sully - and many more. I said, 'Yeah, you rubbed my head.' [15] Parker and Snow eventually formed Hank Snow Enterprises and Jamboree Attractions, a successful promotional outfit for up-and-coming country singers. [16] NBC had originally wanted Presley for the role, but Parker had turned them down. [15], Parker immediately went to work to find a new label for Presley. [18] A one-year management contract with Presley provided Moore with a 10-percent commission, which Moore said he never took. Parker's response: "That's not true at all. The Colonel was well-known as a strong promoter that frequently leaned into exploitation. 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. [29], Despite this setback, Presley was still going from strength to strength. 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. [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. The 19 years of silence that his mysterious correspondent mentioned took the story as far back as 1961exactly the year that the Van Kuijk family had made contract with Parker, and Ad van Kuijk. 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. Elvis Presley had his own struggles, particularly in his later years, as his lavish spending, addiction issues, divorce, and declining health took a toll on The King. However, the tide wasn't actually changed until a 1968 TV special, produced by Scott Binder, put Elvis the singer back on top, while simultaneously showing the Colonel how close he was to losing the singer to another producer. [34] He was upset about the possibility that would affect his career, but Parker was secretly overjoyed. What happened to the Colonel who managed Elvis? [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. 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. But according to Alanna. 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. At that time Parker believed Elvis to be black. 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. 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. After Presley showed signs of rebellion again in 1966 and because of his flagging career, Parker decided that it was time for a new approach: marriage. He is passionate about film, comics, TV and spends way too much on collectibles. You're going to be a star.'"[71]. In May 1973, in an attempt to deal with Presley's growing dependence on prescription drugs, Presley's father, Vernon, and Parker attempted to cut off his supply. [18] According to Moore, Presley agreed to take 50 percent, with Moore and Black splitting the other 50 percent. 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. 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. [60] Part of this role resulted in Parker keeping the same fourth-floor suite he occupied when Presley was alive. In 1994, following the marriage of Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson, Parker stated that Presley would not have approved. [35] Parker had declined to travel to Europe, denying that he spoke any language other than English. 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. Hanks said, "I was anticipating hearing horror stories about this venal, cheap crook. The Tom Hanks Tom Parker portrayal was certainly a different type of role for the actor, who is known for taking on characters like the sunny Mr. Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. More than 40 years after his death, Elvis Presley remains one of the most famous and most easily recognized people in history. 1. 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. [53] They discussed the possibility of Presley's co-starring with Streisand in a remake of the film A Star Is Born. [53] Hulett's company had managed tours for Presley, and he had worked with artists such as Led Zeppelin. 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. [16] In the drama, the role of Sands was portrayed as a "twisted psychopath". Tom Parker didn't enjoy a good reputation even after being associated with one of the legendary artists that history has ever seen. [4] After a lifetime that saw him earn in excess of $100 million, Parker's estate was worth barely $1 million when he died. He attended Elvis funeral dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and baseball cap, avoiding any display of emotion. Parker is also a controversial figure, known to have defrauded the King of Rock and Roll on several occasions for as much as $8 million. [15], In early 1955, Parker became aware of a young singer, Elvis Presley. [26] Presley said of Parker: "I don't think I would have ever been very big if it wasn't for him. [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. However, that was not the case since Elvis was still under contract to Bob Neal. The two had become almost strangers, and false reports in the media suggested that Presley's contract was up for sale. [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. So the uncompromising Colonel told her that Elvis couldn't cover the track as those were the terms. "[70], Songwriter Mac Davis recounted a similar experience where Parker rubbed his head and declared "You're going to be a star. His Dutch birthplace and immigrant status were not revealed for many years. In general, fans of the icon think that Colonel Parker never let Elvis fully shine. For his part, Parker himself died with a net worth of $1 million, or roughly . Presley's career stagnated while artists like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys dominated the charts. . Tom Hanks was also intrigued by the fact that the wider public knew very little about the Elvis manager, claiming this was another reason he took on the role. [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. The show, titled "Welcome Home, Elvis", was Presley's first national television appearance since The Ed Sullivan Show in January 1957. [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. ( 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. According to Presley's friend, Jerry Schilling, Presley was excited about the opportunity to take on a new challenge. [4][5] Parker's final years were spent living in Las Vegas, in increasingly poor health before his death in 1997. Oh, I just pictured Elvis, like, singing it. [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. [60] In 1993, interest in Presley's enduring legend, interest that is sometimes notable for its obsessiveness, provoked Parker to remark: "I don't think I exploited Elvis as much as he's being exploited today. [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. [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. In the end, they'd become dependent on one another and were in too deep to even know how to start over. Parker was a svengali who exerted an extreme amount of control over his charge's career, and took enormous 25 to 50% in commission. 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