[5] However, Judge Joseph Evans, aware that Lisa Marie Presley was still a minor, appointed attorney Blanchard E. Tual to investigate Parker's management. Following this, Neal chose not to renew his management contract with Presley, leaving Parker as the singer's sole manager. Colonel Tom Parker's Lack of Money. A large part of Tom's net worth he made from his Salary as a Colonel. 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. Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it! [57], Parker set out to protect his future income. In 1955, Parker and Memphis radio personality Bob Neal began promoting the young up-and-coming singer Elvis Presley. Lisa Marie inherited Elvis' whole estate on her 25th birthday on February 1, 1993. and he died worth only US$1,000,000. Elvis Presley & Colonel Parker. Col. Tom Parker, 87, a onetime carnival pitchman who shrewdly guided singer-actor Elvis Presley's career for 22 years, died here Jan. 21 after a stroke. 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. 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. [54] Vernon also threatened to find a new manager if Parker wouldn't continue to tour Presley. However, he also continued to blow his fortune on his gambling addiction and he died heavily in debt. And there certainly would've been no Elvis without Colonel Tom Parker.' And when he said that, I said, 'Oh . The 32nd Anniversary of Elvis' final concert in Indianapolis. [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. Tom was born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk in the Netherlands on June 26, 1909, but emigrated illegally to the United States when he was 20. [4] After a lifetime that saw him earn in excess of $100 million, Parker's estate was worth barely $1 million when he died. [60] However, he did occasionally bother them by criticizing some decisions. [50] As well as being their employer and paying their wages, he was also their main source of access to drugs for themselves. "[72] She reiterated her positive opinion to Tom Hanks in 2022 when the actor prepared to play Parker for Elvis (2022). According to Biography, Presley's father let Colonel Tom Parker have the run of things for two more years, but after the elder Presley also died in 1979, things got complicated for the manager. He wasn't a colonel and he wasn't even born in America. Colonel Tom Parker passed away on January 21, 1997 at 87 years old.Colonel Tom Parker Net Worth. [37] He envisioned him as an entertainment machine, pumping out three films and soundtracks a year, until the end of the decade. [48] Two weeks after the Las Vegas press conference Parker received a letter from Honolulu Advertiser columnist Eddie Sherman. [16] Soon after, Sands' song "Teen-Age Crush" reached number 2 on the pop charts, eventually selling 800,000 copies. Cremated. It took a probate court to remove Parker and his 50% fee from future dealings. 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. What Tom Hanks Thinks Of His Tom Parker Role . [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. ELVIS PRESLEY's ex-wife Priscilla Presley vehemently defended The King's manager Colonel Tom Parker to Elvis movie's Tom Hanks, shutting down rumours he was 'an evil puppet master like Rasputin'. 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". [41] Frank Sinatra had married Mia Farrow in 1966, and it had produced enough publicity for Parker to sit up and take notice. Additional Crew: Spinout. [53] They discussed the possibility of Presley's co-starring with Streisand in a remake of the film A Star Is Born. [58], Following Presley's death, Parker set up a licensing operation with Factors Etc. It was also reported that he had up to $ 30 million in gambling debts several times in his life. By Alanna Nash. Nash said of Elvis' late manager: "The Colonel is a complicated character, and while he always took too much of Presley's money, he made some very sound decisions for him. Although the films were profitable, Presley complained about the quality of the scripts. [16] He arranged live appearances and became something of a father figure to the then-15-year-old Sands. He was subsequently in "Loving You," "Jailhouse Rock," and "King Creole." [53] Promoters in South America also made offers, as much as $2.5 million, and all of them were turned down by Parker; "Well, whenever I need $2.5 million I'll call you," he once said to them. Stick around for t. [citation needed] After a cold reception during his first few shows,[30] Parker cut Presley's appearance to two weeks. [5] Parker countersued. [44] The tours were so popular and financially successful that they determined Presley's workload for the remainder of his life and career. On March 26, 1956, after Presley's management contract with Neal expired, Presley signed a contract with Parker that made him his exclusive representative. Despite earning over $100 million during his lifetime, at the time of his death Colonel Tom Parker was reportedly worth less than $1 million. 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. That number is down significantly from an estimated $100 million . He would call his flamboyant manager, Col. Tom Parker, and ask Parker to book another tour (Presley's average concert gross in the mid-'70s was $130,000 a night) or schedule another recording . 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. [52] Angered by this outburst, Parker declared: "You can't fire me. [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. He negotiated Presley's lucrative merchandising deals, TV appearances, and acting roles in films. 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 carnival worker by background, Parker moved into music promotion in 1938, working with one of the first popular crooners, Gene Austin, and then country music singers Eddy Arnold, Hank Snow, and Tommy Sands in his early career. 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. [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 1956, Presley was launched to superstardom with the release of his first single for RCA Victor, "Heartbreak Hotel." The premises had been ransacked in search of money. There were no witnesses and almost no evidence, except that the killer spread pepper on and around the body before fleeing in hopes that police dogs would not pick up the scent. That's $35 million (28m) today and considerably less than what they were actually worth. 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. In reality, Nash told USA Today that Presley would "never do that." Presley apparently never knew that Parker wasn't . Following this, he entered the music industry as a music promoter. Guralnick, Peter (1994). James L. Dickerson's book "Colonel Tom Parker: The . Instead, Parker sent demonstration recordings to record producer Steve Sholes at RCA Victor. 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]. [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 appeared to be in complete control during Presley's time away, but he was worried about the outside influence that . 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. Mourners recall being surprised at his wearing a Hawaiian shirt and baseball cap, smoking his trademark cigar, and purposely avoiding the casket. [49] Seeing the chance to publicize Presley's charitable nature once again, Parker eagerly agreed. [50] This would be successful for a short time, but when Presley discovered the trick, he simply found himself other doctors. His films still made money and his albums still sold well, but the profits were falling. [65], Others, however, had doubts about whether they were legally married at all. He also influenced his decisions to join the military and marry Priscilla, among other . Mott passed away in late 1986 at the age of 78. . Answer (1 of 2): The gravy train for Col. Parker ended after Elvis died, and the executor that was appointed for Lisa Marie Presley's interests began to go over Parker's deals with Elvis, was appalled, and the estate threatened to take Parker to court, and paid him 2 million dollars to end his as. During the 1960s, after many years of ill health, Marie began to display signs of dementia. 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. Presley's career stagnated while artists like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys dominated the charts. [36] If Parker had had any doubts about his return, they were soon gone when he witnessed the turnout along the route. [26] He had even come up with the idea to market "I Hate Elvis" badges. Potomac, was going to be salvaged. Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis's manager from 1955 to his death in 1977, earned an estimated $50 million from the singer's estate. His Dutch birthplace and immigrant status were not revealed for many years. At the time, many people predicted that he would have a long and lucrative career . Much of the money went to Col. Tom Parker, the King's enigmatic, cigar . . Loanne was born on July 11, 1935 in Covington, Ohio to Paul E. an [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. Even Tom Hanks thought he was an odd choice to play Elvis Presley's manager Colonel Tom Parker in . In early 1929, a 23-year-old newlywed woman, Anna van den Enden, was found beaten to death in the living quarters behind a greengrocer store. No, Elvis didn't fire the Colonel from the stage at Las Vegas in real life. "He fully believed the colonel's story that Parker hailed from Huntington, West Virginia; Elvis died not knowing the truth," she says. [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. 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. [51] In her book, The Colonel, she writes: "in the days before the Betty Ford Clinic, the Colonel didn't know where to take him for discreet, effective help and loathed risking the loss of work if the truth got out". Colonel Tom Parker was a music entrepreneur, well-known for being Elvis' manager. [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. He is known for Spinout (1966), Kissin' Cousins (1964) and Jailhouse Rock (1957). "Every entertainer should go to bed at night and pray he . After the Sinatra special, Parker decided that Presley's future lay in Hollywood. He was 87. to control the singer's merchandise. [15], In 1948, Parker received the honorary rank of colonel in the Louisiana State Militia from Jimmie Davis, the governor of Louisiana and a former country singer, in return for work Parker did on Davis's election campaign. With Parker's help, Presley signed a recording contract with RCA Victor, leading to his commercial breakthrough in 1956 with his sixth single "Heartbreak Hotel" and propelling him to become one of the most popular and commercially successful entertainers in the world. All net worths are calculated using data drawn from public sources. [4] At age 17, he first displayed signs of wanting to run away to the United States to "make his fortune". [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. [12] Despite having sold over 86 million records since 1924 and earning over $17 million, Austin's career was at a low point. [4], On August 14, 1981, Judge Evans ordered Elvis Presley Enterprises to sue Parker for mismanagement. [26] With over 78 different possibilities, from charm bracelets to record players, Presley merchandise brought in $22 million by the end of 1956. Snow attended the signing, thinking that Elvis had signed a management contract with Jamboree Attractions, which he owned with Parker. p. 258. Elvis had just as many white influences and announced as early as seventh grade that he was going to sing at the Grand Ole Opry .