Colonel Tom Parkerthe title was awarded to him by Louisiana Governor Jimmie Davis in 1948 for political services renderedclaimed until 1982 to have been born in West Virginia. But he had less than $750,000 in his savings account when he died, and his estate was valued at less than $10 million. [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. 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 . [26], In April 1956, Parker made his first mistake with Presley's career. [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. Colonel Tom Parker's home (former), 409 Park Ridge Avenue, Temple Terrace, Fl. Hanks said, "I was anticipating hearing horror stories about this venal, cheap crook. 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." 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. [59] Experts in the field at the time estimated that it had potentially cost Presley millions of dollars[59] and worse for Parker, it had also potentially cost him those millions of dollars. [37] He envisioned him as an entertainment machine, pumping out three films and soundtracks a year, until the end of the decade. [33] Although Parker infrequently saw Presley over the ensuing years, he remained his manager until Presley's passing in 1977. 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. The first major artist with whom he worked was popular crooner Gene Austin. 4. [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. 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. [12] He was a successful promoter, but he wanted to move into management.[12]. [64] In 1993, in one of his last media appearances, Parker appeared in a television interview with Dutch TV director Jorrit van der Kooi where they spoke to each other in Dutch about the Netherlands and about Elvis Presley's life and career. [50] Author Alanna Nash suggests that one of the reasons Parker didn't do more is because he may have just not known how to handle the situation. [56] At the funeral, he persuaded Presley's father to sign over control of Presley's career in death to him. He also lost a big chunk of Elvis's own money. In the early days of their marriage, Marie and Parker worked together in the carnivals. A few actors have tackled Parker on screen, most notably Beau Bridges in 1993s "Elvis and the Colonel: The Untold Story" and Randy Quaid in the 2005 miniseries "Elvis." He said 'Well then there ain't no doubt about it. [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. Parker died in 1997 at the age of 87. [4] After a lifetime that saw him earn in excess of $100 million, Parker's estate was worth barely $1 million when he died. [67] According to interviews given by Parker to the Associated Press many years later, he and Marie were married in Tampa, Florida, during the winter of 1932,[67] but the Florida Office of Vital Statistics had no record of such a marriage any time between 1927 and 1946. [50] In later years, several of Presley's inner circle would tell of how difficult it was to persuade Presley to quit the drugs. [26] He had even come up with the idea to market "I Hate Elvis" badges. "[60], In 1994, a Golden Palm Star on the Walk of Stars in Palm Springs, California, was dedicated to him. Let's find out. [65] Marie was one of six children,[65] had been married twice before, and had a son from her first marriage. [4] He also noted that Parker's handling of Presley's business affairs during his lifetime, including the decision to sell off past royalties to RCA for $5.4 million in 1973, was unethical and poorly handled. 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. He had expressed interest in making films when he first met Parker, and now Parker was working to make that happen. [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. [16] Remembering his previous experience with Sands, Sholes dismissed Sands as a viable replacement for Presley.[16]. While Presley was serving in West Germany, Parker was hard at work keeping Presley's name known to the public. Into his late 80s, Colonel Tom Parker began to struggle with various illnesses including diabetes and gout. While we work diligently to ensure that our numbers are as accurate as possible, unless otherwise indicated they are only estimates. 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 With Presley serving in West Germany, Parker did everything he could to keep the singer's name on everyone's lips, as he worried that Presley would fade in the public eye. [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. [11][10], Parker first became involved in the music industry as a music promoter in 1938, working with the popular singer Gene Austin. However, that was not the case since Elvis was still under contract to Bob Neal. [15] As Presley was still a minor, his parents had to sign the contract with Parker on his behalf. 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". Answering Presley's desire to appear in films, Parker was able to secure him a seven-picture contract with Paramount Pictures. Profession: Elvis' manager. 1. [35] Parker had declined to travel to Europe, denying that he spoke any language other than English. After a lifetime of earning well over $100 million managing Elvis, The Colonel's estate was barely worth $1 million upon his death. [16] In the drama, the role of Sands was portrayed as a "twisted psychopath". Parker then managed a series of highly successful tours for Presley. Presley remembered the event as one of the worst moments of his career. [15] Eventually, Parker began getting more involved in music promotion again, this time for himself rather than the Society. [37] He allowed him to perform three live shows in 1961, all charity events, two in Memphis and one in Hawaii. [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. Tom Parker caught a glimpse of the singer backstage. Mott passed away in late 1986 at the age of 78. In early 1997, he passed away from a stroke in Las Vegas at the age of 87. 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. At the time of his death in 1997, he was worth $1 million. To garner Presley new publicity and to help tame his wild impulses, Parker had him marry Priscilla Beaulieu, who had been living with Presley for four years already. [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". Colonel Parker died of a stroke on January 22, 1997, aged 87. . 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]. [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. Parker's main role during these tours was to plan the logistics and make sure tickets were sold. Snow attended the signing, thinking that Elvis had signed a management contract with Jamboree Attractions, which he owned with Parker. [65] However, there is no definite proof that anything other than romance led to their marriage. What was his net worth in 2022? The Amazing ComebackOf Colonel Tom Parker. [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. Burial. These four shows alone grossed $730,000 ($4,729,029 in 2021 dollars[11]). 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". [1], Parker was born as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk on June 26, 1909, in Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands,[4] and was the seventh of eleven children. Elvis Was Not Nearly As Rich As You Might Guess When He Died. [62], One of Parker's brothers, Adam "Ad" van Kuijk, visited Parker once in Los Angeles in April 1961. Parker returned to the U.S . [41] With Priscilla's father dropping heavy hints, and fear that their relationship might become public beforehand, Parker persuaded Presley that he should make an "honest woman" of her in the very near future. Additionally, Tual determined that Parker's handling of Presley's business affairs was unethical. [52] In Las Vegas, he was starting to appear drugged on stage, slurring his words and forgetting song lyrics. Elvis is signed exclusively to the Colonel. . Parker, who was born in the Netherlands, entered the United States illegally when he was 20 years old. The interviews of Elvis' Parents are well worth hearing too . [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". For all intents and purposes, this should have made Elvis Presley a very wealthy man, yet when he passed away in 1977, the King was down to his last $1million and prior to his death The Colonel . [50] However, it wasn't long before Presley was able to find other doctors to meet his demands. [14] With the Society in need of funds, Parker set about using his promotional experience to raise money and awareness for the shelter. Colonel Tom Parker passed away on January 21, 1997 at 87 years old.Colonel Tom Parker Net Worth. His films still made money and his albums still sold well, but the profits were falling. 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. Inc.[4] However, because Parker was still entitled to 50% of all Presley's income, and after taxes were taken off, the overall amount going towards the upkeep of the estate was less than $1 million a year.[4]. [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. [53] Parker, who had always dealt with Presley's film contracts and viewed the offer as a starting bid to earning more money, instead asked for a salary $1 million ($5,035,869 in 2021 dollars[11]), 50% of the profits, plus another $100,000 ($503,587 in 2021 dollars[11]) for expenses, and spoke of needing to arrange details of a soundtrack deal. "[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. "There would have been no Elvis without Colonel Tom Parker; there would have been no Colonel Tom Parker without Elvis. [29] While Presley was a hit among the youth of America, the middle-aged audiences found him an oddity. "He fully believed the colonel's story that Parker hailed from Huntington, West Virginia; Elvis died not knowing the truth," she says. [5] However, Judge Joseph Evans, aware that Lisa Marie Presley was still a minor, appointed attorney Blanchard E. Tual to investigate Parker's management. He completed basic training at Fort McPherson in Atlanta, Georgia.[4]. 3. [15], Parker immediately went to work to find a new label for Presley. [4], "Colonel Tom Parker rubbed my head in Vegas", Eddie Murphy stated in 1989. [33] He also realized that it would be a great opportunity to promote Presley by having the media witness his induction day, including the Army haircut that would see the most famous hair style in the world destroyed.[33]. [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. 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. Colonel Tom Parker was Elvis Presley's manager for more than 20 years, and was with him when he died on August 16, 1977. . Parker enlisted in the US Army shortly after his return to America. Between 1969 and his death on Aug. 16, 1977, Presley played over 600 shows at the Hilton. After the special, Parker managed Presley's return to live performance, including a set of brief U.S. tours and many engagements in Las Vegas. Nearly as legendary as his famous client was Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's manager. Colonel Tom Parker made more than $100 million in his lifetime, but when he died, he was reportedly worth less than $1 million. 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. For the rest of his life, Parker managed the Presley estate. [55] Worried about the impact such details might have on his career, Presley, through his father, asked Parker to stop the publication. . [60] However, he did occasionally bother them by criticizing some decisions. [52] Angered by this outburst, Parker declared: "You can't fire me. [26] Presley said of Parker: "I don't think I would have ever been very big if it wasn't for him. 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. Colonel Tom Parker acted as Presley's promoter and, then manager and promoter, for most of his career. In 1980, a judge ordered an investigation into Parker's management practices, finding that Parker's management had been unethical. [53] Yet, despite Presley's eagerness to do the shows, Parker again turned them down. [46] Originally planned as three performances, demand was so high that Parker decided to add a fourth performance, making Presley the first performer to sell out the venue four consecutive times. 2. 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. Instead, he found employment as a field agent with a local animal shelter, the Hillsborough County Humane Society. [4] It is believed that Parker lost at least $1 million a year from gambling. Due to his years of excessive spending and being bilked by his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis' estate was . Attorney Blanchard E. Tual concluded that Parker's deal of taking 50% of the singer's profits was extortionate, as the industry standard was closer to 15-20%. [53] First Artists, not used to such huge demands, didn't put forward a counter-offer and decided instead to offer the role, along with the original salary offer, to Kris Kristofferson, who accepted. 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 . I wanted to punch him in the face. 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. . [16], Eddy Arnold fired Parker in 1953 over Parker's growing involvement with the singer Hank Snow. "Every entertainer should go to bed at night and pray he . At the time of his death, Elvis was only worth . 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. His origins were steeped in mystery. Date of Birth: Jun 26, 1909 - Jan 21, 1997 (87 years old) Place of Birth: Breda, Netherlands. He was punished with solitary confinement, from which he emerged with a psychosis that led to him spending two months in a mental hospital,[4] and he was discharged from the Army because of his mental condition. [26] With over 78 different possibilities, from charm bracelets to record players, Presley merchandise brought in $22 million by the end of 1956. [53] Presley was beginning to consider new management, with Concerts West co-founder Tom Hulett being the clear favorite for the job. Following his discharge, Parker worked at a number of jobs, including food concessions and gaming carnivals. In reality, Nash told USA Today that Presley would "never do that." Presley apparently never knew that Parker wasn't . Colonel Tom Parker used to earn a good amount of money while he was working for US army. [12] Parker, with the task of promoting Austin, found the career transition smooth, using much of his "carny" experience to sell tickets and attract the crowds. 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 net worth of $5 million - around $20 million when adjusted for inflation. [67] Author Alanna Nash has suggested that the couple may have simply placed their hands on a Bible and given themselves a "carny wedding".[67]. During the 1960s, after many years of ill health, Marie began to display signs of dementia. [67] As Parker's management career began to take off, Marie became more of a housewife, although she would occasionally travel with him to various parts of the country. [33], Presley had been showing signs of rebellion against Parker, and Parker believed that a stint in the Army would cure him of this. 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. [41], To make up for lack of earnings, Parker arranged for Presley's gold Cadillac to go on tour. [16] Critics were very positive in their reviews of both the drama and Sands, leading to Capitol Records signing Sands within a week. Parker then returned to the Netherlands before going back to the US when he was 19, again illegally. Answer (1 of 2): In addition to what is noted in the other answer, he had legal disputes with the Presley estate but ultimately continued to earn money from Elvis's legacy. His mother was giving him a pep talk to calm his nerves. By 1984, with his gambling debts reportedly rising again, he was evicted. Parker privately acknowledged his brother and even introduced him to Presley. [18] According to Moore, Presley agreed to take 50 percent, with Moore and Black splitting the other 50 percent. Compare Colonel Tom Parker's Net Worth. His immigration status wasn't revealed for years. Colonel Tom Parker died at the age of 87 years. Colonel Tom Parker died on January 21, 1997 at the age of 87. Elvis Presley & Colonel Parker. 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. In January 1958 Presley received his draft notice from the United States Army. Just the opposite. [16], Regardless of the success that Parker and Presley had achieved, Parker was still struggling to believe that Presley's career would last longer than a year or two. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Colonel_Tom_Parker&oldid=1141644408, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 02:32. [72] By this point, he was stricken with diabetes, gout, and other health problems such that he could barely leave his own house. [16] Parker had intended to mold Sands into the next Roy Rogers, but Sands had no interest in such a plan. [65], Others, however, had doubts about whether they were legally married at all. He died of complications from the stroke[72] the following morning at a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 87. Parker believed that serving in the Army would help cure Presley of his increasing waywardness and convinced him to follow through with his draft as a normal citizen. By 1980, the cost of running the estate was estimated to be as much as $500,000 a year. 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