[37] Parker signed long-term contracts with the film studios,[39] possibly to guarantee work and income for both him and Presley. In the 1950s, he helped Elvis Presley become a big star. In 1980, a judge ordered an investigation into Parker's management practices and found that Parker's management had been unethical. Colonel Tom Parker was a music entrepreneur, well-known for being Elvis' manager. Following this, he entered the music industry as a music promoter. [48] Two weeks after the Las Vegas press conference Parker received a letter from Honolulu Advertiser columnist Eddie Sherman. He wasn't a colonel and he wasn't even born in America. [50] In later years, several of Presley's inner circle would tell of how difficult it was to persuade Presley to quit the drugs. Mourners recall being surprised at his wearing a Hawaiian shirt and baseball cap, smoking his trademark cigar, and purposely avoiding the casket. [53] Yet, despite Presley's eagerness to do the shows, Parker again turned them down. [53] Hulett's company had managed tours for Presley, and he had worked with artists such as Led Zeppelin. He is portrayed by Tom . 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. [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. [60], The disputes with the Presley estate did not terminate Parker's association with Presley. Elvis Presley & Colonel Parker. He . [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. How Colonel Tom Parker built his net worth. During this time, Parker secured him long-term deals with film studios. He facilitated Presley's rise to superstardom in the 50s, and also influenced his decisions to accept his military draft and to marry his wife Priscilla, among other things. Colonel Tom Parker net worth: Colonel Tom Parker was a Dutch American talent manager who had a net worth of $1 million at the time of his death in 1997. As per reports, Colonel Tom Parker's Cause of Death was revealed that he died of stroke . [7] As a boy, he worked as a barker at carnivals in his hometown, learning many of the skills that he would require later while working in the entertainment industry. The King supposedly earned $100 million during his limelighted lifetime, which ended 10 years ago today. The Tom Hanks Tom Parker portrayal was a shocking one. Presley went on to star in "Love Me Tender," which spawned his eponymous hit single. Colonel Tom Parker Net in death: Despite earning more than $ 100 million during his lifetime, at the time of his death Colonel Tom Parker was worth less than $ 1 million. However, he also continued to blow his fortune on his gambling addiction and he died heavily in debt. [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. Tt was this, rather than his entrance into the Army or the later death of Gladys, from which Presley never truly recovered and which ultimately killed him. [68] From then on, he continued living in Las Vegas, mostly avoiding contact with the press. [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. [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. 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. [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". [29], Despite this setback, Presley was still going from strength to strength. 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. Published Jan. 22, 1997 | Updated Sep. 30, 2005. Additionally, Tual determined that Parker's handling of Presley's business affairs was unethical. He died on 21 January 1997 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. 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. [16] Sholes showed little interest in Sands, but promised that he would attempt to find songs Sands might be able to record. He realized that by keeping RCA Victor, and more importantly the public, hungry for more Presley material, he would be able to negotiate a better contract when Presley returned from active service. 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. A suit between Parker and the Presley estate was settled out of court in 1983. Elvis Was Not Nearly As Rich As You Might Guess When He Died. He was one of the most influential voices in the industry. "No, he never would have done that," Nash says. Tom Hanks describes the larger-than-life character he portrays in the new Baz Luhrmann film, "Elvis," which opens in theaters next Friday. A symbiotic relationship," Hanks added. [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. [5] During a second, more detailed investigation, Tual discovered that all earnings were paid directly to the Trust instead of Parker. . 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. "[40], Presley had to do no more than provide RCA Victor with three albums a year,[37] and his film soundtracks did that for him. They struggled to survive during the Great Depression, working short cons and traveling across the country in search of work. Parker encountered Presley in 1955, and by 1956 had become his primary representative. In 1977, Elvis died of a heart attack at only 42. [11][10], Parker first became involved in the music industry as a music promoter in 1938, working with the popular singer Gene Austin. He feels exploited and fires Parker on the stage during his Las Vegas show. Into his late 80s, Colonel Tom Parker began to struggle with various illnesses including diabetes and gout. [37] After that, until 1968, Presley gave no live performances, and had very little contact with his fans. To hide that he was an illegal immigrant, he adopted the name Tom Parker, which was the name of the officer who interviewed him. 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. He cared about making sure that his boy didn't just have a million dollars worth of talent . I quit! [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. [65] However, there is no definite proof that anything other than romance led to their marriage. However, after his re-enlistment, he went AWOL and was charged with desertion. 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. However, when Presley signed a recording contract with Phillips, Moore and Black were excluded. What Tom Hanks Thinks Of His Tom Parker Role . 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 . His Dutch birthplace and immigrant status were not revealed for many years. Following the success of Presley's Las Vegas return, Parker signed a contract with the International Hotel to guarantee Presley would play a month-long engagement for $125,000 a week ($974,043 in 2021 dollars[11]), an unheard-of sum at the time. He also worked to maintain Presley's estate, which was estimated to have cost around $500,000 a year in upkeep. ", "Photos: Elvis Presley and Colonel Tom Parker", https://www.elvis.com.au/presley/a-new-light-on-colonel-tom-parker.shtml, "A Larger-Than-Life Look at a Larger-Than-Life Star", "Meet the Fifth (Jewish) Beatle Manager Brian Epstein", "The All American Boy: Enter Elvis and the rock-a-billies", Tom Parker collection and interviews with co workers, ED Bonja Interview Elvis Photographer - the Elvis Information Network exclusive. [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. He was subsequently in "Loving You," "Jailhouse Rock," and "King Creole." This is because Elvis' manager, Colonel Tom Parker, had previously arranged a deal to sell those to RCA for $5.4 million, out of which only $1.35 million went to Elvis after Parker's 50% fee and income taxes. [4] Priscilla and the Trust were prepared to let Parker continue to handle Presley's business affairs, and petitioned the court to that end. [16] He arranged live appearances and became something of a father figure to the then-15-year-old Sands. His death certificate lists his birth name as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk, his country of birth as . [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. 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. For two years he served in the 64th Coast Artillery at Fort Shafter in Hawaii. Parker's net worth when he died was $1 million. Tom Parker was born on 26 June 1909 in Breda, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. "A couple times he set me up in the Elvis Presley suite on top of the Hilton, and I would go play Elvis for a week One night we were at the crap table together and he rubbed my head for luck. 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. 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%. 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. He influenced Presley's personal life, including Presley's decisions to accept military service in 1958 and to marry Priscilla Beaulieu in 1967. [16] In the drama, the role of Sands was portrayed as a "twisted psychopath". [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. According to Priscilla, Elvis was happy to pay 50% to Parker to manage him.[73]. That number is down significantly from an estimated $100 million . Parker appeared to be in complete control during Presley's time away, but he was worried about the outside influence that . [16], Eddy Arnold fired Parker in 1953 over Parker's growing involvement with the singer Hank Snow. [37] He envisioned him as an entertainment machine, pumping out three films and soundtracks a year, until the end of the decade. [26] Parker, with his 25% share of profits, found ways to make money from his artist that other managers before him had never thought of. [16] Soon after, Sands' song "Teen-Age Crush" reached number 2 on the pop charts, eventually selling 800,000 copies. [53] Despite this, however, the deal never materialized. 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. 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. 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. 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. After Presley passed away, Parker established a licensing deal with Factors Etc. He became Presley's manager in 1955 just as . While Presley was serving in West Germany, Parker was hard at work keeping Presley's name known to the public. After a lifetime of earning well over $100 million managing Elvis, The Colonel's estate was barely worth $1 million upon his death. [15] Parker and Snow eventually formed Hank Snow Enterprises and Jamboree Attractions, a successful promotional outfit for up-and-coming country singers. Stick around for t. [40] These deals were sometimes so harsh on the studios that it led producer Hal Wallis to state: "I'd rather try and close a deal with the Devil. On March 26, 1956, after Presley's management contract with Neal expired, Presley signed a contract with Parker that made him his exclusive representative. [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. Tom Parker had a net worth of $8 million at the time of his death. Later, in 1990, Parker married his longtime secretary Loanne Miller. [4], In 1935, Parker married 27-year-old Marie Francis Mott. I said 'Yeah'. In 1980, a judge ordered an investigation into Parker's management practices, finding that Parker's management had been unethical. Elvis Presley was only 42 years old when he died on August 16, 1977 (via History). 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. He also lost a big chunk of Elvis's own money. [57], Parker set out to protect his future income. [4] By this time, with the IRS demanding almost $15 million in taxes, the estate was facing bankruptcy. Presley's acting career was originally intended to be a serious one, but after seeing a chance to cross-promote singles and albums with the films, Parker persuaded Presley to sing in his films. [16] Parker had intended to mold Sands into the next Roy Rogers, but Sands had no interest in such a plan. [4], "Colonel Tom Parker rubbed my head in Vegas", Eddie Murphy stated in 1989. In 1935, while travelling with a circus, Parker met and married 27-year-old Marie Francis Mott. Following this, Neal chose not to renew his management contract with Presley, leaving Parker as the singer's sole manager. Subsequently, Parker managed the singer's successful return to live performing, with several dates set up in Las Vegas. Even Tom Hanks thought he was an odd choice to play Elvis Presley's manager Colonel Tom Parker in . Frank Sinatra, who had declared Presley a rock and roll disgrace in the 1950s, was keen to have him appear on his show. There, he worked at carnivals. [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. Later, Davis says "He remembered me, and he said 'I told you you were going to be a star.' For his part, Parker himself died with a net worth of $1 million, or roughly $1.8 million in today's money (via Dollar Times ). 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. At the time of Presley's death in 1977, it was suspected that Parker owed the Las Vegas Hilton over $30 million ($134,151,565 in 2021 dollars[11]) in gambling losses. "There would have been no Elvis without Colonel Tom Parker; there would have been no Colonel Tom Parker without Elvis. . Snow attended the signing, thinking that Elvis had signed a management contract with Jamboree Attractions, which he owned with Parker. [4], On August 14, 1981, Judge Evans ordered Elvis Presley Enterprises to sue Parker for mismanagement. By this time, Parker was aware that Presley needed a rest from touring and the chance to deal with his prescription drug addictions. [60] Part of this role resulted in Parker keeping the same fourth-floor suite he occupied when Presley was alive. Between 1969 and 1972 alone, RCA released three albums of live material. After a heated argument between the two, Presley told Parker he was fired. 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. In 1994, following the marriage of Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson, Parker stated that Presley would not have approved. At the time of his death in 1997, he was worth $1 million. He also influenced his decisions to join the military and marry Priscilla, among other . In 1969, she was an employee of the International Hotel when Elvis made his record-breaking performances there. Nearly as legendary as his famous client was Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's manager. 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. Parker returned to the U.S . [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. [36] If Parker had had any doubts about his return, they were soon gone when he witnessed the turnout along the route. 1. Despite earning over $100 million during his lifetime, at the time of his death Colonel Tom Parker was reportedly worth less than $1 million. Colonel Tom Parker's home (former), 409 Park Ridge Avenue, Temple Terrace, Fl. [48] (During Presley's career, except for a few concerts in Canada in 1957, he never performed outside the United States.) I wanted to punch him in the face. Colonel Tom Parker's House. Parker, who was born in the Netherlands, entered the United States illegally when he was 20 years old. Parker made several attempts to have it stopped, but failed to do so. Burial. He completed basic training at Fort McPherson in Atlanta, Georgia.[4]. Loanne Parker, wife of Colonel Tom Parker, passed away earlier this week.Loanne had a strong connection to Las Vegas, Nevada - even though she was from southern Ohio - and she had an even stronger connection to Elvis. Net Worth: $1 Million; Date of Birth: Jun 26, 1909 - Jan 21, 1997 (87 years old) What is Colonel Tom Parker worth? [37] He allowed him to perform three live shows in 1961, all charity events, two in Memphis and one in Hawaii. [56] At the funeral, he persuaded Presley's father to sign over control of Presley's career in death to him. [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. "[42] Parker used the argument that Presley was his only client and he was thus earning only one fee.[42]. 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. 3. [citation needed] After a cold reception during his first few shows,[30] Parker cut Presley's appearance to two weeks. Parker was consequently sent to solitary confinement. [15] RCA Victor, Hank Snow's current label, also showed an interest, but they were put off by the cost of the contract. [10] Parker later said that at times they had had to live on as little as $1 a week (US$20 in 2021 dollars). At that point, Moore and Black had no contractual ties to either Phillips or Presley. Parker then managed a series of highly successful tours for Presley. [citation needed], For the remainder of Presley's life, Parker saw little of him. Let's find out. "Every entertainer should go to bed at night and pray he . Parker enlisted in the US Army shortly after his return to America. But he had less than $750,000 in his savings account when he died, and his estate was valued at less than $10 million. 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. . [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. "He fully believed the colonel's story that Parker hailed from Huntington, West Virginia; Elvis died not knowing the truth," she says. Elvis is signed exclusively to the Colonel. [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. Colonel Tom Parker made more than $100 million in his lifetime, but when he died, he was reportedly worth less than $1 million. June 30, 2022. [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. "That didn't come out in this country until 1981." After all the money he took from Elvis???? [34] He was upset about the possibility that would affect his career, but Parker was secretly overjoyed. [18] According to Moore, Presley agreed to take 50 percent, with Moore and Black splitting the other 50 percent. Although Parker infrequently saw Presley over the ensuing years, he remained his manager until Presley's passing in 1977. Nor did he ever suggest onstage that he knew of the colonel's immigration issues. Tom Hanks took on the role of the so-called villain. No, Luhrmann has really framed this through a present-day lens. [16] Critics were very positive in their reviews of both the drama and Sands, leading to Capitol Records signing Sands within a week. [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. [44] These live performances, as well as being financially satisfying, also allowed Parker to fulfill Presley's recording contract with RCA Victor. "That didn't come out in this country until 1981." [48], Aloha from Hawaii proved to be the last great moment in Presley's career. [37] Parker, not one to forget harsh criticism, stated that the fee would be $125,000 (equivalent to about $1,145,000 in 2021) for two songs, a total of eight minutes on screen; Sinatra himself was receiving a lower sum for the whole show,[38] but he agreed. [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. The majority of Elvis's reported net worth at the time of his death was comprised of royalties from record sales, publishing, film and concert tickets. [44] The tours were so popular and financially successful that they determined Presley's workload for the remainder of his life and career. Parker appeared at posthumous events honoring Presley, such as the 1993 issuing of a U.S. postage stamp with Presley's likeness. In addition to its considerable value, the estate of Elvis . With no touring or public appearances to be made, Parker was able to keep costs to a minimum. In any case, Parker remained Presley's manager without a break until Presley's death in 1977. He was 87. The first major artist with whom he worked was popular crooner Gene Austin. [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. and he was hired as a hotel consultant for $50,000 per year (323,906 in 2021 dollars). By 1980, the cost of running the estate was estimated to be as much as $500,000 a year. [33] LOANNE PARKER Loanne Miller Parker, long-time resident of Las Vegas and widow of Elvis Presley manager Colonel Tom Parker, Dies at 84. 21 Jan 1997 (aged 87) Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, USA. 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 .