Colonel Tom Parker was a carnival barker, a con man, an inveterate gambler Parker earned and stole from Elvis over 100 million dollars as Elvis manager. Related: The Darkest Moments In Oscars History. [41] In Houston alone in one afternoon, 40,000 people paid to see it, with one woman offering to have sex with the tour manager if he would allow her to sit in it. Elvis and the Colonel were associated throughout the musician's entire career, including music, movies, and TV specials. "[72] She reiterated her positive opinion to Tom Hanks in 2022 when the actor prepared to play Parker for Elvis (2022). What it means in the movie: The Colonel, standing in the shadows, stalks the hillbilly newcomer Elvis Presley at the Louisiana Hayride and realizes, "He was my destiny." What happened in real life: On Jan. 15, 1955, Colonel Parker traveled to Shreveport, Louisiana, to watch Elvis on the Hayride . Tom Hanks' portrayal of Elvis' manager Colonel Tom Parker in the 2022 biopic created controversy - here's the true story behind Hanks' Tom Parker. Dolly admitted: "I cried all night. [4] Priscilla and the Trust were prepared to let Parker continue to handle Presley's business affairs, and petitioned the court to that end. Parker appeared at posthumous events honoring Presley, such as the 1993 issuing of a U.S. postage stamp with Presley's likeness. In January 1997, Parker suffered from a stroke and died the next day in a hospital in Las Vegas at the age of 87. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. [49] The album was released simultaneously around the world, and went to number 1 on the US charts, the first Presley album to do so since the Roustabout soundtrack, in 1964. He quickly became the singer's sole representative, and within months he had won Elvis a recording contract with RCA Victor.. [4], Parker had worked as a "consultant" for Hilton Hotels since Presley's death,[60] with some believing he was working to pay off debts owed to the casino from his gambling during Presley's performances there. "I had the luxury of essentially recreating somebody who no one really knew. In 1967, Parker pushed Elvis to marry Priscilla Beaulieu, hoping that it would help change the tide of his career. 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. The document that was signed on November 21 pertained to the record label transfer. In any case, Parker remained Presley's manager without a break until Presley's death in 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. The reasons for this are a source of controversy, as it was believed that Parker's status as an illegal immigrant (the theme of the Netflix series Stateless) would prohibit him from traveling as he didn't have a passport, nor could he get one due to his status. [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. You're going to be a star.'"[71]. Elvis picked up an impressive seven Oscar nominations. 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. While it is believed that he made over $100 million dollars during his time with Elvis, he was rumored to only be worth a million dollars when he died, and at one point, had gambling debts in excess of $ Continue Reading Related questions [4] By this time, with the IRS demanding almost $15 million in taxes, the estate was facing bankruptcy. [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. He's a very smart man. [9] He began to build up a list of contacts that would prove valuable in later years. Instead, he found employment as a field agent with a local animal shelter, the Hillsborough County Humane Society. [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]. I said 'Yeah'. . [4] During his first visit there, he traveled with a Chautauqua educational tent show, before returning briefly to the Netherlands. Parker adopted the title as if it were part of his identity, frequently being referred to as "The Colonel," despite his military discharge. 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. And Priscilla Presley confirmed those rumors while chatting with Good Morning America. PIONEERING EARLY MANAGEMENT [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. [53] Yet, despite Presley's eagerness to do the shows, Parker again turned them down. [53] Several members of Presley's band later stated that Parker had no idea just how bad the situation was getting. So much so, that the Elvis estate even sued Parker for mismanagement. [19][20] Part of Parker's role was to secure a new recording contract with a bigger label. 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. Potomac, was going to be salvaged. [15] Parker and Snow eventually formed Hank Snow Enterprises and Jamboree Attractions, a successful promotional outfit for up-and-coming country singers. Paul Shirey is a senior news writer for Screen Rant. [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. The pattern that Parker would traditionally follow was affordability and profit over quality, which would eventually help to torpedo Elvis' career for a time. After a heated argument between the two, Presley told Parker he was fired. During the interview, Parker said that he was not aware that another one of his sisters, Adriana van Kuijk, had died in the Netherlands a few years before. He was given the honorary title of "Colonel" in the Louisiana State Militia from Governor Jimmie Davis as thanks for the work he did on his political campaign. He attended Elvis funeral dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and baseball cap, avoiding any display of emotion. In the end, both Elvis and Colonel Parker shared a tragic journey that mirrored their working relationship. [44] These live performances, as well as being financially satisfying, also allowed Parker to fulfill Presley's recording contract with RCA Victor. [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. At that time Parker believed Elvis to be black. [10] Parker later said that at times they had had to live on as little as $1 a week (US$20 in 2021 dollars). The two had become almost strangers, and false reports in the media suggested that Presley's contract was up for sale. [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. [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. [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. [5] During a second, more detailed investigation, Tual discovered that all earnings were paid directly to the Trust instead of Parker. [16] Parker had intended to mold Sands into the next Roy Rogers, but Sands had no interest in such a plan. [15], A young singer, Tommy Sands, caught Parker's eye in 1952, and Parker immediately set about promoting him. [48] (During Presley's career, except for a few concerts in Canada in 1957, he never performed outside the United States.) [49] Sherman had read in news accounts that there was to be no charge for admittance to the concerts, a donation to charity being required instead. 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. [60] However, he did occasionally bother them by criticizing some decisions. 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. [33], Presley had been showing signs of rebellion against Parker, and Parker believed that a stint in the Army would cure him of this. [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. [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 completed basic training at Fort McPherson in Atlanta, Georgia.[4]. The contract, dated July 12, 1954, eight days after their first recording session, was signed by Presley and his parents. Colonel Tom Parker was a man with a shady past. [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]. On top of that, Parker found venue upon venue for Elvis to perform in, be it recording studios, Hollywood films, TV specials, and even satellite broadcasts, immersing the artist into the cultural zeitgeist while keeping him landlocked in North America. 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. He adopted a new name and claimed to have been born in the United States. 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. [14] With the Society in need of funds, Parker set about using his promotional experience to raise money and awareness for the shelter. Tom Parker didn't enjoy a good reputation even after being associated with one of the legendary artists that history has ever seen. Born as Andreas Cornelis Dries van Kuijk in the Netherlands, the Tom Hanks Tom Parker portrayal saw him illegally immigrate to the United States, finding employment as a carnival worker before joining the Army, where he was eventually discharged after going AWOL. 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]. [65], Others, however, had doubts about whether they were legally married at all. [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. [55] As with all the talk about Presley touring overseas, Parker never followed through with the deal. 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. After Elvis' death in 1977, the Elvis Presley manager continued on as if The King were still alive. While Elvis and the Colonel carried the movie to several awards, Hanks' omission stands out above most others. Parker became known as a shrewd, showy, and manipulative businessman who was able to work out lucrative deals at minimal overhead while making sure his pockets were lined healthily along the way. [44] The tours were so popular and financially successful that they determined Presley's workload for the remainder of his life and career. However, it soon became obvious that Elvis had staying power, with the right guidance. 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. Hanks retains all of these qualities in his performance, including the adoption of prosthetics to help look more like the controversial Parker. He also assisted Jimmie Davis' campaign to become Governor of Louisiana. Parker, who was born in the Netherlands, entered the United States illegally when he was 20 years old. With no touring or public appearances to be made, Parker was able to keep costs to a minimum. Parker had unknowingly backed himself into a financial corner. 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, there were some interesting omissions from the award announcements. [56] At the funeral, he persuaded Presley's father to sign over control of Presley's career in death to him. Nash portrays the Colonel as a psychopathic murderer born June 26, 1909 in Breda, Holland, whose real name is Andreas "Andre" Cornelis van Kuijk. This proved very lucrative, especially when the single for Presley's first film, Love Me Tender, sold over one million copies in advance sales. [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. 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. There are probably a number of reasons for this. Inc, to control Presley merchandise and keep a steady income supporting his estate. [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 I know that Elvis loved it. [15] As Presley was still a minor, his parents had to sign the contract with Parker on his behalf. Snow eventually led Parker to Elvis Presley. [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. What Really Happened To Colonel Tom Parker? In the end, they'd become dependent on one another and were in too deep to even know how to start over. [13] Instead, Parker decided to stay in Temple Terrace, Florida, with his family, perhaps to avoid having to submit paperwork that could expose his illegal status. 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