He is portrayed by Tom . [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. p. 258. Parker hoped that marriage would not only boost Presley's career but also possibly tame him. His mother was giving him a pep talk to calm his nerves. [1][4], At age 15, Van Kuijk moved to Rotterdam, gaining employment on boats in the port town. At the time of his death, Elvis was only worth . 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. 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. [29], Despite this setback, Presley was still going from strength to strength. In 1968, Presley achieved renewed fame when he starred in the NBC television special "Elvis." This led Parker to insist that films be made cheaply, on a strict schedule, and with as little hassle as possible. But Col Thomas Andrew Parker - the all-American father figure - wasn't the first to discover Elvis. [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. Tom Parker. He was best known for being the manager of Elvis Presley. In January 1958 Presley received his draft notice from the United States Army. At the time of Elvis' death, he was worth just $5 million, a relatively-modest amount considering his enormous level of success and fame. [16] In the drama, the role of Sands was portrayed as a "twisted psychopath". [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. Breda, Breda Municipality, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. [33] He had arranged for Presley to record five singles before his induction,[35] guaranteeing RCA Victor enough material to release over a two-year period. [4] By this time, with the IRS demanding almost $15 million in taxes, the estate was facing bankruptcy. He . [56] At the funeral, he persuaded Presley's father to sign over control of Presley's career in death to him. [36] If Parker had had any doubts about his return, they were soon gone when he witnessed the turnout along the route. [65] Marie was one of six children,[65] had been married twice before, and had a son from her first marriage. After a heated argument between the two, Presley told Parker he was fired. However, the music scene had radically changed. 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. His films still made money and his albums still sold well, but the profits were falling. Presley went on to star in 27 films during the decade, including "G.I. [37] He envisioned him as an entertainment machine, pumping out three films and soundtracks a year, until the end of the decade. The next morning he died from complications of the stroke at a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 87. For two years he served in the 64th Coast Artillery at Fort Shafter in Hawaii. [12] Despite having sold over 86 million records since 1924 and earning over $17 million, Austin's career was at a low point. What was Colonel Tom Parker worth when he died? 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. You're going to be a star.'"[71]. "That didn't come out in this country until 1981." Parker made his last public appearances in 1994. . At that time Parker believed Elvis to be black. What was Colonel Tom Parker's net worth when he died? For a time, Parker lied about his childhood, claiming to have been born in Huntington, West Virginia, in the early 1900s to explain his Dutch accent as being a Southern accent, and to have run away from home at an early age to join a circus owned by an uncle before serving in the U.S. Army prior to his involvement with being a music manager. So Where'd All The Money Go??? Following this, he entered the music industry as a music promoter. [4] During his first visit there, he traveled with a Chautauqua educational tent show, before returning briefly to the Netherlands. [52] In Las Vegas, he was starting to appear drugged on stage, slurring his words and forgetting song lyrics. In 1977, Elvis died of a heart attack at only 42. . In reality, Nash told USA Today that Presley would "never do that." Presley apparently never knew that Parker wasn't . The truth about his early years was revealed in 1960 when one of Parker's sisters, Nel Dankers-van Kuijk, living in the Netherlands, recognized him in photographs standing next to Presley. [33] Parker, on the other hand, was fully aware that any special treatment given to Presley would instantly be used against him in the media and by those who disliked his style of music. 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 [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. Col. Tom Parker dies. With no touring or public appearances to be made, Parker was able to keep costs to a minimum. [65], Others, however, had doubts about whether they were legally married at all. [44] He would usually fly ahead to the venues and prepare the way for Presley's entourage to follow so that he and Presley rarely saw each other, and, as time progressed, it became even more difficult for Parker to get in contact with Presley. Parker did not appear to care if the films were good or bad but only about the profits. 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. 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. Family of Utah law student, 25, say they found out from NEWS REPORTS that he'd been shot dead by cops 'after becoming non-compliant during traffic stop because his BMW didn't have license plate' "[42] Parker used the argument that Presley was his only client and he was thus earning only one fee.[42]. Parker appeared at posthumous events honoring Presley, such as the 1993 issuing of a U.S. postage stamp with Presley's likeness. [53] Despite this, however, the deal never materialized. [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. [18] When the contract expired, the Memphis radio personality Bob Neal stepped in and made a deal with Phillips to become Presley's manager. There, he worked at carnivals. Into his late 80s, Colonel Tom Parker began to struggle with various illnesses including diabetes and gout. [33], Presley had been showing signs of rebellion against Parker, and Parker believed that a stint in the Army would cure him of this. . Colonel Tom Parker's Lack of Money. [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. He died on 21 January 1997 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Just the opposite. [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. Elvis Presley with manager Colonel Tom Parker as he is discharged from the Army in 1960. . While we work diligently to ensure that our numbers are as accurate as possible, unless otherwise indicated they are only estimates. [50] However, it wasn't long before Presley was able to find other doctors to meet his demands. Colonel Tom Parker was Elvis Presley's manager for more than 20 years, and was with him when he died on August 16, 1977. . 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 . In 1973, Parker had one of his greatest coups with Presley's "Aloha from Hawaii" concert, which was broadcast worldwide from Hawaii. [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. What was Colonel Tom Parker worth when he died? A few years after that, he illegally entered the United States by jumping ship from the boat of his employer. and he died worth only US$1,000,000. [60] On the surface, however, relations between the two were as good as ever, with Parker helping the Hilton to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Presley's death. The 32nd Anniversary of Elvis' final concert in Indianapolis. [52], Although many around Presley were worried about his worsening drug dependency, Parker appeared to ignore the problem. In the 1950s, he helped Elvis Presley become a big star. Returning to music, he began managing such singers as Eddy Arnold and Tommy Sands. 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. [15] As Presley was still a minor, his parents had to sign the contract with Parker on his behalf. [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. [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. [53] They discussed the possibility of Presley's co-starring with Streisand in a remake of the film A Star Is Born. 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. [33] 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. 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. In 1953 Parker bought a house in Madison, Tennessee, where Presley would visit and stay while recording. Compare Colonel Tom Parker's Net Worth. He also lost a large portion of Elvis' personal wealth. The pair worked together at carnivals early on before Parker's career in management took off. [37] Parker signed long-term contracts with the film studios,[39] possibly to guarantee work and income for both him and Presley. "That didn't come out in this country until 1981." In 1973, Colonel Parker sold the master tapes for 700 of Presley's songs to RCA for $5.4 million. He became Presley's manager in 1955 just as . [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] The tours were so popular and financially successful that they determined Presley's workload for the remainder of his life and career. His immigration status wasn't revealed for years. [15] RCA made it clear it were unwilling to go above $25,000 for a practically unknown singer,[15] but Parker persuaded them that Presley was no ordinary unknown singer. Memorial ID. Published Jan. 22, 1997 | Updated Sep. 30, 2005. After Presley passed away, Parker established a licensing deal with Factors Etc. Mourners recall being surprised at his wearing a Hawaiian shirt and baseball cap, smoking his trademark cigar, and purposely avoiding the casket. Burial. The show, titled "Welcome Home, Elvis", was Presley's first national television appearance since The Ed Sullivan Show in January 1957.