[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. [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. Austin Butler won the Golden Globe for Best Actor, beating out favorite Brendan Fraser (The Whale), and he picked up a nomination for the same award at the Oscars. Elvis died of a heart attack aged 42 on August 16 1977. [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. [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. Tom Hanks was also intrigued by the fact that the wider public knew very little about the Elvis manager, claiming this was another reason he took on the role. [37] He allowed him to perform three live shows in 1961, all charity events, two in Memphis and one in Hawaii. [53] Several members of Presley's band later stated that Parker had no idea just how bad the situation was getting. [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. [11][10], Parker first became involved in the music industry as a music promoter in 1938, working with the popular singer Gene Austin. 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. With 1956 coming to a close, Parker had made Presley one of the most well-known, well-paid entertainers in the world. Parker made several attempts to have it stopped, but failed to do so. [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. [52], Although many around Presley were worried about his worsening drug dependency, Parker appeared to ignore the problem. [55] The book was published one year later on July 12, 1977, one month before Presley's death. Instead, Parker sent demonstration recordings to record producer Steve Sholes at RCA Victor. [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. [19][20] Part of Parker's role was to secure a new recording contract with a bigger label. [5] However, Judge Joseph Evans, aware that Lisa Marie Presley was still a minor, appointed attorney Blanchard E. Tual to investigate Parker's management. In 1955, Colonel Tom Parker became Elvis Presley's manager, a partnership that would last over two decades and see Presley become one of the biggest stars in the world. Presley had been living with Priscilla Beaulieu, ten years his junior, for the past four years, but it had not been public knowledge. The other five nominations were for technical (Editing, Sound, Cinematography) and design (Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling). The actor has talked about the project, what drew him to it, and how he felt about the overall story. [15] However, RCA Victor producer Steve Sholes was convinced that Presley's style of music would be a huge hit with the right label, and he began talks with Parker. "[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. He said 'Did I really?' [15] Over the next few years, he helped Arnold secure hit songs, television appearances, and live tours. [44] He offered RCA Records the opportunity to buy Presley's entire back catalog for $5.4 million. 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. He made him join the Army after Elvis was offered an out by the Memphis draft board. [15] Despite this, Phillips was not keen to let him go easily, advising Parker that he would require $40,000 (US$404,621 in 2021 dollars[11]) to secure the release of Presley's contract, a completely unheard-of sum at the time. [35] Parker had declined to travel to Europe, denying that he spoke any language other than English. And I know it wasn't him, but it's true. "[70], Songwriter Mac Davis recounted a similar experience where Parker rubbed his head and declared "You're going to be a star. [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. [48] (During Presley's career, except for a few concerts in Canada in 1957, he never performed outside the United States.) [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. [43] A breakfast reception was arranged, taking place after the media got their photographs of the couple. At that time Parker believed Elvis to be black. ", "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. There are probably a number of reasons for this. [14] The job not only offered him a secure wage, it also offered a rent-free apartment above the Humane Society in a remote part of West Tampa for him and his family. [16] NBC had originally wanted Presley for the role, but Parker had turned them down. [49] Seeing the chance to publicize Presley's charitable nature once again, Parker eagerly agreed. The actor wore a fat suit and heavy make-up to appear more like Parker, but the real performance came in the mannerisms, accent, and presence of Hanks embodying Elvis' manager. [57], Parker set out to protect his future income. 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. In general, fans of the icon think that Colonel Parker never let Elvis fully shine. However, there were some interesting omissions from the award announcements. Parker's Net Worth When He Died Was $1 Million. [18] Neal was struggling at the time to accommodate his new client's success, and in February 1955, following a meeting with Parker, Presley agreed to let Parker take some control of future bookings and promotions. After his Army hitch, he had him stop making personal appearances, and limited his public exposure to three sappy movies a year. The Tom Hanks Tom Parker portrayal was certainly a different type of role for the actor, who is known for taking on characters like the sunny Mr. Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. [52] Angered by this outburst, Parker declared: "You can't fire me. But according to Alanna. But according to Alanna Nashwho spent time with the real Colonel in the '90sthere were times when he was just as scary as what you see onscreen. [15] However, Parker remained involved in many of Arnold's live tours and demanded a buyout of $50,000 (US$506,405 in 2021 dollars[11]) to settle their contract. [15], Parker immediately went to work to find a new label for Presley. Elvis didn't really fire Colonel Parker on stage in Vegas. Lisa Marie died on January 12 after suffering cardiac arrest. Coupled with the fact that the character of Tom Hanks' Tom Parker isn't his usual role, and Hanks was eager to play the part. Tom Hanks has built a reputation for disappearing into his roles. [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. What's amazing is this, after Elvis' death, Parker is said to have owed $30 million in gambling debts to the Las Vegas Hilton. [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. [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. The contract, dated July 12, 1954, eight days after their first recording session, was signed by Presley and his parents. [44] However, Presley had asked him to raise funds to pay for his upcoming divorce settlement, and Priscilla divorced Elvis in 1973. " [Elvis] let us all know when he was upset, and he'd go on a rampage and, you know, cursing. In the end, they'd become dependent on one another and were in too deep to even know how to start over. [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. More: Does Elvis Have An After Credits Scene? [29], Despite this setback, Presley was still going from strength to strength. [53], From 1974 onward, Presley's weight gain and prescription drug abuse became too much to be controlled. [15], In early 1955, Parker became aware of a young singer, Elvis Presley. Asked by a journalist what he would do now, Parker responded: "Why, I'll just go right on managing him! And when he said that, I said, 'Oh, well, okay, now that's brand new.". 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. [65] Unbeknown to Parker at the time, she had a second son from her first marriage, but had given him up for adoption at birth due to his disability (a club foot). He was 87. [50] In later years, several of Presley's inner circle would tell of how difficult it was to persuade Presley to quit the drugs. "[56] Almost immediately, before even visiting Graceland, Parker traveled to New York City to meet with merchandising associates and executives with RCA Records, instructing them to prepare for a huge demand in Presley products. In 1968, he was asked in an interview if it was true that he took fifty percent of everything Elvis earned. In later years, Parker's influence waned, but he continued in his management role until Presley's death in 1977. [4] A year later at 18, with enough money to sustain him for a short period, he entered America illegally by jumping ship from his employer's vessel. While Elvis and the Colonel carried the movie to several awards, Hanks' omission stands out above most others. While proving to be a frequent challenge for Parker, Elvis and the Colonel stuck together. [4] After a lifetime that saw him earn in excess of $100 million, Parker's estate was worth barely $1 million when he died. Hanks said, "I was anticipating hearing horror stories about this venal, cheap crook. I said, 'Yeah, you rubbed my head.' After Elvis' death in 1977, the Elvis Presley manager continued on as if The King were still alive. 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. [39] Throughout the 1960s Parker would continually renegotiate Presley's film contracts, often paying little attention to the scripts or the concerns of his client. Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's . Parker was able to receive more than half of the income from the enterprise, an unprecedented figure for a music manager. So much so, that the Elvis estate even sued Parker for mismanagement. [16] He arranged live appearances and became something of a father figure to the then-15-year-old Sands. On January 20, 1997, Parker's wife heard a crashing sound from the living room, and when she heard no response to her calls, she went in to find him slumped over in his chair after suffering a stroke. At the time of his death, Parker was suffering with diabetes, gout, and various other health problems. His death certificate lists his birth name as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk, his country of birth as the Netherlands, and his citizenship as American. 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 . Guralnick, Peter (1994). [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 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. 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. [16] In the drama, the role of Sands was portrayed as a "twisted psychopath". Parker struggled with a gambling addiction while keeping Elvis on a short leash, halting the singer from touring overseas and pushing him into cheap projects that were frequently averse to what the artist wanted to be a part of, eventually taking 50% of Elvis' earnings, of which they both agreed upon. [4] At age 17, he first displayed signs of wanting to run away to the United States to "make his fortune". By 1980, the cost of running the estate was estimated to be as much as $500,000 a year. [43], It took the energetic 1968 television special Elvis, which the Singer Company sponsored, and a subsequent series of acclaimed recording sessions in Memphis, Tennessee, that included songs such as "Suspicious Minds" and "In the Ghetto", to restore Presley's musical reputation. 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