Following this, Neal chose not to renew his management contract with Presley, leaving Parker as the singer's sole manager. The show, titled "Welcome Home, Elvis", was Presley's first national television appearance since The Ed Sullivan Show in January 1957. Parker appeared to be in complete control during Presley's time away, but he was worried about the outside influence that . [17] In the beginning, Presley, Moore, and the bassist Bill Black were a trio, the Blue Moon Boys. However, when Presley signed a recording contract with Phillips, Moore and Black were excluded. Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it! Luhrmann hasn't really . Mourners recall being surprised at his wearing a Hawaiian shirt and baseball cap, smoking his trademark cigar, and purposely avoiding the casket. The Wanted singer Tom Parker has died from a brain tumour at the age of 33. In 1955, Parker and Memphis radio personality Bob Neal began promoting the young up-and-coming singer Elvis Presley. [15] Although Neal remained Presley's official manager, Parker was becoming increasingly involved in the running of his career, and by the summer of 1955 he had become Presley's "special advisor". "Every entertainer should go to bed at night and pray he . [60], The disputes with the Presley estate did not terminate Parker's association with Presley. [29], Despite this setback, Presley was still going from strength to strength. Colonel Tom Parker acted as Presley's promoter and, then manager and promoter, for most of his career. [57], Parker set out to protect his future income. Allegedly $1 Million, more or less. [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. 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. However, he also continued to blow his fortune on his gambling addiction and he died heavily in debt. [53] Presley was beginning to consider new management, with Concerts West co-founder Tom Hulett being the clear favorite for the job. [60] Part of this role resulted in Parker keeping the same fourth-floor suite he occupied when Presley was alive. [51], After the Aloha special, Parker made a deal that would later be used in court to prove that he had not acted in the best interests of Presley. In early 1997, he passed away from a stroke in Las Vegas at the age of 87. As per reports, Colonel Tom Parker's Cause of Death was revealed that he died of stroke . 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. [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. 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". He's a very smart man. [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. This led Parker to insist that films be made cheaply, on a strict schedule, and with as little hassle as possible. "[42] Parker used the argument that Presley was his only client and he was thus earning only one fee.[42]. 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. [34] He was upset about the possibility that would affect his career, but Parker was secretly overjoyed. He also assisted Jimmie Davis' campaign to become Governor of Louisiana. By his final public appearances in 1994, Parker was suffering from a number of health problems such as gout and diabetes. Breda, Breda Municipality, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. [55] The book was published one year later on July 12, 1977, one month before Presley's death. [65], Others, however, had doubts about whether they were legally married at all. But Col Thomas Andrew Parker - the all-American father figure - wasn't the first to discover Elvis. [52] Angered by this outburst, Parker declared: "You can't fire me. [15] The rank was honorary, since Louisiana had no organized militia, but Parker used the title throughout his life, becoming known simply as "the Colonel" to many acquaintances. Net Worth: $1 Million; Date of Birth: Jun 26, 1909 - Jan 21, 1997 (87 years old) What is Colonel Tom Parker worth? "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. The singer was raking in cash hand over fist from these engagements, but he found them artistically . In any case, Parker remained Presley's manager without a break until Presley's death in 1977. Profession: Elvis' manager. Specifically: The services for Tom Parker were held at Palm Mortuary Downtown location, but his cremains were taken to Memphis, TN and the mortuary has no record of the exact location. [16] Remembering his previous experience with Sands, Sholes dismissed Sands as a viable replacement for Presley.[16]. James L. Dickerson's book "Colonel Tom Parker: The . [15] Presley had been at Sun Records since the beginning of his career, but Sam Phillips, the owner of Presley's current label, was aware that to have any kind of a successful future Presley would need the backing of a much larger label. When provided, we also incorporate private tips and feedback received from the celebrities or their representatives. The world's music and pop culture changed forever when the greatest performer of them all joined . He died on Aug. 16, 1977, of a heart attack. [44] These live performances, as well as being financially satisfying, also allowed Parker to fulfill Presley's recording contract with RCA Victor. This was, with hindsight, a mistake on his part; if he had negotiated each deal separately based on the profits of the previous film, he could have received more money. That's $35 million (28m) today and considerably less than what they were actually worth. [10] Parker later said that at times they had had to live on as little as $1 a week (US$20 in 2021 dollars). [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. He is also said to have had gambling debts of up to $30 million at different times. [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]. Following this, he entered the music industry as a music promoter. [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. He negotiated Presley's lucrative merchandising deals, TV appearances, and acting roles in films. Alanna Nash's biography of Parker, The Colonel, claims he may have been trying to avoid passport scrutiny because he might have been a suspect in a murder in Breda. [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. [56] Shortly afterward, he traveled to Memphis for Presley's funeral. [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. 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. Colonel Tom Parker was astonished to hear that Elvis Presley was a white man. 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. [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 had booked Presley into a four-week Las Vegas engagement, misjudging the reaction of the slightly older, more reserved audiences that Las Vegas attracted. [15], A young singer, Tommy Sands, caught Parker's eye in 1952, and Parker immediately set about promoting him. Parker hoped that marriage would not only boost Presley's career but also possibly tame him. We welcome all corrections and feedback using the button below. [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. 26 Jun 1909. Colonel Tom Parker's Lack of Money. The 30th Anniversary of the revelation to Elvis' estate that Colonel Parker was still fleecing his client. Their's was probably the most unique artist-manager relationship ever in show business, clearly one of the most successful. [52], Although many around Presley were worried about his worsening drug dependency, Parker appeared to ignore the problem. Instead, Parker sent demonstration recordings to record producer Steve Sholes at RCA Victor. After a heated argument between the two, Presley told Parker he was fired. [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. Parker continued to manage the Presley estate, but he had sold the rights to Elvis's early recordings, which would have ensured a steady income. [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". [54] Vernon also threatened to find a new manager if Parker wouldn't continue to tour Presley. 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. . [52], In February 1975, during his engagement in Las Vegas, Presley, along with Parker, met with Barbra Streisand and Jon Peters. In 1977, Elvis died of a heart attack at only 42. Parker appeared at posthumous events honoring Presley, such as the 1993 issuing of a U.S. postage stamp with Presley's likeness. In January 1958 Presley received his draft notice from the United States Army. "That didn't come out in this country until 1981." 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. Net Worth: $1 Million. It was also reported that he had up to $ 30 million in gambling debts several times in his life. How Elvis Presley Died Nearly Broke Then Became One Of The Richest Dead Celebrities Of All Time. 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. Colonel Tom Parker died at the age of 87 years. [14] In 1945, Parker became Arnold's full-time manager, signing a contract for 25% of his earnings. [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. 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]. [4], On August 14, 1981, Judge Evans ordered Elvis Presley Enterprises to sue Parker for mismanagement. [4][5] Tual, once appointed as Lisa Marie's guardian ad litem, chose to investigate the entire period of Parker's management of Presley; his preliminary finding was that Parker's management deal of 50% was extortionate compared to the industry average of 1520%. What was Colonel Tom Parker worth when he died? [53] Yet, despite Presley's eagerness to do the shows, Parker again turned them down. He then re-enlisted at Fort Barrancas in Florida. The pair worked together at carnivals early on before Parker's career in management took off. He adopted a new name and claimed to have been born in the United States. He adopted a new name and claimed to have been born in the United States. p. 258. Due to his years of excessive spending and being bilked by his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis' estate was . In 1953 Parker bought a house in Madison, Tennessee, where Presley would visit and stay while recording. Colonel Tom Parker passed away on January 21, 1997 at 87 years old.Colonel Tom Parker Net Worth. [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". At the time of his death in 1997, he was worth $1 million. [37] After that, until 1968, Presley gave no live performances, and had very little contact with his fans. 2023 Celebrity Net Worth / All Rights Reserved. [16] He arranged live appearances and became something of a father figure to the then-15-year-old Sands. As a reward, Davis gave him the honorary rank of "colonel" in the Louisiana State Militia.[2][3]. [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. [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. 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. to control the singer's merchandise. 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. [4], In 1935, Parker married 27-year-old Marie Francis Mott. 4. He died of complications from the stroke[72] the following morning at a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 87. . After the Sinatra special, Parker decided that Presley's future lay in Hollywood. [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. I said 'Yeah'. [12] He was a successful promoter, but he wanted to move into management.[12]. [44] The tours were so popular and financially successful that they determined Presley's workload for the remainder of his life and career. A large part of Tom's net worth he made from his Salary as a Colonel. 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. [18] A one-year management contract with Presley provided Moore with a 10-percent commission, which Moore said he never took. [44] However, Presley had asked him to raise funds to pay for his upcoming divorce settlement, and Priscilla divorced Elvis in 1973. He cared about making sure that his boy didn't just have a million dollars worth of talent . When he came out, he suffered from a psychosis that led to a brief stay at a mental ward, causing him to be discharged from the Army. [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. 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. He also became friendly with the estate again, attending special ceremonies and events in Memphis, invited by Priscilla. [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. The talks had included details about European tours, and buying out Presley's contract would not have been a problem for Hulett and his company. She said she was at home with him when he had his stroke. . [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. His immigration status wasn't revealed for years. [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. [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. [4] By this time, with the IRS demanding almost $15 million in taxes, the estate was facing bankruptcy. His death certificate lists his birth name as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk, his country of birth as the Netherlands, and his citizenship as American. Additional Crew: Spinout. In addition to its considerable value, the estate of Elvis . The sale of the back catalog to RCA meant that after his death, Presley's estate would not receive any royalties for any Presley recordings made prior to 1973. Parker did not appear to care if the films were good or bad but only about the profits. . 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 . Elvis Presley was only 42 years old when he died on August 16, 1977 (via History). Elvis is signed exclusively to the Colonel. Between 1969 and 1972 alone, RCA released three albums of live material. I quit! [55] Although Parker publicly denied these claims, he had been in talks with Peter Grant, the manager of Led Zeppelin, about the possibility of him overseeing a European tour for Presley. Parker's main role during these tours was to plan the logistics and make sure tickets were sold. 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 . [18] When the contract expired, the Memphis radio personality Bob Neal stepped in and made a deal with Phillips to become Presley's manager. 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. [56] Other accounts suggest he slumped in his chair at his office, muttered, "Oh, dear God", and then quickly phoned Vernon Presley, where Parker advised Presley's father that his son's image needed to be protected. [19][20] Part of Parker's role was to secure a new recording contract with a bigger label. He . Net Worth: $1 Million; Date of Birth: Jun 26, 1909 - Jan 21, 1997 (87 years old) What happened to Tom Parker after Elvis died? Their instincts were proven right; the TV special proved an enormous hit, and the album that was released featuring performances from the special became a best-seller, but the comeback special was interrupted when Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated on June 5, 1968. No, Luhrmann has really framed this through a present-day lens. [35] He was reportedly afraid that Presley would realize that there were other managers available prepared to sign contracts that did not require as much as 25% of his earnings. Much of the money went to Col. Tom Parker, the King's enigmatic, cigar . In reality, Nash told USA Today that Presley would "never do that." Presley apparently never knew that Parker wasn't . Parker's net worth when he died was $1 million. Col. Tom Parker dies. [15] Eventually, Parker began getting more involved in music promotion again, this time for himself rather than the Society. The opposing counsel responded by presenting into evidence a copy of Parker's U.S. Army enlistment form which stated, through a legal loophole, that because Parker signed his enlistment papers under his alias "Thomas Andrew Parker" and once he took the oath by swearing allegiance to the United States of America, he unofficially renounced his Dutch citizenship, although it is claimed that he died a Dutch citizen. All net worths are calculated using data drawn from public sources. [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. This proved very lucrative, especially when the single for Presley's first film, Love Me Tender, sold over one million copies in advance sales. [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. [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. Presley's first manager was Scotty Moore, the guitarist in his band, who was encouraged by Sun Records owner Sam Phillips to become Presley's manager to protect Elvis from unscrupulous music promoters. [53], From 1974 onward, Presley's weight gain and prescription drug abuse became too much to be controlled. [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. On March 26, 1956, after Presley's management contract with Neal expired, Presley signed a contract with Parker that made him his exclusive representative. 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. Tom Parker was born on 26 June 1909 in Breda, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. [4] Fans and biographers alike believe that one of the main reasons Parker signed Presley to a Vegas hotel in 1969 for his live comeback was to help cover losses he experienced in their casino. [15], Parker immediately went to work to find a new label for Presley. He said 'Well then there ain't no doubt about it. The 30th Anniversary of the death of Elvis' father, Vernon Presley. When critics questioned this arrangement and that Parker was exploiting Presley for more money because of greed, Presley quipped "I could have signed with East Coast Entertainment where they take 70 percent! [52] Parker was furious, and he stormed into Presley's dressing room after the show to confront him. No, he didn't. That's the kicker. Presley had a singing style different from the current trend, and Parker was immediately interested in the future of this musical style. [55] As with all the talk about Presley touring overseas, Parker never followed through with the deal. He suggested to Parker that, as Presley had recorded and was still performing the song "I'll Remember You" written by Kui Lee, the donations could go to the Kui Lee Cancer Fund that had been set up following the death of the songwriter in 1966. [51] In her book, The Colonel, she writes: "in the days before the Betty Ford Clinic, the Colonel didn't know where to take him for discreet, effective help and loathed risking the loss of work if the truth got out". [33] [55] Worried about the impact such details might have on his career, Presley, through his father, asked Parker to stop the publication. Parker had unknowingly backed himself into a financial corner. [15] Around the same time, realizing the deal for Presley might fall through due to the cost of the contract, Parker attempted to sell Tommy Sands to RCA. Both Priscilla and Jerry said he was a lovely man". [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. [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. Colonel Tom Parker was Elvis Presley's manager for more than 20 years, and was with him when he died on August 16, 1977. . Held at a Hilton Hotel, his funeral was attended by the likes of Sun Records boss Sam Phillips and Parker's former client . [1][4], At age 15, Van Kuijk moved to Rotterdam, gaining employment on boats in the port town. [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. [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. [4][5] Parker's final years were spent living in Las Vegas, in increasingly poor health before his death in 1997. Parker was the Tampa dogcatcher known as The Colonel, who managed Elvis Presley with a deal that controversially landed him 50% of the King of Rock and Roll's earnings. Thomas Andrew Parker (born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk; June 26, 1909 - January 21, 1997), commonly known as Colonel Parker, was a Dutch musical entrepreneur, best known for being Elvis Presley's manager.. Parker, who was born in the Netherlands, entered the United States illegally when he was 20 years old. But he had less than $750,000 in his savings account when he died, and his estate was valued at less than $10 million. [60] In 1993, interest in Presley's enduring legend, interest that is sometimes notable for its obsessiveness, provoked Parker to remark: "I don't think I exploited Elvis as much as he's being exploited today. In 1956, Presley was launched to superstardom with the release of his first single for RCA Victor, "Heartbreak Hotel." A symbiotic relationship," Hanks added. For the rest of his life, Parker managed the Presley estate. Hanks said, "I was anticipating hearing horror stories about this venal, cheap crook.