During this part of Presley's career, Parker and Presley agreed to a 50/50 "partnership", which, with Parker controlling merchandising and other non-music related items, resulted in Parker earning more than his client. . [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. [citation needed], For the remainder of Presley's life, Parker saw little of him. Allegedly $1 Million, more or less. [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. [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. 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. Colonel Tom Parker was astonished to hear that Elvis Presley was a white man. The 32nd Anniversary of Elvis' final concert in Indianapolis. [44] The tours were so popular and financially successful that they determined Presley's workload for the remainder of his life and career. [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. [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. The pair worked together at carnivals early on before Parker's career in management took off. Snow attended the signing, thinking that Elvis had signed a management contract with Jamboree Attractions, which he owned with Parker. [53] They discussed the possibility of Presley's co-starring with Streisand in a remake of the film A Star Is Born. . [4], "Colonel Tom Parker rubbed my head in Vegas", Eddie Murphy stated in 1989. "[72] She reiterated her positive opinion to Tom Hanks in 2022 when the actor prepared to play Parker for Elvis (2022). [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. Tom Hanks describes the larger-than-life character he portrays in the new Baz Luhrmann film, "Elvis," which opens in theaters next Friday. [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. [66] Some suggested that Parker married Marie to disguise his illegal status in the United States;[65] a marriage to a U.S. citizen with a child could help him bury his past in a "ready-made family". [14] With the Society in need of funds, Parker set about using his promotional experience to raise money and awareness for the shelter. Adam van Kuijk died from emphysema in 1992, never seeing or visiting Parker again.[63]. He then re-enlisted at Fort Barrancas in Florida. 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. "Last Train to Memphis". [65] Marie was one of six children,[65] had been married twice before, and had a son from her first marriage. [4] During the 1960s, with his wife's health deteriorating, and Presley's career struggling, Parker found an escape with gambling at Las Vegas casinos. 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. 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. He became Presley's manager in 1955 just as . At the time of Elvis' death, he was worth just $5 million, a relatively-modest amount considering his enormous level of success and fame. 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. Net Worth: $1 Million. 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. Inc, to control Presley merchandise and keep a steady income supporting his estate. 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. Colonel Tom Parker Salary Detail. "There would have been no Elvis without Colonel Tom Parker; there would have been no Colonel Tom Parker without Elvis. Parker then returned to the Netherlands before going back to the US when he was 19, again illegally. 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. [15], Parker immediately went to work to find a new label for Presley. By the time Elvis died, the "Can't Help Falling In Love" singer's estate was in poor condition with only about $5 million. Parker, 33, died in March, surrounded by his family and bandmates, 17 months after he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. Later, in 1990, Parker married his longtime secretary Loanne Miller. So Where'd All The Money Go??? [26] He had even come up with the idea to market "I Hate Elvis" badges. A few years after that, he illegally entered the United States by jumping ship from the boat of his employer. [19][20] Part of Parker's role was to secure a new recording contract with a bigger label. Colonel Tom Parker passed away on January 21, 1997 at 87 years old.Colonel Tom Parker Net Worth. Despite earning over $100 million during his lifetime, at the time of his death Colonel Tom Parker was reportedly worth less than $1 million. We welcome all corrections and feedback using the button below. During this time, Parker secured him long-term deals with film studios. The first major artist with whom he worked was popular crooner Gene Austin. [4] From about 1931 until 1938, he worked as a "carny" with Royal American Shows. He arranged for Presley to appear on popular television shows, such as The Milton Berle Show and The Ed Sullivan Show, securing fees that made Presley the highest-paid star on television. With Presley serving in West Germany, Parker did everything he could to keep the singer's name on everyone's lips, as he worried that Presley would fade in the public eye. The killing happened a few streets from where the Van Kuijk family lived, and Parker had been hired to make deliveries from this and other grocery stores in the area. 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 ). 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%. [52] After nearly two weeks of trading insults back and forth, Parker and Presley decided to continue to work together. [26], In April 1956, Parker made his first mistake with Presley's career. [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. A few actors have tackled Parker on screen, most notably Beau Bridges in 1993s "Elvis and the Colonel: The Untold Story" and Randy Quaid in the 2005 miniseries "Elvis." While Neal was originally the singer's official manager, Parker was the one most involved in running Presley's 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. The world's music and pop culture changed forever when the greatest performer of them all joined . Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis's manager from 1955 to his death in 1977, earned an estimated $50 million from the singer's estate. Tom Parker was born on 26 June 1909 in Breda, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. [49] Seeing the chance to publicize Presley's charitable nature once again, Parker eagerly agreed. Cremated. According to Presley's biographer Peter Guralnick, Presley and Parker "were really like, in a sense, a married couple, who started out with great love, loyalty, respect that lasted for a considerable period of time, and went through a number of stages until, towards the end of Presley's life, they should have walked away. 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. 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. Parker's main role during these tours was to plan the logistics and make sure tickets were sold. He was punished with solitary confinement, from which he emerged with a psychosis that led to him spending two months in a mental hospital,[4] and he was discharged from the Army because of his mental condition. 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 . What was his net worth in 2022? Burial. According to Alanna Nash, who wrote The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley . [16] He arranged live appearances and became something of a father figure to the then-15-year-old Sands. However, the music scene had radically changed. [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. 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. Stick around for t. [17] In the beginning, Presley, Moore, and the bassist Bill Black were a trio, the Blue Moon Boys. [15], A young singer, Tommy Sands, caught Parker's eye in 1952, and Parker immediately set about promoting him. Elvis Presley with manager Colonel Tom Parker as he is discharged from the Army in 1960. . [15] As Presley was still a minor, his parents had to sign the contract with Parker on his behalf. [34] He was upset about the possibility that would affect his career, but Parker was secretly overjoyed. However, that was not the case since Elvis was still under contract to Bob Neal. [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. Little, Brown. Elvis was given a spot in the Louisiana Hayride, a radio show, and Colonel Parker knew that this young lad could prove to be a dark horse. The 30th Anniversary of the death of Elvis' father, Vernon Presley. [60], The disputes with the Presley estate did not terminate Parker's association with Presley. No, Elvis didn't fire the Colonel from the stage at Las Vegas in real life. [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. [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. He said 'Did I really?' In 1968, Presley achieved renewed fame when he starred in the NBC television special "Elvis." Parker was able to receive more than half of the income from the enterprise, an unprecedented figure for a music manager. I wanted to punch him in the face. A large part of Tom's net worth he made from his Salary as a Colonel. Into his late 80s, Colonel Tom Parker began to struggle with various illnesses including diabetes and gout. A symbiotic relationship," Hanks added. [50] In later years, several of Presley's inner circle would tell of how difficult it was to persuade Presley to quit the drugs. [67] Author Alanna Nash has suggested that the couple may have simply placed their hands on a Bible and given themselves a "carny wedding".[67]. After the special, Parker managed Presley's return to live performance, including a set of brief U.S. tours and many engagements in Las Vegas. Parker then managed a series of highly successful tours for Presley. Frank Sinatra, who had declared Presley a rock and roll disgrace in the 1950s, was keen to have him appear on his show. The Colonel was involved in Elvis' music career from very early on. 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. Elvis Presley & Colonel Parker. Let's find out. [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. [4] He enlisted in the United States Army a few months later, taking the name "Tom Parker" from the same name of the officer who interviewed him, to disguise the fact he was an illegal alien. 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. 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. Elvis is signed exclusively to the Colonel. [35] All of these stories were fabrications, but it kept his name in view of the public. What was Colonel Tom Parker worth when he died? [44] At the time, Presley's back catalog was not considered very important and RCA initially calculated it at being worth much less, but in later years it would become one of the most valuable record catalogs in the music business. He is known for Spinout (1966), Kissin' Cousins (1964) and Jailhouse Rock (1957). [41] The Cadillac tour proved to be somewhat more successful than the film itself. Death. In 1980, a judge ordered an investigation into Parker's management practices and found that Parker's management had been unethical. "[52], Parker accepted that their working relationship was over, Parker telling them over the phone that Dr. Nick's services are no longer required, and demanded that Presley pay him $2 million to end their contract; money Parker claimed he was owed. [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. Presley's career stagnated while artists like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys dominated the charts. 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. He had expressed interest in making films when he first met Parker, and now Parker was working to make that happen. [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. [26] Presley said of Parker: "I don't think I would have ever been very big if it wasn't for him. In 1973, Colonel Parker sold the master tapes for 700 of Presley's songs to RCA for $5.4 million. He died of complications from the stroke[72] the following morning at a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 87. The 30th Anniversary of the revelation to Elvis' estate that Colonel Parker was still fleecing his client. [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. "[70], Songwriter Mac Davis recounted a similar experience where Parker rubbed his head and declared "You're going to be a star. However, it would be a quiet wedding. In 1973, Parker had one of his greatest coups with Presley's "Aloha from Hawaii" concert, which was broadcast worldwide from Hawaii. Soon, he secured Presley a record deal with RCA Victor. Guralnick, Peter (1994). "He fully believed the colonel's story that Parker hailed from Huntington, West Virginia; Elvis died not knowing the truth," she says. 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. [15] Parker and Snow eventually formed Hank Snow Enterprises and Jamboree Attractions, a successful promotional outfit for up-and-coming country singers. By 1984, with his gambling debts reportedly rising again, he was evicted. [58], Following Presley's death, Parker set up a licensing operation with Factors Etc. [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. Parker died in 1997 at the age of 87. 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. He also became friendly with the estate again, attending special ceremonies and events in Memphis, invited by Priscilla. when Elvis died, he was only worth $5 . Presley remembered the event as one of the worst moments of his career. Held at a Hilton Hotel, his funeral was attended by the likes of Sun Records boss Sam Phillips and Parker's former client . [52], In February 1975, during his engagement in Las Vegas, Presley, along with Parker, met with Barbra Streisand and Jon Peters. LOANNE PARKER Loanne Miller Parker, long-time resident of Las Vegas and widow of Elvis Presley manager Colonel Tom Parker, Dies at 84. Date of Birth: Jun 26, 1909 - Jan 21, 1997 (87 years old) Place of Birth: Breda, Netherlands. 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. The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley by Alanna Nash Aurum 19.99, pp394. He influenced Presley's personal life, including Presley's decisions to accept military service in 1958 and to marry Priscilla Beaulieu in 1967. In January 1958 Presley received his draft notice from the United States Army. Tom Parker had a net worth of $8 million at the time of his death. [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. 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! Published Jan. 22, 1997 | Updated Sep. 30, 2005. Answer (1 of 2): The gravy train for Col. Parker ended after Elvis died, and the executor that was appointed for Lisa Marie Presley's interests began to go over Parker's deals with Elvis, was appalled, and the estate threatened to take Parker to court, and paid him 2 million dollars to end his as. [29] While Presley was a hit among the youth of America, the middle-aged audiences found him an oddity. After Presley passed away, Parker established a licensing deal with Factors Etc. "No, he never would have done that," Nash says. After a heated argument between the two, Presley told Parker he was fired. 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. [16] He suggested to Sholes that Sands could record material similar to Presley's style. No, Luhrmann has really framed this through a present-day lens. 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. His Dutch birthplace and immigrant status were not revealed for many years. and he was hired as a hotel consultant for $50,000 per year (323,906 in 2021 dollars). [15], In early 1955, Parker became aware of a young singer, Elvis Presley. 'Life with you was never dull' More on The Wanted For his part, Parker himself died with a net worth of $1 million, or roughly . [41], On January 2, 1967, Parker re-negotiated his managerial/agent contract with Presley, persuading him to increase Parker's share from 25% to 50% on certain transactions. 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. 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. Nearly as legendary as his famous client was Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's manager. Between 1969 and his death on Aug. 16, 1977, Presley played over 600 shows at the Hilton. Later in 1975, the government of Saudi Arabia offered Parker $5 million for Presley to perform there. 4. He completed basic training at Fort McPherson in Atlanta, Georgia.[4]. [50] They hired private detectives to find out where the drugs were coming from and were successful in stopping any more from reaching Presley. [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. [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. While we work diligently to ensure that our numbers are as accurate as possible, unless otherwise indicated they are only estimates. 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 The next morning he died from complications of the stroke at a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 87. [60] Part of this role resulted in Parker keeping the same fourth-floor suite he occupied when Presley was alive. 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]. This led Parker to insist that films be made cheaply, on a strict schedule, and with as little hassle as possible. Luhrmann hasn't really . He was previously married to Loanne Miller and Marie Frances Mott. [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. [4], In 1935, Parker married 27-year-old Marie Francis Mott. He was 87. Subsequently, Parker managed the singer's successful return to live performing, with several dates set up in Las Vegas. [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. [15] Over the next few years, he helped Arnold secure hit songs, television appearances, and live tours. 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. Parker was consequently sent to solitary confinement. [33], Presley had been showing signs of rebellion against Parker, and Parker believed that a stint in the Army would cure him of this. [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. [4] During his first visit there, he traveled with a Chautauqua educational tent show, before returning briefly to the Netherlands. [69] In October 1990, Parker married Loanne Miller, his secretary since 1972. 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. Mourners recall being surprised at his wearing a Hawaiian shirt and baseball cap, smoking his trademark cigar, and purposely avoiding the casket. He was best known for being the manager of Elvis Presley. . Col. Tom Parker, the former carnival barker who helped guide Elvis Presley to stardom, died Tuesday of complications from a . Net Worth: $1 Million; Date of Birth: Jun 26, 1909 - Jan 21, 1997 (87 years old) What happened to Tom Parker after Elvis died? [55] The book was published one year later on July 12, 1977, one month before Presley's death. Colonel Tom Parker was born in Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands in June 1909 and passed away in January 1997. The show, titled "Welcome Home, Elvis", was Presley's first national television appearance since The Ed Sullivan Show in January 1957. Hanks said, "I was anticipating hearing horror stories about this venal, cheap crook. In early 1997, he passed away from a stroke in Las Vegas at the age of 87. In 1980, a judge ordered an investigation into Parker's management practices, finding that Parker's management had been unethical. By 1980, the cost of running the estate was estimated to be as much as $500,000 a year. [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. Colonel Tom Parker was a Dutch-American talent manager and music businessman. [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". Net Worth: $1 Million; Date of Birth: Jun 26, 1909 - Jan 21, 1997 (87 years old) What is Colonel Tom Parker worth? Here are the best information about what was colonel tom parker worth when he died voted by users and compiled by 5 WS, invite you to learn together. "He fully believed the colonel's story that Parker hailed from Huntington, West Virginia; Elvis died not knowing the truth," she says. By his final public appearances in 1994, Parker was suffering from a number of health problems such as gout and diabetes. 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. [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. [65] However, there is no definite proof that anything other than romance led to their marriage. [52], Although many around Presley were worried about his worsening drug dependency, Parker appeared to ignore the problem. [37] He allowed him to perform three live shows in 1961, all charity events, two in Memphis and one in Hawaii. Part biography, part murder mystery and perhaps the most thoroughly researched . [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. Although Parker infrequently saw Presley over the ensuing years, he remained his manager until Presley's passing in 1977. Colonel Tom Parker's House. Colonel Parker died of a stroke on January 22, 1997, aged 87. . [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. However, he also continued to blow his fortune on his gambling addiction and he died heavily in debt. In early 1929, a 23-year-old newlywed woman, Anna van den Enden, was found beaten to death in the living quarters behind a greengrocer store. [62], One of Parker's brothers, Adam "Ad" van Kuijk, visited Parker once in Los Angeles in April 1961. He married his secretary in 1990 (she'd worked for him since 1972).