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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. As noted byThe Washington Post, in 1981, Albert Goldman published a biography of Elvis Presley that was pretty scathing in its portrayal of Parker and exposed his true identity to the world. Then again, existing evidence suggests there was confusion as to the proper spelling of his middle name prior to his death. Media in category "Colonel Tom Parker" The following 3 files are in this category, out of 3 total. Elvis finally brought the pink Cadillac and a huge mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. ': Tom Hanks changed his mind about his favorite Elvis song, The colonel was delighted that Elvis was causing riots and grabbing headlines for being overly suggestive, she says. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. And there certainly would've been no Elvis without Colonel Tom Parker.' "Colonel" was an honorary title bestowed on him in 1948 by Gov. A more likely story is that he immigrated to the United States around the age of 20 and traveled with circuses, settling down in Tampa, Fla., and marrying Marie Mott in 1935. AsThe New York Timesnotes, Parker was eventually simply discharged from the Army but only after suffering some sort of "breakdown." In Las Vegas, he worked as an adviser for Hilton Hotels, consulting on entertainment. ", 'Where has this been hiding? I just wish I had a microphone so I could have recorded it all. One of the most surprising things about Colonel Tom Parker is that he wasn't an American, he never held American citizenship, and his real name wasn't Tom Parker. More than his popularity, politicians were terrified of his inspirations, preferences, and role models. The Elvis Presley manager did a lot of controversial things during his time in show business, and the Baz Luhrmann movie reveals just how much of a monster he really was. Colonel Tom Parker was best known for being the . Tom Parker had made him an entity that only swore allegiance to the market. Related: Every Baz Luhrmann Movie, Ranked According To Box Office Mojo. (Despite his unofficial title, he was never a colonel: Louisiana governor Jimmie Davis granted him an honorary colonelcy in 1948, and Parker clung to it for life.). Parker did serve in the Army but only attained the rank of private asBiographynotes, his rank of colonel was ceremonial, bestowed on him by the governor of Louisiana in 1948 as a reward for his efforts on the election campaign. Parker realized early on the bigger potential of Austin Butler's Elvis and transitioned to managing him full-time. After incredible success in the 1950s, a period during which Presley came to define the new sound of rock and roll, his popularity plummeted in the 1960s after a stint in the Army and a series of lazy, poorly received films. He was 87 years old at the age of his death. It took a probate court to remove Parker and his 50% fee from future dealings. . Parker, ever the carny, knew what brought people in the big tent.. Elvis was tired. 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. In August 1987, he held a rare news conference as the 10th anniversary of Presley's death approached. Toward the end of his life, Parker began to lose control of both Elvis Presley's legacy and his own story, however, and today, we know the truth about Elvis Presley's manager. . In fact, as writerAlanna Nashreports,Parker went so far as to actually let the IRS calculate his and Presley's tax debts for him and professed to be happy to pay it. Tom Parker left Hank Snow and started managing Elvis full time. The Legend Versus Cirkus: The Key To Making A So Bad That Its Good Movie, Explained. But Parker's first experience with the Army had ended with desertion and a his being diagnosed as a psychopath, and this had left him with little apparent desire to repeat the experience, especially if it involved leaving the country and being shot at. The next morning he died from complications of the stroke at a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 87. Viewers who are more familiar with Elvis Presleys music than his life story might be surprised by the prominence Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks) in Baz Luhrmanns Elvis biopic. Tom told Elvis that for International tours, a lot of investment would have to be made from his pocket, whereas for performing in the International hotel, he wouldnt have to spend a single penny. After Elvis was drafted, Parkerwhom Nash notes was an Army deserterworked with the Pentagon to ensure he'd be a regular soldier and not in the entertainment corps. Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk, aka Colonel Tom Parker, put a lot of effort into hiding his true identity and his past. But it certainly would explain Parker's hurried exit from his home country and his fevered secrecy and worry over his true identity. He became Presley's manager in 1955. Yet Parker soaked Elvis for an enormous amount of money. According to Norman Taurog, a film director who worked with Presley, the powers that be at MGM and Colonel Parker always wanted [Presley] in lighter films surrounded by pretty girls so those were the films he made. He allegedly took a 50% commission on his earnings and exploited him to support his gambling and betting addiction. Show director/producer Steve Binder turned to songwriter Earl Brown to write an emotional ballad, "If I Can Dream," that reflected Elvis hopes that the nation could get through such a crisis and heal. Tax bills and other expenses were eating up every dollar The King had left behind, and there were no more tours, records, or films to bring in more cash. The Biggest Inaccuracy In 'Tr' Plus 7 Things The Film Gets Right, Randy Roth From 'A Rose For Her Grave' Is Still In Prison, Idris Elba's James Bond Easter Egg In 'Luther: The Fallen Sun,' Explained, Who Is Michael B. Jordan Dating? It's one of only a very few villainous roles that Hanks has taken in his long career in movies, making it a relatively rare departure for the actor. He is survived by his wife, Loanne, of Las Vegas. were acquaintances, but not close friends," she says. Jerry Schilling, one of the managers in Presleys Memphis Mafia, didnt understand why Tom Parker was not letting him perform abroad. Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis' long time manager was also there. She knew that something bad would happen with this association, but Elvis had made up his mind. Elvis Presley and the Colonel Tom Parker. Tom Parker's Cause of Death. As theLos Angeles Timesreports, when Priscilla Presley, Elvis' ex-wife, sat down to go over the estate in 1979, she was shocked to discover it was a failing enterprise revenues had fallen to just $1 million that year and were expected to fall to less than $500,000. Known for his keen promotion and merchandising savvy, Parker, or "the Snowman," would help to make Elvis a household name, putting the singer on everything from lunch boxes to board games to trading cards and beyond. Nobody cared about what Elvis wanted. Parker died on January 21, 1997, of complications from a stroke. The police investigation uncovered no clues, and it's impossible to place Parker in any specific place in 1929. The dichotomy of fame was such that he obsessively craved the applause, the validation, but also felt isolated even when he was around thousands of people. Col. Parker snapped: "We're here to honor his memory. Elvis Presley expressed his desire to go overseas frequently, but he was kept at bay with easy and fast money arranged by The Colonel on projects in the U.S. By the time they reached the final years of Elvis' career, the two were so intertwined and invested that it made more sense to stay in business than to walk away. However, the tide wasn't actually changed until a 1968 TV special, produced by Scott Binder, put Elvis the singer back on top, while simultaneously showing the Colonel how close he was to losing the singer to another producer. He met Priscilla, the love of his life, the daughter of a United States Air Force officer. That isnt to say that Parkers gambling and Elvis Vegas shows aren't linked, she says. He told Elvis to perform at the International Hotel Las Vegas, and during the show, without telling him, entered into negotiations with Meyer Kohn (though, in reality, it was Alex Shoofey, the president of the hotel, who did the negotiations with Tom Parker). Its part of why he wanted him in the first place. They gave him a choice. The RCA record label signed Elvis and Sam Philips was duly compensation for letting the artist go. Col. Tom Parker rescues an injured dog in Tampa in the early 1940s. He had created a different narrative for himself, and he takes us back in time when he heard about the King of Rock and Roll for the first time in his life. Meanwhile, he started working as a local promoter for appearances by the country singers Gene Austin and Roy Acuff and the film cowboy Tom Mix. A rough-spoken, imposing, cigar-chomping businessman, Mr. Parker rarely gave interviews and was known for fabricating his background. Perception of Parker shifted, as he seemed to be mismanaging Presley's career into the ground, prioritizing short-term profits over long-term success. Parker was a svengali who exerted an extreme amount of control over his charge's career, and took enormous 25 to 50% in commission. Colonel Tom Parker's House. He became Presley's manager in 1955 just as the young Memphis truck driver was breaking onto the national scene as a rock-and-roll sensation. The Tom Hanks Tom Parker portrayal was a shocking one. Answer (1 of 4): The show must go on. His reasoning was that he'd served in the U.S. military without permission from the Dutch government and thus had forfeited his Dutch citizenship. Related: Elvis True Story: Who Was Orion? Held at a Hilton Hotel, his funeral was attended by the likes of Sun Records boss Sam Phillips and Parker's former client . He was believed to have been in debt to the Las Vegas Hilton for over $30 million at one point, which led to his eviction from the property after Elvis' death. After Elvis' death in 1977, the Elvis Presley manager continued on as if The King were still alive. Gulmohar Ending, Explained: Did Arun Come Back Home? So why was he so worried about his true identity as Andreas van Kuijk coming out? His first wife, Marie, died in 1980. Andreas van Kuijk kept up his false identity for decades, but eventually, at least part of the truth caught up with him. Hanks retains all of these qualities in his performance, including the adoption of prosthetics to help look more like the controversial Parker. The connection isn't nearly as directas the film implies, which presents Elvis residency at the International Hotel as a way for Elvis' managerto settle his sizable gambling debts at the hotel's casino. Where normal manager fees were in the 10- to 15- percent range, Presley agreed to a 25-percent fee when he signed with Parker in the 1950s and signed a new agreement in the 1960s that raised his fee to an incredible 50 percent. the King was down to his last $1million and prior to his death The Colonel was forced to negotiate a $750,000 deal with a Las Vegas hotel, in which . When Elvis returned home from the Army, The Colonel focused on more films, TV appearances, and albums, saturating the airwaves with Elvis. In fact, as Smithsonian Magazine writes, Parker was born in Breda, in the Netherlands, in 1909, and his birth name was Andreas van Kuijk. Who would account for that mental and physical fatigue? I was expecting to hear stories about the distrust she had for Colonel Tom Parker over these many years, he told Colbert. He had toured with carnivals, worked with elephants and. Anyone can read what you share. The hold that Parker had over Presley did not extend to Presleys family. As the manager of the biggest musical star in the world, he could afford to bluster, often bragging about being in charge of Presley's career and earning the lion's share of the income. Doctors told Tom Parker that he had stage 4 . The tailspin created by RFKs death led directly to the specials powerful finale. All Images property of their respective owners. He dreamt of donning the same suit that B.B King wore, one day. Still, Presley called Mr. Parker and his first wife, Marie, ''the finest people in the world.''. After a lifetime of earning well over $100 million managing Elvis, The Colonel's estate was barely worth $1 million upon his death. He partnered with Hank Snow, one of the greatest singers in the United States at that time. Once he experienced Las Vegas, that became a frequent stop for the promoter. I think I didn't hear you very well. The pattern that Parker would traditionally follow was affordability and profit over quality, which would eventually help to torpedo Elvis' career for a time. Then in 2017, when the house was set to be demolished for a car wash, music historian and collector Brian Oxley purchased the rights to the . A deeper look into Parkers biography reveals more of his genius and his exploitation of Presley. Theres no one, including his father, who could have pulled that off., By the time Elvis was trying to get help for his addictions, his ex-wife was no longer in his life on a daily basis. But big Elvis fans know Parker the man who managed the musicians career from 1955 until the iconic singer died prematurely in 1977 all too well. He was a carny and Elvis was his cash cow, nothing more. 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. Over the course of their long relationship, he exerted a remarkable level of control over the star, who put up with him until his death in 1977. From his exorbitant 50-percent fee for his services to a multitude of deals where he actually made more money than his client, Parker violated plenty of ethical rules, even if Presley willingly signed the contracts. In 1955, Presley agreed to accept Mr. Parker as an adviser. Tom Hanks' portrayal of Elvis' manager Colonel Tom Parker in the 2022 biopic created controversy - here's the true story behind Hanks' Tom Parker. "Mob involvement is suggested in the film. Elvis Presley Enterprises was created, and Vernon Presley was made the business manager. The epic biopic "Elvis" covers a lot of ground - 42 years, to be precise - from the iconic singer's birth until his death in 1977. The Washington Post also reminds us that this cost Presley whose estate was worth just $7 million when he died a great deal of money. Colonel Parkers financial abuse came to light, and it ended his ties with the Presley Estate. Despite Parkers troubling exploitation of Presley, though, he undeniably succeeded in catapulting him into a new echelon of fame and, now, legend. The Elvis manager certainly had some unethical practices when it came to the King of Rock n Roll, and many were shocked upon viewing the film to find out that this was the case. The following discusses plot points from the new "Elvis" movie and the real life of Elvis Presley. Colonel Tom Parker was astonished to hear that Elvis Presley was a white man. The preliminary autopsy findings indicated that the cause of death was . His mother was giving him a pep talk to calm his nerves. Tom knew that Elvis was the golden goose and Hank was a story of the past. As The Washington Post notes, British music promoter Harvey Goldsmith said flat out that when he tried to sign Presley to a performance in England, Parker told him privately it would never happen because he was afraid to leave the U.S. He had become a salesman, who sold anything and everything. The man had immigrated illegally to the United States of America, and that is why he didnt want to travel abroad, as it would expose his real identity. Not surprisingly, the news conference had a promotional tie-in: a display in the Elvis suite at the Las Vegas Hilton, where Presley performed from 1969 to 1977. Parker always stood by his arguments in which he said that he did what was best for the singer. I believe in the kind of cinema that not necessarily makes you laugh or cry but moves something inside you. 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. Throughout his life, Parker claimed that he had been born Thomas Andrew Parker in Huntington, West Virginia, shortly after the turn of the 20th century. He was quickly arrested and spent a few months in military prison. Parker adopted the title as if it were part of his identity, frequently being referred to as "The Colonel," despite his military discharge. In February of 1957, historian Michael T. Bertrand writes, Edward R. Murrow invited Elvis to appear on his prestigious evening news program. If Parker hadn't been so paranoid about Presley being outside of his direct control, The King would have earned a lot more money. Even in times of war, the Army has some strict standards about the physical condition of its soldiers, so Parker's brilliant plan to avoid the draft involved gaining weight. Col. Parker stayed in the position until "the King of Rock 'n' Roll" died Aug. 16, 1977. He also grew estranged from his family: The South Florida Sun-Sentinel writes that his mother did not hear from him between 1933 and her death in 1958, while The Smithsonian describes his sister Nel Dankers-van Kuijk discovering that he was Elvis Presleys manager after seeing them together in a magazine in 1960. He gained weight and looked awful, sweating through his rhinestone jumpsuits. This took a mental toll on Parker. More: Does Elvis Have An After Credits Scene? Elvis died at the age of 42, in the year 1977. At the same time, Parker was being sued by Priscilla Presley, and his dubious financial and ethical behavior toward one of the world's most beloved performers was being detailed. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. The country was hurting, but Elvis could neither do anything about it nor express his views through his music. He made a mockery out of the life of the best-selling solo recording artist of all time. But Parker was also a very scared man who sacrificed millions in potential earnings because, as writerAlanna Nashreports, he didn't have a passport and was afraid to let Presley tour overseas without him. But then something extraordinary happened. Baz Luhrmann's musical biopic Elvis explores the eponymous singer's career, leading up to his tragic death, and one of the characters that has caused a fair amount of controversy is Elvis and the Colonel, Tom Parker. Col. Parker became defensive when he was asked if those around Presley might have saved him by getting help for his drug problem. Iratta Ending, Explained: What Happens To Vinod? Tom Hanks has built a reputation for disappearing into his roles. Thank you.". No matter what Colonel Parker says, his actions did qualify as a betrayal. As Smithsonian Magazine reports, van Kuijk, who was born in the Netherlands, created an elaborate fake past for himself.