Colonel Tom Parker
Encyclopedia
"Colonel" Thomas Andrew "Tom" Parker (June 26, 1909 – January 21, 1997) born Andreas Cornelis ("Dries") van Kuijk, was a Dutch
-born entertainment impresario
known best as the manager of Elvis Presley
. Parker's management of Presley defined the role of masterminding talent management which involved every facet of his life and was seen as central to the astonishing success of Presley's career. The "Colonel" displayed a ruthless devotion to his client's interests and took far more than the traditional 10 percent of his earnings (reaching up to 50 percent by the end of Presley's life). Presley said of Parker: "I don't think I would have been very big with another man. Because he's a very smart man."
For many years Parker falsely claimed to have been U.S.-born, but it eventually emerged that he was born in Breda, Netherlands
. Following the death of his famous client, Parker would become one of the most despised men in show business.
at carnivals in his home town, learning many of the attributes that he would require in later life working in the entertainment industry.
At the age of 15 Parker moved to Rotterdam
, gaining employment on the boats in the port town. At age 17 he first displayed signs of wanting to run away to America to "make his fortune," and a year later, with enough money to sustain him for a short period, he entered America illegally by jumping ship from his employer's vessel. During his first visit there, he traveled with a Chautauqua
educative tent show, before returning briefly to Holland.
Alanna Nash would later write in The Colonel, her biography of him, that there were questions about a murder in Breda in which Van Kuijk, as he was then still known, might have been a suspect or a person of interest at least. This might have motivated Parker to avoid seeking a passport, as the Netherlands has an active extradition
treaty with the United States, and Parker might have wanted to avoid criminal arrest by Dutch authorities in that case.
, taking the name "Tom Parker" from the officer who interviewed him to disguise the fact he was an illegal immigrant.
He served two years in the 64th Regiment of the Coast Artillery at Fort Shafter
in Hawaii
, and shortly afterwards re-enlisted at Fort Barrancas
, Florida
. Although Parker had served honorably before, he went AWOL this time and was charged with desertion
. He was punished with solitary confinement, from which he emerged with a psychosis
that led to two months in a mental hospital. He was discharged from the Army due to his mental condition.
Following his discharge, Parker worked at a number of jobs, including food concessions and gaming carnivals. He began to build up a list of contacts that would prove valuable in later years, including men of authority and influence.
In 1935 Parker married 27-year-old Marie Francis Mott. They struggled to survive through the depression-era, working short-cons (confidence tricks) and traveling the country to seek work. Parker would later claim that at times they had had to live on as little as $1 a week.
. Despite having sold in excess of 86 million records since 1924, and with earnings exceeding $17 million, Austin's career had hit a bad patch. He had wasted much of his fortune on partying, cars, mansions, and women. Parker, charged with the task of promoting the star, took to it like a duck to water, using much of his "carny" experience to sell tickets and pack in the crowds. He was a very good promoter, but he had his sights set on management.
Austin offered Parker the opportunity to move to Nashville, Tennessee
, the place where music was becoming big business, but for reasons unknown Parker turned him down. Instead he decided to stay in Temple Terrace, Florida
with his family, perhaps to avoid having to fill in paperwork that could expose his illegal status. Within a year, however, he had the opportunity to become a legal citizen within the United States by way of the 1940 Alien Registration Act; a bill passed by the United States Government to allow illegal immigrants the chance to become US citizens in return for their promise to fight for the country during World War II, if required. Parker decided against registering, possibly to avoid his previous Army record becoming public.
Instead, he found employment as a field agent with a local animal shelter, the Hillsborough County Humane Society. The job not only offered him a secure wage, but it also offered a rent-free apartment for him and his family. With the Society in need of funds, Parker set about using his promotional experience to raise money and awareness for the shelter.
Through the fund-raising, Parker found himself heading to Tennessee to find acts to perform at his charity events, among them stars such as Minnie Pearl
and Eddy Arnold
. Eventually, Parker began getting more involved in music promotion again, this time for himself rather than the Society.
In 1945 Parker became Arnold's full-time manager, signing a contract for 25% of the star's earnings. Over the next few years he would help Arnold secure hit songs, television appearances and live tours.
In 1948, Parker received the rank of colonel
in the Louisiana State Militia
from Jimmie Davis
, the governor of Louisiana
and former country singer, in return for work he did on Davis's election campaign. Parker used the title throughout his life, becoming known simply as "the Colonel" to many acquaintances.
Arnold fired Parker in 1953 due to Parker's growing involvement with the singer Hank Snow
. However, Parker remained involved in many of Arnold's live tours, and demanded a buyout of $50,000 to settle their contract. Parker and Snow worked well together and eventually formed Hank Snow Enterprises and Jamboree Attractions; a successful promotional outfit for up and coming country singers.
Parker and Neal worked together to promote Presley, using their own Hank Snow Tour to book him and tour him. 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 "Special Advisor" to Presley. Part of his role was to secure a new recording contract with a bigger label. 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 for Presley to have any kind of a successful future in the business he would need the backing of a much larger label. Despite this, Phillips was not keen to let him go easily, advising Parker that he would require $40,000 to secure the release of Presley's contract, a completely unheard-of sum at the time.
Parker immediately got to work on finding a new label for Presley. Both Mercury Records
and Columbia Records
showed interest, although their initial offers were nowhere near the $40,000 requirement. RCA Records
, Hank Snow's current label, was also showing an interest, but they were put off by the cost of the contract. However, RCA producer Steve Scholes was convinced that Presley's style of music would be a huge hit with the right label, and he began talks with Parker. RCA made it very clear that they were not willing to go above $25,000 for a practically unknown singer, but Parker persuaded them that Presley was no ordinary unknown singer. In November, Parker and Snow persuaded RCA to buy Presley out from Sun for $40,000,[8] and on November 21 Presley's contract was officially transferred from Sun Records to RCA Records.[8] Snow attended the signing, thinking that Elvis had signed a management contact with Jamboree Attractions, which he owned with Parker. However, that was not the case since Elvis was still under contract to Bob Neal. The only document that was signed on November 21 pertained to the record label transfer.
With his first RCA single, "Heartbreak Hotel
" in 1956, Presley graduated from rumor to bona-fide recording star. Parker began 1956 with intentions of bringing his new star to the national stage. He arranged for Presley to appear on popular television shows such as The Milton Berle Show and The Ed Sullivan Show
, acquiring fees that would make him the highest-paid star on television. By the summer Presley had become one of the most famous new faces of the year, causing excitement amongst the new teenage audience and outrage amongst some older audiences and religious groups in equal measure.
Parker signed a merchandising deal with Beverly Hills movie merchandiser Hank Saperstein for nearly $40,000 to turn Presley into a brand name. With over 78 different ranges, from charm bracelets to record players, Presley merchandise had brought in $22,000,000 by the end of 1956. Parker, with his 25% share of profits, was finding many new ways to make money from his artist that managers before him could only have dreamed about. He had even come up with the idea to market "I Hate Elvis" badges to make money from those who otherwise wouldn't have parted with their cash.
In April, Parker made his first mistake with Presley's career. He had booked him into a four-week Las Vegas engagement, misjudging the reaction of the slightly older, more reserved audiences that Las Vegas attracted at that time. Whilst Presley was a hit amongst the youth of America, the middle-aged audiences found him to be something of an oddity. Some viewed him as a clown-like figure, wiggling his hips for screams like a monkey for peanuts, while others found his manner of performance vulgar and more suitable for late-night gentleman's clubs. After a very cool reception during his first few shows, Parker cut Presley's appearance to two weeks. Presley would later remember the event as one of the worst moments of his career.
Despite this hiccup in his career, Presley was still going from strength to strength. He had expressed interest in making films when he first met Parker, and now Parker was working to make that happen. He arranged for a screen test with Paramount Pictures
, and after impressing them with his acting ability, Presley was signed up to a seven-picture contract. Parker made sure that the contract allowed Presley the freedom to make at least one film a year with another studio, and also managed to set up an office, with staff, at Paramount. Presley's acting career was originally intended to be a serious one, but after seeing a chance to cross-promote singles and albums with the films, Parker persuaded him to sing in his films. This proved very lucrative, especially when the single for Presley's first film, Love Me Tender
, sold over one million copies in advance sales. With 1956 coming to a close, Parker had made Presley one of the most well-known, well-paid entertainers in the world.
from the United States Army. He was upset about the possibility of it affecting his career, but Parker was secretly overjoyed. Presley had been showing signs of rebellion against him recently, and Parker believed that a stint in the Army would cure him of this.
Parker was looking ahead to the future when he persuaded Presley to sign up as a regular soldier. Presley had wanted to join Special Services, allowing him the opportunity to still perform while at the same time getting an easier ride than other soldiers. 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. If Presley could show the world that he was just the same as any other young man, Parker told him, then more people would be likely to accept him and his music. 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 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.
While Presley was serving in Germany, Parker was hard at work keeping his name in the public domain. He realized that by keeping RCA, and more importantly the public, hungry for more Presley material, he would be able to negotiate a better contract for him when he returned from active service. He had arranged for Presley to record five singles before his induction, guaranteeing RCA enough material to release over a two year period. RCA were eager for Presley to record in Germany, but Parker insisted that it would ruin his reputation as a regular soldier if he was able to go into a recording studio and sing. Stories appeared in the press regularly about Presley; that he would do a live CCTV broadcast when he returned, that he had signed a deal for a series of annual television spectaculars to be broadcast across the country. All of these stories were fabrications, but it kept his name in view of the public.
Parker appeared to be in complete control during Presley's time away, but he was worried about the outside influence that he may come across in Germany. Parker had declined to travel to Europe, denying that he spoke the languages. 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 via telephone and letter. He was afraid that Presley would realize that there were other managers available, contracts that did not require as much as 25% for his manager. 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."
Frank Sinatra, who had declared Presley and rock-'n'-roll a disgrace in the fifties, was keen to have him appear on his show. Parker, not one to forget harsh criticism, stated that the fee would be $125,000 for two songs, a total of eight minutes on screen; Sinatra himself was receiving a lower sum for the whole show. Sinatra agreed and it was Presley's first national television appearance since The Ed Sullivan Show in January 1957, and titled Welcome Home, Elvis.
After the Sinatra special, Parker decided that Presley's future lay in Hollywood. He envisioned him as an entertainment machine, pumping out three films and soundtracks a year, until the end of the decade. He allowed him to perform three live shows in 1960, all charity events, two in Memphis and one in Hawaii. After that, until 1968, Presley gave no live performances, and had very little contact with his fans. Parker signed long-term contracts with the film studios, possibly to guarantee work and income for both him and Presley. 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.
Presley only had to provide RCA with three albums a year, and his film soundtracks did that for him. With no touring or public appearances to be made, Parker was able to keep costs to a minimum. 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. But as time went on, and the worldwide phenomenon known as Beatlemania
began, Presley became less and less successful as The Beatles
began their dominance of the music charts. His films still made money and his albums still sold well, but the profits were falling. This led Parker to insist that films were made cheaply, on a strict schedule, and with as little hassle as possible.
dominated the charts. Parker admitted, in 1983, that after 1966 the income from Presley films and soundtracks was dramatically reduced.
To make up for lack of earnings, Parker arranged for Presley's gold Cadillac to go on tour. Selling it to RCA for $24,000, it was used to promote Presley's latest film, Frankie & Johnny
. The Cadillac tour proved to be somewhat more successful than the film itself. In Houston alone in one afternoon, forty thousand 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.
On January 2, 1967, Parker renegotiated his managerial/agent contract with Presley, persuading him to increase Parker's share from 25% to 50%. Parker used the argument that Presley was his only client, and therefore he was only earning one fee.
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. Frank Sinatra had married Mia Farrow in 1966, and it had produced a good enough amount of publicity for Parker to sit up and take notice. Presley had been living with Priscilla Beaulieu, ten years his junior, for the past four years, but it had not been public knowledge. Jerry Lee Lewis's career had been almost destroyed when it came out that he had married an underage girl, and Parker was not going to let the same thing happen to Presley.
Parker hoped that marriage would not only boost Presley's career, but possibly tame him. 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. However, it would not be a quiet wedding. Parker decided that Las Vegas was the perfect place to do it, and on May 1, 1967, the couple were married in a ceremony that lasted only eight minutes and had a handful of guests. A breakfast reception was arranged, taking place after the media got their photographs of the couple. It was, to some, nothing more than a circus.
, to restore Elvis Presley's musical reputation. However, the music scene and the culture in the latter part of the decade had radically changed. The "Singer Special" TV show was not intended to turn out the way it did. Parker was adamant that Presley would wear a Santa suit and other holiday garb and sing Christmas songs, as the show was to be broadcast in December 1968. (Several Presley historians have noted the original title for the special was to be Elvis and the Wonderful World of Christmas.) It was the producer of the show, 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 DJ Fontana, the latter inspired by a post-rehearsal informal jam in Presley's dressing room. Presley was never one to stand up against Parker, but he knew that this TV show was his one chance at a true comeback, and with Binder backing him, Presley told Parker he was doing it "Binder's way."
Presley and Binder's 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. Presley historians have also said doing the special whetted Elvis's appetite to perform live again after nearly a decade away from the stage. 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
. Following the success of Presley's Las Vegas return, Parker signed a contract with the International Hotel
to guarantee Presley would play a month-long engagement for $125,000 a week, an unheard-of sum at the time. 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.
On July 8, 1972, inspired by a recent visit made by President Richard Nixon
to China a few months earlier, 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." (During Presley's career, except for a few concerts in Canada in 1957, he never performed outside the United States). 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. The press were told that an audience of 1 billion was expected to tune in to see the "first entertainment special to be broadcast live around the world," although Parker had not taken into account the fact that many countries, including parts of Europe and America, would not see the concert live due to the time of the broadcast. Two weeks after the Las Vegas press conference Parker received a letter from Honolulu Advertiser columnist Eddie Sherman. Sherman had read in news accounts that there was to be no charge for admittance to the concerts, instead a donation for charity was required. 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 song writer in 1966. Seeing the chance to publicize Presley's charitable nature once again, Parker eagerly agreed. The album was released simultaneously around the world, and went to No. 1 in the US charts; the first Presley album to do so since 1964's Roustabout soundtrack.
in a verbal rage on stage. Parker was furious, and stormed into Presley's dressing room after the show to confront him. After a heated argument between the two, Presley told Parker he was fired. Angered by this outburst, Parker declared, "You can't fire me. I quit!"
Parker accepted that their working relationship was over, and demanded that Presley pay $2 million to end their contract; money Parker claimed he was owed. But Presley's father, Vernon, upon reading the bill Parker sent itemizing each cost individually, declared that they could not afford to buy out their contract. After nearly two weeks of trading insults back and forth, Parker and Presley decided to bury the hatchet and put the whole situation behind them.
According to Presley biographer Peter Guralnick
, Presley and Parker "were really like, in a sense, a married couple, who started out with great love, loyalty, respect which 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. None of the rules of the relationship were operative any longer, yet neither had the courage to walk away, for a variety of reasons." In any case, Parker remained Presley's manager without break until Presley's death in 1977.
In January 1979, it was discovered that Presley had lost out on royalties for songs on which he had been listed as an author and/or composer, due to Parker advising him not to sign up to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers or its younger competitor, Broadcast Music Incorporated
. Experts in the field at the time summarized that it had potentially cost Presley millions of dollars.
By 1980 the cost of running the estate was estimated to be as much as $500,000 a year. Priscilla and the Trust were prepared to let Parker continue to handle Presley's business affairs, and petitioned the court to that end. However, Judge Joseph Evans, aware that Lisa Marie Presley was still a minor, appointed attorney Blanchard E. Tual to investigate Parker's management. 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 15–20%. He also noted that Parker's handling of Presley's business affairs during his lifetime, including the decision to sell off past royalties to RCA for $5.4 million in 1973, was "unethical" and poorly handled. During a second, more detailed investigation, Tual discovered that all earnings were paid directly to the Trust instead of Parker. By this time, with the IRS demanding almost $15 million in taxes, the estate was facing bankruptcy. The truth about Parker was now known.
On August 14, 1981 Judge Evans ordered EPE to sue Parker for mismanagement. In response to this, Parker counter-sued. The case against Parker was settled out of court in 1983, with the estate paying him $2 million, and the termination of his involvement in any Presley related earnings for five years. He was also ordered to hand over any Presley audio recordings or visual images that he owned.
Parker had worked as a "consultant" for Hilton Hotels
since Presley's death, with some believing he was working to pay off debts owed to the casino from his gambling during Presley's performances there. Part of this role resulted in Parker keeping the same fourth-floor suite he occupied when Presley was alive, but by 1984, with his gambling debts reportedly rising again, he was evicted. 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 disputes with the Presley estate did not terminate his association with his most high-profile client. Parker appeared at posthumous events honoring Presley, such as the 1993 issuing of the United States Postal Service
stamp honoring the King of Rock and Roll. He also became friendly with the estate again, attending special ceremonies and events in Memphis, invited by Priscilla. However, he did occasionally step on their toes by commenting negatively on some of their decisions. In 1994, following the marriage of Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson, Parker stated that Presley would not have approved, and 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."
, and to have run away at an early age to join a circus run by an uncle. The truth about his early years was revealed when his family in the Netherlands
recognized him in photographs of him standing next to Presley. Parker's brother Adam "Ad" van Kuijk visited Parker in Los Angeles in 1961. Parker acknowledged his brother and introduced him to Presley. Parker also was informed that his mother died in 1958, never knowing what happened with her son after he left in 1929. The claim of Parker's Dutch heritage was confirmed when Parker tried to avert a lawsuit in 1982 by asserting that he was a Dutch citizen. In 1993, Dutch TV director Jorrit van der Kooi
talked to him in Dutch about the Netherlands. Parker was not aware that his sister Adriana had died a few years before.
many years later, he and Marie were married in Tampa, Florida
during the winter of 1932, but the Florida Office of Vital Statistics has no record of such a marriage any time between 1927 and 1946. It is also recorded that Marie did not divorce her second husband until 1936, and her brother, Bitsy, recalls no ceremony of marriage between the two. Author Alanna Nash suggests that the couple may have simply placed their hands on a bible and given themselves a "carny wedding."
In the early days of their marriage, Marie and Parker worked together in the carnivals. As Parker's management career began to take off, Marie became more of a housewife and mother, although she would occasionally travel with him to different parts of the country. During the 1960s, after many years of ill health, Marie began to display signs of dementia
. Parker began to distance himself from her, heartbroken by her rapid deterioration from the woman he once knew. Marie died in November 1986 of chronic brain syndrome. In October 1990, Parker married Loanne Miller, his secretary since 1972. From then on, he continued living in Las Vegas, mostly avoiding contact with the press.
Parker died the next day in Las Vegas, Nevada
at the age of 87. His death certificate listed his birthplace as Holland, but his citizenship as American. His funeral was held at the Hilton hotel, and was attended by friends and former associates. Priscilla attended to represent the Elvis Presley Estate, and gave a eulogy that, to many in the room, summed up Parker perfectly: "Elvis and the Colonel made history together, and the world is richer, better and far more interesting because of their collaboration. And now I need to locate my wallet, because I noticed there was no ticket booth on the way in here, but I'm sure that the Colonel must have arranged for some toll on the way out."
in the 2005 CBS
miniseries Elvis, alongside Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Elvis Presley. Quaid was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award
for best supporting actor in the miniseries. Beau Bridges
portrayed Parker in the 1993 TV movie Elvis And The Colonel: The Untold Story, alongside Rob Youngblood, and Pat Hingle
in Elvis, the original 1979 made-for-television movie, which was produced by Dick Clark and directed by John Carpenter
, and which starred Kurt Russell
.
Parker was also portrayed by Hugh Gillin
in the 1988 TV film Elvis and Me.
Parker was mentioned in the movie Scrooged
, a modern day tale of the classic novel, A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens and also in the TV series The Simpsons
, season 21 in episode number 9, which was called "Thursdays with Abie."
Presley fans have speculated that the reason Presley never performed abroad, which would probably have been a highly lucrative proposition, may have been that Parker was worried that he would not have been able to acquire a U.S. passport and might even have been deported upon filing his application. In addition, applying for the citizenship required for a U.S. passport would probably have exposed his carefully concealed foreign birth, even though as a U.S. Army veteran and spouse of an American citizen he would have been eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship. Presley did tour Canada
in 1957 with three concerts in Toronto
, Ottawa
, and Vancouver
; however, at the time of these concerts, crossing the U.S.-Canada border did not require a passport. Red Robinson
, Vancouver radio icon and MC of the Presley concert in that city, said Parker did not accompany Presley to that show, but instead stayed in Washington State. However it should be noted that it is well established that Parker did not accompany Presley on every tour and every performance date, even in the US, suggesting this may not have been the only rationale for Presley not performing abroad.
Other possible theories for Presley's lack of touring abroad include Parker's fear that security overseas was not as good as in the U.S.; Parker fearing that outside influences (managers, agents etc.) would inform Presley of how unusual his contract with Parker was; Parker claiming that there was a lack of venues large enough to accommodate a star of Presley's stature. All of these excuses were given to Presley when he would show an interest in touring abroad. Presley, who was known to avoid confrontation, would never argue against them.
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
-born entertainment impresario
Impresario
An impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
known best as the manager of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. Parker's management of Presley defined the role of masterminding talent management which involved every facet of his life and was seen as central to the astonishing success of Presley's career. The "Colonel" displayed a ruthless devotion to his client's interests and took far more than the traditional 10 percent of his earnings (reaching up to 50 percent by the end of Presley's life). Presley said of Parker: "I don't think I would have been very big with another man. Because he's a very smart man."
For many years Parker falsely claimed to have been U.S.-born, but it eventually emerged that he was born in Breda, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Following the death of his famous client, Parker would become one of the most despised men in show business.
Early life
Parker was born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk in Breda, the Netherlands, the seventh of eleven children. As a boy, he worked as a barkerBarker (occupation)
A barker is a person who attempts to attract patrons to entertainment events, such as a circus or funfair, by exhorting passing public, describing attractions of show and emphasizing variety, novelty, beauty, or some other feature believed to incite listeners to attend entertainment...
at carnivals in his home town, learning many of the attributes that he would require in later life working in the entertainment industry.
At the age of 15 Parker moved to Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, gaining employment on the boats in the port town. At age 17 he first displayed signs of wanting to run away to America to "make his fortune," and a year later, with enough money to sustain him for a short period, he entered America illegally by jumping ship from his employer's vessel. During his first visit there, he traveled with a Chautauqua
Chautauqua
Chautauqua was an adult education movement in the United States, highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Chautauqua brought entertainment and culture for the whole community, with...
educative tent show, before returning briefly to Holland.
Alanna Nash would later write in The Colonel, her biography of him, that there were questions about a murder in Breda in which Van Kuijk, as he was then still known, might have been a suspect or a person of interest at least. This might have motivated Parker to avoid seeking a passport, as the Netherlands has an active extradition
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
treaty with the United States, and Parker might have wanted to avoid criminal arrest by Dutch authorities in that case.
Immigration to America
Parker returned to America at age 20, finding work with carnivals due to his previous experience in Holland. He enlisted in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, taking the name "Tom Parker" from the officer who interviewed him to disguise the fact he was an illegal immigrant.
He served two years in the 64th Regiment of the Coast Artillery at Fort Shafter
Fort Shafter
Fort Shafter is in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawai‘i, extending up the interfluve between Kalihi and Moanalua valleys, as well as onto the coastal plain at Māpunapuna. Fort Shafter is the headquarters of the United States Army Pacific Command, the MACOM of U.S. Army forces in...
in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, and shortly afterwards re-enlisted at Fort Barrancas
Fort Barrancas
Fort Barrancas or Fort San Carlos de Barrancas is a historic United States military fort in the Warrington area of Pensacola, Florida, located physically on Naval Air Station Pensacola....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Although Parker had served honorably before, he went AWOL this time and was charged with desertion
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
. He was punished with solitary confinement, from which he emerged with a psychosis
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
that led to two months in a mental hospital. He was discharged from the Army due to his mental condition.
Following his discharge, Parker worked at a number of jobs, including food concessions and gaming carnivals. He began to build up a list of contacts that would prove valuable in later years, including men of authority and influence.
In 1935 Parker married 27-year-old Marie Francis Mott. They struggled to survive through the depression-era, working short-cons (confidence tricks) and traveling the country to seek work. Parker would later claim that at times they had had to live on as little as $1 a week.
Talent management (1938–1954)
Parker's involvement in the music industry began as a music promoter in 1938, working with popular singer Gene AustinGene Austin
Gene Austin was an American singer and songwriter, one of the first "crooners". His 1920s compositions "When My Sugar Walks Down the Street" and "The Lonesome Road" became pop and jazz standards.-Career:...
. Despite having sold in excess of 86 million records since 1924, and with earnings exceeding $17 million, Austin's career had hit a bad patch. He had wasted much of his fortune on partying, cars, mansions, and women. Parker, charged with the task of promoting the star, took to it like a duck to water, using much of his "carny" experience to sell tickets and pack in the crowds. He was a very good promoter, but he had his sights set on management.
Austin offered Parker the opportunity to move to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, the place where music was becoming big business, but for reasons unknown Parker turned him down. Instead he decided to stay in Temple Terrace, Florida
Temple Terrace, Florida
Temple Terrace is an incorporated city in northeastern Hillsborough County, Florida, USA, adjacent to Tampa. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,541. It is the third and smallest incorporated municipality in Hillsborough County...
with his family, perhaps to avoid having to fill in paperwork that could expose his illegal status. Within a year, however, he had the opportunity to become a legal citizen within the United States by way of the 1940 Alien Registration Act; a bill passed by the United States Government to allow illegal immigrants the chance to become US citizens in return for their promise to fight for the country during World War II, if required. Parker decided against registering, possibly to avoid his previous Army record becoming public.
Instead, he found employment as a field agent with a local animal shelter, the Hillsborough County Humane Society. The job not only offered him a secure wage, but it also offered a rent-free apartment for him and his family. With the Society in need of funds, Parker set about using his promotional experience to raise money and awareness for the shelter.
Through the fund-raising, Parker found himself heading to Tennessee to find acts to perform at his charity events, among them stars such as Minnie Pearl
Minnie Pearl
Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon , known professionally as Minnie Pearl, was an American country comedienne who appeared at the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years and on the television show Hee Haw from 1969 to 1991.-Early life:Sarah Colley was born in Centerville, in Hickman County, Tennessee,...
and Eddy Arnold
Eddy Arnold
Richard Edward Arnold , known professionally as Eddy Arnold, was an American country music singer who performed for six decades. He was a so-called Nashville sound innovator of the late 1950s, and scored 147 songs on the Billboard country music charts, second only to George Jones. He sold more...
. Eventually, Parker began getting more involved in music promotion again, this time for himself rather than the Society.
In 1945 Parker became Arnold's full-time manager, signing a contract for 25% of the star's earnings. Over the next few years he would help Arnold secure hit songs, television appearances and live tours.
In 1948, Parker received the rank of colonel
Colonel (title)
The honorary title of Colonel is conferred by some states in the United States of America and certain units of the Canadian Forces. The origins of the titular colonelcy can be traced back to colonial and antebellum times when men of the landed gentry were given the title for financing the local...
in the Louisiana State Militia
State Defense Forces
State defense forces in the United States are military units that operate under the sole authority of a state government; they are partially regulated by the National Guard Bureau but they are not a part of the Army National Guard of the United States...
from Jimmie Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
, the governor of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and former country singer, in return for work he did on Davis's election campaign. Parker used the title throughout his life, becoming known simply as "the Colonel" to many acquaintances.
Arnold fired Parker in 1953 due to Parker's growing involvement with the singer Hank Snow
Hank Snow
Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow was a Canadian-American country music artist. He charted more than 70 singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980...
. However, Parker remained involved in many of Arnold's live tours, and demanded a buyout of $50,000 to settle their contract. Parker and Snow worked well together and eventually formed Hank Snow Enterprises and Jamboree Attractions; a successful promotional outfit for up and coming country singers.
Finding Elvis
In early 1955, Parker became aware of a young singer by the name of Elvis Presley. Presley had a singing style that was different from the current trend, and Parker was immediately interested in the future of this musical style. Elvis’s first manager was guitarist Scotty Moore, who was encouraged by Sun Records owner Sam Phillips to become his manager to protect Elvis from unscrupulous music promoters. In the beginning, Elvis was part of a trio named Blue Moon Boys, the other two members being Moore and bassist Bill Black. However, when Elvis signed a recording contract with Phillips, Moore and Black were excluded from the contract. Phillips told them to make a separate deal with Elvis. According to Moore, Elvis agreed to take 50 percent, with Moore and Black splitting the other 50 percent. Moore’s one-year management contract with Elvis provided him with a 10 percent commission, which Moore said he never took. The contract, dated July 12, 1954, eight days after their first recording session, was signed by Elvis and his mother and father. When the contract expired, Memphis radio personality Bob Neal stepped in and made a deal with Phillips to become Elvis’s manager. At that point, Moore and Black had no contractual ties to either Phillips or Elvis. Presley's new manager, Bob Neal, was struggling at the time to accommodate the success of his client, and in February 1955, following a meeting with Parker, he agreed to let Colonel Tom Parker take some control of future bookings and promotions.Parker and Neal worked together to promote Presley, using their own Hank Snow Tour to book him and tour him. 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 "Special Advisor" to Presley. Part of his role was to secure a new recording contract with a bigger label. Presley had been at Sun Records
Sun Records
Sun Records is a record label founded in Memphis, Tennessee, starting operations on March 27, 1952.Founded by Sam Phillips, Sun Records was known for giving notable musicians such as Elvis Presley , Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash...
since the beginning of his career, but Sam Phillips
Sam Phillips
Samuel Cornelius Phillips , better known as Sam Phillips, was an American businessman, record executive, record producer and DJ who played an important role in the emergence of rock and roll as the major form of popular music in the 1950s...
, the owner of Presley's current label, was aware that for Presley to have any kind of a successful future in the business he would need the backing of a much larger label. Despite this, Phillips was not keen to let him go easily, advising Parker that he would require $40,000 to secure the release of Presley's contract, a completely unheard-of sum at the time.
Parker immediately got to work on finding a new label for Presley. Both Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
and Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
showed interest, although their initial offers were nowhere near the $40,000 requirement. RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
, Hank Snow's current label, was also showing an interest, but they were put off by the cost of the contract. However, RCA producer Steve Scholes was convinced that Presley's style of music would be a huge hit with the right label, and he began talks with Parker. RCA made it very clear that they were not willing to go above $25,000 for a practically unknown singer, but Parker persuaded them that Presley was no ordinary unknown singer. In November, Parker and Snow persuaded RCA to buy Presley out from Sun for $40,000,[8] and on November 21 Presley's contract was officially transferred from Sun Records to RCA Records.[8] Snow attended the signing, thinking that Elvis had signed a management contact with Jamboree Attractions, which he owned with Parker. However, that was not the case since Elvis was still under contract to Bob Neal. The only document that was signed on November 21 pertained to the record label transfer.
Signing Elvis (1955–1957)
On March 26, 1956, after Elvis’s management contract with Neal had expired, the singer signed a contract with Colonel Tom Parker that made him his exclusive representative. Later, when Hank Snow asked Parker about the status of their contract with Elvis, Parker told him, "You don't have any contract with Elvis Presley. Elvis is signed exclusively to the Colonel."With his first RCA single, "Heartbreak Hotel
Heartbreak Hotel
"Heartbreak Hotel" is a song recorded by American rock and roll musician Elvis Presley. It was released as a single on January 27, 1956, Presley's first on his new record label RCA Victor. His first number-one pop record, "Heartbreak Hotel" topped Billboards Top 100 chart, became his first...
" in 1956, Presley graduated from rumor to bona-fide recording star. Parker began 1956 with intentions of bringing his new star to the national stage. He arranged for Presley to appear on popular television shows such as The Milton Berle Show and The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
, acquiring fees that would make him the highest-paid star on television. By the summer Presley had become one of the most famous new faces of the year, causing excitement amongst the new teenage audience and outrage amongst some older audiences and religious groups in equal measure.
Parker signed a merchandising deal with Beverly Hills movie merchandiser Hank Saperstein for nearly $40,000 to turn Presley into a brand name. With over 78 different ranges, from charm bracelets to record players, Presley merchandise had brought in $22,000,000 by the end of 1956. Parker, with his 25% share of profits, was finding many new ways to make money from his artist that managers before him could only have dreamed about. He had even come up with the idea to market "I Hate Elvis" badges to make money from those who otherwise wouldn't have parted with their cash.
In April, Parker made his first mistake with Presley's career. He had booked him into a four-week Las Vegas engagement, misjudging the reaction of the slightly older, more reserved audiences that Las Vegas attracted at that time. Whilst Presley was a hit amongst the youth of America, the middle-aged audiences found him to be something of an oddity. Some viewed him as a clown-like figure, wiggling his hips for screams like a monkey for peanuts, while others found his manner of performance vulgar and more suitable for late-night gentleman's clubs. After a very cool reception during his first few shows, Parker cut Presley's appearance to two weeks. Presley would later remember the event as one of the worst moments of his career.
Despite this hiccup in his career, Presley was still going from strength to strength. He had expressed interest in making films when he first met Parker, and now Parker was working to make that happen. He arranged for a screen test with Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, and after impressing them with his acting ability, Presley was signed up to a seven-picture contract. Parker made sure that the contract allowed Presley the freedom to make at least one film a year with another studio, and also managed to set up an office, with staff, at Paramount. Presley's acting career was originally intended to be a serious one, but after seeing a chance to cross-promote singles and albums with the films, Parker persuaded him to sing in his films. This proved very lucrative, especially when the single for Presley's first film, Love Me Tender
Love Me Tender (song)
"Love Me Tender" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music, adapted from the tune of "Aura Lee" , a sentimental Civil War ballad.- History :...
, sold over one million copies in advance sales. With 1956 coming to a close, Parker had made Presley one of the most well-known, well-paid entertainers in the world.
Elvis in the Army, 1958 to 1960
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. He had seen many acts come and go during his earlier years in management, and to think that Presley, despite being Parker's most successful act to date, would be any different was foolish. In January 1958 Presley received his draft noticeConscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
from the United States Army. He was upset about the possibility of it affecting his career, but Parker was secretly overjoyed. Presley had been showing signs of rebellion against him recently, and Parker believed that a stint in the Army would cure him of this.
Parker was looking ahead to the future when he persuaded Presley to sign up as a regular soldier. Presley had wanted to join Special Services, allowing him the opportunity to still perform while at the same time getting an easier ride than other soldiers. 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. If Presley could show the world that he was just the same as any other young man, Parker told him, then more people would be likely to accept him and his music. 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 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.
While Presley was serving in Germany, Parker was hard at work keeping his name in the public domain. He realized that by keeping RCA, and more importantly the public, hungry for more Presley material, he would be able to negotiate a better contract for him when he returned from active service. He had arranged for Presley to record five singles before his induction, guaranteeing RCA enough material to release over a two year period. RCA were eager for Presley to record in Germany, but Parker insisted that it would ruin his reputation as a regular soldier if he was able to go into a recording studio and sing. Stories appeared in the press regularly about Presley; that he would do a live CCTV broadcast when he returned, that he had signed a deal for a series of annual television spectaculars to be broadcast across the country. All of these stories were fabrications, but it kept his name in view of the public.
Parker appeared to be in complete control during Presley's time away, but he was worried about the outside influence that he may come across in Germany. Parker had declined to travel to Europe, denying that he spoke the languages. 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 via telephone and letter. He was afraid that Presley would realize that there were other managers available, contracts that did not require as much as 25% for his manager. 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."
Elvis returns (1960–1965)
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. If Parker had had any doubts about his return, they were soon gone when he witnessed the turnout along the route.Frank Sinatra, who had declared Presley and rock-'n'-roll a disgrace in the fifties, was keen to have him appear on his show. Parker, not one to forget harsh criticism, stated that the fee would be $125,000 for two songs, a total of eight minutes on screen; Sinatra himself was receiving a lower sum for the whole show. Sinatra agreed and it was Presley's first national television appearance since The Ed Sullivan Show in January 1957, and titled Welcome Home, Elvis.
After the Sinatra special, Parker decided that Presley's future lay in Hollywood. He envisioned him as an entertainment machine, pumping out three films and soundtracks a year, until the end of the decade. He allowed him to perform three live shows in 1960, all charity events, two in Memphis and one in Hawaii. After that, until 1968, Presley gave no live performances, and had very little contact with his fans. Parker signed long-term contracts with the film studios, possibly to guarantee work and income for both him and Presley. 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.
Presley only had to provide RCA with three albums a year, and his film soundtracks did that for him. With no touring or public appearances to be made, Parker was able to keep costs to a minimum. 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. But as time went on, and the worldwide phenomenon known as Beatlemania
Beatlemania
Beatlemania is a term that originated during the 1960s to describe the intense fan frenzy directed toward The Beatles during the early years of their success...
began, Presley became less and less successful as The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
began their dominance of the music charts. His films still made money and his albums still sold well, but the profits were falling. This led Parker to insist that films were made cheaply, on a strict schedule, and with as little hassle as possible.
Dead ends (1966–1967)
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. Parker, not worried if the films were good or bad, only cared about the profits. When Presley complained to him that he wanted better scripts, Parker reminded him of his lavish lifestyle and outgoings, and that risking $1 million a year for doing practically no work was dangerous. Elvis's career stagnated while artists like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Bob DylanBob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
dominated the charts. Parker admitted, in 1983, that after 1966 the income from Presley films and soundtracks was dramatically reduced.
To make up for lack of earnings, Parker arranged for Presley's gold Cadillac to go on tour. Selling it to RCA for $24,000, it was used to promote Presley's latest film, Frankie & Johnny
Frankie and Johnny (1966 film)
Frankie and Johnny is a 1966 musical film starring Elvis Presley as a riverboat gambler. The role of "Frankie" was played by Donna Douglas from The Beverly Hillbillies TV series. The film reached #40 on the Variety weekly national box office list for 1966. The budget of the film was estimated at...
. The Cadillac tour proved to be somewhat more successful than the film itself. In Houston alone in one afternoon, forty thousand 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.
On January 2, 1967, Parker renegotiated his managerial/agent contract with Presley, persuading him to increase Parker's share from 25% to 50%. Parker used the argument that Presley was his only client, and therefore he was only earning one fee.
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. Frank Sinatra had married Mia Farrow in 1966, and it had produced a good enough amount of publicity for Parker to sit up and take notice. Presley had been living with Priscilla Beaulieu, ten years his junior, for the past four years, but it had not been public knowledge. Jerry Lee Lewis's career had been almost destroyed when it came out that he had married an underage girl, and Parker was not going to let the same thing happen to Presley.
Parker hoped that marriage would not only boost Presley's career, but possibly tame him. 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. However, it would not be a quiet wedding. Parker decided that Las Vegas was the perfect place to do it, and on May 1, 1967, the couple were married in a ceremony that lasted only eight minutes and had a handful of guests. A breakfast reception was arranged, taking place after the media got their photographs of the couple. It was, to some, nothing more than a circus.
The comeback (1968–1972)
It took the energetic 1968 television special Elvis, which the Singer Sewing Machine Company sponsored, and a subsequent series of acclaimed recording sessions in Memphis, TennesseeMemphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, to restore Elvis Presley's musical reputation. However, the music scene and the culture in the latter part of the decade had radically changed. The "Singer Special" TV show was not intended to turn out the way it did. Parker was adamant that Presley would wear a Santa suit and other holiday garb and sing Christmas songs, as the show was to be broadcast in December 1968. (Several Presley historians have noted the original title for the special was to be Elvis and the Wonderful World of Christmas.) It was the producer of the show, Steve Binder
Steve Binder
Steve Binder is an American producer and director. He found success behind the camera on influential TV shows showcasing music, like The T.A.M.I. Show and Hullabaloo...
, who put forward the idea of Presley singing his old hits and even the staged section with his old band, Scotty Moore
Scotty Moore
Winfield Scott "Scotty" Moore III is an American guitarist. He is best known for his backing of Elvis Presley in the first part of his career, between 1954 and the beginning of Elvis' Hollywood years...
and DJ Fontana, the latter inspired by a post-rehearsal informal jam in Presley's dressing room. Presley was never one to stand up against Parker, but he knew that this TV show was his one chance at a true comeback, and with Binder backing him, Presley told Parker he was doing it "Binder's way."
Presley and Binder's 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. Presley historians have also said doing the special whetted Elvis's appetite to perform live again after nearly a decade away from the stage. 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
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
. Following the success of Presley's Las Vegas return, Parker signed a contract with the International Hotel
Las Vegas Hilton
The Las Vegas Hilton is a hotel, casino, and convention center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a joint venture between Colony Capital, which owns 60 percent, and New York City-based REIT Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds, which owns the remaining 40 percent...
to guarantee Presley would play a month-long engagement for $125,000 a week, an unheard-of sum at the time. 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.
On July 8, 1972, inspired by a recent visit made by President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
to China a few months earlier, 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." (During Presley's career, except for a few concerts in Canada in 1957, he never performed outside the United States). Parker held another press conference on September 4, 1972 in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
to confirm that the concert, now titled Aloha From Hawaii, would be broadcast on January 14, 1973. The press were told that an audience of 1 billion was expected to tune in to see the "first entertainment special to be broadcast live around the world," although Parker had not taken into account the fact that many countries, including parts of Europe and America, would not see the concert live due to the time of the broadcast. Two weeks after the Las Vegas press conference Parker received a letter from Honolulu Advertiser columnist Eddie Sherman. Sherman had read in news accounts that there was to be no charge for admittance to the concerts, instead a donation for charity was required. He suggested to Parker that, as Presley had recorded and was still performing the song "I'll Remember You" written by Kui Lee
Kui Lee
Kuiokalani Lee was a singer-songwriter, and the 1960s golden boy artist of Hawaii. Lee achieved international fame when Don Ho began performing and recording Lee's compositions, with Ho promoting Lee as the songwriter for a new generation of Hawaiian music.-Biography:Lee was born in Shanghai, China...
, the donations could go to the Kui Lee Cancer Fund that had been set up following the death of the song writer in 1966. Seeing the chance to publicize Presley's charitable nature once again, Parker eagerly agreed. The album was released simultaneously around the world, and went to No. 1 in the US charts; the first Presley album to do so since 1964's Roustabout soundtrack.
Downhill (1973-1977)
Aloha From Hawaii proved to be the last great moment in the life of Presley and Parker. From 1974 onwards, Presley's weight gain and prescription drug abuse became too much to be controlled. In Las Vegas he was starting to appear drugged on stage, slurring his words and forgetting song lyrics. During one performance in September 1973, following news that one of the Hilton's staff that Presley was fond of had been fired, he attacked Barron HiltonBarron Hilton
William Barron Hilton I is an American business magnate, socialite, and hotel heir. He is the former co-chairman of the Hilton Hotels chain, and the original owner of the Los Angeles Chargers...
in a verbal rage on stage. Parker was furious, and stormed into Presley's dressing room after the show to confront him. After a heated argument between the two, Presley told Parker he was fired. Angered by this outburst, Parker declared, "You can't fire me. I quit!"
Parker accepted that their working relationship was over, and demanded that Presley pay $2 million to end their contract; money Parker claimed he was owed. But Presley's father, Vernon, upon reading the bill Parker sent itemizing each cost individually, declared that they could not afford to buy out their contract. After nearly two weeks of trading insults back and forth, Parker and Presley decided to bury the hatchet and put the whole situation behind them.
According to Presley biographer Peter Guralnick
Peter Guralnick
Peter Guralnick is an American music critic, writer on music, and historian of US American popular music, who is also active as an author and screenwriter. He has been married for over 45 years to Alexandra...
, Presley and Parker "were really like, in a sense, a married couple, who started out with great love, loyalty, respect which 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. None of the rules of the relationship were operative any longer, yet neither had the courage to walk away, for a variety of reasons." In any case, Parker remained Presley's manager without break until Presley's death in 1977.
Presley's death
When Presley died in August 1977, one day before he was due to go out on tour, some accounts suggest Parker acted as if nothing had happened. Other accounts suggest he slumped in his chair and muttered, "Oh dear God," and immediately contacted Vernon Presley and advised Presley's father that his son's image needed to be protected. Asked by a journalist what he would do now, Parker responded, "Why, I'll just go right on managing him!" Almost immediately, before even visiting Graceland, he made his way to New York to meet with merchandising associates and RCA executives, instructing them to prepare for a huge demand in Presley products. Shortly after, he traveled to Memphis for Presley's funeral. Mourners recall being surprised at him wearing a Hawaiian shirt and baseball cap and smoking his trademark cigar, and purposely avoiding the casket. At the funeral he persuaded Presley's father to sign over control of Presley's career in death to him.After Elvis
Following Presley's death, Parker set up a licensing operation with Factors Etc. Inc, to control Presley merchandise and keep a steady income supporting his estate. 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. Due to an ill-advised agreement between Parker and Presley which gave RCA sole ownership of all his recording royalties prior to 1973, the estate was relying heavily on the income from Factors Etc. Inc. 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.In January 1979, it was discovered that Presley had lost out on royalties for songs on which he had been listed as an author and/or composer, due to Parker advising him not to sign up to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers or its younger competitor, Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
. Experts in the field at the time summarized that it had potentially cost Presley millions of dollars.
By 1980 the cost of running the estate was estimated to be as much as $500,000 a year. Priscilla and the Trust were prepared to let Parker continue to handle Presley's business affairs, and petitioned the court to that end. However, Judge Joseph Evans, aware that Lisa Marie Presley was still a minor, appointed attorney Blanchard E. Tual to investigate Parker's management. 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 15–20%. He also noted that Parker's handling of Presley's business affairs during his lifetime, including the decision to sell off past royalties to RCA for $5.4 million in 1973, was "unethical" and poorly handled. During a second, more detailed investigation, Tual discovered that all earnings were paid directly to the Trust instead of Parker. By this time, with the IRS demanding almost $15 million in taxes, the estate was facing bankruptcy. The truth about Parker was now known.
On August 14, 1981 Judge Evans ordered EPE to sue Parker for mismanagement. In response to this, Parker counter-sued. The case against Parker was settled out of court in 1983, with the estate paying him $2 million, and the termination of his involvement in any Presley related earnings for five years. He was also ordered to hand over any Presley audio recordings or visual images that he owned.
Parker had worked as a "consultant" for Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast...
since Presley's death, with some believing he was working to pay off debts owed to the casino from his gambling during Presley's performances there. Part of this role resulted in Parker keeping the same fourth-floor suite he occupied when Presley was alive, but by 1984, with his gambling debts reportedly rising again, he was evicted. 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 disputes with the Presley estate did not terminate his association with his most high-profile client. Parker appeared at posthumous events honoring Presley, such as the 1993 issuing of the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
stamp honoring the King of Rock and Roll. He also became friendly with the estate again, attending special ceremonies and events in Memphis, invited by Priscilla. However, he did occasionally step on their toes by commenting negatively on some of their decisions. In 1994, following the marriage of Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson, Parker stated that Presley would not have approved, and 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."
Personal life
As Presley's fame grew, people became interested in Parker as well. For a time he lied about his childhood, claiming to have been born in Huntington, West VirginiaHuntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
, and to have run away at an early age to join a circus run by an uncle. The truth about his early years was revealed when his family in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
recognized him in photographs of him standing next to Presley. Parker's brother Adam "Ad" van Kuijk visited Parker in Los Angeles in 1961. Parker acknowledged his brother and introduced him to Presley. Parker also was informed that his mother died in 1958, never knowing what happened with her son after he left in 1929. The claim of Parker's Dutch heritage was confirmed when Parker tried to avert a lawsuit in 1982 by asserting that he was a Dutch citizen. In 1993, Dutch TV director Jorrit van der Kooi
Jorrit van der Kooi
Jorrit van der Kooi is a Dutch born film and TV director and presenter. He lives in both Los Angeles and the Netherlands.- Early career :...
talked to him in Dutch about the Netherlands. Parker was not aware that his sister Adriana had died a few years before.
Marriage
In 1935, while traveling with a circus, Parker met and married 27-year-old Marie Francis Mott. Marie was one of six children and had been married twice before, with a son from her first marriage. Unbeknownst to Parker at the time, she had a second son from her first marriage, but she had given him up for adoption at birth due to his disability with a clubfoot. Some have suggested that Parker married Marie to disguise his illegal status in the US; a marriage to a US citizen with a child could help him bury his past in a "ready-made family." However, there is no definitive proof that it was anything other than romance that led to their marriage. Others, however, have doubts about whether they were legally married at all. According to interviews given by Parker to the Associated PressAssociated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
many years later, he and Marie were married in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
during the winter of 1932, but the Florida Office of Vital Statistics has no record of such a marriage any time between 1927 and 1946. It is also recorded that Marie did not divorce her second husband until 1936, and her brother, Bitsy, recalls no ceremony of marriage between the two. Author Alanna Nash suggests that the couple may have simply placed their hands on a bible and given themselves a "carny wedding."
In the early days of their marriage, Marie and Parker worked together in the carnivals. As Parker's management career began to take off, Marie became more of a housewife and mother, although she would occasionally travel with him to different parts of the country. During the 1960s, after many years of ill health, Marie began to display signs of dementia
Dementia
Dementia is a serious loss of cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging...
. Parker began to distance himself from her, heartbroken by her rapid deterioration from the woman he once knew. Marie died in November 1986 of chronic brain syndrome. In October 1990, Parker married Loanne Miller, his secretary since 1972. From then on, he continued living in Las Vegas, mostly avoiding contact with the press.
Gambling
Many Parker biographers, including Dirk Vellenga and Alanna Nash, have stated that Parker's gambling really began to get out of hand in the mid-1960s. With his wife's health deteriorating, and Presley's career struggling, Parker found an escape at the Las Vegas casinos. Fans and biographers alike believe that one of the main reasons Parker signed Presley to a Las Vegas hotel in 1969 for his live comeback was to help cover the losses he had experienced in their casino. He would often spend 12–14 hours at a time gambling, betting large sums of money instead of little amounts. At the time of Presley's death it was suspected that Parker owed the Las Vegas Hilton $30 million. In a lifetime that saw him earn in excess of $100 million, Parker's estate was barely worth $1 million when he died.Death
Parker made his last public appearances in 1994. By this point, he was a sick man who could barely even leave his own house. On January 20, 1997, Parker's wife heard a crashing sound from the living room, and when no response was heard from her calls, she went in to find him slumped over in his chair. He had suffered a stroke.Parker died the next day in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
at the age of 87. His death certificate listed his birthplace as Holland, but his citizenship as American. His funeral was held at the Hilton hotel, and was attended by friends and former associates. Priscilla attended to represent the Elvis Presley Estate, and gave a eulogy that, to many in the room, summed up Parker perfectly: "Elvis and the Colonel made history together, and the world is richer, better and far more interesting because of their collaboration. And now I need to locate my wallet, because I noticed there was no ticket booth on the way in here, but I'm sure that the Colonel must have arranged for some toll on the way out."
Portrayals and popular culture
Parker was portrayed by Randy QuaidRandy Quaid
Randall Rudy "Randy" Quaid is an American actor perhaps best known for his role as Cousin Eddie in the National Lampoon's Vacation movies, as well as his numerous supporting roles in films, including his Oscar nominated performance in The Last Detail, Independence Day, Kingpin and Brokeback Mountain...
in the 2005 CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
miniseries Elvis, alongside Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Elvis Presley. Quaid was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for best supporting actor in the miniseries. Beau Bridges
Beau Bridges
Lloyd Vernet "Beau" Bridges III is an American actor and director.- Early life :Bridges was born in Los Angeles, the son of actor Lloyd Bridges and his college sweetheart, Dorothy Bridges . He was nicknamed "Beau" by his mother and father after Ashley Wilkes's son in Gone with the Wind, the book...
portrayed Parker in the 1993 TV movie Elvis And The Colonel: The Untold Story, alongside Rob Youngblood, and Pat Hingle
Pat Hingle
Martin Patterson "Pat" Hingle was an American actor.-Early life:Hingle was born Martin Patterson Hingle in Miami, Florida, the son of Marvin Louise , a schoolteacher and musician, and Clarence Martin Hingle, a building contractor. Hingle enlisted in the U.S. Navy in December 1941, dropping out of...
in Elvis, the original 1979 made-for-television movie, which was produced by Dick Clark and directed by John Carpenter
John Carpenter
John Howard Carpenter is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, editor, composer, and occasional actor. Although Carpenter has worked in numerous film genres in his four-decade career, his name is most commonly associated with horror and science fiction.- Early life :Carpenter was born...
, and which starred Kurt Russell
Kurt Russell
Kurt Vogel Russell is an American television and film actor. His first acting roles were as a child in television series, including a lead role in the Western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters...
.
Parker was also portrayed by Hugh Gillin
Hugh Gillin
Hugh Gillin was an American film and television actor. Gillin was born in Galesburg, Illinois. He is best known for playing Sheriff John Hunt in Psycho II and III. Gillin has appeared in a total of 75 films and television series...
in the 1988 TV film Elvis and Me.
Parker was mentioned in the movie Scrooged
Scrooged
Scrooged is a 1988 American comedy film, a modernization of Charles Dickens' novella, A Christmas Carol. The film was produced and directed by Richard Donner, and the cinematography was by Michael Chapman. The screenplay was written by Mitch Glazer and Michael O'Donoghue...
, a modern day tale of the classic novel, A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman & Hall on 17 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of...
by Charles Dickens and also in the TV series The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, season 21 in episode number 9, which was called "Thursdays with Abie."
Presley fans have speculated that the reason Presley never performed abroad, which would probably have been a highly lucrative proposition, may have been that Parker was worried that he would not have been able to acquire a U.S. passport and might even have been deported upon filing his application. In addition, applying for the citizenship required for a U.S. passport would probably have exposed his carefully concealed foreign birth, even though as a U.S. Army veteran and spouse of an American citizen he would have been eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship. Presley did tour Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1957 with three concerts in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, and Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
; however, at the time of these concerts, crossing the U.S.-Canada border did not require a passport. Red Robinson
Red Robinson
Red Robinson was the first Canadian disc jockey to play Rock and Roll music, both in the Vancouver, British Columbia and Portland, Oregon markets....
, Vancouver radio icon and MC of the Presley concert in that city, said Parker did not accompany Presley to that show, but instead stayed in Washington State. However it should be noted that it is well established that Parker did not accompany Presley on every tour and every performance date, even in the US, suggesting this may not have been the only rationale for Presley not performing abroad.
Other possible theories for Presley's lack of touring abroad include Parker's fear that security overseas was not as good as in the U.S.; Parker fearing that outside influences (managers, agents etc.) would inform Presley of how unusual his contract with Parker was; Parker claiming that there was a lack of venues large enough to accommodate a star of Presley's stature. All of these excuses were given to Presley when he would show an interest in touring abroad. Presley, who was known to avoid confrontation, would never argue against them.
Further reading
- Dickerson, James L. (2001). "Colonel Tom Parker: The Curious Life of Elvis Presley's Eccentric Manager." Cooper Square Press.
- Goldman, Albert. (1981) Elvis. London, Allen Lane (Penguin). ISBN 0713914742
- Moore, Scotty with James L. Dickerson (1997). "That's Alright, Elvis:The Untold Story of Elvis's First Guitarist and Manager, Scotty Moore." Schirmer Books/Simon & Schuster.
- Nash, Alanna (2003). The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley. Simon and Schuster.
- Vellenga, Dirk with Farren, Mick (1988). Elvis and the Colonel. Dell Publishing, New York ISBN 0440203929
External links
- "Colonel" Tom Parker at findagrave.com
- Interview with Loanne Parker
- Large Col Tom Parker collection , and interviews with co workers
- Ed Bonja – Worked directly for the Colonel as Elvis's official photographer
- Colonel Tom Parker's home (former), 409 Park Ridge Avenue, Temple Terrace, Fl.