[23] Later, when Hank Snow asked Parker about the status of their contract with Presley, Parker told him: "You don't have any contract with Elvis Presley. Elvis Presley was only 42 years old when he died on August 16, 1977 (via History). It was also reported that he had up to $ 30 million in gambling debts several times in his life. [53] Despite this, however, the deal never materialized. [64] In 1993, in one of his last media appearances, Parker appeared in a television interview with Dutch TV director Jorrit van der Kooi where they spoke to each other in Dutch about the Netherlands and about Elvis Presley's life and career. [citation needed], When Presley died on August 16, 1977, one day before he was due to go out on tour, some accounts suggest Parker acted as if nothing had happened. [15], In 1948, Parker received the honorary rank of colonel in the Louisiana State Militia from Jimmie Davis, the governor of Louisiana and a former country singer, in return for work Parker did on Davis's election campaign. Parker's main role during these tours was to plan the logistics and make sure tickets were sold. Parker served two years in the 64th Coast Artillery (United States), at Fort Shafter, in Hawaii, and shortly afterwards re-enlisted at Fort Barrancas, Florida. When provided, we also incorporate private tips and feedback received from the celebrities or their representatives. [72] Priscilla Presley attended the funeral to represent the Elvis Presley Estate and gave a eulogy that, to many in the room, summed up Parker: "Elvis and the Colonel made history together, and the world is richer, better and far more interesting because of their collaboration. These four shows alone grossed $730,000 ($4,729,029 in 2021 dollars[11]). "Every entertainer should go to bed at night and pray he . [53] They discussed the possibility of Presley's co-starring with Streisand in a remake of the film A Star Is Born. For a time, Parker lied about his childhood, claiming to have been born in Huntington, West Virginia, in the early 1900s to explain his Dutch accent as being a Southern accent, and to have run away from home at an early age to join a circus owned by an uncle before serving in the U.S. Army prior to his involvement with being a music manager. The opposing counsel responded by presenting into evidence a copy of Parker's U.S. Army enlistment form which stated, through a legal loophole, that because Parker signed his enlistment papers under his alias "Thomas Andrew Parker" and once he took the oath by swearing allegiance to the United States of America, he unofficially renounced his Dutch citizenship, although it is claimed that he died a Dutch citizen. A suit between Parker and the Presley estate was settled out of court in 1983. and he died worth only US$1,000,000. [56] Shortly afterward, he traveled to Memphis for Presley's funeral. Colonel Tom Parker Net Worth : $1 Million. [4] Although Parker had served honorably for a time, he went AWOL this time and was charged with desertion. "There would have been no Elvis without Colonel Tom Parker; there would have been no Colonel Tom Parker without Elvis. Parker died in 1997 at the age of 87. [34] He was upset about the possibility that would affect his career, but Parker was secretly overjoyed. "Colonel Tom Parker managed Elvis Presley's career from 1955 to 1977. Colonel Parker died of a stroke on January 22, 1997, aged 87. . [62], One of Parker's brothers, Adam "Ad" van Kuijk, visited Parker once in Los Angeles in April 1961. Answering Presley's desire to appear in films, Parker was able to secure him a seven-picture contract with Paramount Pictures. [4] He would often spend 1214 hours at a time gambling in the casinos, betting large sums. While we work diligently to ensure that our numbers are as accurate as possible, unless otherwise indicated they are only estimates. He would call his flamboyant manager, Col. Tom Parker, and ask Parker to book another tour (Presley's average concert gross in the mid-'70s was $130,000 a night) or schedule another recording . [54], In July 1976, three of Presley's personal bodyguards and members of the "Memphis Mafia", Robert Gene "Red" West, his cousin Sonny West and David Hebler, were fired by Vernon Presley and decided to write a tell-all book about their life in his inner circle, Elvis: What Happened? As a reward, Davis gave him the honorary rank of "colonel" in the Louisiana State Militia.[2][3]. [37] He allowed him to perform three live shows in 1961, all charity events, two in Memphis and one in Hawaii. Inc.[4] However, because Parker was still entitled to 50% of all Presley's income, and after taxes were taken off, the overall amount going towards the upkeep of the estate was less than $1 million a year.[4]. On January 20, 1997, Parker suffered a stroke, and died the following morning in a Las Vegas hospital. After the Sinatra special, Parker decided that Presley's future lay in Hollywood. [35] He was reportedly afraid that Presley would realize that there were other managers available prepared to sign contracts that did not require as much as 25% of his earnings. "[27][28], Parker signed a deal with Beverly Hills film merchandiser Hank Saperstein for nearly $40,000 to turn Presley into a brand name. [4] He enlisted in the United States Army a few months later, taking the name "Tom Parker" from the same name of the officer who interviewed him, to disguise the fact he was an illegal alien. The 100th birthday of Colonel Parker. What was Colonel Tom Parker worth when he died? Following this, he entered the music industry as a music promoter. In 1977, Elvis died of a heart attack at only 42. He first met the future star in 1955, when Elvis was already being managed by the guitarist in his band. [50] Presley's main doctor, George C. Nichopoulos, would often replace Presley's medication with placebos in an attempt to wean him off the drugs. Parker returned to the U.S . Later in 1975, the government of Saudi Arabia offered Parker $5 million for Presley to perform there. Following this, Presley's career declined drastically as he became increasingly reliant on prescription drugs. Parker made his last public appearances in 1994. [53] Promoters in South America also made offers, as much as $2.5 million, and all of them were turned down by Parker; "Well, whenever I need $2.5 million I'll call you," he once said to them. to control the singer's merchandise. Profession: Elvis' manager. By 1984, with his gambling debts reportedly rising again, he was evicted. He also influenced his decisions to join the military and marry Priscilla, among other . Hanks said, "I was anticipating hearing horror stories about this venal, cheap crook. [33], Presley had been showing signs of rebellion against Parker, and Parker believed that a stint in the Army would cure him of this. Luhrmann hasn't really . [26], In April 1956, Parker made his first mistake with Presley's career. [60] In 1993, interest in Presley's enduring legend, interest that is sometimes notable for its obsessiveness, provoked Parker to remark: "I don't think I exploited Elvis as much as he's being exploited today. In 1980, a judge ordered an investigation into Parker's management practices and found that Parker's management had been unethical. According to Alanna Nash, who wrote The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley . [53] Seeing it as a chance to finally be taken seriously as an actor, Presley agreed to take the role if the contracts could be worked out. [57], Parker set out to protect his future income. Colonel Tom Parker was a Dutch-American talent manager and music businessman. [14] Parker decided against registering, possibly to prevent his previous Army record from becoming public. [49] Seeing the chance to publicize Presley's charitable nature once again, Parker eagerly agreed. Stick around for t. [citation needed] After a cold reception during his first few shows,[30] Parker cut Presley's appearance to two weeks. Parker made several attempts to have it stopped, but failed to do so. [15] Both Mercury Records and Columbia Records showed interest, although their initial offers were nowhere near the $40,000 requirement. The Amazing ComebackOf Colonel Tom Parker. In May 1973, in an attempt to deal with Presley's growing dependence on prescription drugs, Presley's father, Vernon, and Parker attempted to cut off his supply. 21 Jan 1997 (aged 87) Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, USA. Tom Hanks describes the larger-than-life character he portrays in the new Baz Luhrmann film, "Elvis," which opens in theaters next Friday. [12] Despite having sold over 86 million records since 1924 and earning over $17 million, Austin's career was at a low point. Although Parker infrequently saw Presley over the ensuing years, he remained his manager until Presley's passing in 1977. But he had less than $750,000 in his savings account when he died, and his estate was valued at less than $10 million. He also became friendly with the estate again, attending special ceremonies and events in Memphis, invited by Priscilla. 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. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Colonel_Tom_Parker&oldid=1141644408, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 02:32. Austin offered Parker the opportunity to move to Nashville, Tennessee, where music was becoming a big business, but for reasons unknown Parker turned him down. Parker then managed a series of highly successful tours for Presley. Alanna Nash's biography of Parker, The Colonel, claims he may have been trying to avoid passport scrutiny because he might have been a suspect in a murder in Breda. 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. Parker encouraged Presley to make film musicals which became the focus of his career during his commercial decline in the 1960s until his 1968 comeback and return to touring. He died on 21 January 1997 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. "A couple times he set me up in the Elvis Presley suite on top of the Hilton, and I would go play Elvis for a week One night we were at the crap table together and he rubbed my head for luck. [66] Some suggested that Parker married Marie to disguise his illegal status in the United States;[65] a marriage to a U.S. citizen with a child could help him bury his past in a "ready-made family". [14] The job not only offered him a secure wage, it also offered a rent-free apartment above the Humane Society in a remote part of West Tampa for him and his family. Elvis' estate, on the other hand, reportedly owed the Las Vegas . Parker privately acknowledged his brother and even introduced him to Presley. [48], Aloha from Hawaii proved to be the last great moment in Presley's career. [55] Although Parker publicly denied these claims, he had been in talks with Peter Grant, the manager of Led Zeppelin, about the possibility of him overseeing a European tour for Presley. The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley by Alanna Nash Aurum 19.99, pp394. Parker's net worth when he died was $1 million. His films still made money and his albums still sold well, but the profits were falling. Later, Davis says "He remembered me, and he said 'I told you you were going to be a star.' [59] Experts in the field at the time estimated that it had potentially cost Presley millions of dollars[59] and worse for Parker, it had also potentially cost him those millions of dollars. In 1994, following the marriage of Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson, Parker stated that Presley would not have approved. He left the estate to his father, Vernon Presley, and Lisa Marie. Col. Tom Parker dies. At the time of Elvis' death, he was worth just $5 million, a relatively-modest amount considering his enormous level of success and fame. [56], In September 1978, shortly after the first anniversary of Presley's death, Parker arranged a fan festival, Always Elvis, where he, Vernon, and Presley's ex-wife Priscilla, dedicated a bronze statue of him in the lobby of the Las Vegas Hilton. Growing up, he worked as a carnival barker in his hometown. [44] He offered RCA Records the opportunity to buy Presley's entire back catalog for $5.4 million. However, when Presley signed a recording contract with Phillips, Moore and Black were excluded. Presley remembered the event as one of the worst moments of his career. Instead, Parker sent demonstration recordings to record producer Steve Sholes at RCA Victor. With Presley serving in West Germany, Parker did everything he could to keep the singer's name on everyone's lips, as he worried that Presley would fade in the public eye. He was best known for being the manager of Elvis Presley. [44] However, Presley had asked him to raise funds to pay for his upcoming divorce settlement, and Priscilla divorced Elvis in 1973. With Parker's help, Presley signed a recording contract with RCA Victor, leading to his commercial breakthrough in 1956 with his sixth single "Heartbreak Hotel" and propelling him to become one of the most popular and commercially successful entertainers in the world. The Colonel was involved in Elvis' music career from very early on. 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. For his part, Parker himself died with a net worth of $1 million, or roughly . [53] First Artists, not used to such huge demands, didn't put forward a counter-offer and decided instead to offer the role, along with the original salary offer, to Kris Kristofferson, who accepted. Here are the best information about what was colonel tom parker worth when he died voted by users and compiled by 5 WS, invite you to learn together. Snow attended the signing, thinking that Elvis had signed a management contract with Jamboree Attractions, which he owned with Parker. Despite earning over $100 million during his lifetime, at the time of his death Colonel Tom Parker was reportedly worth less than $1 million. [26] He had even come up with the idea to market "I Hate Elvis" badges. Elvis Presley shot to stardom as a rock 'n roll legend, a legacy that still continues almost 50 years after the King's death. Many Parker biographers, including Dirk Vellenga and Alanna Nash, have stated that Parker's gambling habit began to get out of control in the mid-1960s. [15] Despite this, Phillips was not keen to let him go easily, advising Parker that he would require $40,000 (US$404,621 in 2021 dollars[11]) to secure the release of Presley's contract, a completely unheard-of sum at the time. RCA was eager for Presley to record in West Germany, but Parker insisted that it would ruin his reputation as a regular soldier if he was able to go into a recording studio. Soon, he secured Presley a record deal with RCA Victor. Elvis Was Not Nearly As Rich As You Might Guess When He Died. Colonel Tom Parker passed away on January 21, 1997 at 87 years old.Colonel Tom Parker Net Worth. Part biography, part murder mystery and perhaps the most thoroughly researched . Parker was still worried that Presley would return to nothing, that the public would have found a new star to fawn over by then, and that his golden goose would be reduced to nothing more than a "has-been".[35]. [35] All of these stories were fabrications, but it kept his name in view of the public. Parker believed that serving in the Army would help cure Presley of his increasing waywardness and convinced him to follow through with his draft as a normal citizen. [53] Yet, despite Presley's eagerness to do the shows, Parker again turned them down. [41] Selling it to RCA for $24,000 ($200,443 in 2021 dollars[11]), it was used to promote Presley's latest film, Frankie & Johnny. Net Worth: $1 Million. "He fully believed the colonel's story that Parker hailed from Huntington, West Virginia; Elvis died not knowing the truth," she says. [35] Parker had declined to travel to Europe, denying that he spoke any language other than English. [45], By 1972, Parker had managed to increase Presley's weekly wage in Las Vegas to $150,000 ($971,718 in 2021 dollars[11]), and secured $50,000 a year ($323,906 in 2021 dollars[11]) for himself as a "consultant to the hotel chain". [16] Critics were very positive in their reviews of both the drama and Sands, leading to Capitol Records signing Sands within a week. But he had less than $750,000 in his savings account when he died, and his estate was valued at less than $10 million. [50] In later years, several of Presley's inner circle would tell of how difficult it was to persuade Presley to quit the drugs. Then she was hired on as Elvis' tour secretary and traveled . [4], In 1935, Parker married 27-year-old Marie Francis Mott. [5] The case against Parker was settled out of court in 1983, with the estate paying him $2 million ($5,441,363 in 2021 dollars[11])[5] in exchange for all Presley audio recordings or visual images that he owned[4] and the termination of his involvement in any Presley related earnings for five years. [15], Parker immediately went to work to find a new label for Presley. [53] Hulett's company had managed tours for Presley, and he had worked with artists such as Led Zeppelin. [15], In early 1955, Parker became aware of a young singer, Elvis Presley. [4] It is believed that Parker lost at least $1 million a year from gambling. [61], As Presley's fame grew, people became interested in Parker as well. I wanted to punch him in the face. Between 1969 and 1972 alone, RCA released three albums of live material. He wasn't a colonel and he wasn't even born in America. Blues," "Wild in the Country," "Blue Hawaii," "Viva Las Vegas," "Paradise, Hawaiian Style," "Clambake," and "Change of Habit." [37] For the first few years Presley's films were somewhat successful, his albums topped the charts, and any singles that were released were mostly hits. But Col Thomas Andrew Parker - the all-American father figure - wasn't the first to discover Elvis. Little, Brown. [39] Throughout the 1960s Parker would continually renegotiate Presley's film contracts, often paying little attention to the scripts or the concerns of his client. [15] Parker and Snow eventually formed Hank Snow Enterprises and Jamboree Attractions, a successful promotional outfit for up-and-coming country singers. Colonel Tom Parker was born in Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands in June 1909 and passed away in January 1997. He is also said to have had gambling debts of up to $30 million at different times. What was Colonel Tom Parker worth when he died? Colonel Tom Parker was astonished to hear that Elvis Presley was a white man. Parker appeared at posthumous events honoring Presley, such as the 1993 issuing of a U.S. postage stamp with Presley's likeness. In reality, Nash told USA Today that Presley would "never do that." Presley apparently never knew that Parker wasn't . [67] According to interviews given by Parker to the Associated Press many years later, he and Marie were married in Tampa, Florida, during the winter of 1932,[67] but the Florida Office of Vital Statistics had no record of such a marriage any time between 1927 and 1946. [60] On the surface, however, relations between the two were as good as ever, with Parker helping the Hilton to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Presley's death. [21] In return for a larger financial stake in the deal, Neal agreed not to renew his management contract with Presley after it expired in March 1956,[22] allowing Parker the opportunity to claim the job for himself. [43], It took the energetic 1968 television special Elvis, which the Singer Company sponsored, and a subsequent series of acclaimed recording sessions in Memphis, Tennessee, that included songs such as "Suspicious Minds" and "In the Ghetto", to restore Presley's musical reputation. Colonel Tom Parker acted as Presley's promoter and, then manager and promoter, for most of his career. He became Presley's manager in 1955 just as . 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 ($974,043 in 2021 dollars[11]), an unheard-of sum at the time. Tt was this, rather than his entrance into the Army or the later death of Gladys, from which Presley never truly recovered and which ultimately killed him. Family of Utah law student, 25, say they found out from NEWS REPORTS that he'd been shot dead by cops 'after becoming non-compliant during traffic stop because his BMW didn't have license plate' He said 'Did I really?' Parker decided that Las Vegas was the perfect place to do it,[41] and on May 1, 1967, the couple were married in a ceremony that lasted only eight minutes and had a handful of guests. He also assisted Jimmie Davis' campaign to become Governor of Louisiana. . Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it! Parker then returned to the Netherlands before going back to the US when he was 19, again illegally. [29] While Presley was a hit among the youth of America, the middle-aged audiences found him an oddity. Colonel Tom Parker's Lack of Money. There were no witnesses and almost no evidence, except that the killer spread pepper on and around the body before fleeing in hopes that police dogs would not pick up the scent. Parker was the Tampa dogcatcher known as The Colonel, who managed Elvis Presley with a deal that controversially landed him 50% of the King of Rock and Roll's earnings. Following his discharge, Parker worked at a number of jobs, including food concessions and gaming carnivals. [15] Over the next few years, he helped Arnold secure hit songs, television appearances, and live tours. His origins were steeped in mystery. That's $35 million (28m) today and considerably less than what they were actually worth. [56] Other accounts suggest he slumped in his chair at his office, muttered, "Oh, dear God", and then quickly phoned Vernon Presley, where Parker advised Presley's father that his son's image needed to be protected. He suggested to Parker that, as Presley had recorded and was still performing the song "I'll Remember You" written by Kui Lee, the donations could go to the Kui Lee Cancer Fund that had been set up following the death of the songwriter in 1966.