Colonel Tom Parker died on January 21, 1997 at the age of 87. He first met the future star in 1955, when Elvis was already being managed by the guitarist in his band. The majority of Elvis's reported net worth at the time of his death was comprised of royalties from record sales, publishing, film and concert tickets. [15] RCA made it clear it were unwilling to go above $25,000 for a practically unknown singer,[15] but Parker persuaded them that Presley was no ordinary unknown singer. Colonel Tom Parkerthe title was awarded to him by Louisiana Governor Jimmie Davis in 1948 for political services renderedclaimed until 1982 to have been born in West Virginia. [56] At the funeral, he persuaded Presley's father to sign over control of Presley's career in death to him. "Last Train to Memphis". [4] During his first visit there, he traveled with a Chautauqua educational tent show, before returning briefly to the Netherlands. and he was hired as a hotel consultant for $50,000 per year (323,906 in 2021 dollars). [39] When Presley complained to him that he wanted better scripts, Parker reminded him of his lavish lifestyle and that risking $1 million a year for doing practically no work was dangerous. On January 20, 1997, Parker's wife heard a crashing sound from the living room, and found him slumped over in his chair after having a stroke. [16], Regardless of the success that Parker and Presley had achieved, Parker was still struggling to believe that Presley's career would last longer than a year or two. His origins were steeped in mystery. Tom was born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk in the Netherlands on June 26, 1909, but emigrated illegally to the United States when he was 20. when Elvis died, he was only worth $5 . Parker continued to manage the Presley estate, but he had sold the rights to Elvis's early recordings, which would have ensured a steady income. . Presley's star continued to rise as Parker signed a merchandising deal with Hank Saperstein to fully commoditize the young singer. Published Jan. 22, 1997 | Updated Sep. 30, 2005. Colonel Tom Parker was a Dutch-American talent manager and music businessman. [50] This would be successful for a short time, but when Presley discovered the trick, he simply found himself other doctors. Parker's net worth was estimated to be $50 million as of 1977. Both Priscilla and Jerry said he was a lovely man". 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 1980, a judge ordered an investigation into Parker's management practices and found that Parker's management had been unethical. You're going to be a star.'"[71]. According to Presley's biographer Peter Guralnick, Presley and Parker "were really like, in a sense, a married couple, who started out with great love, loyalty, respect that lasted for a considerable period of time, and went through a number of stages until, towards the end of Presley's life, they should have walked away. [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. Just the opposite. [14] With the Society in need of funds, Parker set about using his promotional experience to raise money and awareness for the shelter. For all intents and purposes, this should have made Elvis Presley a very wealthy man, yet when he passed away in 1977, the King was down to his last $1million and prior to his death The Colonel . [41], To make up for lack of earnings, Parker arranged for Presley's gold Cadillac to go on tour. [5] During a second, more detailed investigation, Tual discovered that all earnings were paid directly to the Trust instead of Parker. When critics questioned this arrangement and that Parker was exploiting Presley for more money because of greed, Presley quipped "I could have signed with East Coast Entertainment where they take 70 percent! [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. In November, Parker and Snow persuaded RCA to buy Presley out from Sun for $40,000, and on November 21, Presley's contract was officially transferred from Sun Records to RCA Victor. [41], On January 2, 1967, Parker re-negotiated his managerial/agent contract with Presley, persuading him to increase Parker's share from 25% to 50% on certain transactions. Blues," "Wild in the Country," "Blue Hawaii," "Viva Las Vegas," "Paradise, Hawaiian Style," "Clambake," and "Change of Habit." But he had less than $750,000 in his savings account when he died, and his estate was valued at less than $10 million. [39], For the remainder of the 1960s, Presley made films that relied heavily on exotic locations and mundane songs, and he was tied into contracts that he could not escape. "That didn't come out in this country until 1981." Subsequently, Parker managed the singer's successful return to live performing, with several dates set up in Las Vegas. [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. [12] He was a successful promoter, but he wanted to move into management.[12]. In 1980, a judge ordered an investigation into Parker's management practices, finding that Parker's management had been unethical. [35] He sent Presley's friends to keep him company, arranged for business associates to watch over him while they were working in Europe, and kept in regular contact with him. By 1984, with his gambling debts reportedly rising again, he was evicted. 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]. [15] RCA Victor, Hank Snow's current label, also showed an interest, but they were put off by the cost of the contract. Colonel Tom Parker Net in death: Despite earning more than $ 100 million during his lifetime, at the time of his death Colonel Tom Parker was worth less than $ 1 million. [57], Parker set out to protect his future income. [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. The two had become almost strangers, and false reports in the media suggested that Presley's contract was up for sale. He then re-enlisted at Fort Barrancas in Florida. 3. Little, Brown. After Parker's death in 1997, the home was used as a law . Adam van Kuijk died from emphysema in 1992, never seeing or visiting Parker again.[63]. He had expressed interest in making films when he first met Parker, and now Parker was working to make that happen. [citation needed], For the remainder of Presley's life, Parker saw little of him. He left the estate to his father, Vernon Presley, and Lisa Marie. . 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. Elvis was given a spot in the Louisiana Hayride, a radio show, and Colonel Parker knew that this young lad could prove to be a dark horse. To hide that he was an illegal immigrant, he adopted the name Tom Parker, which was the name of the officer who interviewed him. In addition to its considerable value, the estate of Elvis . At the time of Presley's death in 1977, it was suspected that Parker owed the Las Vegas Hilton over $30 million ($134,151,565 in 2021 dollars[11]) in gambling losses. Loanne Parker, wife of Colonel Tom Parker, passed away earlier this week.Loanne had a strong connection to Las Vegas, Nevada - even though she was from southern Ohio - and she had an even stronger connection to Elvis. 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' In 1953 Parker bought a house in Madison, Tennessee, where Presley would visit and stay while recording. Colonel Tom Parker was born as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk on June 26, 1909 in Breda, Netherlands as the seventh of eleven children of Adam and Maria. In 1994, following the marriage of Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson, Parker stated that Presley would not have approved. [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. Cremated. Colonel Tom Parker Net Worth : $1 Million. What was Colonel Tom Parker worth when he died? Thomas Andrew Parker (born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk; June 26, 1909 January 21, 1997),[1] commonly known as Colonel Parker, was a Dutch musical entrepreneur, best known for being Elvis Presley's manager. That's $35 million (28m) today and considerably less than what they were actually worth. [44] He would usually fly ahead to the venues and prepare the way for Presley's entourage to follow so that he and Presley rarely saw each other, and, as time progressed, it became even more difficult for Parker to get in contact with Presley. [53] Despite this, however, the deal never materialized. [44] These live performances, as well as being financially satisfying, also allowed Parker to fulfill Presley's recording contract with RCA Victor. [56] Shortly afterward, he traveled to Memphis for Presley's funeral. So Where'd All The Money Go??? [50] They hired private detectives to find out where the drugs were coming from and were successful in stopping any more from reaching Presley. As per reports, Colonel Tom Parker's Cause of Death was revealed that he died of stroke . 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. [59] Due to an ill-advised agreement between Parker and Presley that gave RCA sole ownership of all his recording royalties prior to 1973, the estate was relying heavily on the income from Factors Etc. [52] After nearly two weeks of trading insults back and forth, Parker and Presley decided to continue to work together. On March 26, 1956, after Presley's management contract with Neal expired, Presley signed a contract with Parker that made him his exclusive representative. These four shows alone grossed $730,000 ($4,729,029 in 2021 dollars[11]). 26 Jun 1909. LOANNE PARKER Loanne Miller Parker, long-time resident of Las Vegas and widow of Elvis Presley manager Colonel Tom Parker, Dies at 84. [55] Worried about the impact such details might have on his career, Presley, through his father, asked Parker to stop the publication. [49] Seeing the chance to publicize Presley's charitable nature once again, Parker eagerly agreed. [4], In The Colonel, her 2003 biography of Parker, Alanna Nash wrote that Parker may have been a suspect or a person of interest in an unsolved murder case in Breda. [41] Frank Sinatra had married Mia Farrow in 1966, and it had produced enough publicity for Parker to sit up and take notice. A symbiotic relationship," Hanks added. Presley's first manager was Scotty Moore, the guitarist in his band, who was encouraged by Sun Records owner Sam Phillips to become Presley's manager to protect Elvis from unscrupulous music promoters. [15] Over the next few years, he helped Arnold secure hit songs, television appearances, and live tours. At the time of his death in 1997, he was worth $1 million. 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". The 32nd Anniversary of Elvis' final concert in Indianapolis. According to Presley's friend, Jerry Schilling, Presley was excited about the opportunity to take on a new challenge. We welcome all corrections and feedback using the button below. While Presley was serving in West Germany, Parker was hard at work keeping Presley's name known to the public. [43] A breakfast reception was arranged, taking place after the media got their photographs of the couple. Loanne was born on July 11, 1935 in Covington, Ohio to Paul E. an [44] He offered RCA Records the opportunity to buy Presley's entire back catalog for $5.4 million. During the 1960s, after many years of ill health, Marie began to display signs of dementia. They struggled to survive during the Great Depression, working short cons and traveling across the country in search of work. Parker died in 1997 at the age of 87. 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. Despite the shady financial dealings Parker maintained with Presley, his net worth when he died was much less than that of Elvis, who died with a net worth of $5 million - around $20 million when adjusted for inflation. Net Worth: $1 Million; Date of Birth: Jun 26, 1909 - Jan 21, 1997 (87 years old) What is Colonel Tom Parker worth? 2. [32], In 1957, Parker finally managed to give Tommy Sands his big break by arranging for him to audition for and star in The Singin' Idol, a drama for NBC that was loosely based on the life and career of Presley. He arranged for a screen test with Paramount Pictures, and after impressing them with Presley's acting ability, Presley was signed to a seven-picture contract. Parker had unknowingly backed himself into a financial corner. He realized that by keeping RCA Victor, and more importantly the public, hungry for more Presley material, he would be able to negotiate a better contract when Presley returned from active service. [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. While Neal was originally the singer's official manager, Parker was the one most involved in running Presley's career. Although the films were profitable, Presley complained about the quality of the scripts. At the time of his death, Elvis was only worth . Colonel Tom Parker passed away on January 21, 1997 at 87 years old.Colonel Tom Parker Net Worth. [40] These deals were sometimes so harsh on the studios that it led producer Hal Wallis to state: "I'd rather try and close a deal with the Devil. In 1955, Parker and Memphis radio personality Bob Neal began promoting the young up-and-coming singer Elvis Presley. Presley remembered the event as one of the worst moments of his career. [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. Into his late 80s, Colonel Tom Parker began to struggle with various illnesses including diabetes and gout. [68] Parker began to distance himself emotionally from her, heartbroken by her slow mental deterioration from the woman he once knew. [33] Parker had seen many acts come and go during his earlier years in management, and felt that it would be foolish to believe that Presley, despite being Parker's most successful act to date, would be any different. [8] This may have motivated Parker to avoid seeking a passport, as the Netherlands has an active extradition treaty with the United States, and he may have wanted to avoid criminal arrest by Dutch authorities. Colonel Tom Parker's home (former), 409 Park Ridge Avenue, Temple Terrace, Fl. A few years after that, he illegally entered the United States by jumping ship from the boat of his employer. [4] During the 1960s, with his wife's health deteriorating, and Presley's career struggling, Parker found an escape with gambling at Las Vegas casinos. Potomac, was going to be salvaged. [10] Parker later said that at times they had had to live on as little as $1 a week (US$20 in 2021 dollars). Later, in 1983, Parker admitted during an interview that after 1966, the income from Presley films and soundtracks was dramatically reduced. [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. After a lifetime of earning well over $100 million managing Elvis, The Colonel's estate was barely worth $1 million upon his death. [51], After the Aloha special, Parker made a deal that would later be used in court to prove that he had not acted in the best interests of Presley. Tom discovered Elvis in 1955 when he was 20, but their partnership wasn't . After a heated argument between the two, Presley told Parker he was fired. According to Biography, Presley's father let Colonel Tom Parker have the run of things for two more years, but after the elder Presley also died in 1979, things got complicated for the manager. Nash said of Elvis' late manager: "The Colonel is a complicated character, and while he always took too much of Presley's money, he made some very sound decisions for him. Death. [50] As well as being their employer and paying their wages, he was also their main source of access to drugs for themselves. Colonel Tom Parker was best known as Elvis Presley's manager. Upon his return from the Army, Presley appeared on Frank Sinatra's television show. For his part, Parker himself died with a net worth of $1 million, or roughly . 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. [31] 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. [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. In 1963, Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's audacious manager who had gotten his start selling candy apples in carnivals, read in the paper that Franklin Delano . 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. . [37] Parker, not one to forget harsh criticism, stated that the fee would be $125,000 (equivalent to about $1,145,000 in 2021) for two songs, a total of eight minutes on screen; Sinatra himself was receiving a lower sum for the whole show,[38] but he agreed. [16] He arranged live appearances and became something of a father figure to the then-15-year-old Sands. Following this, he entered the music industry as a music promoter. [52] In Las Vegas, he was starting to appear drugged on stage, slurring his words and forgetting song lyrics. Parker appeared to be in complete control during Presley's time away, but he was worried about the outside influence that . He also reportedly had as much as $30 million worth of gambling debts at various times in his life. However, he also continued to blow his fortune on his gambling addiction and he died heavily in debt. After all the money he took from Elvis???? [4] It is believed that Parker lost at least $1 million a year from gambling. Elvis Presley with manager Colonel Tom Parker as he is discharged from the Army in 1960. . [72], His funeral was held at the Hilton Hotel and was attended by a handful of friends and former associates, including Eddy Arnold and Sam Phillips. 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. In early 1997, he passed away from a stroke in Las Vegas at the age of 87. [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. What was Colonel Tom Parker's net worth when he died? Held at a Hilton Hotel, his funeral was attended by the likes of Sun Records boss Sam Phillips and Parker's former client . Breda, Breda Municipality, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. [15], Parker and Neal worked together to promote Presley, using their own Hank Snow Tour to book him and tour him. [15] As Presley was still a minor, his parents had to sign the contract with Parker on his behalf. He had booked Presley into a four-week Las Vegas engagement, misjudging the reaction of the slightly older, more reserved audiences that Las Vegas attracted. Part biography, part murder mystery and perhaps the most thoroughly researched . [16] Critics were very positive in their reviews of both the drama and Sands, leading to Capitol Records signing Sands within a week. 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. [15] Eventually, Parker began getting more involved in music promotion again, this time for himself rather than the Society. [16] Remembering his previous experience with Sands, Sholes dismissed Sands as a viable replacement for Presley.[16]. [33] Presley had wanted to join Special Services, allowing him the opportunity to perform while at the same time getting an easier ride than other soldiers. [33] If Presley could show the world that he the same as any other young man, Parker told him, then more people would accept him and his music. [46] Originally planned as three performances, demand was so high that Parker decided to add a fourth performance, making Presley the first performer to sell out the venue four consecutive times. Between 1969 and his death on Aug. 16, 1977, Presley played over 600 shows at the Hilton. Despite earning over $100 million during his lifetime, at the time of his death Colonel Tom Parker was reportedly worth less than $1 million. [53] Streisand's production company, First Artists, offered Presley a salary of $500,000 ($2,517,934 in 2021 dollars[11]) and 10% of the profits. For the rest of his life, Parker managed the Presley estate. [67] It is also recorded that Marie did not divorce her second husband until 1936, and her brother, Bitsy, recalled no ceremony of marriage between Parker and Marie.
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