So Where'd All The Money Go??? [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. [33] He had arranged for Presley to record five singles before his induction,[35] guaranteeing RCA Victor enough material to release over a two-year period. After all the money he took from Elvis???? [1], Parker was born as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk on June 26, 1909, in Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands,[4] and was the seventh of eleven children. [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. [12] He was a successful promoter, but he wanted to move into management.[12]. Parker was looking ahead when he persuaded Presley to sign up as a Soldier. In the early days of their marriage, Marie and Parker worked together in the carnivals. [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. [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? The first major artist with whom he worked was popular crooner Gene Austin. Frank Sinatra, who had declared Presley a rock and roll disgrace in the 1950s, was keen to have him appear on his show. On January 20, 1997, Parker's wife heard a crashing sound from the living room, and when she heard no response to her calls, she went in to find him slumped over in his chair after suffering a stroke. [16] Parker had intended to mold Sands into the next Roy Rogers, but Sands had no interest in such a plan. [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. [18] A one-year management contract with Presley provided Moore with a 10-percent commission, which Moore said he never took. to control the singer's merchandise. He feels exploited and fires Parker on the stage during his Las Vegas show. It was producer 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 D. J. Fontana, the latter inspired by a post-rehearsal informal jam in Presley's dressing room. For two years he served in the 64th Coast Artillery at Fort Shafter in Hawaii. At the time of his death in 1997, he was worth $1 million. Tom Parker. Parker encountered Presley in 1955, and by 1956 had become his primary representative. [35] All of these stories were fabrications, but it kept his name in view of the public. But this guy is like eighty years old too old to be taught the limits of racism He probably doesn't realize how horrible a thing that was to do. [15] Over the next few years, he helped Arnold secure hit songs, television appearances, and live tours. On March 26, 1956, after Presley's management contract with Neal expired, Presley signed a contract with Parker that made him his exclusive representative. [15] The rank was honorary, since Louisiana had no organized militia, but Parker used the title throughout his life, becoming known simply as "the Colonel" to many acquaintances. He then re-enlisted at Fort Barrancas in Florida. Tom Parker was born on 26 June 1909 in Breda, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. 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 . The 30th Anniversary of the death of Elvis' father, Vernon Presley. Presley remembered the event as one of the worst moments of his career. [60], The disputes with the Presley estate did not terminate Parker's association with Presley. By 1980, the cost of running the estate was estimated to be as much as $500,000 a year. 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. [49] Sherman had read in news accounts that there was to be no charge for admittance to the concerts, a donation to charity being required instead. By his final public appearances in 1994, Parker was suffering from a number of health problems such as gout and diabetes. 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. 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. "[40], Presley had to do no more than provide RCA Victor with three albums a year,[37] and his film soundtracks did that for him. He died of complications from the stroke[72] the following morning at a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 87. [53] Parker turned the offer down, and Presley was overjoyed when they replied with another offer of $10 million. Despite earning over $100 million during his lifetime, at the time of his death Colonel Tom Parker was reportedly worth less than $1 million. [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". Colonel Tom Parker passed away on January 21, 1997 at 87 years old.Colonel Tom Parker Net Worth. [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. [57], Parker set out to protect his future income. He wasn't a colonel and he wasn't even born in America. I said, 'Yeah, you rubbed my head.' Parker did not appear to care if the films were good or bad but only about the profits. But he had less than $750,000 in his savings account when he died, and his estate was valued at less than $10 million. [15], A young singer, Tommy Sands, caught Parker's eye in 1952, and Parker immediately set about promoting him. Later, in 1990, Parker married his longtime secretary Loanne Miller. . Colonel Tom Parker's Lack of Money. Parker then returned to the Netherlands before going back to the US when he was 19, again illegally. [36] If Parker had had any doubts about his return, they were soon gone when he witnessed the turnout along the route. Following an investigation in the early 80s, a judge ruled that Parker's management of Presley had been unethical. After a lifetime of earning well over $100 million managing Elvis, The Colonel's estate was barely worth $1 million upon his death. He completed basic training at Fort McPherson in Atlanta, Georgia.[4]. [46] Parker had also decided that it was time for Presley to return to New York, and had arranged for him to perform at Madison Square Garden in June. [44] However, Presley had asked him to raise funds to pay for his upcoming divorce settlement, and Priscilla divorced Elvis in 1973. Part biography, part murder mystery and perhaps the most thoroughly researched . Following this, Presley's career declined drastically as he became increasingly reliant on prescription drugs. During the interview, Parker said that he was not aware that another one of his sisters, Adriana van Kuijk, had died in the Netherlands a few years before. 21 Jan 1997 (aged 87) Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, USA. He also became friendly with the estate again, attending special ceremonies and events in Memphis, invited by Priscilla. During this time, Parker secured him long-term deals with film studios. [26] Parker, with his 25% share of profits, found ways to make money from his artist that other managers before him had never thought of. [15] Parker and Snow eventually formed Hank Snow Enterprises and Jamboree Attractions, a successful promotional outfit for up-and-coming country singers. [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. Their's was probably the most unique artist-manager relationship ever in show business, clearly one of the most successful. Colonel Tom Parker was best known as Elvis Presley's manager. Breda, Breda Municipality, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. [citation needed], For the remainder of Presley's life, Parker saw little of him. [48] Two weeks after the Las Vegas press conference Parker received a letter from Honolulu Advertiser columnist Eddie Sherman. . Potomac, was going to be salvaged. 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. 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. Let's find out. [18] When the contract expired, the Memphis radio personality Bob Neal stepped in and made a deal with Phillips to become Presley's manager. [15], Parker immediately went to work to find a new label for Presley. [55] As with all the talk about Presley touring overseas, Parker never followed through with the deal. Later, in 1983, Parker admitted during an interview that after 1966, the income from Presley films and soundtracks was dramatically reduced. [53] Several members of Presley's band later stated that Parker had no idea just how bad the situation was getting. Colonel Tom Parker's House. [4] He would often spend 1214 hours at a time gambling in the casinos, betting large sums. Tom discovered Elvis in 1955 when he was 20, but their partnership wasn't . Col. Tom Parker dies. After Parker's death in 1997, the home was used as a law . [17] In the beginning, Presley, Moore, and the bassist Bill Black were a trio, the Blue Moon Boys. . [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. [53], From 1974 onward, Presley's weight gain and prescription drug abuse became too much to be controlled. "[70], Songwriter Mac Davis recounted a similar experience where Parker rubbed his head and declared "You're going to be a star. [4], In 1935, Parker married 27-year-old Marie Francis Mott. After a heated argument between the two, Presley told Parker he was fired. Tom Parker had a net worth of $8 million at the time of his death. [15], In early 1955, Parker became aware of a young singer, Elvis Presley. [44], During a closing night performance on September 3, 1973, following news that a Hilton staff member whom Presley was fond of had been fired, Presley attacked Hilton Hotels chairman Barron Hilton in a verbal rage on stage. The Wanted singer Tom Parker has died from a brain tumour at the age of 33. [4] Priscilla and the Trust were prepared to let Parker continue to handle Presley's business affairs, and petitioned the court to that end. The show, titled "Welcome Home, Elvis", was Presley's first national television appearance since The Ed Sullivan Show in January 1957. 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! Additionally, Tual determined that Parker's handling of Presley's business affairs was unethical. During the 1960s, after many years of ill health, Marie began to display signs of dementia. The singer was raking in cash hand over fist from these engagements, but he found them artistically . At the time of Elvis' death, he was worth just $5 million, a relatively-modest amount considering his enormous level of success and fame. [65] Marie was one of six children,[65] had been married twice before, and had a son from her first marriage. "[27][28], Parker signed a deal with Beverly Hills film merchandiser Hank Saperstein for nearly $40,000 to turn Presley into a brand name. [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. Colonel Tom Parker made more than $100 million in his lifetime, but when he died, he was reportedly worth less than $1 million. On January 20, 1997, Parker suffered a stroke, and died the following morning in a Las Vegas hospital. [49] Seeing the chance to publicize Presley's charitable nature once again, Parker eagerly agreed. Colonel Tom Parker passed away on January 21, 1997 at 87 years old.Colonel Tom Parker Net Worth. 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. In 1963, Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's audacious manager who had gotten his start selling candy apples in carnivals, read in the paper that Franklin Delano Roosevelt's presidential yacht, the U.S.S. "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. His Dutch birthplace and immigrant status were not revealed for many years. He is also said to have had gambling debts of up to $30 million at different times. By this time, Parker was aware that Presley needed a rest from touring and the chance to deal with his prescription drug addictions. 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. What was Colonel Tom Parker's net worth when he died? In 1980, a judge ordered an investigation into Parker's management practices and found that Parker's management had been unethical. [4] After a lifetime that saw him earn in excess of $100 million, Parker's estate was worth barely $1 million when he died. In early 1997, he passed away from a stroke in Las Vegas at the age of 87. While the film shows Elvis firing his manager during a show after realising he's being deceived by the Colonel, this is not what happened in real life. It was also reported that he had up to $ 30 million in gambling debts several times in his life. 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. At that point, Moore and Black had no contractual ties to either Phillips or Presley. Their instincts were proven right; the TV special proved an enormous hit, and the album that was released featuring performances from the special became a best-seller, but the comeback special was interrupted when Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated on June 5, 1968. His mother was giving him a pep talk to calm his nerves. In 1977, Elvis died of a heart attack at only 42. But as time went on, as the Beatles began their dominance of the music charts and the worldwide phenomenon known as Beatlemania began, Presley became less significant. He died on 21 January 1997 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. [16] Remembering his previous experience with Sands, Sholes dismissed Sands as a viable replacement for Presley.[16]. [1][4], At age 15, Van Kuijk moved to Rotterdam, gaining employment on boats in the port town. 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 . At the time of his death, Elvis was only worth . [44] At the time, Presley's back catalog was not considered very important and RCA initially calculated it at being worth much less, but in later years it would become one of the most valuable record catalogs in the music business. While we work diligently to ensure that our numbers are as accurate as possible, unless otherwise indicated they are only estimates. He also lost a large portion of Elvis' personal wealth. He was punished with solitary confinement, from which he emerged with a psychosis that led to him spending two months in a mental hospital,[4] and he was discharged from the Army because of his mental condition. [5] Parker countersued. [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 was astonished to hear that Elvis Presley was a white man. 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. Date of Birth: Jun 26, 1909 - Jan 21, 1997 (87 years old) Place of Birth: Breda, Netherlands. In the 60s, Mott started showing signs of dementia, causing Parker to distance himself from her and find refuge in gambling. Meanwhile, his career began stagnating as the British Invasion took over 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 world's music and pop culture changed forever when the greatest performer of them all joined . [8], In May 1929, Van Kuijk returned to the United States at age 19, finding work with carnivals due to his previous experience in the Netherlands. . The two had become almost strangers, and false reports in the media suggested that Presley's contract was up for sale. Elvis Presley with manager Colonel Tom Parker as he is discharged from the Army in 1960. . . 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. [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. [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. You tell everybody the Colonel touched your head." "He fully believed the colonel's story that Parker hailed from Huntington, West Virginia; Elvis died not knowing the truth," she says. He . 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. Austin had spent much of his fortune on partying, cars, mansions, and women, and his popularity had been eclipsed by other singers, such as Bing Crosby. In January 1979, it was discovered that Presley had lost out on royalties for songs on which he had been listed as an author or composer because Parker had unwisely advised him not to sign up to ASCAP or its younger competitor, BMI. [60] Part of this role resulted in Parker keeping the same fourth-floor suite he occupied when Presley was alive. "[42] Parker used the argument that Presley was his only client and he was thus earning only one fee.[42]. 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 claim of Parker's Dutch heritage was publicly confirmed when Parker unsuccessfully tried to avert a lawsuit brought against him in 1982 by asserting in open court that he was a Dutch citizen. In the early 80s, an investigation was launched into Parker's management of Presley. "No, he never would have done that," Nash says. [4], Parker had worked as a "consultant" for Hilton Hotels since Presley's death,[60] with some believing he was working to pay off debts owed to the casino from his gambling during Presley's performances there. 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]. Specifically: The services for Tom Parker were held at Palm Mortuary Downtown location, but his cremains were taken to Memphis, TN and the mortuary has no record of the exact location. "[72] She reiterated her positive opinion to Tom Hanks in 2022 when the actor prepared to play Parker for Elvis (2022). He arranged for Presley to appear on popular television shows, such as The Milton Berle Show and The Ed Sullivan Show, securing fees that made Presley the highest-paid star on television. [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". Cremated. Elvis' estate, on the other hand, reportedly owed the Las Vegas . [4] From about 1931 until 1938, he worked as a "carny" with Royal American Shows. [4] Although Parker had served honorably for a time, he went AWOL this time and was charged with desertion. The interviews of Elvis' Parents are well worth hearing too . He was best known for being the manager of Elvis Presley. [61], As Presley's fame grew, people became interested in Parker as well. [26] By the summer Presley had become one of the most famous new faces of the year, causing excitement among the new teenage audience and outrage among some older audiences and religious groups. [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. [65] Unbeknown to Parker at the time, she had a second son from her first marriage, but had given him up for adoption at birth due to his disability (a club foot). [54] Vernon also threatened to find a new manager if Parker wouldn't continue to tour Presley. 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. Parker made several attempts to have it stopped, but failed to do so. [48], Aloha from Hawaii proved to be the last great moment in Presley's career. Net Worth: $1 Million; Date of Birth: Jun 26, 1909 - Jan 21, 1997 (87 years old) What is Colonel Tom Parker worth? Instead, Parker sent demonstration recordings to record producer Steve Sholes at RCA Victor. [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. Subsequently, Parker managed the singer's successful return to live performing, with several dates set up in Las Vegas. [34] He was upset about the possibility that would affect his career, but Parker was secretly overjoyed.