what was colonel tom parker worth when he died what was colonel tom parker worth when he died

Parker was able to receive more than half of the income from the enterprise, an unprecedented figure for a music manager. [62], One of Parker's brothers, Adam "Ad" van Kuijk, visited Parker once in Los Angeles in April 1961. [4] At age 17, he first displayed signs of wanting to run away to the United States to "make his fortune". There, he worked at carnivals. "Every entertainer should go to bed at night and pray he . [60], The disputes with the Presley estate did not terminate Parker's association with Presley. [69] In October 1990, Parker married Loanne Miller, his secretary since 1972. [33], Presley had been showing signs of rebellion against Parker, and Parker believed that a stint in the Army would cure him of this. Thomas Andrew Parker (born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk; June 26, 1909 - January 21, 1997), commonly known as Colonel Parker, was a Dutch musical entrepreneur, best known for being Elvis Presley's manager.. Parker, who was born in the Netherlands, entered the United States illegally when he was 20 years old. Colonel Tom Parker Net Worth : $1 Million. He . Parker appeared at posthumous events honoring Presley, such as the 1993 issuing of a U.S. postage stamp with Presley's likeness. Col. Tom Parker, the former carnival barker who helped guide Elvis Presley to stardom, died Tuesday of complications from a . After all the money he took from Elvis???? Instead, Parker sent demonstration recordings to record producer Steve Sholes at RCA Victor. [29], Despite this setback, Presley was still going from strength to strength. The show, titled "Welcome Home, Elvis", was Presley's first national television appearance since The Ed Sullivan Show in January 1957. [4][5] 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 1520%. A symbiotic relationship," Hanks added. The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley by Alanna Nash Aurum 19.99, pp394. Despite earning over $100 million during his lifetime, at the time of his death Colonel Tom Parker was reportedly worth less than $1 million. [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. [50] They hired private detectives to find out where the drugs were coming from and were successful in stopping any more from reaching Presley. [26], In April 1956, Parker made his first mistake with Presley's career. Elvis had just as many white influences and announced as early as seventh grade that he was going to sing at the Grand Ole Opry . [15], A young singer, Tommy Sands, caught Parker's eye in 1952, and Parker immediately set about promoting him. In 1935, while travelling with a circus, Parker met and married 27-year-old Marie Francis Mott. You tell everybody the Colonel touched your head." This proved very lucrative, especially when the single for Presley's first film, Love Me Tender, sold over one million copies in advance sales. 4. 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. The interviews of Elvis' Parents are well worth hearing too . [19][20] Part of Parker's role was to secure a new recording contract with a bigger label. Answer (1 of 2): The gravy train for Col. Parker ended after Elvis died, and the executor that was appointed for Lisa Marie Presley's interests began to go over Parker's deals with Elvis, was appalled, and the estate threatened to take Parker to court, and paid him 2 million dollars to end his as. Held at a Hilton Hotel, his funeral was attended by the likes of Sun Records boss Sam Phillips and Parker's former client . Tom Parker caught a glimpse of the singer backstage. Tom Parker had a net worth of $8 million at the time of his death. [34] He was upset about the possibility that would affect his career, but Parker was secretly overjoyed. Colonel Tom Parker died at the age of 87 years. All net worths are calculated using data drawn from public sources. [4] A year later at 18, with enough money to sustain him for a short period, he entered America illegally by jumping ship from his employer's vessel. At the time of Elvis' death, he was worth just $5 million, a relatively-modest amount considering his enormous level of success and fame. [50] However, it wasn't long before Presley was able to find other doctors to meet his demands. Additionally, Tual determined that Parker's handling of Presley's business affairs was unethical. [48] Two weeks after the Las Vegas press conference Parker received a letter from Honolulu Advertiser columnist Eddie Sherman. In any case, Parker remained Presley's manager without a break until Presley's death in 1977. [15] Over the next few years, he helped Arnold secure hit songs, television appearances, and live tours. 26 Jun 1909. I said 'Yeah'. Phillips told them to make a separate deal with Elvis. Net Worth: $1 Million. . 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. He adopted a new name and claimed to have been born in the United States. "[56] Almost immediately, before even visiting Graceland, Parker traveled to New York City to meet with merchandising associates and executives with RCA Records, instructing them to prepare for a huge demand in Presley products. [65], Others, however, had doubts about whether they were legally married at all. [16] Soon after, Sands' song "Teen-Age Crush" reached number 2 on the pop charts, eventually selling 800,000 copies. According to several people who knew Presley at the time, the talks with Hulett got so far along that it seemed almost inevitable the deal would be done. He also lost a large portion of Elvis' personal wealth. [29] While Presley was a hit among the youth of America, the middle-aged audiences found him an oddity. Returning to music, he began managing such singers as Eddy Arnold and Tommy Sands. 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. The 32nd Anniversary of Elvis' final concert in Indianapolis. [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. "[52], Parker accepted that their working relationship was over, Parker telling them over the phone that Dr. Nick's services are no longer required, and demanded that Presley pay him $2 million to end their contract; money Parker claimed he was owed. The talks had included details about European tours, and buying out Presley's contract would not have been a problem for Hulett and his company. [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. Breda, Breda Municipality, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. Even Tom Hanks thought he was an odd choice to play Elvis Presley's manager Colonel Tom Parker in . Net Worth: $1 Million; Date of Birth: Jun 26, 1909 - Jan 21, 1997 (87 years old) What is Colonel Tom Parker worth? With no touring or public appearances to be made, Parker was able to keep costs to a minimum. [44] These live performances, as well as being financially satisfying, also allowed Parker to fulfill Presley's recording contract with RCA Victor. Colonel Tom Parker was best known as Elvis Presley 's manager. [41] 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. [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. However, he also continued to blow his fortune on his gambling addiction and he died heavily in debt. He was 87. Meanwhile, his gambling habit increasingly eroded the huge fortune he had built up, and he died worth only US$1,000,000. How Elvis Presley Died Nearly Broke Then Became One Of The Richest Dead Celebrities Of All Time. [4], On August 14, 1981, Judge Evans ordered Elvis Presley Enterprises to sue Parker for mismanagement. [13] Instead, Parker decided to stay in Temple Terrace, Florida, with his family, perhaps to avoid having to submit paperwork that could expose his illegal status. [53] According to Parker himself, he did privately attempt to talk to his client a number of times about the matter, but allegedly every time Parker casually told Presley to quit or at least tone it down with the pill popping and binge eating, Presley would respond by telling Parker to stay out of his personal business. Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 02:32, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Tom Parker Is Dead at 87; Controlled Presley's Career", "Colonel Parker Managed Elvis' Career, but Was He a Killer on the Lam? He also became friendly with the estate again, attending special ceremonies and events in Memphis, invited by Priscilla. [17] In the beginning, Presley, Moore, and the bassist Bill Black were a trio, the Blue Moon Boys. In 1956, Presley was launched to superstardom with the release of his first single for RCA Victor, "Heartbreak Hotel." During the 1960s, after many years of ill health, Marie began to display signs of dementia. And the value of his estate at the time of his death in 1997? Their's was probably the most unique artist-manager relationship ever in show business, clearly one of the most successful. [14] Parker decided against registering, possibly to prevent his previous Army record from becoming public. [67] Author Alanna Nash has suggested that the couple may have simply placed their hands on a Bible and given themselves a "carny wedding".[67]. Colonel Tom Parker was a Dutch-American talent manager and music businessman. [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. 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. [35] Parker had declined to travel to Europe, denying that he spoke any language other than English. 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. "[60], In 1994, a Golden Palm Star on the Walk of Stars in Palm Springs, California, was dedicated to him. He was previously married to Loanne Miller and Marie Frances Mott. [55] According to Presley's friend, Larry Geller, Parker secretly wanted the book to be published, hoping that it would help Presley realize the severity of his situation and persuade him to do something about it. [48], Aloha from Hawaii proved to be the last great moment in Presley's career. [41] The Cadillac tour proved to be somewhat more successful than the film itself. When he was 15, Parker moved to Rotterdam, where he worked on boats. [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. Having previously sold the rights to Presley's early recordings to RCA Records, he struggled to secure a steady income, and his financial situation worsened after he sustained significant gambling losses. While Presley was serving in West Germany, Parker was hard at work keeping Presley's name known to the public. [4] By this time, with the IRS demanding almost $15 million in taxes, the estate was facing bankruptcy. [14], Through the fundraising, Parker headed to Tennessee to find acts to perform at his charity events,[14] among them stars such as Minnie Pearl and Eddy Arnold. The killing happened a few streets from where the Van Kuijk family lived, and Parker had been hired to make deliveries from this and other grocery stores in the area. [68] From then on, he continued living in Las Vegas, mostly avoiding contact with the press. He also lost a big chunk of Elvis's own money. when Elvis died, he was only worth $5 . He subsequently performed at three charity events, and then suspended his live performing until 1968. Subsequently, Parker managed the singer's successful return to live performing, with several dates set up in Las Vegas. He became Presley's manager in 1955 just as . After a lifetime of earning well over $100 million managing Elvis, The Colonel's estate was barely worth $1 million upon his death. [26] With over 78 different possibilities, from charm bracelets to record players, Presley merchandise brought in $22 million by the end of 1956. Memorial ID. Although Parker infrequently saw Presley over the ensuing years, he remained his manager until Presley's passing in 1977. Into his late 80s, Colonel Tom Parker began to struggle with various illnesses including diabetes and gout. Both Priscilla and Jerry said he was a lovely man". He also worked to maintain Presley's estate, which was estimated to have cost around $500,000 a year in upkeep. [16] Sholes showed little interest in Sands, but promised that he would attempt to find songs Sands might be able to record. Parker had unknowingly backed himself into a financial corner. Col. Tom Parker dies. Colonel Tom Parker's Lack of Money. [14] Parker served in the peacetime army as a precondition for taking advantage of that stipulation, but he never subsequently applied to become a citizen. No, he didn't. That's the kicker. While we work diligently to ensure that our numbers are as accurate as possible, unless otherwise indicated they are only estimates. 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. [52], Although many around Presley were worried about his worsening drug dependency, Parker appeared to ignore the problem. [14] In 1945, Parker became Arnold's full-time manager, signing a contract for 25% of his earnings. [50] As well as being their employer and paying their wages, he was also their main source of access to drugs for themselves. He died on Aug. 16, 1977, of a heart attack. [49] The album was released simultaneously around the world, and went to number 1 on the US charts, the first Presley album to do so since the Roustabout soundtrack, in 1964. According to Priscilla, Elvis was happy to pay 50% to Parker to manage him.[73]. [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. Parker appeared to be in complete control during Presley's time away, but he was worried about the outside influence that Presley might encounter in West Germany. However, when Presley signed a recording contract with Phillips, Moore and Black were excluded. [4][5] Parker's final years were spent living in Las Vegas, in increasingly poor health before his death in 1997. Following this, Presley's career declined drastically as he became increasingly reliant on prescription drugs. 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". Parker made his last public appearances in 1994. Burial. [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. 1. Answer (1 of 2): In addition to what is noted in the other answer, he had legal disputes with the Presley estate but ultimately continued to earn money from Elvis's legacy. [18] Neal was struggling at the time to accommodate his new client's success, and in February 1955, following a meeting with Parker, Presley agreed to let Parker take some control of future bookings and promotions. Picture: Getty Parker managed the Presley estate for the rest of his life, but he had also sold the rights to Presley's early recordings. Following this, Neal chose not to renew his management contract with Presley, leaving Parker as the singer's sole manager. and he died worth only US$1,000,000. In the 1950s, he helped Elvis Presley become a big star. Colonel Tom Parker acted as Presley's promoter and, then manager and promoter, for most of his career. [33] Between 1969 and 1972 alone, RCA released three albums of live material. His origins were steeped in mystery. Snow attended the signing, thinking that Elvis had signed a management contract with Jamboree Attractions, which he owned with Parker. What was Colonel Tom Parker worth when he died? [53] Parker later claimed that Presley had asked him to make the contract so demanding so that they would not offer him the part, although many of Presley's friends have contradicted Parker's statement because they had said Presley was furious at losing the role.[53]. Nor did he ever suggest onstage that he knew of the colonel's immigration issues. 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. So Where'd All The Money Go??? The first major artist with whom he worked was popular crooner Gene Austin. Tom Parker was born on 26 June 1909 in Breda, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. The sale of the back catalog to RCA meant that after his death, Presley's estate would not receive any royalties for any Presley recordings made prior to 1973. His Dutch birthplace and immigrant status were not revealed for many years. And there certainly would've been no Elvis without Colonel Tom Parker.' And when he said that, I said, 'Oh . During this time, Parker secured him long-term deals with film studios. 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. Presley went on to star in 27 films during the decade, including "G.I. Presley had been living with Priscilla Beaulieu, ten years his junior, for the past four years, but it had not been public knowledge. 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. [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. Colonel Tom Parker was best known for being the manager of Elvis Presley. Following his discharge, Parker worked at a number of jobs, including food concessions and gaming carnivals. 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. According to Alanna Nash, who wrote The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley . Part biography, part murder mystery and perhaps the most thoroughly researched . However, that was not the case since Elvis was still under contract to Bob Neal. What was Colonel Tom Parker worth when he died? [52], In February 1975, during his engagement in Las Vegas, Presley, along with Parker, met with Barbra Streisand and Jon Peters. When provided, we also incorporate private tips and feedback received from the celebrities or their representatives. Colonel Tom Parker was born in Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands in June 1909 and passed away in January 1997. [citation needed] After a cold reception during his first few shows,[30] Parker cut Presley's appearance to two weeks. 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. [53] Presley was beginning to consider new management, with Concerts West co-founder Tom Hulett being the clear favorite for the job. [37] He allowed him to perform three live shows in 1961, all charity events, two in Memphis and one in Hawaii. Loanne was born on July 11, 1935 in Covington, Ohio to Paul E. an [51] In her book, The Colonel, she writes: "in the days before the Betty Ford Clinic, the Colonel didn't know where to take him for discreet, effective help and loathed risking the loss of work if the truth got out". Elvis Presley shot to stardom as a rock 'n roll legend, a legacy that still continues almost 50 years after the King's death. In 1973, Colonel Parker sold the master tapes for 700 of Presley's songs to RCA for $5.4 million. This led Parker to insist that films be made cheaply, on a strict schedule, and with as little hassle as possible. By 1980, the cost of running the estate was estimated to be as much as $500,000 a year. [48] The press were told that an audience of one billion was expected to tune in to see the "first entertainment special to be broadcast live around the world",[48] 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. The premises had been ransacked in search of money. [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. "[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. [18] When the contract expired, the Memphis radio personality Bob Neal stepped in and made a deal with Phillips to become Presley's manager. He completed basic training at Fort McPherson in Atlanta, Georgia.[4]. [68] Parker began to distance himself emotionally from her, heartbroken by her slow mental deterioration from the woman he once knew. "[72] She reiterated her positive opinion to Tom Hanks in 2022 when the actor prepared to play Parker for Elvis (2022). Parker was looking ahead when he persuaded Presley to sign up as a Soldier. [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. 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. [37] He envisioned him as an entertainment machine, pumping out three films and soundtracks a year, until the end of the decade. Colonel Tom Parker passed away on January 21, 1997 at 87 years old.Colonel Tom Parker Net Worth. p. 258. Parker, who was born in the Netherlands, entered the United States illegally when he was 20 years old. 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. [7] As a boy, he worked as a barker at carnivals in his hometown, learning many of the skills that he would require later while working in the entertainment industry. Colonel Tom Parker was best known as Elvis Presley's manager. [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. He facilitated Presley's rise to superstardom in the 50s, and also influenced his decisions to accept his military draft and to marry his wife Priscilla, among other things. 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. . 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. [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.