The fact that Parker had Elvis as his only client made the financial situation of the former manager difficult, and in 1981 Parker was brought to trial by Priscilla Presley, accusing him of negligent management. The estate also continues to generate revenue through various licensing agreements, such as merchandise and movie/television deals. He would be nice one second, and stare off like he was lost, and thenboom!tremendous force. Elvis in a movie still, circa 1957 Photo by Michael Ochs . Nobody! Presley only appeared at the Grand Ole Opry once in October 1954. Far from being born in West Virginia, Tom Parker was in fact a native of the city of Breda, in the southern part of the Netherlands. Half Man, Half Animal! He took that really seriously. It is a deal that severed the Presley estate from the royalties for more than 700 songs and put $2.6 million in the colonel's pocket. I have to admit I read that and I was like, Go mom, laughs Clea Newman Soderlund, speaking about her fathers posthumous memoir, Ezra Millers Messiah Delusions: Inside. Clambake, a 1967 romantic comedy, brought in around $5. My mother-in-law said to me, if anything comes to light about this Parker, tell them that his name is Van Kuijk and that he murdered the wife of a greengrocer on the Bochstraat. That never happenedElvis died not knowing of Parkers illegal statusbut he would have had to have had a tin ear not to pick up on an accent as obvious as Hankss. Presley lobbied for the role of Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront. I think even more than Colonel Parker they realised if Elvis saw the outside world a bit more then all of a sudden he might want to be a part of it., Elvis Presley: Graceland chef reveals how to make the Elvis sandwich[VIDEO], Michael Jackson: How he REALLY reacted to Lisa Marie Presley divorce[INTERVIEW], Elvis Presley expert reveals tragic truth about star's life[EXCLUSIVE], And by keeping him confined in their own sphere I think it was detrimental, almost, to Elvis.. He didnt want to stifle them. Not only did Parkers business savvy earn him millions but his personal touch with Elvis also earned him millions. Elvis and the Colonel were associated throughout the musician's entire career, including music, movies, and TV specials. Parker signed a contract with RCA Records to buy Presley the recording rights to his songs for $40,000 (which included $5,000 going directly to Elvis as a premium), a considerable sum at the time. In addition, she has various other investments, including music publishing rights and royalties, which provide additional financial returns to the estate. Altogether, it is estimated that Colonel Parker had made $50 million from Elviss success. Although the mansion is not generally available to the public, visitors can take a tour, take photographs, and listen to audiopresentation about Elviss life in the home. As the press cameras clicked away, and the freshly painted Potomac gleamed in the background, the Colonel chuckled to himself. The 42 Best Romantic Comedies of All Time, The 25 Best Shows on Netflix to Watch Right Now, Scene Stealer: The True Lies of Elisabeth Finch, Part 2. After all, the Alien Registration Act of 1940 had offered an effective amnesty to all illegals, and when Elvis made it big his manager made plenty of powerful new friends. Elsewhere in this section of the film, Parkerwho in real life had sold the network on the idea of a Christmas special so he could turn Elvis into a late-60s Bing Crosbyappears as a bumbling rube in his insistence that Elvis sing Here Comes Santa Claus. Its funny, but renders Parker ridiculous. Ad Choices. Hed just snap. Probably he had known the woman; perhaps he had even desired herand then been angered by her recent marriage. He even put additional posters up, even if the venues were sold out, because what he was doing was selling Elvis. Parker continued to live in the same suite he had occupied at the Las Vegas Hilton, but in 1984, he was eventually evicted from the hotel when his hotel gambling debts grew too high. In the 1980s, Vernon Presley, Elviss father, along with his daughter, Priscilla, who had been married to Elvis from 1967 until 1973, were living in the home. The Colonel was even against the reunion which made the Elvis 68 Comeback Special so special. Snow was the country star who introduced the young artist to the stage. It was arguably the first marketing campaign aimed squarely at the teen demographic. As we have stated, he did not technically steal from him, as it was all written in the contracts they had, but he did exploit him and threaten to bankrupt him if he decided to alter the conditions of their deal. The answer to who owns the royalties to Elvis songs largely depends on the individual song. Privacy Statement Presley was very serious about his music and honestly wanted to bring that to acting. February 24, 2012 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. Stories of managerial terrorism abound in music history. He took 25 per cent which, at that time, was the industry standard., Todd claimed there was only a 50/50 split between Elvis and the Colonel when it came to licensing and merchandise, insisting: But it was never a 50/50 split on his earnings.. Ill Let the Chips Fall Where They May: The Life and Confessions of Mob Chef David Ruggerio. Graceland is the former home of Elvis Presley, located in Memphis, Tennessee. Elvis also agreed to provide financial support for her and their child in the event of a divorce. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. All rights reserved. But his investigation took a much more sinister turn after he received a second tip in 1980. Todd said the Colonel was no worse than any other and noted his generosity with fans, saying:As far as the British fans were concerned, he was better than most managers were because he really did take time to meet the fans. He talked about it all the time, for years.. He was the success I always wanted.. After the firing, did Colonel Parker send Elvis an itemized bill for $8 million? Id like to think, yeah, he was running away from an aspect of his past and escaping his small town, and who among us wouldnt jump at an opportunity to do that very thing?. Terms of Use In the scenes in which he promotes Hank Snow, Parker talks about staging a carny wedding at an upcoming stop. Presley is quite a homemaker, Priscilla is, and Im sure she would love to have one of the machines so she could knit Elvis [a sweater].. Parker kept Presley on a leash from the very beginning. In addition to the collective, Sony/ATV Music Publishing also licenses Elvis songs and collects publishing royalties, such as songwriting, synchronization, and master use. A guide to the hidden references in this buzzy anthologys new episodes, from first-season callbacks to what, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodwards Daughters Appreciated the Fuck Hut Detail Too. Elvis himself amassed considerable wealth throughout his lifetime and due to his worldwide success, especially after his death, his estate has only increased in value. The Colonel encouraged anything that grabbed headlines and created controversy for his boy. Presley received $4.6 million. I'm sure that MGM also took the money back from Elvis' record sales. Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! But its said to have happened at the Pan-Pacific show. The Colonel made the comeback deal with NBC because his money dried up at the film studios. 'Elvis: Let Me Be There' a three CD soundboard release from Elvis' January-Feb 1974 Las Vegas season. To gambling, potentially, as Parker is known to have $30 million in gambling debt when he died, as Celebrity Net Worth goes on report. He was 87. Elvis also known as "the King" or "the King of Rock and Roll"was very popular in the 1960's. Presley created new styles by gyrating his hips and dressing differently. They had the bride and groom in one car, and the bridesmaids in the next one. He so identified with that lifestyle that he sought the company of concessionaires, midway operators, and sideshow performers long after his carnival days were over. Though Austin Butler is a little too pretty as Elvis, and cant replicate the hypnotic pull of Presleys exotic good looks, hes nonetheless a convincing prince from another planet. He was ruthless and heartless. Upright bass player Bill Black dove right in, and Moore jammed along. If something troubled him too much, he was able to store it in a back corner of his consciousness, though he always had trouble keeping it there. In parallel, Parker discouraged Presley from his project of offering great live concerts, to the point that in mid-1961. Ever adept at extracting as much money as possible from his star, Parker had licenced out the rocker's name and image to 18 companies, with 30 products on sale by September 1956. He went with Parker to meet Elvis mother, Gladys (Helen Thomson in the movie), to get her approval of the contract, which was presented as including Snows Jamboree Attractions. He could only finance Elvis next movie if the singer broadcast a television special. . When brother Ad returned to Breda, moreover, he remained perplexingly silent on the subject of Driess glamorous new life. Snow didnt notice until 1956. Though rumors and allegations of Colonel Parker taking advantage of Elvis money have been circulating for years, no evidence has been found to suggest that he stole any money from the King of Rock n Roll. Loanne, wheres that picture?. While he had a few box office misses, his best films were extremely successful. Graceland is currently owned and operated by the Elvis Presley Trust, and is primarily a tourist attraction, with very few people living in the mansion. Parker, or Van Kuijk, had other secrets too. 2 million in modern currency. In general, fans of the icon think that Colonel Parker never let Elvis fully shine. He wanted to inspire them. Sources K-pop stars break under the pressure even today. He told Express.co.uk the rock n roll icon wasnt as showbiz as fans might expect from his public persona. His client is still the biggest selling solo artist of all time, whitening African American gospel and blues into something that conservative 1950s middle-America could dance to, and making a fortune off it. The proceeds from these licensing agreements are typically shared with the family and some key former employees. The trust ushered in a period of renovations and improvements to the home, turning the estate into a major tourist attraction. How much money did Colonel Parker make off Elvis? How much money did Tom Parker take from Elvis? The discovery left Vellenga perplexed. Nash and Vellenga have their own version of events, one that they insist best fits the facts. An immensely talented young man ended up as a ruin of his former self, dying from heart problems connected to long-time drug abuse. From 1964 the growing influence of British rock began in the United States, while at the same time Presleys films slowly lost popularity, mainly due to the repeated formula of the scripts, although Elvis continued to record three annual albums for RCA. Even his Dutch family is willing to admit that it is a possibility, though they believe, as I do, that if he killed her, it was an accident. How much money did Colonel Parker make off Elvis? Parker signed Elvis on March 26. With them was actor Danny Thomas, there on behalf of St. Jude, the Memphis research hospital Thomas had founded to help find cures for catastrophic childhood diseases. The chickens danced because they were on a sawdust-covered hot plate. press conference at the Cannes Film Festival, Elvis tone down the sexual innuendo in his cover, How the Elvis 68 Comeback Special Happened Despite Colonel Parker, Elvis Presleys 68 Comeback Special Revealed a Past Sin, The Beatles and India Doc Captures More Than One Spiritual Journey, The Beatles: A Hard Days Night is Still The Greatest Jukebox Movie Ever Made, Shazam! Crazy he lived until 97. Walking down the hall, the Colonel hits up the Singer rep for a free machine for Priscilla: Mrs. Express. But as late as 1982, the idea that Parker had not been born American was still little more than rumor in the States. She sold it to a private organization in 1983, but the Presley family retained a portion of the profits. Near the end of the film, Elvis learns that Parker is not an American, and doesnt have a passport, which means Elvis will never fulfill his dream of playing in Europe. He made more off the toys, TV appearances, and acting roles, than Elvis. Details of Van Kuijks childhood in Breda eventually emerged a few years later, but only in Its Elvis Time, a small-circulation Dutch fan magazine. I know that from a letter he wrote to his nephew in the 60s after his family identified him from a magazine photo and began to write to him. Elvis had paid $55,000 for the thing, but the Colonel, snowman to the core, apparently had only had one side of the old yacht paintedthe side that faced the dock. Cookie Settings, Nash still believes it more likely than not that Colonel Parker was a killer, Kids Start Forgetting Early Childhood Around Age 7, Archaeologists Discover Wooden Spikes Described by Julius Caesar, 5,000-Year-Old Tavern With Food Still Inside Discovered in Iraq, Artificial Sweetener Tied to Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke, Study Finds, The Surprisingly Scientific Roots of Monkey Bars. Forget the monetary malfeasance, Parker curbed the art. Your Privacy Rights Elvis had a great influence on American culture through his influence on music, affect on American culture, and his legacy. In fact, there is no known connection between Tom Ford and Elvis Presley, as Tom Ford is a fashion designer and filmmaker, while Elvis Presley was a famous musician and actor who passed aw. 5 million today. The evidence, though, remained entirely circumstantial. The majority of Elviss reported net worth at the time of his death was comprised of royalties from record sales, publishing, film and concert tickets. When Elviss income began to dwindle in 1966 as public interest in his movies waned, Parker suggested a major publicity stunt to bring his client back into the limelight: a marriage to Priscilla Beaulieu, Elvis Presleys partner for nearly ten years, taking as an example the great publicity gained in those days by Frank Sinatras marriage to actress Mia Farrow. Yes, Lisa Marie Presley still owns Graceland, the Memphis, Tennessee home of her father, Elvis Presley. He took the name Tom Parker when he enlisted in the Army, christening himself after the officer who interviewed him. By the time of the 1968 comeback special, Presley was worried time passed him by because of the British invasion. 4 million from his movies, $4. The musical interference was worse than any of Parkers usurious paperwork. But she still knew him as her long-lost brother. Business as usual. Culture Editor Tony Sokol is a writer, playwright and musician. Parker was a fairly popular entertainer on the carnival circuit with acts like the Great Parker Pony Circus, and Colonel Tom Parker and His Dancing Chickens. He has a Ph.D. and speaks five languages. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'coalitionbrewing_com-leader-4','ezslot_12',156,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-coalitionbrewing_com-leader-4-0');According to Celebrity Net Worth, Lisa Marie Presley is estimated to be worth around $300 million. He served for two years, went AWOL, got charged with desertion, and was punished with solitary confinement. He had trouble with the consonants R, which sometimes came out as an L (Mr. OBrian told me that when he asked Parker why he insisted on doing business in cash, the Colonel said, Because, boy, there aint nothin like cash! We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. Very handsome, I lied. Elvis Presley was one of the most successful and popular recording artists of all time and during his lifetime he was said to have made an incredible amount of money. Heres The True Story. He then went on to spend a further estimated $500,000 to transform the property, adding a racquetball court, pool and two-story carriage house. His merchandising alone grossed over $22 million by the end of 1957. Other beneficiaries of Elvis Presleys estate include certain family members and employees. He sold the rights to Presleys early recordings, gave away the rights to the master recordings, lost royalties after he negotiated Elvis seven-year contract with RCA Records in 1973, and squandered his own fortune to a gambling habit. Parker initially took a 25 percent commission, which grew to 50 percent. So I saw a different sort of Colonel Parker from how many people possibly believed he behaved. He had been born there in June 1909, the seventh child of a delivery driver and his wife. Reports from the IRS and other sources estimate that Presley made an estimated $20 million from his music career, $1. But in Luhrmanns treatment, hes Satan in a snowman sweater. Over the years, Lisa Marie has released multiple albums and achieved success in the music industry. In California, between Barstow and Bakersfield, there were billboards every hundred yards, See the Thing! Colonel Tom Parker at Elvis's grave. The shock of hearing Colonel Parker say his Dutch name, something he had ferociously protected from the world for 65 years, made me mute. Fury of the Gods Brings Back the "Shazamily": Inside DC's New Superhero Adventure, Scream 6's Brutal NYC Trip: "You Can't Trust Anyone" This Time, Cocaine Bear Is Not Just About a Killer "Coked-Up" Bear, It's Also an "Underdog Story", How Marvel's Wastelanders Podcast Created an Exciting Story with No Visual Safety Net, Elvis: Colonel Tom Parker Really Was That Bad. You never saw it coming. What threatened to give away his Dutch heritage was the word book, which he delivered with three Os, rhyming with fluke.. "There would have been no Elvis without Colonel Tom Parker; there would have been no Colonel Tom Parker without Elvis. The Foundation is funded by royalties from Elviss music and proceeds from licensing agreements. And when Alanna Nash went through the Dutch courts to obtain a copy of the original police report on the murder, she found that nowhere in its 130 handwritten pages was there any mention of the young man who would become the Colonel. But what exactly was Tom Parker hiding? On October 30, 1957, the day after the second of two Elvis shows at the Pan-Pacific Auditorium, Variety ran the headline, L.A. Police Order Presley Clean Up His Pan-Pac Show. Hollywood publicist Gene Schwam recently revealed to Variety the story behind the headline: told that the second show wasnt moving tickets, Schwam, taking a suggestion from Parker, called the police and said hed heard that Elvis was getting too risqu for the kids. Then he told the press what the police said. Parker, he learned, had vanished in May 1929 without telling any of his family or friends where he was heading, without taking his identity papers, and without money or even the expensive clothing he had spent most of his wages on. Parker arranged for Elvis to give a series of concerts in Las Vegas, but these were unsuccessful in a city with a crowd that was certainly wealthy but middle-aged and barely fond of rock and roll, before which Parker contacted Paramount Pictures for Elvis to participate in a total of seven films (considering that in those years, one of Presleys main interests was acting). When the band faced death threats after the 1966 bigger than Jesus controversy, his first reaction was to cancel their American tour and take it out of his own money. It wound up being the A-side of what sowed the seeds of a revolution. Circa 1985. : r/Elvis. They might also have discovered that Tom Parker had never held a U.S. passportand that while he had served in the U.S. Army, he had done so as a private. As he did not have a will when he died, the bulk of the estate fell to his only heir. But others in the Colonels circle disagreed. Todd also spoke out about the tragedy of Elvis life in the spotlight. | READ MORE. I think, on the whole, during Elvis career he was almost shielded from anyone else in showbusiness by management and the guys that worked for him his friends, he said. The lack of a passport might even explain the single greatest mystery of Presleys career: why the Colonel had turned down dozens of offers, totaling millions of dollars, to have his famous client tour the world. At the height of Presleys popularity, the Colonel turned down offers to tour overseas. He was 87 years old when he died. That number is down significantly from an estimated $100 million . Their manager, Brian Epstein, was dedicated to them. The trust was established in 1993 and Lisa Marie is the beneficiary of the trust. According to reports, the prenuptial agreement stipulated that Priscilla Presley would receive a lump sum of $100,000 if they ever divorced. In other words, if thats not what happened back in Holland, something equally awful did.. Parker returned to the U.S. in 1929. After the December 1968 special, Parker got Elvis to return to live performances, centering them in the newest and biggest casino in Las Vegas, while convincing Presley to raise his managers fee to almost 50% of the previous ones. Answer (1 of 3): Colonel Tom Parker was a carnival barker, a con man, an inveterate gambler Parker earned and stole from Elvis over 100 million dollars as Elvis manager. While managing Elvis and traveling the country in the late 50s, the Colonel was accompanied by William Morris agent-in-training Byron Raphael, who remembered, He often took me to these little carnivals that were so small they didnt even have a big tent. After Elvis' death, Parker continued to manage the Elvis Presley Enterprises, and also worked with Presley's daughter Lisa Marie and his wife Priscilla. Sam Cookes family labeled his manager, Allen Klein as a predator, sucking the money from the family long after the innovative soul singers death. At first, all Vellengas inquiries turned up was old tales from the Van Kuijk family, who still remembered how their Dries had been the family storyteller and liked to dress as a dandy. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Parker suffered a stroke on Jan. 20, 1997 and died the next morning at a hospital in Las Vegas. Aside from arguably being the father of American popular culture through the marketing and merchandising of his client, the Colonel negotiated one of the first $1 million-a-picture deals for a. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'coalitionbrewing_com-leader-3','ezslot_10',155,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-coalitionbrewing_com-leader-3-0');Additionally, she regularly gives tours of the property, permitting guests to view the home, Presleys grave, and the rest of the estate. Released as a 3-CD 5" digi-pak, this set features three 1974 concerts recorded via soundboard at The Hilton Hotel, Las Vegas on January 28, 29 Midnight and February 1 . The carnies job is to bring people to the glittering lights on the outside of town, promise them something theyve never experienced before, and then almost giving it to them, at a cost, Hanks told The New York Post. But look it up and you will discover that he, on that very night, left for America and adopted a different name. Elvis Presley: RARE look at songs in King's record collection - VIDEO, Elvis Presley expert on TRAGIC truth about friendship with Tom Jones, Elvis Presley and Colonel Parker had a complex relationship over the years, Elvis Presley's manager Colonel Parker is widely reported to have taken a 50 per cent cut of his earnings. Nobody got more money in the history of Las Vegas!. In total, Elvis performed in 31 feature films throughout his career. Amid safety concerns, and anxiety over the fate of a $200 million movie, Lauren Pazienza, Whose Shove Allegedly Killed a Beloved Manhattan Vocal Coach, Argues She Is Getting a Raw Deal. Gentlemen, it began. You live in this bubble and youre almost frightened to escape from it because you think things will go wrong. 5 million. Parker also strongly objected to Elvis recording songs in West Germany (where his garrison was stationed) to prevent Elvis from getting another manager there and fought to maintain public interest in Elvis during his time in the army. Some of them have received royalty payments, as well as rights to use his name. The Elvis Presley Trust operates the property and receives 50% of the proceeds of Graceland, while the remaining 50% of the profits are split between Lisa Marie and Priscilla. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'coalitionbrewing_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_4',146,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-coalitionbrewing_com-medrectangle-3-0'); However, this amount could be higher as there could be additional income sources that have not been accounted for. Epstein would never think about stepping into the studio while the Beatles were recording. She and her mother, Priscilla Presley, jointly inherited their fathers estate when he passed away in 1977 and continue to share ownership of the property today. He did not give 2 shits about Elvis. He did give a bill to Elvis and his father and business manager, Vernon Presley, for money he had spent or advanced . Moore had been with Elvis since the July 5, 1954, Sun Studios session when Presley started jumping around and acting the fool, and launched into Arthur Big Boy Crudups Thats All Right between takes. It was, of course, a tough trick to pull off, because the Colonels name was Tom Parker, and Tom Parker managed Elvis Presley. The Colonel insisted Elvis tone down the sexual innuendo in his cover of Dave Bartholomew, Pearl King, and Anita Steinmans song, One Night. The singer recorded a version with the original lyrics on Jan. 18, 1957. Parker went on to manage the crooner Gene Austin and country singer Hank Snow (David Wenham in the new movie), the latter of whom made some very important introductions for the young Elvis. In the deal, Parker received $6.2 million over seven years. Lisa Marie is said to take a very hands on and active role in the management of Elvis Presley Enterprises, and to visit Graceland often. Presley, as it turned out, was managed by Parker alone. This means, notes Nash, that he set out in a foreign country literally penniless. In the late 1970s, Vellenga ended one of his newspaper features by posing what seemed to him a reasonable question: Did something serious happen before Parker left that summer in 1929, or maybe in the 1930s when he broke all contact with his family?. Instead, Priscilla later opened a major beauty supply franchise in Las Vegas, which provided her a consistent source of income. But, backed by some members of the Van Kuijk family, Nash still believes it more likely than not that Colonel Parker was a killer. Indeed, Parkers brief military career had ended in ignominy. Elvis Presley immediately began his career as a great rock star and Parker soon realized that Elviss personal charisma and stage dominance led him to a new mass media, television. The story of Elvis Presley is, as we know very well, one of the greatest and saddest success stories in the history of American entertainment. Similarly, Viva Las Vegas, his 1964 musical, grossed around $9. Shes not going to steal it, Colonel, Loanne laughed. The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley. However, that never really happened. He graciously accepted the piece of shit, as Thomas is said to have called the boat, to sell for cash. In his frenetic, dazzling, exhilarating mess of a movie, Elvis, Baz Luhrmann has done much the same when it comes to Colonel Parker, showing us only one side of a highly complex and intensely fascinating and mysterious character.
