Colonel Tom Parker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Colonel Tom Parker
Parker in 1969
Born	Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk (1909-06-26)June 26, 1909 Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands
Died	January 21, 1997(1997-01-21) (aged 87) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Occupation	Musical entrepreneur
Years active	1938–1984
Spouse(s)	Marie Mott ​ ​ (m. 1935; died 1986)​ Loanne Miller ​ (m. 1990)​
Awards	Honorary colonel (Louisiana)

Thomas Andrew Parker (born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk; June 26, 1909 – January 21, 1997), often called Colonel Parker, was a Dutch music manager. He is best known for being the manager of the famous singer Elvis Presley.

Parker was born in the Netherlands. When he was 20, he moved to the United States and started using a new name, claiming he was born there. For many years, people didn't know he was from the Netherlands or that he had entered the U.S. without permission. He used to work at carnivals. In 1938, he started promoting music. He worked with singers like Gene Austin, Eddy Arnold, and Hank Snow. He also helped Jimmie Davis become the Governor of Louisiana. As a thank you, Davis gave him the honorary title of "colonel" in the Louisiana State Militia.

Parker met Elvis Presley in 1955. By 1956, he became Elvis's main manager. With Parker's help, Elvis signed a record deal with RCA Victor. This led to his huge success in 1956 with the song "Heartbreak Hotel". Elvis became one of the most popular entertainers in the world. Parker managed to get more than half of Elvis's earnings, which was a lot for a music manager. He also arranged deals for Elvis's merchandise, TV shows, and movie roles. Parker influenced Elvis's life, including his decision to join the military in 1958 and to marry Priscilla Beaulieu in 1967. Parker encouraged Elvis to make movie musicals. These films became the main focus of Elvis's career in the 1960s, until his big comeback in 1968 when he started touring again. Later, Parker's influence became less strong, but he continued to manage Elvis until Elvis passed away in 1977.

After Elvis's death, Parker continued to manage his estate. He had sold the rights to Elvis's early songs to RCA Records. He struggled to earn a steady income and faced money problems due to gambling. Parker spent his last years in Las Vegas, dealing with poor health, until he died in 1997.

Early Life and Army Service

Parker was born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk on June 26, 1909, in Breda, Netherlands. He was the seventh of eleven children. His parents were Maria Elisabeth Ponsie and Adam van Kuijk. As a boy, he worked as a barker (someone who calls out to attract people) at carnivals in his hometown. This taught him many skills he would use later in the entertainment business.

At age 15, Van Kuijk moved to Rotterdam and worked on boats. At 17, he wanted to go to the United States to "make his fortune." A year later, at 18, he entered America without permission by leaving his employer's ship. He traveled with a traveling educational show before briefly returning to the Netherlands.

In May 1929, Van Kuijk returned to the United States at age 19. He found work with carnivals because of his past experience. A few months later, he joined the United States Army. He took the name "Tom Parker" from the officer who interviewed him to hide that he was not a legal citizen. He completed basic training in Atlanta, Georgia.

Parker served two years in the Army in Hawaii. He later rejoined the Army in Florida. However, he left without permission and was charged with desertion. He was punished with solitary confinement. After this, he developed a mental health condition and spent two months in a hospital. He was then discharged from the Army due to his health.

After leaving the Army, Parker worked many jobs, including food stands and carnival games. From about 1931 to 1938, he worked with a traveling show called Royal American Shows. He started making many contacts who would be helpful in his later career.

In 1935, Parker married Marie Francis Mott. They had a tough time during the Great Depression, often traveling to find work. Parker later said they sometimes lived on as little as $1 a week.

Starting a Career in Music

Early Management (1938–1954)

Parker first got into the music business in 1938 as a promoter for the singer Gene Austin. Austin's career was slowing down, but Parker used his carnival skills to sell tickets and attract crowds. He was good at promoting, but he wanted to become a manager.

Austin offered Parker a chance to move to Nashville, Tennessee, where music was becoming big. But Parker chose to stay in Florida with his family. This might have been to avoid paperwork that could reveal his immigration status. He later had a chance to become a legal U.S. citizen by promising to fight in World War II if needed. Parker served in the peacetime army for this, but he never actually applied to become a citizen. He might have avoided it to keep his Army record private.

Instead, he worked for a local animal shelter, the Hillsborough County Humane Society. This job gave him a steady income and a free apartment. Parker used his promotional skills to raise money and awareness for the shelter.

Through fundraising, Parker went to Tennessee to find acts for his charity events, including stars like Minnie Pearl and Eddy Arnold. Eventually, Parker became more involved in music promotion for himself. In 1945, Parker became Arnold's full-time manager, taking 25% of his earnings. He helped Arnold get hit songs, TV appearances, and live tours.

In 1948, Parker received the honorary title of colonel in the Louisiana State Militia. This was from Jimmie Davis, the governor of Louisiana and a former country singer, for Parker's help in Davis's election campaign. The title was honorary, but Parker used it throughout his life, becoming known as "the Colonel."

In 1952, Parker noticed a young singer named Tommy Sands. Parker immediately began promoting him, arranging live shows and acting like a father figure to the 15-year-old Sands. Parker wanted to make Sands the next Roy Rogers, but Sands wasn't interested. Parker sent Sands' recordings to Steve Sholes at RCA Victor, who wasn't very interested in Sands but promised to look for songs for him.

Eddy Arnold fired Parker in 1953 because Parker was getting more involved with singer Hank Snow. However, Parker still helped with many of Arnold's tours and demanded a payment of $50,000 to end their contract. Parker and Snow then formed Hank Snow Enterprises, a successful company for promoting new country singers.

Meeting Elvis Presley

In early 1955, Parker learned about a young singer named Elvis Presley. Elvis had a unique singing style, and Parker was very interested in this new kind of music. At first, Parker thought Elvis was Black. Elvis's first manager was Scotty Moore, his band's guitarist. The owner of Sun Records, Sam Phillips, encouraged Moore to manage Elvis to protect him from bad promoters.

When Elvis signed a recording contract with Phillips, Moore and bassist Bill Black were not included. Phillips told them to make a separate deal with Elvis. According to Moore, Elvis agreed to take 50% of the earnings, with Moore and Black splitting the other 50%. This management contract, signed in July 1954, gave Moore a 10% commission, which Moore said he never took. When this contract ended, Memphis radio personality Bob Neal became Elvis's manager.

Neal was finding it hard to manage Elvis's growing success. In February 1955, after meeting Parker, Elvis agreed to let Parker help with future bookings and promotions.

Bill Haley/Hank Snow, "plus" Elvis Presley ticket ~ 1955

Parker and Neal worked together to promote Elvis, using their "Hank Snow Tour" to book his shows. Even though Neal was still Elvis's official manager, Parker became more and more involved in managing his career. By summer 1955, Parker was Elvis's "special advisor." Since Elvis was still a minor (under 21), his parents had to sign the contract with Parker. Part of Parker's job was to find a new record deal with a bigger company. Elvis had been with Sun Records, but its owner, Sam Phillips, knew Elvis needed a larger label to succeed. Phillips didn't want to let Elvis go easily, asking for $40,000 to release Elvis's contract, which was a huge amount at the time.

Parker immediately started looking for a new label for Elvis. Mercury Records and Columbia Records showed interest, but their offers were much lower than $40,000. RCA Victor, Hank Snow's label, was also interested but thought the contract cost was too high. However, RCA Victor producer Steve Sholes believed Elvis's music would be a huge hit. He began talks with Parker. RCA said they wouldn't pay more than $25,000 for a singer who wasn't widely known. But Parker convinced them that Elvis was special. Around the same time, Parker tried to sell Tommy Sands to RCA, suggesting Sands could record songs similar to Elvis's style. Sholes, remembering his past experience with Sands, didn't see him as a replacement for Elvis.

In November, Parker and Snow convinced RCA to buy Elvis's contract from Sun Records for $40,000. On November 21, Elvis's contract officially moved from Sun Records to RCA Victor. Snow thought Elvis had signed a management contract with Jamboree Attractions, which he owned with Parker. But this was not the case, as Elvis was still under contract with Bob Neal. The document signed on November 21 was only about the record label transfer. In exchange for more money from the deal, Neal agreed not to renew his management contract with Elvis when it ended in March 1956. This allowed Parker to take over.

Signing Elvis (1956–1957)

On March 26, 1956, after Elvis's contract with Neal ended, Elvis signed a contract with Parker, making him his only manager. When Hank Snow later asked Parker about their contract with Elvis, Parker replied, "You don't have any contract with Elvis Presley. Elvis is signed exclusively to the Colonel."

With his first RCA Victor song, "Heartbreak Hotel", in 1956, Elvis became a huge recording star. Parker aimed to bring his new star to the national stage. He arranged for Elvis to appear on popular TV shows like The Milton Berle Show and The Ed Sullivan Show. He got fees that made Elvis the highest-paid star on television. By summer, Elvis was one of the most famous new faces of the year. He excited teenagers and upset some older people and religious groups. Elvis said about Parker: "I don't think I would have ever been very big if it wasn't for him. He's a very smart man."

Parker made a deal with film merchandiser Hank Saperstein for nearly $40,000 to make Elvis a brand name. With over 78 different products, from charm bracelets to record players, Elvis merchandise brought in $22 million by the end of 1956. Parker, with his 25% share of profits, found ways to make money from his artist that other managers hadn't thought of. He even came up with the idea to sell "I Hate Elvis" badges, showing his clever marketing.

In April 1956, Parker made a mistake. He booked Elvis for a four-week show in Las Vegas. He misjudged how the older, more serious Las Vegas audiences would react. While Elvis was a hit with young people, middle-aged audiences found him strange. Some saw him as a clown, wiggling his hips for screams. After a cold welcome during his first few shows, Parker cut Elvis's appearance to two weeks. Elvis remembered this as one of the worst moments of his career.

Despite this, Elvis was still becoming more successful. He had wanted to make films when he first met Parker, and now Parker was making it happen. He arranged a screen test with Paramount Pictures. After Elvis impressed them with his acting, he signed a seven-picture contract. Parker made sure the contract allowed Elvis to make at least one film a year with another studio. He also set up an office with staff at Paramount. Elvis's acting career was meant to be serious at first. But after seeing a chance to promote songs and albums with the films, Parker convinced Elvis to sing in his movies. This was very profitable, especially when the song for Elvis's first film, Love Me Tender, sold over one million copies before its release. By the end of 1956, Parker had made Elvis one of the most famous and highest-paid entertainers in the world.

In 1957, Parker finally helped Tommy Sands get his big break. He arranged for Sands to audition for and star in The Singin' Idol, a drama for NBC. This show was loosely based on Elvis's life. NBC had originally wanted Elvis for the role, but Parker had turned them down. In the drama, Sands' character was shown as a "twisted psychopath." Critics praised both the drama and Sands. This led to Capitol Records signing Sands within a week. Soon after, Sands' song "Teen-Age Crush" reached number 2 on the pop charts, selling 800,000 copies.

Elvis in the Army (1958–1960)

Even with all their success, Parker still worried that Elvis's career might not last more than a year or two. Parker had seen many acts come and go, and he thought Elvis might be the same. In January 1958, Elvis received his draft notice for the United States Army. Elvis was upset about how this might affect his career, but Parker was secretly happy.

Elvis had been showing signs of wanting more control, and Parker believed that serving in the Army would help him. Parker looked ahead when he convinced Elvis to join the Army as a regular soldier. Elvis had wanted to join Special Services, which would allow him to perform while serving. But Parker knew that any special treatment for Elvis would be used against him by the media and people who disliked his music. Parker told Elvis that if he showed the world he was treated like any other young man, more people would accept him and his music. Parker was also worried that trying to stop Elvis from being drafted would lead to a closer look at his own Army record. He also saw it as a great chance to promote Elvis by having the media witness his induction day, including his famous haircut.

While Elvis was serving in West Germany, Parker worked hard to keep Elvis's name in the public eye. He knew that by keeping RCA Victor, and the public, wanting more Elvis music, he could get a better contract when Elvis returned. He had arranged for Elvis to record five songs before joining the Army. This gave RCA Victor enough material to release over two years. RCA wanted Elvis to record in West Germany, but Parker insisted it would hurt his image as a regular soldier. Stories often appeared in the press about Elvis, like that he would do a live TV broadcast when he returned or that he had signed a deal for annual TV specials. All these stories were made up, but they kept his name visible to the public.

Parker seemed to be in complete control while Elvis was away. But he worried about other influences Elvis might meet in West Germany. Parker had refused to travel to Europe, saying he only spoke English. He sent Elvis's friends to keep him company and arranged for business partners to watch over him. He kept in regular contact with Elvis. He was reportedly afraid that Elvis would realize there were other managers who wouldn't demand as much as 25% of his earnings. Parker was still worried that Elvis would return to nothing, that the public would have found a new star, and that his "golden goose" would become a "has-been."

Elvis Returns (1960–1965)

For Elvis's return in March 1960, Parker arranged for a train to take him from Washington, D.C., to Memphis. It stopped along the way for fans to see their idol. If Parker had any doubts about Elvis's return, they disappeared when he saw the huge crowds.

Frank Sinatra, who had called Elvis a rock and roll disgrace in the 1950s, wanted him to appear on his show. Parker, who didn't forget criticism, said the fee would be $125,000 for two songs, totaling eight minutes on screen. Sinatra himself was getting less for the whole show, but he agreed. The show, called "Welcome Home, Elvis," was Elvis's first national TV appearance since The Ed Sullivan Show in January 1957.

After the Sinatra special, Parker decided that Elvis's future was in Hollywood. He imagined Elvis as an entertainment machine, making three films and soundtracks a year until the end of the decade. He allowed Elvis to perform three live shows in 1961, all for charity: two in Memphis and one in Hawaii. After that, until 1968, Elvis gave no live performances and had very little contact with his fans. Parker signed long-term contracts with film studios, possibly to guarantee work and income for both of them. Looking back, this was a mistake. If he had negotiated each deal separately based on the previous film's profits, he could have earned more money. Throughout the 1960s, Parker kept renegotiating Elvis's film contracts, often not paying much attention to the scripts or Elvis's concerns. These deals were sometimes so tough on the studios that producer Hal Wallis said: "I'd rather try and close a deal with the Devil."

Elvis only had to provide RCA Victor with three albums a year, and his film soundtracks did that for him. With no touring or public appearances, Parker could keep costs very low. For the first few years, Elvis's films were somewhat successful, his albums topped the charts, and his songs were mostly hits. But as time went on, as the Beatles became very popular and Beatlemania began, Elvis became less significant. His films still made money and his albums still sold well, but the profits were falling. This led Parker to insist that films be made cheaply, on a strict schedule, and with as little trouble as possible.

A New Approach (1966–1967)

For the rest of the 1960s, Elvis made films that often featured exotic places and ordinary songs. He was stuck in contracts he couldn't escape. Parker didn't seem to care if the films were good or bad, only about the money they made. When Elvis complained that he wanted better scripts, Parker reminded him of his expensive lifestyle and that risking $1 million a year for almost no work was dangerous. Elvis's career slowed down while artists like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys ruled the music charts. Later, in 1983, Parker admitted that after 1966, the money from Elvis's films and soundtracks dropped a lot.

To make up for less income, Parker arranged for Elvis's gold Cadillac to go on tour. He sold it to RCA for $24,000. It was used to promote Elvis's latest film, Frankie & Johnny. The Cadillac tour was more successful than the film itself.

On January 2, 1967, Parker renegotiated his management contract with Elvis. He convinced Elvis to increase Parker's share from 25% to 50% on some deals. When people questioned this, saying Parker was being greedy, Elvis joked, "I could have signed with East Coast Entertainment where they take 70 percent!" Parker argued that Elvis was his only client, so he was only earning one fee.

After Elvis showed signs of wanting more control again in 1966 and because his career was slowing down, Parker decided it was time for a new plan: marriage. Frank Sinatra had married Mia Farrow in 1966, and it gave Sinatra enough publicity for Parker to notice. Elvis had been living with Priscilla Beaulieu, who was ten years younger, for four years, but it wasn't public knowledge.

Parker hoped that marriage would not only boost Elvis's career but also perhaps calm him down. With Priscilla's father hinting strongly about marriage, and fear that their relationship might become public too soon, Parker convinced Elvis that he should marry her very soon. However, it would be a quiet wedding. Parker decided that Las Vegas was the perfect place. On May 1, 1967, the couple married in a ceremony that lasted only eight minutes and had only a few guests. A breakfast reception was arranged after the media took photographs of the couple.

Live Performance Comeback (1968–1972)

Elvis Presley and Parker on a Hollywood film set, 1969

The energetic 1968 TV special Elvis, sponsored by the Singer Corporation, and later recording sessions in Memphis, Tennessee, including songs like "Suspicious Minds" and "In the Ghetto", helped restore Elvis's musical reputation. However, the music world had changed a lot. Producer Steve Binder suggested Elvis sing his old hits and even have a staged section with his old band, Scotty Moore and D. J. Fontana. This idea came from an informal jam session after a rehearsal. Elvis usually didn't stand up to Parker, but he knew this TV show was his big chance for a true comeback. With Binder supporting him, Elvis told Parker he was doing it "Binder's way." Their instincts were right; the TV special was a huge hit, and the album from it became a best-seller. After the special, Parker managed Elvis's return to live performances, including short U.S. tours and many shows in Las Vegas. After Elvis's successful return to Las Vegas, Parker signed a contract with the International Hotel. This deal guaranteed Elvis would play a month-long show for $125,000 a week, an unheard-of amount at the time. During this part of Elvis's career, Parker and Elvis agreed to a 50/50 "partnership." With Parker controlling merchandise and other non-music items, he often earned more than Elvis.

After the success of Elvis's live shows in Las Vegas, Parker decided it was time to take him back on tour for the first time in 13 years. The tours were so popular and made so much money that they set Elvis's work schedule for the rest of his life. Parker's main job during these tours was to plan the details and make sure tickets were sold. He would usually fly ahead to the venues to prepare for Elvis's team. Because of this, he and Elvis rarely saw each other. As time went on, it became even harder for Parker to contact Elvis. These live performances also helped Parker fulfill Elvis's recording contract with RCA Victor. Between 1969 and 1972 alone, RCA released three albums of live music.

By 1972, Parker had managed to increase Elvis's weekly wage in Las Vegas to $150,000. He also secured $50,000 a year for himself as a "consultant to the hotel chain." Parker also decided it was time for Elvis to return to New York. He arranged for him to perform at Madison Square Garden in June. Originally planned as three shows, demand was so high that Parker added a fourth. This made Elvis the first performer to sell out the venue four times in a row. These four shows alone earned $730,000.

On July 8, 1972, inspired by President Richard Nixon's visit to China, Parker announced a worldwide satellite broadcast from Hawaii. This would allow the whole world to see an Elvis concert, "since it is impossible for us to play in every major city." (During his career, Elvis never performed outside the United States, except for a few concerts in Canada in 1957.) Parker held another press conference on September 4, 1972, in Las Vegas to confirm that the concert, now called Aloha from Hawaii, would be broadcast on January 14, 1973. The press was told that one billion people were expected to watch the "first entertainment special to be broadcast live around the world." However, Parker hadn't considered that many countries, including parts of Europe and America, would not see the concert live due to time differences. Two weeks after the Las Vegas press conference, Parker received a letter from a newspaper columnist. The columnist had read that there would be no charge for tickets, but donations to charity would be requested. He suggested that since Elvis sang "I'll Remember You" by Kui Lee, the donations could go to the Kui Lee Cancer Fund. Parker eagerly agreed, seeing a chance to show Elvis's charitable side. The album was released worldwide at the same time and became number 1 on the U.S. charts. This was the first Elvis album to do so since the Roustabout soundtrack in 1964.

Later Career (1973–1977)

Aloha from Hawaii was the last major highlight in Elvis's career.

After the Aloha special, Parker made a deal that was later questioned in court. He offered RCA Records the chance to buy Elvis's entire collection of past recordings for $5.4 million. At the time, Elvis's older songs weren't seen as very valuable. But in later years, they became one of the most valuable music catalogs. Selling these rights to RCA meant that after Elvis's death, his estate would not receive any money from recordings made before 1973. However, Elvis had asked Parker to raise money to pay for his upcoming divorce settlement. Priscilla divorced Elvis in 1973.

During a show on September 3, 1973, after hearing that a Hilton staff member Elvis liked had been fired, Elvis angrily spoke out against Hilton Hotels chairman Barron Hilton on stage. Parker was furious. He stormed into Elvis's dressing room after the show to confront him. After a heated argument, Elvis told Parker he was fired. Angered, Parker declared: "You can't fire me. I quit!"

Parker accepted that their working relationship was over. He demanded that Elvis pay him $2 million to end their contract, money Parker claimed he was owed. After nearly two weeks of arguments, Parker and Elvis decided to continue working together.

In February 1975, during his Las Vegas shows, Elvis, along with Parker, met with Barbra Streisand and Jon Peters. They talked about Elvis co-starring with Streisand in a remake of the film A Star Is Born. Seeing it as a chance to be taken seriously as an actor, Elvis agreed to take the role if the contracts could be worked out. According to Elvis's friend, Jerry Schilling, Elvis was excited about this new challenge. Streisand's company offered Elvis a salary of $500,000 and 10% of the profits. Parker, who always handled Elvis's film contracts, saw this as a starting offer. He asked for a salary of $1 million, 50% of the profits, plus another $100,000 for expenses. He also spoke of needing to arrange details for a soundtrack deal. Streisand's company, not used to such high demands, didn't make a counter-offer. They decided to offer the role, with the original salary, to Kris Kristofferson, who accepted. Parker later claimed that Elvis had asked him to make the contract so demanding so they wouldn't offer him the part. However, many of Elvis's friends have said Elvis was furious about losing the role.

Later in 1975, the government of Saudi Arabia offered Parker $5 million for Elvis to perform there. Parker turned the offer down. Elvis was overjoyed when they replied with another offer of $10 million. Yet, despite Elvis's eagerness, Parker again turned them down. Promoters in South America also made offers, as much as $2.5 million, and Parker turned all of them down. "Well, whenever I need $2.5 million I'll call you," he once told them. Elvis began to consider new management. Tom Hulett, co-founder of Concerts West, was a strong favorite for the job. Hulett's company had managed tours for Elvis and worked with artists like Led Zeppelin. According to several people who knew Elvis, talks with Hulett went so far that a deal seemed almost certain. The talks included details about European tours, and buying out Elvis's contract would not have been a problem for Hulett's company. However, the deal never happened. According to Elvis's biographer Peter Guralnick, Elvis 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. None of the rules of the relationship was operative any longer, yet neither had the courage to walk away, for a variety of reasons." In any case, Parker remained Elvis's manager without a break until Elvis's death in 1977.

By this time, Parker knew Elvis needed a break from touring. He called Elvis's father once to suggest time off. But Vernon Presley told him they couldn't afford to stop touring because of Elvis's constant and expensive spending. Vernon also threatened to find a new manager if Parker wouldn't continue to tour Elvis.

In July 1976, three of Elvis's personal bodyguards, Robert Gene "Red" West, his cousin Sonny West, and David Hebler, were fired by Vernon Presley. They decided to write a tell-all book about their time with Elvis, Elvis: What Happened? Worried about how this might affect his career, Elvis, through his father, asked Parker to stop the book's publication. Parker tried several times but failed. According to Elvis's friend, Larry Geller, Parker secretly wanted the book to be published. He hoped it would help Elvis realize how serious his situation was and persuade him to change. The book was published one year later, on July 12, 1977, one month before Elvis's death.

For the rest of Elvis's life, Parker saw little of him. The two had become almost strangers. False reports in the media suggested that Elvis's contract was for sale. Although Parker publicly denied these claims, he had talked with Peter Grant, the manager of Led Zeppelin, about him overseeing a European tour for Elvis. As with all talk about Elvis touring overseas, Parker never followed through with the deal.

1977: Presley's Death

When Elvis died on August 16, 1977, one day before he was supposed to go on tour, some say Parker acted as if nothing had happened. Others say he slumped in his chair, muttered, "Oh, dear God," and then quickly called Vernon Presley. Parker advised Elvis's father that his son's image needed to be protected.

Parker immediately worked to protect his future income. Asked by a journalist what he would do now, Parker replied: "Why, I'll just go right on managing him!" Almost immediately, before even visiting Graceland, Parker traveled to New York City. He met with merchandising partners and RCA Records executives, telling them to prepare for a huge demand for Elvis products. Shortly afterward, he traveled to Memphis for Elvis's funeral. Mourners were surprised that he wore a Hawaiian shirt and baseball cap, smoked his cigar, and purposely avoided the casket. At the funeral, he convinced Elvis's father to give him control of Elvis's career after death.

In September 1978, a year after Elvis's death, Parker organized a fan festival called Always Elvis. There, he, Vernon, and Elvis's ex-wife Priscilla, dedicated a bronze statue of Elvis in the lobby of the Las Vegas Hilton.

After Elvis (1978–1997)

After Elvis's death, Parker set up a company called Factors Etc. Inc. to control Elvis merchandise and keep a steady income for his estate. It was later found that Elvis owned 22% of the company, Parker owned 56%, and other business partners owned the remaining 22%. Because of a past agreement between Parker and Elvis that gave RCA full ownership of all his recording royalties before 1973, the estate relied heavily on income from Factors Etc. Inc. However, since Parker still received 50% of all Elvis's income, and after taxes, the amount going to the estate was less than $1 million a year.

In January 1979, it was discovered that Elvis had lost out on money for songs where he was listed as an author or composer. This was because Parker had advised him not to join music rights organizations like ASCAP or BMI. Experts at the time estimated this could have cost Elvis millions of dollars. For Parker, it also meant he missed out on those millions. Parker had unknowingly put himself in a difficult financial spot.

By 1980, the cost of running the estate was about $500,000 a year. Priscilla and the Trust wanted Parker to continue handling Elvis's business. However, Judge Joseph Evans, knowing that Lisa Marie Presley was still a minor, appointed attorney Blanchard E. Tual to investigate Parker's management. Tual investigated Parker's entire time managing Elvis. His first finding was that Parker's 50% management deal was too high compared to the industry average of 15–20%. He also noted that Parker's handling of Elvis's business during his lifetime, including selling past royalties to RCA for $5.4 million in 1973, was not handled well. During a more detailed investigation, Tual found that all earnings were paid directly to the Trust instead of Parker. By this time, with the IRS demanding almost $15 million in taxes, the estate was facing bankruptcy.

On August 14, 1981, Judge Evans ordered Elvis Presley Enterprises to sue Parker for mismanagement. Parker sued back. The case against Parker was settled out of court in 1983. The estate paid him $2 million in exchange for all Elvis audio recordings or visual images he owned. His involvement in any Elvis-related earnings was also ended for five years.

Parker had worked as a "consultant" for Hilton Hotels since Elvis's death. Some believed he was working to pay off gambling debts he owed to the casino from his gambling during Elvis's performances there. As part of this role, Parker kept the same fourth-floor suite he used when Elvis was alive. By 1984, with his gambling debts reportedly rising again, he was asked to leave. On the surface, however, relations between them seemed good. Parker helped the Hilton celebrate the tenth anniversary of Elvis's death.

The disagreements with the Presley estate did not end Parker's connection with Elvis. Parker appeared at events honoring Elvis after his death, such as the 1993 issuing of a U.S. postage stamp with Elvis's picture. He also became friendly with the estate again, attending special ceremonies and events in Memphis, invited by Priscilla. However, he sometimes bothered them by criticizing some decisions. In 1994, after Lisa Marie married Michael Jackson, Parker said that Elvis would not have approved. In 1993, with continued interest in Elvis's legend, Parker remarked: "I don't think I exploited Elvis as much as he's being exploited today."

Personal Life

As Elvis's fame grew, people became interested in Parker too. For a time, Parker lied about his childhood. He claimed to have been born in Huntington, West Virginia, in the early 1900s. He said his Dutch accent was a Southern accent. He also claimed to have run away from home early to join a circus owned by an uncle before serving in the U.S. Army. The truth about his early years was revealed in 1960. One of Parker's sisters, Nel Dankers-van Kuijk, living in the Netherlands, recognized him in photos standing next to Elvis.

One of Parker's brothers, Adam "Ad" van Kuijk, visited Parker in Los Angeles in April 1961. Parker privately acknowledged his brother and even introduced him to Elvis. During the week-long visit, Parker learned from his brother that their mother had died three years earlier in 1958. She never knew what happened to her son after he left the Netherlands for good in 1929. Adam van Kuijk died in 1992, never seeing or visiting Parker again.

The claim of Parker's Dutch heritage was publicly confirmed in 1982. Parker tried to stop a lawsuit against him by saying in court that he was a Dutch citizen. The other lawyer showed a copy of Parker's U.S. Army enlistment form. It stated that because Parker signed his papers under his fake name "Thomas Andrew Parker" and swore loyalty to the United States, he unofficially gave up his Dutch citizenship. However, it is claimed that he died a Dutch citizen. In 1993, in one of his last media appearances, Parker appeared in a TV interview with Dutch TV director Jorrit van der Kooi. They spoke in Dutch about the Netherlands and Elvis Presley's life. During the interview, Parker said he didn't know that another of his sisters, Adriana van Kuijk, had died in the Netherlands a few years before.

Marriage

In 1935, while traveling with a circus, Parker met and married 27-year-old Marie Francis Mott. Marie had been married twice before and had a son from her first marriage. Parker didn't know at the time that she had a second son from her first marriage, but had given him up for adoption because of his disability. Some people thought Parker married Marie to hide his illegal status in the United States. A marriage to a U.S. citizen with a child could help him hide his past. However, there is no clear proof that anything other than love led to their marriage.

Others doubted if they were legally married at all. According to interviews Parker gave years later, he and Marie were married in Tampa, Florida, in the winter of 1932. But the Florida Office of Vital Statistics had no record of such a marriage between 1927 and 1946. It is also recorded that Marie did not divorce her second husband until 1936. Her brother, Bitsy, recalled no marriage ceremony between Parker and Marie. Author Alanna Nash suggested the couple might have simply put their hands on a Bible and had a "carny wedding" (a simple, unofficial ceremony common among carnival workers).

In the early days of their marriage, Marie and Parker worked together in the carnivals. As Parker's management career grew, Marie became more of a housewife, though she sometimes traveled with him. During the 1960s, after many years of poor health, Marie began to show signs of dementia. Parker started to distance himself emotionally from her, heartbroken by her slow mental decline. Marie died on November 25, 1986, from a chronic brain condition at age 78. In October 1990, Parker married Loanne Miller, who had been his secretary since 1972. From then on, he continued living in Las Vegas, mostly avoiding contact with the press.

Death

Parker made his last public appearances in 1994. By this point, he was very sick with diabetes, gout, and other health problems. He could barely leave his house.

On January 20, 1997, Parker's wife heard a crashing sound from the living room. When she didn't hear a response, she found him slumped in his chair after having a stroke. He died from complications of the stroke the next morning at a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 87. His death certificate lists his birth name as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk, his country of birth as the Netherlands, and his citizenship as American.

His funeral was held at the Hilton Hotel. A few friends and former partners attended, including Eddy Arnold and Sam Phillips. Priscilla Presley attended to represent the Elvis Presley Estate. She gave a speech that many felt summed up Parker: "Elvis and the Colonel made history together, and the world is richer, better and far more interesting because of their collaboration. 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." She repeated her positive opinion to Tom Hanks in 2022 when the actor prepared to play Parker for Elvis (2022). Hanks said, "I was anticipating hearing horror stories about this venal, cheap crook. Just the opposite. Both Priscilla and Jerry said he was a lovely man." According to Priscilla, Elvis was happy to pay 50% to Parker to manage him.

Portrayals in Popular Culture

Film

Parker has been played by:

• Pat Hingle in Elvis (1979), a TV movie starring Kurt Russell.
• Hugh Gillin in the TV film Elvis and Me (1988).
• Beau Bridges in the TV film Elvis and the Colonel: The Untold Story (1993).
• Randy Quaid in the CBS miniseries Elvis (2005), alongside Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Elvis. Quaid was nominated for awards for his role.
• John Carroll Lynch in the film Shangri-La Suite (2016).
• Billy Gardell in the CMT TV series Sun Records (2017). This series also shows Parker's connections with his former clients, Eddy Arnold and Hank Snow.
• Tom Hanks in Elvis, the 2022 film about Elvis Presley, directed by Baz Luhrmann.

Literature

• Vivek Tiwary's The Fifth Beatle (2013), a graphic novel about the Beatles manager Brian Epstein, shows a meeting between Parker and Epstein in the mid-1960s. In the scene, Parker is shown in a funny, exaggerated way as a greedy figure. The scene compares Parker's management of Elvis with the freedom Epstein allowed the Beatles.

Television

• In the TV Show Vinyl, Richie Finestra (played by Bobby Cannavale), president of a record label, meets Elvis Presley (played by Shawn Klush) in 1973 in Las Vegas. Richie tries to convince Elvis to stop singing in Las Vegas and focus on making new, creative music. The Colonel (played by Gene Jones) gets very angry when he finds out Richie was talking to Elvis behind his back. He has Elvis point a gun at Richie.

See also

In Spanish: Tom Parker para niños