What remains is the curious coincidence of Parkers hasty disappearance, the evidence that he was psychopathicand the testimony of those who knew him as a man of ungovernable temper. There is still money to be made even more so that he is dead. Other beneficiaries of Elvis Presleys estate include certain family members and employees. Vanity Fair may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The Foundation is funded by royalties from Elviss music and proceeds from licensing agreements. He takes 50 per cent of everything I earn. However, in an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk, Todd Slaughter, who appeared in the last footage of Elvis before his death and has been the president of the largest Elvis fan club in the world for over 50 years, shed some light on the situation and relationship. Notably, he was one of the first entertainers to enter into endorsements and merchandising deals, which helped increase his wealth even more. The discovery left Vellenga perplexed. Parker was not good with money and was no master dealmaker. Parker routinely did this during his days with the carnivals. It was claimed he took 50 per cent of Elvis earnings which was not true. 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 musical interference was worse than any of Parkers usurious paperwork. A "colonel" in honorary terms only, he was a shrewd, showman-like figure who learned how to sell an act by working for carnivals; he often referred to Presley as "my attraction." He understood. Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! The Colonel always was a mystery. Indeed, Parker's brief military career had ended in ignominy. Thomas Andrew Parkers real name was Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk. She sold it to a private organization in 1983, but the Presley family retained a portion of the profits. Bond, would you like a tour of my installation, Hanks said at the films initial press conference at the Cannes Film Festival. A four-footed one?, I should say not. If there was, God woulda named it cash. He was also fond of saying, Spend it nowyou dont see any hearses with luggage racks on them., But in Luhrmanns film, Hanks plays it hammy and over the top. The Mechanical Licensing Collective then handles mechanical royalties for all of the songs, and Elvis Presleys heirs benefit from both a share of the master royalties and a larger share of the publishing royalties. He sold Elvis hats, lipstick, sneakers, charm bracelets, record players, and teddy bear perfume. 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. 8-acre property, Elvis purchased the estate for $102,500 from Ruth Brown in 1957. I'm sure that MGM also took the money back from Elvis' record sales. The real Colonel Parker didnt seem to regard Elvis as a son, even though he apparently cried when Elvis forgot his birthday. People forget that! He would be nice one second, and stare off like he was lost, and thenboom!tremendous force. The concert was held in January 1973 under the name of Aloha from Hawaii and was the last great musical success for Elvis Presley, although the main drawback of the television special was the time difference between Hawaii and the cities on the east coast of the USA. Anna van den Enden, a 23-year-old newlywed, had been battered to death in the living quarters behind her storea greengrocers on the Bochstraat. 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. 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. 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. People believed that Parker was hyper-controlling of his star talent. How did Colonel Tom meet Elvis Presley? The Colonel encouraged anything that grabbed headlines and created controversy for his boy. 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. Updates will be shared athttp://elvisthatsthewayitis.com/. I don't think anyone can give you a specific dollar amount, but by the mid 1970s, Parker was taking 50 percent of Presley's income and the expenses were coming from Elvis' half. The Colonels exposure as an illegal immigrant makes it easier to understand his deep reluctance to leave the Statesor even, as he once confided to a trusted assistant, to pick up the check he had earned while working his passage from the Netherlands. His accent, on display in a rare interview with Ted Koppel in the 80s, sounded more like a slight speech impediment mixed with the insulation of a rural upbringing. He had no children, and he treated his wife as a companion, not as a lover. But others in the Colonels circle disagreed. The television performance was an immediate success: it not only garnered acclaim from music critics but returned Elviss name to mass popularity, even winning him new fans. However, Graceland is open to visitors today and approximately 600,000 tourists visit the property each year to learn about Elvis life and legacy. Trumps Relationship With Jared and Ivanka. Colonel Tom Parker at Elvis's grave. Shes not going to steal it, Colonel, Loanne laughed. 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 . In 2018, it was estimated that his estate is worth $400 million. They would always point to a particular sentence in their contract to deny him his fair share. By reorganizing and extending Elviss tours, he not only made the singer more money but was able to keep the king of rock and roll an integral part of American culture. feather in the cap of his only client: Elvis Presley. Simultaneously, Parker had decided for many years to cut costs for his client by preventing Elvis from embarking on concert tours or mass contact with his fans. In reality, Parker lacked that document because he had never resolved his illegal immigrant status; this caused the manager to fear traveling outside the US and being arrested upon his return, or deported. He rode him till he died and even in death he attempt. In the scenes in which he promotes Hank Snow, Parker talks about staging a carny wedding at an upcoming stop. Walking down the hall, the Colonel hits up the Singer rep for a free machine for Priscilla: Mrs. Originally a 13. Even when Elvis was on tour, he went to the next town, he made sure the radio, the TV were aware that Elvis was arriving, Todd continued. In the late 80s, Lisa Marie Presley, Elviss daughter, began living in the home. Alanna Nash has written four books about Elvis, including The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley. According to reports, the prenuptial agreement stipulated that Priscilla Presley would receive a lump sum of $100,000 if they ever divorced. Certainly, in 1957, Elvis had given a concert in Canada (his only appearance abroad), but this was possible because Parker did not need to present an American passport there. Not only did Parkers business savvy earn him millions but his personal touch with Elvis also earned him millions. Parker took notes, cutting out each clause in every contract which robbed him of a percentage, and working them into masterpieces of managerial tyranny. But, even so, he was always anxious to ensure that attention never settled for very long on two vexed questions: exactly who he was and where he came from. According to the New York Times, Lisa Marie inherited the bulk of Elvis estate, amounting to a 75% inheritance, while his father and grandmother split the remaining 25%. After Elvis' death, an investigation concluded that Parker's management deal of 50% was extortionate compared to the usual average of 15-20%, as well as that Parker's handling of Presley's business affairs during his lifetime was "unethical" and mishandled. But he was never inept, and he was fiercely loyal in his business dealings and determined to honor his contracts to the letter. Tom Hanks plays the bad guy in Baz Luhrmanns Elvis, but what the real historical Colonel Tom Parker did to Presley was heinous. In addition to its considerable value, the estate of Elvis Presley is also a major tourist attraction, with over 600,000 visitors a year to Graceland, the estates most famous landmark. The proceeds from Graceland are currently divided between Lisa Marie Presley, Priscilla Presley, and the Elvis Presley Trust. In addition, she has various other investments, including music publishing rights and royalties, which provide additional financial returns to the estate. Parker continued to benefit even after Elviss death. Parker, by contrast, was dedicated to the money he could pump out of Elvis. Finally, he turned to Loanne. 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. 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. Subsequent lawsuits left Colonel estranged from the estate but not completely divorced from it, as Priscilla invited Parker to several notable milestones and anniversaries. Clambake, a 1967 romantic comedy, brought in around $5. His 25 percent commission from Elvis's tours and record sales alone amasses to nearly $14 million dollars, plus another $2 million for his film commissions. 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. But all that success in the kitchen belied the double life he was leading as a rank-and-file member of the Mob. Certainly whatever happened in Holland that made him leave his family, with whom he was very close, and to just cut them off, was of a very grave nature. The contract did not mention Snow or the Jamboree Attractions. 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.. Is there a difference between regular HDMI cable and 4K cable? Huntington, West Virginia, meanwhile, was a stop along the route of the carnivals that the Dutch teenager worked when he first came to the States. Luhrmanns film sees Presley through the deathbed memories of the Colonel, and his accounting would claim victory. But its said to have happened at the Pan-Pacific show. Yeah, Hanks said at Cannes The amount of ways that Parker cheated people out of nickels and dimes, and dollars is extraordinary. So to sum it up, rights owners to Elvis Presley songs include Sony/ATV Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Hill and Range, and Gladys Music, with Sony/ATV Music having exclusive rights to most of them. But, backed by some members of the Van Kuijk family, Nash still believes it more likely than not that Colonel Parker was a killer. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. 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. After this moment of splendor, Presleys physical health went into frank decline for the next four years. Similarly, Viva Las Vegas, his 1964 musical, grossed around $9. He entered America illegally by jumping ship and traveling with a tent show before returning to the Netherlands. A few years later, when the draft was introduced during the World War II, Parker ate until he weighed more than 300 pounds in a successful bid to have himself declared unfit for further service. From the middle of 1973, Elvis began to gain weight rapidly, and began his addiction to tranquilizing drugs, to the point that they prevented his live performances where he was sometimes unable to sing or mumbled the lyrics of his songs. 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. An immensely talented young man ended up as a ruin of his former self, dying from heart problems connected to long-time drug abuse. The shock of hearing Colonel Parker say his Dutch name, something he had ferociously protected from the world for 65 years, made me mute. With his first contract with RCA, Presley recorded the song Heartbreak Hotel in January 1956 and went from being a promising singer to a true rock star. Absolutely considering he was overweight and smoked. Tom discovered the then-unknown 20-year-old Elvis Presley in 1955. Parker was an essential and controversial figure in Elvis life, and in this article, we are going to tell you whether he actually stole money from the King or not. 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. 1. Nor had he ever been naturalized as an American. In other words, if thats not what happened back in Holland, something equally awful did.. Very handsome, I lied. He served for two years, went AWOL, got charged with desertion, and was punished with solitary confinement. How much money did Tom Parker take from Elvis? 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. After seeing the final recording, Parker accepted that Binders plan had been the right one, but for years he refused to admit it in public. Hanks reportedly received a pay bump for reprising his role as Woody in the second and third films, however, with rumored salaries of $5 million and $15 million, respectively. Circa 1985. 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. She is the only child of music icon Elvis Presley, and inherited a substantial estate from her father. He is currently focusing on anime, his childhood love, with special atten Did Colonel Parker Steal from Elvis? The mystery of Anna van den Endens death is unlikely to be solved; the original investigation was woefully inadequate, and every one of the witnesses is dead. Elvis also agreed to provide financial support for her and their child in the event of a divorce. Some called it his Floating White House. But Parker, who was born in Holland in 1909 as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk and never became an American citizen, didnt care about that. Parker died in 1997 at the age of 87. Elvis was just as famous in London, Berlin and Tokyoyet in a career of almost 30 years, he played a total of only three concerts on foreign soil, in Canada in 1957. Answer (1 of 3): There is no credible evidence to suggest that Tom Ford ever stole money from Elvis Presley. Her other sources of income come from royalties, endorsement deals, and investments in films, production companies, and real estate. 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 Hollywood actor, landed Elvis the highest-paying Vegas contract for the time, and protected the exploitation rights for dead celebrities through his swift actions for the Presley estate in 1977. The Beatles were also a cultural force. 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). Sources How much money did Elvis spend on Graceland? More still went to RCA records, sole owner of all of Elvis' music before 1973, thanks to a $5.4-million deal Parker arranged in that year. He sat there so engrossed that he never moved, though God knows how many times hed seen it. Reports from the IRS and other sources estimate that Presley made an estimated $20 million from his music career, $1. Colonel Tom Parker, as played by Tom Hanks in Elvis, was the controversial manager of singer Elvis Presley (played by Austin Butler) with a mysterious past who had a key role in both The King's success and downfall. Graceland is the former home of Elvis Presley, located in Memphis, Tennessee. The Colonel never made it past the rank of private when he served in the military, his discharge papers labeled him a psychopath. Colonel is depicted as a Svengali character and, to be fair, most managers of popstars over the years have been more than a bit dodgy, he said. He was able to negotiate contracts for the airing of Elviss old movies and for the release of never-before-heard tracks. Parker's response: . In this Elvis Presley biopic, the musician is presented as a mythic figure and true life superhero, saving the world from repressive rhythms to become the King of Rock and Roll, while Parker comes off as the cartoon villain, and not only because Hanks sounds like the Dutch uncle of Looney Tunes Foghorn Leghorn. His real name was Andreas van KuijkDries (pronounced Drees) to his familyand as far as anyone could tell, he changed it to Tom Parker because that was the name of the officer who interviewed him when he signed up for the Army. This became a business model for managing musicians. In parallel, Parker discouraged Presley from his project of offering great live concerts, to the point that in mid-1961. 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. The trust was established in 1993 and Lisa Marie is the beneficiary of the trust. Since 1979, several administrators chosen by Priscilla Presley on behalf of her daughter accused Parker of having closed a lousy deal with RCA in 1973 for selling the royalties from Elvis songs prior to that year for just 5.4 million dollars, a price considered unethical when considering that precisely this contract affected the period of greatest creativity and fame of Presley. Loanne, wheres that picture?. Presley was very serious about his music and honestly wanted to bring that to acting. But what exactly was Tom Parker hiding? He would donate the rusting hulk to charity and put a P.R. It is estimated that she inherited around $100 million from his estate after his death in 1977. 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. Parker continued his management role until Presleys death in 1977, and managed the Presley estate for several more years until the extent of his scheming came fully to light. Elvis picked all his own songs and picturesthe scripts were sent directly to his house. In 1992, after Vernons death, Priscilla moved out of Graceland, and Lisa Marie continued to live there. There are some extraordinary, tabloidy, melodramatic stories about why and how he left Holland. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine Elvis Presleys manager Colonel Tom Parker, whose sole client was the King, has long been said to have taken 50 per cent of all the rock n roll icons earnings. When in January 1960 Elvis finished his military service and returned from Germany, Parker had prepared a special television program on ABC to welcome him; the show was entitled Welcome Home Elvis and featured the participation of Frank Sinatra, with Parker seeing to it that Sinatra was paid much less than Elvis, in retaliation for Sinatras earlier views against rock and roll. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. His 25 percent commission from Elviss tours and record sales alone amasses to nearly $14 million dollars, plus another $2 million for his film commissions. He died in 1997 at the age of 87. In the 1980s and 1990s David Ruggerio was a rising star of French cooking in New Yorkand a protocelebrity chef with cookbooks and TV shows to his name. He told Express.co.uk the rock n roll icon wasnt as showbiz as fans might expect from his public persona. By contrast, the Colonel kept a higher percentage of the movie take than the star, and consigned Presley to a series of increasingly cringeworthy films, even for the singer himself, who yearned for the challenge to play a real role. 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. He graciously accepted the piece of shit, as Thomas is said to have called the boat, to sell for cash. Her lawyer argues shes being overcharged, and the case seems destined to become the latest front in the ongoing debate over criminal justice in the city. Forget the monetary malfeasance, Parker curbed the art. Get your picture back.. More still went to RCA records, sole owner of all of Elvis' music before 1973, thanks to a $5.4-million deal Parker arranged in that year. The pair split the money 50/50 and RCA legally received all of the royalty commissions from his extensive catalogue of music. Why bother to paint both sides? The 26-year-old turned herself in this week following a search that captivated certain corners of New York. After Elviss death in 1977, the Presley family continued to own and live in the mansion. 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. The racket caused pioneering Sun Records founder Sam Phillips to come in from the control booth and demand to know what they were doing. In the mid-2000s, Lisa Marie sold the home to the Elvis Presley Trust, a group of lawyers and business people formed to find and maintain the legacy of Elvis Presley. However, that never really happened. Elvis abandoned the presentations to dedicate himself to acting. 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. Rather, he admitted, I have to be honest. Indeed, Parkers brief military career had ended in ignominy. Answer (1 of 4): The show must go on. He was born on June 26, 1909 in Breda, the Netherlands. The 19 years of silence that his mysterious correspondent mentioned took the story as far back as 1961exactly the year that the Van Kuijk family had made contract with Parker, and Ad van Kuijk had returned from his visit to the Colonel so remarkably tight-lipped. 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. He was released only after he had suffered what his biographer Alanna Nash terms a psychotic breakdown. Diagnosed as a psychopath, he was discharged from the Army. The chickens danced because they were on a sawdust-covered hot plate. Parker wanted to make Elvis clean-cut after he came back from the army in part because when Elvis went into the army, neither Elvis nor Parker thought rock 'n' roll would last. Elvis had a great influence on American culture through his influence on music, affect on American culture, and his legacy. 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. In addition to his music and film earnings, Elvis had numerous business ventures and investments including hotels, restaurants, and clothing throughout his career. 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. Sure, he was out of touch with the times by then, and didnt see the Phoenix-like potential of what the special could do for his attraction, as he called Elvis. He was the success I always wanted.. Yes, Lisa Marie Presley still owns Graceland, the Memphis, Tennessee home of her father, Elvis Presley. Scene Stealer: The True Lies of Elisabeth Finch, Part 1, Inventing Ivana Trump: Her Improbable Rise and Tragic Death. More still went to RCA records, sole owner of all of Elvis' music before 1973, thanks to a $5.4-million deal Parker arranged in that year.