114 Facts About Colonel Tom Parker

Colonel Tom Parker adopted a new name and claimed to have been born in the United States.

Colonel Tom Parker assisted Jimmie Davis's campaign to become governor of Louisiana, for which he was awarded the honorary rank of "colonel" in the Louisiana State Guard.

Colonel Tom Parker encountered Presley in 1955 and by 1956 had become his manager.

Colonel Tom Parker received more than half of the income from the enterprise, an unprecedented figure for a music manager.

Colonel Tom Parker negotiated Presley's lucrative merchandising deals and media appearances and is said to have influenced Presley's personal life, including his decision to accept military service in 1958 and his marriage to Priscilla Beaulieu in 1967.

Colonel Tom Parker encouraged Presley to make musical films, and they became the focus of his career during his commercial decline in the 1960s until his 1968 comeback and return to touring.

Colonel Tom Parker's influence waned in later years, but he continued in his management role until Presley died in 1977.

Colonel Tom Parker managed the Presley estate for the rest of his life.

Thomas Andrew Colonel Tom Parker was born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk on June 26,1909, in Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands.

Colonel Tom Parker was the fourth of 11 children of Maria Elisabeth Ponsie and Adam van Kuijk.

Colonel Tom Parker died at the age of 59 when Parker was 16.

Colonel Tom Parker's uncle was a skipper by profession who sailed from Breda to Rotterdam.

At the age of 17, Colonel Tom Parker expressed a desire to run away to the United States to "make his fortune", and he entered the US illegally.

Colonel Tom Parker returned home to Rotterdam on the steamship SS Veendam.

In May 1929, aged nearly 20, Colonel Tom Parker returned to the US, this time to stay.

Colonel Tom Parker completed basic training at Fort McPherson in Georgia.

Colonel Tom Parker served two years in the 64th Coast Artillery at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, and shortly afterward reenlisted at Fort Barrancas, Florida.

Colonel Tom Parker was punished with solitary confinement, from which he emerged with a psychosis that led him to spend two months in a mental hospital.

Colonel Tom Parker's condition caused him to be discharged from the army.

Colonel Tom Parker later said that at times they had to live on as little as $1 a week.

Colonel Tom Parker first became involved in the music industry in 1938 as a promoter, working with popular crooner Gene Austin whose career was at a low point, despite having sold 86 million records since 1924 and earned over $17 million.

Colonel Tom Parker found his career transition smooth, and he used his carnival experience to sell tickets and attract crowds to Austin's concerts.

Colonel Tom Parker decided to stay with his family in Temple Terrace, Florida, perhaps to avoid having to submit paperwork that could expose his illegal status.

Colonel Tom Parker served in the peacetime army, but never subsequently applied to become a US citizen, possibly to prevent his previous army record from becoming public or to avoid having to fight.

Colonel Tom Parker found employment as a field agent with a local animal shelter, the Hillsborough County Humane Society.

Colonel Tom Parker became involved in music promotion again, but for himself rather than the society.

In 1948, Parker was awarded the honorary rank of colonel in the Louisiana State Militia by Jimmie Davis, the governor of Louisiana and a former country singer, in gratitude for Parker's work on Davis's election campaign.

The rank was honorary, since Louisiana had no organized militia, but Parker used the title throughout his life, becoming known simply as "the Colonel".

Colonel Tom Parker arranged live appearances and became a father figure to the then 15-year-old.

Colonel Tom Parker had intended to mold Sands into the next Roy Rogers, but Sands was not interested.

Colonel Tom Parker sent demonstration recordings of Sands to record producer Steve Sholes at RCA Victor, who offered to find songs for him to record.

Presley had a singing style different from the current trend, and Colonel Tom Parker became interested in the future of this musical sound.

Neal began to struggle to accommodate his new client's success, and in February 1955, following a meeting with Colonel Tom Parker, Presley agreed to let Colonel Tom Parker take some control of future bookings and promotions.

Part of Colonel Tom Parker's role was to secure a new recording contract with a more prominent label.

Colonel Tom Parker immediately began to seek a new label for Presley.

RCA made clear that it was unwilling to go above $25,000 for a practically unknown singer, but Colonel Tom Parker persuaded them that Presley was no ordinary unknown singer.

Around the same time, realizing the deal for Presley might fall through due to the cost of the contract, Parker attempted to sell Tommy Sands to RCA.

Colonel Tom Parker suggested to Sholes that Sands could record material similar to Presley's style.

Colonel Tom Parker arranged for Presley to appear on popular television shows, such as The Milton Berle Show and The Ed Sullivan Show, securing fees that made Presley the highest-paid star on television.

Colonel Tom Parker signed a deal with Beverly Hills film merchandiser Hank Saperstein for nearly $40,000 to turn Presley into a brand name.

Colonel Tom Parker booked Presley for a four-week engagement in Las Vegas, misjudging the potential reactions of the slightly older, more reserved audiences that Las Vegas attracted.

Colonel Tom Parker was impressed with Presley's acting ability, and they signed Presley to a seven-picture contract.

Colonel Tom Parker ensured that the agreement allowed Presley the freedom to make at least one film a year with another studio and managed to set up an office, with staff, at Paramount.

However, Colonel Tom Parker persuaded Presley to sing in his movies after seeing the opportunity to cross-promote singles and albums with the films.

In 1957, Parker finally managed to give Tommy Sands his big break by arranging for him to audition for and star in an episode of Kraft Television Theater called "The Singin' Idol".

NBC had originally wanted Presley for the role, but Colonel Tom Parker had turned them down.

Colonel Tom Parker had seen many acts come and go during his earlier years in management and felt that it would be foolish to believe that Presley, despite being Colonel Tom Parker's most successful act to date, would be any different.

Presley was upset about the potential negative effect accepting the draft could have on his career, but Colonel Tom Parker was secretly overjoyed.

Colonel Tom Parker was looking ahead when he persuaded Presley to become a soldier.

Colonel Tom Parker was afraid that any attempt to block Presley from being drafted would result in a more detailed look into Colonel Tom Parker's own service record.

Colonel Tom Parker realized that it would be an excellent opportunity to promote Presley by having the media witness his induction day, including the army haircut that would see the shearing of Presley's iconic hairstyle.

Colonel Tom Parker had declined to travel to Europe to visit Presley, denying that he spoke any language other than English.

Colonel Tom Parker sent Presley's friends to keep him company, arranged for business associates to watch over him while working in Europe, and maintained regular contact with him.

Colonel Tom Parker realized that by keeping RCA Victor and the public hungry for more Presley material, he could negotiate a better contract when Presley returned from active service.

Colonel Tom Parker had arranged for Presley to record five singles before his induction, guaranteeing RCA Victor enough material to release over two years.

Still, Colonel Tom Parker insisted it would ruin his reputation as a regular soldier if he could go into a recording studio.

For Presley's return in March 1960, Colonel Tom Parker arranged for a train to take him from Washington, DC, to Memphis, with stops so that fans could see their idol in person.

Colonel Tom Parker envisioned Presley as an entertainment machine on becoming a film actor, pumping out three feature films and soundtracks a year until the decade's end.

Colonel Tom Parker allowed him to perform three live shows in 1961, all charity events, two in Memphis and one in Hawaii.

Colonel Tom Parker signed long-term contracts with the Hollywood film studios, possibly to guarantee work and income for both him and Presley.

Colonel Tom Parker did not appear to care if the films were good or bad, but only about the profits.

When Presley complained to him that he wanted better scripts, Colonel Tom Parker reminded him of his lavish lifestyle and that risking $1 million a year for doing practically no work was dangerous.

Later, in a 1983 interview, Colonel Tom Parker admitted that after 1966, the income from Presley films and soundtracks had dramatically declined.

In 1966, with Presley showing signs of rebellion again, and his career on the decline, Colonel Tom Parker decided it was time for a new approach: marriage.

Presley had lived with Priscilla Beaulieu for the past four years, and Colonel Tom Parker hoped that marriage would boost Presley's career and possibly tame him.

Colonel Tom Parker decided that Las Vegas was the perfect place to have the wedding, and on May 1,1967, the couple was married in a quiet ceremony that lasted only eight minutes and had a handful of guests.

Colonel Tom Parker usually flew ahead to the venues and took charge of preparing everything for Presley's entourage ahead of their arrival.

Originally planned as three performances, demand was so high that Colonel Tom Parker decided to add a fourth performance, making Presley the first performer to sell out the venue four consecutive times.

On July 8,1972, inspired by the visit of President Richard Nixon to China a few months earlier, Colonel Tom Parker announced that there would be a worldwide satellite broadcast from Hawaii to allow the whole world the chance to see a Presley concert, "since we can't play in every major city".

Colonel Tom Parker held another press conference in Las Vegas on September 4,1972, to confirm that the concert, now titled Aloha from Hawaii, would be broadcast on January 14,1973.

The press was told that an audience of one billion was expected to tune in to see the "first entertainment special to be broadcast live around the world"; although Colonel Tom Parker had not taken into account the fact that many countries, including parts of Europe and America, would not see the concert live due to the time of the broadcast.

Colonel Tom Parker received a letter from Honolulu Advertiser columnist Eddie Sherman two weeks after the Las Vegas press conference.

Colonel Tom Parker suggested to Parker that, as Presley had recorded and was still performing the song "I'll Remember You" written by Kui Lee, the donations could go to the Kui Lee Cancer Fund that had been set up following the death of the songwriter in 1966.

In Nash's book, The Colonel Tom Parker, she writes: "In the days before the Betty Ford Clinic, the Colonel Tom Parker didn't know where to take him for discreet, effective help and loathed risking the loss of work if the truth got out".

Colonel Tom Parker offered RCA Records the opportunity to buy Presley's entire back catalog for $5.4 million.

However, Presley had asked Colonel Tom Parker to raise funds to pay for his upcoming divorce settlement, as Priscilla filed for divorce in 1973.

Colonel Tom Parker was furious, and he stormed into Presley's dressing room after the show to confront him.

Colonel Tom Parker accepted that their working relationship was over and demanded that Presley pay him $2 million to end their contract, money that Colonel Tom Parker claimed he was owed.

Several members of Presley's band later stated that Colonel Tom Parker had no idea just how bad the situation was getting.

However, other friends and members of Presley's entourage have stood by the suggestion that Colonel Tom Parker didn't want to admit there was such a problem because he didn't know how to deal with it, and he was worried about any negative publicity it would create.

In March 1975, during his engagement in Las Vegas, Presley, along with Colonel Tom Parker, met with Barbra Streisand and Jon Peters.

Colonel Tom Parker later claimed that Presley had asked him to make the contract so demanding so that they would not offer him the part, although many of Presley's friends have contradicted Colonel Tom Parker's statement because they had said Presley was furious at losing the role.

Colonel Tom Parker turned the offer down, and Presley was overjoyed when they replied with another offer of $10 million.

Yet, despite Presley's eagerness to do the shows, Colonel Tom Parker again turned them down.

Presley was beginning to consider new management, with Concerts West co-founder Colonel Tom Parker Hulett being the clear favorite for the job.

Colonel Tom Parker phoned Presley's father once to suggest taking time off, but Vernon Presley told him they couldn't afford to stop touring due to Presley's constant and lavish spending.

Vernon threatened to find a new manager if Colonel Tom Parker wouldn't continue to tour Presley.

Worried about the impact such details might have on his career, Presley, through his father, asked Colonel Tom Parker to stop the publication.

When Presley died on August 16,1977, one day before he was due to go on tour, some accounts suggest Colonel Tom Parker acted as if nothing had happened.

In September 1978, shortly after the first anniversary of Presley's death, Colonel Tom Parker arranged a fan festival, called Always Elvis, where he, Vernon, and Presley's ex-wife Priscilla dedicated a bronze statue of him in the lobby of the Las Vegas Hilton.

In January 1979, it was discovered that Presley had lost out on royalties for songs on which he had been listed as an author or composer because Colonel Tom Parker had unwisely advised him not to sign up with ASCAP or its younger competitor, BMI.

Priscilla and the two other co trustees were prepared to let Colonel Tom Parker continue to handle Presley's business affairs, and petitioned the court to that end.

Colonel Tom Parker noted that Parker's handling of Presley's business affairs during his lifetime, including the decision to sell off past royalties to RCA for $5.4 million in 1973, was unethical and poorly handled.

Colonel Tom Parker worked as a "consultant" for Hilton Hotels for a number of years after Presley's death, with some believing he was working to pay off debts owed to the casino from his gambling during Presley's performances there.

Part of this role resulted in Colonel Tom Parker keeping the same fourth-floor suite he occupied when Presley was alive.

Colonel Tom Parker appeared at posthumous events honoring Presley, such as the 1993 issuing of a US postage stamp with Presley's likeness.

Colonel Tom Parker became friendly with the estate again, attending special ceremonies and events in Memphis, invited by Priscilla.

In 1994, following the marriage of Lisa Marie Presley and Michael Jackson, Colonel Tom Parker stated that Presley would probably not have approved.

Colonel Tom Parker claimed he had run away from home at an early age to join a circus owned by an uncle, then served in the US Army prior to his involvement as a music manager.

Colonel Tom Parker privately acknowledged his brother and even introduced him to Presley.

The claim of Colonel Tom Parker's Dutch heritage was publicly confirmed when Colonel Tom Parker failed to avert a lawsuit brought against him in 1982 by asserting in open court that he was a Dutch citizen.

In 1935, while traveling with a circus, Colonel Tom Parker met and married a 27-year-old woman named Marie Francis Mott.

Unbeknownst to Colonel Tom Parker, she had a second son from her first marriage but had given him up for adoption at birth due to his disability, a club foot.

Some suggested that Colonel Tom Parker married Marie to disguise his illegal status in the United States; a marriage to a US citizen with a child could help him bury his past in a "ready-made family".

Colonel Tom Parker began to distance himself emotionally from her, heartbroken by her slow mental deterioration from the woman he once knew.

In October 1990, Colonel Tom Parker married Loanne Miller, his personal secretary since 1972.

Colonel Tom Parker continued living in Las Vegas, mostly avoiding contact with the press.

Many Colonel Tom Parker biographers, including Dirk Vellenga and Alanna Nash, have stated that Colonel Tom Parker's gambling habit began to get out of control in the mid-1960s.

Fans and biographers alike believe that one of the main reasons Colonel Tom Parker signed Presley to a Vegas hotel in 1969 for his live comeback was to help cover losses at their casino.

At the time of Presley's death in 1977, it was suspected that Colonel Tom Parker owed the Las Vegas Hilton over $30 million in gambling losses.

Colonel Tom Parker said 'Well then there ain't no doubt about it.

When Colonel Tom Parker failed to answer her calls, she went in to find him slumped in his armchair, having suffered a stroke.

Colonel Tom Parker died of complications from the stroke the following morning at a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 87, with his wife at his bedside.

Colonel Tom Parker's funeral was held a few days later at the Hilton Hotel and was attended by a handful of friends and former associates, including Eddy Arnold and Sam Phillips.