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.. 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. 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. This murder has never been solved. Elvis: Thats The Way It Is is re-released in cinemas August 13 and celebrates 85 years of the King and 50 years since the films original release. For songs published before 1978, fluctuating ownership of the copyrights and royalties is the result of a number of factors, including the original copyright registration in 1956, the Copyright Act of 1976, and the effect of legislations like the Music Modernization Act of 2018. The result was a show titled Elvis, taped at the NBC studios. 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. The proceeds from Graceland are currently divided between Lisa Marie Presley, Priscilla Presley, and the Elvis Presley Trust. 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. 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. Turning hastily to his newspapers files, Vellenga found to his amazement that there had indeed been an unsolved killing in Breda in May 1929. 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. The author with the real Colonel Tom Parker, in 1992. 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. He was able to negotiate contracts for the airing of Elviss old movies and for the release of never-before-heard tracks. At the height of Presleys popularity, the Colonel turned down offers to tour overseas. At the same time, the heirs of the late Elvis Presley are believed to benefit from both a share of the master royalties and the even larger share of the publishing royalties to the songs. She is the only child of music icon Elvis Presley, and inherited a substantial estate from her father. Did Colonel Parker ruin Elvis career? Parker routinely did this during his days with the carnivals. So, in the Elvis movie, there's a scene where Elvis fires Colonel Parker on stage in Las Vegas. When asked about the deal in 1968, the Colonel responded: Thats not true at all. But his apparent unwillingness to solve what should have been a minor problem does remain a puzzle. Heres more about what the movie gets right and wrong. 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. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. Elvis and the Colonel were associated throughout the musician's entire career, including music, movies, and TV specials. That harmed his public image and his music. New York: Delacorte Press, 1988. In other words, his loyal subjects killed the king. Among the most damning evidence was Parker's 1973 agreement allowing RCA to buy out the rights to Presley's 700 songs. The premises had then been ransacked, apparently fruitlessly, in a search for money. Is it better to be in the eye of a hurricane? Loanne dug in her purse and produced a torn picture of a rag street vendor doll, posed with a teddy bear. Is there a difference between regular HDMI cable and 4K cable? Off to the side as always, his manager, "the bigbellied, strawhatted, cigarcarrying" Colonel Tom Parker, watched over him. In 1992, after Vernons death, Priscilla moved out of Graceland, and Lisa Marie continued to live there. Alanna Nashs biography of Parker, The Colonel, claims he may have been trying to avoid passport scrutiny because he might have been a suspect in a murder in Breda. Loanne, wheres that picture?. But that was very much the way he liked it. The only song I suggested was Are You Lonesome Tonight? I got Elvis the most money ever for an entertainer in Las Vegas. When Elisabeth Finch met Jennifer Beyer in 2019, the two women forged a fiercely loyal friendship, and eventually got married. 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. He didn't sing "Trouble" at that show because he didn't know that song yet. 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 had been born there in June 1909, the seventh child of a delivery driver and his wife. The Colonel was even against the reunion which made the Elvis 68 Comeback Special so special. The band and crew had a turbo-prop Electrajet. 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. Either way, what had been meant as the robbery of an empty store had gone wrong, and, in a sudden burst of fear and temper, the Colonel had lashed out and killed a woman without meaning to. Not the least of them was that he was an illegal immigrant, reaching the United States most probably through Canada. Answer (1 of 3): There is no credible evidence to suggest that Tom Ford ever stole money from Elvis Presley. That number is down significantly from an estimated $100 million . Unfortunately, there is no exact figure for how much money Elvis actually made since his estate is still managed by his family and is largely privately held. 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. So far as the wider world knew, the Colonel was Thomas Andrew Parker, born in Huntingdon, West Virginia, some time shortly after 1900. Not a single witness at the time suggested that Andreas van Kuijk had ever been a suspect. Todd also spoke out about the tragedy of Elvis life in the spotlight. These could be called animal cruelty shows. Elvis abandoned the presentations to dedicate himself to acting. The real Colonel Parker didnt seem to regard Elvis as a son, even though he apparently cried when Elvis forgot his birthday. 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. Mike Dash is a contributing writer in history for Smithsonian.com. It was, of course, a tough trick to pull off, because the Colonels name was Tom Parker, and Tom Parker managed Elvis Presley. In many cases, he stopped Elvis from touring and even kept him from working in blockbuster films. 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%. Parker was accused of squandering Elviss income and charging too high a fee (nearly 50% of Elviss income), while the cost of maintaining Elviss huge estate at Graceland consumed almost all of Elviss royalties. 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). Crazy he lived until 97. But the Colonel trusted no one. Some members of the family suspected that Parker had paid him not to talk. Presley, as it turned out, was managed by Parker alone. Rian Johnson, Halle Berry, and More Share Their Inspiration, From the Archive: The Man Who Kept Marilyns Secrets (1991), Listen toVFsLittle Gold MenPodcast for Unrivaled Awards-Season Coverage, 2023 Cond Nast. Some of them have received royalty payments, as well as rights to use his name. They would always point to a particular sentence in their contract to deny him his fair share. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine And the spot where the murder had occurred was only a few yards away from what had been, in 1929, Parkers family home. Scene Stealer: The True Lies of Elisabeth Finch, Part 1, Inventing Ivana Trump: Her Improbable Rise and Tragic Death. 5 million. He rode him till he died and even in death he attempt. What Baz tantalized me with, right off the bat, was heres a guy who saw the opportunity to manifest a once-in-a-lifetime talent into a cultural force.. 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. Presley was very serious about his music and honestly wanted to bring that to acting. But, backed by some members of the Van Kuijk family, Nash still believes it more likely than not that Colonel Parker was a killer. So I saw a different sort of Colonel Parker from how many people possibly believed he behaved. For example, Blue Hawaii, his 1961 romantic comedy, grossed a total of $7. In addition to his music and film earnings, Elvis had numerous business ventures and investments including hotels, restaurants, and clothing throughout his career. Though Austin Butler is a little too pretty as Elvis, and cant replicate the hypnotic pull of Presleys exotic good looks, hes nonetheless a convincing prince from another planet. Shortly thereafter, Parker accepted the need to make changes to Elviss business scheme, but he was adamantly opposed to Presleys idea of resorting to large concerts abroad, unlike what other American rockers such as Jerry Lee Lewis had done. He was 87 years old when he died. Parker managed to conclude a contract with the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas for Elvis to perform concerts there for a full month, in exchange for US$ 125,000 per week, a very high sum for the time for a single artist. Hanks gives Parker a pan-European-cum-Nazi accent, but in real life, most people bought his story of hailing from Huntington, West Virginia, a relatively isolated area in the 50s. London: Aurum 2003; Dirk Vellenga with Mick Farran. At last, I want to say what was told to me 19 years ago about this Colonel Parker. Some showbusiness people are always on stage; Elvis wasnt, he explained. Remembered Alan Fortas, a member of Elviss Memphis Mafia entourage: He performed a wedding ceremony on a Ferris wheel. He would donate the rusting hulk to charity and put a P.R. 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. K-pop stars break under the pressure even today. The Hawaiian show, like the 1968 special, was seen by 50 million viewers in the US and a total of more than a billion in the rest of the world. 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. Presley only appeared at the Grand Ole Opry once in October 1954. The Colonel always was a mystery. Elvis Presley: SURPRISING revelation from Vernons office at Graceland, John Lennon: Why Elvis Presley hated The Beatles star, Elvis Thats the Way It Is release date: When is Elvis documentary out. According to a Life magazine article written in 1969, Richard Nixon even referred to Parker as The Millionaire Manager. Probably he had known the woman; perhaps he had even desired herand then been angered by her recent marriage. Asked what the King was really like away from the cameras and stage lights, he said: I would imagine he lived for the stage and got very little in his personal life. The chickens danced because they were on a sawdust-covered hot plate. Since Elvis was the biggest name in the entertainment industry, his manager could hardly help appearing in the spotlight, too. And while he clearly did his job at creating a legend, he still held him back in his career. 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. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'coalitionbrewing_com-box-4','ezslot_2',147,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-coalitionbrewing_com-box-4-0');At the peak of his career, Elvis Presley was estimated to be worth an impressive $300 million and was one of the most successful and profitable entertainers of all time. Very handsome, I lied. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'coalitionbrewing_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_7',152,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-coalitionbrewing_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');Nevertheless, Elvis assets were eventually divided among his surviving heirs: his daughter, Lisa Marie Presley; his father, Vernon Presley; and his paternal grandmother Minnie Mae Presley. This collective sets the terms for the collection of mechanical royalties and the distribution of collected royalties back to the rightsholders. 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. Parker accepted that the outing would be a return to big live performances, choosing the old television set for Elvis to film a special. Presley loved the song so much he rewrote the lyrics himself rather than have it go unreleased. It could have been a coincidence, yes, of course. Gladys didnt trust Parker but agreed to advise Elvis to sign because she thought he was also signing with Snow. In parallel, Parker discouraged Presley from his project of offering great live concerts, to the point that in mid-1961. That version doesnt fully fit the facts; its impossible to know now within a week when Parker left the Netherlands, and hence how closely his departure coincided with the Breda murder. The Elvis Presley Fan Club president said it was easy for people to claim Colonel Parker had taken 50 per cent of Elvis earnings, as it was easy to say he had his arm up Elvis back to make him perform. ELVIS PRESLEY and Colonel Tom Parker had a complex relationship over the years and the manager is widely reported to have taken an extortionate 50 per cent cut of all the King's earnings.. The 26-year-old turned herself in this week following a search that captivated certain corners of New York. 8-acre property, Elvis purchased the estate for $102,500 from Ruth Brown in 1957. 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. However, Graceland is open to visitors today and approximately 600,000 tourists visit the property each year to learn about Elvis life and legacy. He served for two years, went AWOL, got charged with desertion, and was punished with solitary confinement. Hanks, on the other hand, never disappears into the role of Parker. How much did Elvis pay Priscilla Presley? 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. 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. Circa 1985. So where did all of Colonel Tom Parker's money go? He did not give 2 shits about Elvis. How much money did Colonel Parker make off Elvis? Theyre one of Hollywoods brightest starsand most troubled actors. Fontana backed Elvis on his TV appearances from January 1956 to January 1957, including the live shows for Milton Berle, Steve Allen, and the nationally star-making Ed Sullivan broadcasts. 7 mo I believe, not much money left. Parker was not good with money and was no master dealmaker. Todd pointed to the fact Elvis would call his pilot in order to fly across the country with a group of friends just to eat whatever food he fancied. Get your picture back.. He wanted to inspire them. Because of this fact, Parker convinced Elvis that a concert abroad would be risky for personal safety reasons, and that outside the US he would not find suitable settings for a star of his fame. No, the Colonel did not steal Elvis money. 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. In addition to the collective, Sony/ATV Music Publishing also licenses Elvis songs and collects publishing royalties, such as songwriting, synchronization, and master use. 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. But when they did they seemed to explain why, throughout his life, Parker had taken such enormous care to keep his past hiddenwhy he had settled a lawsuit with Elvis record company when it became clear that he would have to face cross-examination under oath, and why, far from resorting to the sort of tax-avoidance schemes that managers typically offered to their clients, he had always let the IRS calculate his taxes. 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. Supposing Parker had that $100 million in 1977 when Elvis died, he'd have had a $270 million net worth when he died two decades later, per Dollar Times. The pair split the money 50/50 and RCA legally received all of the royalty commissions from his extensive catalogue of music. He told Express.co.uk the rock n roll icon wasnt as showbiz as fans might expect from his public persona. Instead, Priscilla later opened a major beauty supply franchise in Las Vegas, which provided her a consistent source of income. 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. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. feather in the cap of his only client: Elvis Presley. 2 million in modern currency. 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. There a woman by the name of Nel Dankers-van Kuijk flicked through a copy of Rosita, a Belgian womens magazine. Why bother to paint both sides? The new administration of Elviss estate was completely in the hands of his daughter in 1980 through a court ruling, setting aside Parker and putting an end to his duties as administrator, with all rights to the royalties falling to Lisa Marie Presley, represented by her mother. 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.