Colonel Parker managed Elvis Presley from 1955 until the singer's death in 1977. Prior to managing Presley, Parker helped transform Eddy Arnold into a country superstar with his own radio shows, movie roles, Las Vegas bookings, and an unparalleled resume of #1 records.
The Colonel travelled to Memphis for the funeral, where he turned up dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and baseball cap, and smoked his trademark cigar. It was reported that at the funeral, he persuaded Presley's father to sign over control of Presley's career in death to him.
The case was settled out of court in 1983, and in exchange for $2 million, Parker had to relinquish all video and audio recordings of Presley and give up his earnings on all Presley-related materials for the next five years. The sale of his catalog was the final nail in the coffin of Presley and Parker's relationship.
Played by Tom Hanks in the new biopic Elvis, directed by Baz Luhrmann, Colonel Tom Parker remains, 25 years after his death, and nearly half a century after the death of his only client, the most memorable and divisive manager in the history of show business.
At the time of his death in 1997, Elvis' Manager, Colonel Parker was worth approximately $1 million, the same as $1.8 million in 2023.
The money. It has been widely reported that the colonel took more than half of Presley's income in return for negotiating merchandising deals, TV appearances and acting roles.
Lisa Marie became the the sole owner of the mansion when the trust holding her inheritance dissolved on her 25th birthday in 1993. Graceland has become a popular tourist attraction over the years, with public tours on offer as well as sprawling museum exhibits.
Tom Parker, 87, a onetime carnival pitchman who shrewdly guided singer-actor Elvis Presley's career for 22 years, died here Jan. 21 after a stroke.
Presley never fired Parker publicly, but he did have an on-stage meltdown at a Vegas show over the firing of a kitchen employee he liked. After this altercation, Presley and Parker did have an argument that resulted in Parker's firing, according to Alanna Nash, author of Parker's biography.
Colonel Tom Parker was likely moved to tears for two reasons. One, was that he loved seeing "his boy" do so well at his craft. But the other reason was purely financial.
In later years, Parker's influence waned, but he continued in his management role until Presley's death in 1977. For the rest of his life, Parker managed the Presley estate.
After Elvis's death in 1977, his father Vernon was one of the executors of his estate, which was held in trust for his daughter Lisa Marie. Vernon named Priscilla to be his successor upon his death. She assumed the role following Vernon's 1979 death.
And Nash, Vellenga and every other biographer of both Presley and Parker acknowledge that the Colonel never showed much interest in women. He had no children, and he treated his wife as a companion, not as a lover.
He also arranged Presley's early TV appearances, including three on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956 and 1957 that helped catapult Presley to stardom. He seemed to exercise firm control over Presley, who affectionately called Mr. Parker "admiral." The "colonel" was an honorary title bestowed on Mr.
The Upstairs Remains Off Limits
Presley's primary suite on the second floor of Graceland was his most private refuge, where only his closest confidants were allowed. It was there, in his bathroom, that Presley's body was found on Aug. 16, 1977.
After Lisa Marie's death in 2023, Graceland and her trust were inherited by her daughters, Keough and Harper and Finley Lockwood, a representative for Graceland confirmed to People.
Did Ginger Alden Attend Elvis' Funeral? Yes. As his fiancée at the time, it is believed that Ginger Alden was present for Elvis' funeral. Following the funeral, however, she was reportedly banned from Graceland by Presley's family and had to receive permission to visit his grave.
The publishing was sold to for $10.5million, which at the time was considered to be the biggest giveaway of all time. But there's more… Out of the ridiculous $10.5million figure, Elvis received $4.5million and the Colonel received $6million. Toward the end of his career, his body was ravaged by years of abuse.
Today, the Presley estate is estimated to be worth between $400 million and $500 million, according to one Presley exec. That's less than the Beatles (whose song catalog is said to be worth more than $1 billion) and Queen (thanks to Bohemian Rhapsody, the surviving members top Presley at $575 million).
Estimates place his lifetime earnings anywhere from $100 million up to one billion dollars. Regardless of where the true figure lies, there is no doubt that Elvis felt free to be as generous as he wanted to his only daughter — and lots of other people too, for that matter.
Unbeknownst to Presley, Parker negotiated a side agreement with the casino where his gambling debts were forgiven, and Parker got unlimited credit as long as Presley continued performing at the casino. Presley eventually discovered Parker's true intentions and attempted to fire Parker.
While Presley's star rose, his band remained on a fixed salary, causing increasing dissension. In a joint interview with The Memphis Press-Scimitar in late 1956, his three sidemen said they were being paid $200 a week when on tour (the article called that “good money for sidemen”) and $100 a week the rest of the time.
Elvis Presley was furious with Parker's actions. According to TVTropes.com, he demanded that the album be taken off the market. Evidently, the debacle wasn't serious enough for Elvis to confront his manager. Whether he truly wanted to fire Parker or not, death was the only thing that could split the two apart.
Sources told TMZ that Priscilla wanted a burial spot next to her ex-husband – who died in 1977 – at his Graceland estate. His final resting place is flanked by the graves of his beloved mother and father. Her request was described as a “non-starter”, so Priscilla backed down without much of a discussion.