Tom Parker; Elvis Presley's manager; wearing a straw hat and smoking

Thomas Andrew Parker (born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk; June 26, 1909 - January 21, 1997), [1] commonly known as Colonel Parker, was a musical entrepreneur, best known for being Elvis Presley 's manager. Parker was born in the Netherlands and entered the United States illegally when he was 20 years old. For the entirety of Presley's nearly 25-year career as "The King," his manager, "Colonel" Tom Parker, was the man who made all the career decisions. Frequently photographed with Presley, Parker became a celebrity in his own right, usually pictured chomping on a cigar.

Elvis Presley Manager Biopic 'The Colonel' in Development Variety

According to Ultimate Classic Rock, Parker signed up with Presley in August, initially acting in an advisory position while Neal remained Presley's official manager. However, it was the Colonel who negotiated Presley's move from Sam Phillips' comparatively small Sun Records to the much larger RCA Records in November 1955. In 1963, Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's audacious manager who had gotten his start selling candy apples in carnivals, read in the paper that Franklin Delano Roosevelt's presidential. Colonel Tom Parker managed Elvis Presley 's career from 1955 to 1977, overseeing almost every aspect of the star's life. A "colonel" in honorary terms only, he was a shrewd, showman-like figure. The large figure of Elvis's manager, standing grinning just behind his charge, made Dankers-van Kuijk jump. The man had aged and grown grotesquely fat. But she still knew him as her long-lost.

Elvis Presley’s Controversial Manager Colonel Tom Parker Ben Vaughn

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — One of the biggest blockbuster movies of the summer explores the life of Las Vegas icon Elvis Presley and his complicated relationship with manager Colonel Tom Parker. Parker wasn't his real name, nor was he a colonel. During that February meeting, all the players in Presley's career, including his manger at the time Bob Neal, were at the table and decided to work jointly to ensure Elvis became a household name. Colonel Tom Parker was a musical entrepreneur who was the manager of Elvis Presley. Previously a carnival worker, Parker moved into music promotion in 1938, where he worked with popular crooners Gene Austin, and then country singers Eddy Arnold, Hank Snow, and Tommy Sands. He also helped Jimmie Davis's campaign to become Governor of Louisiana. Colonel Tom Parker, manager of musician Elvis Presley, pictured smoking a cigar, circa 1955. Photo: Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Parker was born in the Netherlands as Andreas.

Elvis Presley’s Controversial Manager Colonel Tom Parker Ben Vaughn

Elvis' ( Austin Butler) long-time manager, portrayed by Tom Hanks, is depicted as a selfish, calculating man who tried to control the singer's every move, all in the name of making money that. Interview with Colonel Parker (Nightline 1987) Elvis Presley's Manager.https://coloneltomparker.elvis.com.au Everybody loves Tom Hanks — but they may not love Tom Parker, the predatory music manager he plays in Elvis. by Morgan Leigh Davies June 24, 2022 Michael Ochs Archives/Michael Ochs. In reality, Elvis's manager was Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk. Born in June 1909, in Breda in The Netherlands, he was the seventh child of a delivery driver and his wife. At the age of 18, he simply disappeared without a trace, He hadn't taken his identity papers, clothes, or any money. RELATED: Why Elvis Presley's Death Remains A Mystery

Tom Parker; Elvis Presley's manager; wearing a straw hat and smoking

The True History Behind Baz Luhrmann's 'Elvis'. The new film dramatizes the life and legend of Elvis Presley from the perspective of his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker. "He looked. On January 20, 1997, Parker suffered a stroke, and died the following morning in a Las Vegas hospital. He was 87. Held at a Hilton Hotel, his funeral was attended by the likes of Sun Records boss Sam Phillips and Parker's former client Eddy Arnold. "Elvis and the Colonel made history together, and the world is richer, better and far more.