Colonel Tom Parker

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Parker was born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk on June 26, 1909, in Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands, the seventh of 11 children. His father, a former military man, worked as a deliveryman and died when Parker was 16. The boy ran away from home 17 times. After his father's death, Parker moved to Rotterdam and lived with an aunt and uncle. At 17, he expressed a desire to run away to the United States to "make his fortune," and he entered the U.S. illegally. Biographies usually mention 1927 as the year of his first attempt to emigrate. In May 1929, aged nearly 20, Parker returned to the U.S. to stay. He found work with carnivals and traveled with a Chautauqua educational tent show. A few months later, he enlisted in the U.S. Army using a false identity to disguise his illegal entry. His new name, Tom Parker, is said to have been taken from the officer who interviewed him during enrollment. He served two years in the 64th Coast Artillery at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, and reenlisted at Fort Barrancas, Florida. He went AWOL in Florida and was charged with desertion, punished with solitary confinement, and spent two months in a mental hospital, leading to his discharge. In 1935, he married 27-year-old Marie Francis Mott. During the Great Depression, they lived on as little as $1 a week.

In Their Own Story

In 1938, Parker first became involved in the music industry 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. Austin had spent much of his fortune on extravagant living and his popularity had been eclipsed by other singers such as Bing Crosby. Parker used his carnival experience to sell tickets and attract crowds to Austin's concerts. He turned down Austin's offer to move to Nashville, perhaps to avoid paperwork that could expose his illegal status. He found employment as a field agent with the Hillsborough County Humane Society, which offered a secure wage and a rent-free apartment. Using his promotional experience, he raised money for the society by bringing in acts like Minnie Pearl and Eddy Arnold. In 1945, Parker became Arnold's full-time manager, signing a contract for 25% of his earnings. In 1948, Parker was awarded the honorary rank of colonel in the Louisiana State Militia by Governor Jimmie Davis for his work on Davis's election campaign. Eddy Arnold fired Parker in 1953 because of his growing involvement with Hank Snow, and Parker demanded a buyout of $50,000 to settle their contract. In early 1955, Parker heard about Elvis Presley and believed Presley to be black. In February 1955, following a meeting with Parker, Presley agreed to let Parker take some control of future bookings and promotions.

Reader's Guide

Parker encountered Presley in 1955 and by 1956 had become his manager. With Parker's help, Presley signed a recording contract with RCA Victor, which led to a commercial breakthrough in 1956 with his sixth single "Heartbreak Hotel." Parker received more than half of the income from the enterprise, an unprecedented figure for a music manager. He 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. 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. Parker's influence waned in later years, but he continued in his management role until Presley died in 1977. The colonel was then met with several lawsuits from the Presley family accusing him of mismanagement, fraud, and exploitation whilst taking 50% commission on Elvis's earnings. Parker managed the Presley estate for the rest of his life. Having previously sold the rights to Presley's early recordings to RCA, he struggled to secure a steady income, and his financial situation worsened after he sustained significant gambling losses. Parker's final years were spent living in Las Vegas, in declining health, until his death in 1997.

Did You Know?

• Parker was born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk in Breda, Netherlands, and entered the United States illegally when he was 20 years old.
• He adopted the name Tom Parker from the officer who interviewed him during his U.S. Army enrollment, using a false identity to disguise his illegal entry.
• Parker was awarded the honorary rank of 'colonel' in the Louisiana State Militia by Governor Jimmie Davis for his work on Davis's election campaign.
• Parker initially received 25% of the income from the Elvis Presley enterprise, later increasing to 50% after 1967, an unprecedented figure for a music manager.
• After Presley's death