The Life And Career Of Colonel Tom Parker

Andreas Cornelis was born in Breda/The Netherlands on June 26, 1909 as the 7th of the van Kuijk family's eleven children. The boy, who was nicknamed "Dries", was interested in money early on. While other kids were happy to receive some sweets for helping out the adults, little Andreas insisted on receiving cash instead. He didn't demand more, he just wanted the value of the sweets in money. He also started to work quite early and soon discovered his talent to talk people into visiting certain shows or carnival rides. At the age of 15 he took a ship to America and stayed there illegally for two years. He earned his money at the Chautauqua tent-show, before he returned to The Netherlands.

However, he didn't stay for long. When he was 20, he once again went to the USA via Rotterdam and worked as a carnival barker. Later he joined the US Army and served at Fort Shafter/Hawaii and Fort Barrancas/Florida. For unknown reasons he suddenly left without approval and was accused of desertion. Back in those days the Army even went so far to put him into a psychiatric clinic. Finally he was dishonorably released from the US Army. Once again van Kuijk started to work for various showmen, but this time under the name of Thomas Andrew Parker, feignedly from Huntington/West Virginia. Andreas Cornelis had "borrowed" the name from his former Army superior, Thomas Parker, and simply added the American version of his real first name. He absorbed this identity completely and even began to write to his family in English, signing the letters with Thomas A. Parker. A little later he cut off the contact, most likely to avoid being tracked by the government. There are many crazy tales about Parker's carny-jobs. Some of them were told by former associates, some of them were put into the world by good ole' Andreas himself. A most likely true story is one, that displays Parker's creativity to generate some extra money. It is said, that he once created a muddy area right behind the exit of his employer's show-tent. So all the people had to walk through the mud. Parker offered them to ride through the slush on a pony - of course not without having to pay a small fee for the service. In 1935 the future manager married Marie Francis Mott. Due to the lack of documents it's estimated, that it wasn't an official ceremony. However, Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk obviously was registered under his fake identity. He paid taxes and had a social security number. He also was able to establish and close companies, buy property and leave/re-enter the country. Especially the latter issue is a point of constant discussion, but in 1957 Parker accompanied Elvis to Canada and Hawaii (at the time not a part of the USA). He certainly wouldn't have jeopardized his carefully constructed "new life" to do so.

Through detours Parker started to book concerts for a singer namend Gene Austin. In the 1920s he had been a star, but when he met the future Colonel, he had spent all his money and this career was down. Parker used all the tricks he had learned when he travelled with the carnies and managed to get Austin's career out of the hole. To fake huge interest in his client's concerts, the promoter opened the doors to the venues so late, that nearly all attendees stood in line to get in. When the doors were finally opened, photos were made and it looked as if masses of people were coming to see the performances. To continue his work with Austin, Parker would have needed to move to Nashville (without the internet one had to be on site in those days). He decided to stay in Tampa/Florida and started to manage an animal shelter for the Hilsborough County Humane Society. The non-profit organization paid him well and provided a pro-bono appartment. Parker made some extra money by using the company's property to establish a pet cemetery. At the time this was quite uncommon, so he set up fake tombstones to convince the interested people, that they were not the only ones, who wanted their animals to be burried there. As soon as the cemetery filled up, he removed the fake gravestones and sold the sepulchres to real customers. Of course Parker didn't inform his employer about the business and kept the money for himself. To generate donations for the Hilsborough County Humane Society, Thomas Andrew started to organize charity concerts and booked rising stars like Minnie Pearl and Eddy Arnold. Finally he quit his regular job and became the manager of Mr. Arnold.

From 1945 onwards Parker organized concert tours for his client and also got him to perform on television, at the time the most advanced media technology. He also made sure, his client received the copyright to many of his songs. In return Parker received 25% of Arnold's income - a much larger percentage than other managers got. In 1948 Thomas Andrew was hired as election campaign manager for Jimmie Davis, who wanted to become governor of Louisiana. After he had won the election, he made Parker a Colonel of the Louisiana State Militia. The clever business man used this title extensively and it didn't take long until he widely was known as "The Colonel". In 1952 Parker also started to manage a young singer named Tommy Sands. Arnold wasn't pleased at all to share his manager with another artist and when Thomas Andrew began to work with the country star Hank Snow as well, he finally fired him. Parker demanded an indemnity payment of 50,000 USD (calculating with a rough factor of 15 this would be 750,000 USD today), which he was able to receive. The management of the musicians had made him a well-to-do business man, but now Parker could consider himself to be wealthy!

With his new business partner Parker established a company named "Hank Snow Enterprise & Jamboree Attractions". But he also still worked for Tommy Sands and even organized concert tours for Eddie Arnold. Thomas Andrew still used the old carny tricks to save some money. Most cheques were signed by his stars, so that some of the receivers kept them as souvenirs instead of cashing them at the bank. In early 1955 a young singer named Elvis Presley got the attention of the Colonel. To make Hank Snow's package shows more appealing to young people, Parker booked Presley as one of the acts. Both men quickly discovered the advantages of each other and in August 1955 Elvis made the Colonel his personal advisor. De facto Parker took over the young singer's management, even though this position officially was held by Bob Neal. After Thomas Andrew had managed to move Elvis from SUN Records to RCA Victor, at the time one of the largest labels in the world, it was a logical step to get rid of Mr. Neal. In March 1956 Parker officially became the manager of Elvis Presley, once again taking 25% of his client's earnings. Originally Hank Snow and the Colonel had agreed to sign Presley to their mutal company, but instead Parker had made his own contract with Elvis. Snow was furious and quit the business with Parker. However, just like Eddie Arnold he still had several concert tours booked by his former manager.

As a manager and promoter Parker was way ahead of his time. He believed in multi media marketing, created a staggering amount of merchandise products and cleverly formed and adjusted his client's image. The Colonel knew, that the lifespan of a teenage idol was short and that Elvis had to appeal to a more conservative and older audience, if he wanted to stay in the business. Finally the government did the trick by drafting the rock'n'roll king. Parker used Elvis' Army stint as an image campaign and didn't leave out any opportunity to show off his client's patriotism, sense of duty and modesty. In the 1960s Mr. Presley had turned into an idol for the whole family and the cross promotion effect of movies and soundtrack albums soon made him one of the best paid stars on the planet. In the middle of the decade the commercial success decreased, Elvis' abuse of medication became evident and he lost the interest in his career. Besides that, his ongoing affair with an underage girl named Priscilla Ann Beaulieu hung over them like a sword of Damocles. Due to cleverly negotiated long-term contracts with MGM and RCA Elvis' income was higher than ever, but Parker knew too well that his client's career was in desperate need of restructuring. The Colonel's private life wasn't any better. His wife Marie showed increasing signs of dementia and Thomas Andrew searched for diversion at the gambling tables and slot machines. Soon he became a regular visitor of various casinos. Besides that, his own health got worse. He suffered from constant back pain and heart problems.

While he wasn't able to solve his private matters, Parker cleaned up the life of his client. Larry Geller, who had introduced Elvis to various pseudo-religious humbug, was mobbed out of the "Memphis Mafia" and the singer was pressed to marry Priscilla as soon as she turned 21. It was also tried to reduce the singer's drug consumption. The plan worked out! With the well promoted wedding a lolita scandal had been avoided and Elvis' image was adjusted to his age. As if ordered by Parker, Lisa Marie Presley was born exactly nine months after the ceremony. Now Mr. Presley was a family man! The situation was topped by an artist, who suddenly appeared to be motivated and fit again.

Because the audience was sick and tired of Elvis' movies and soundtrack albums, Parker switched back to studio albums and concert performances. Once more the change was successful and his client soon became the best paid artist in Vegas. Due to his experiences of the previous decade, the Colonel dealt out long-term contracts with the casino resort. If Elvis' career would decline again, he still could rely on the payments from the International Hotel. The concert tours also were extremely successful. Parker's plan worked out. With some remarkable exceptions Elvis' current records didn't sell all that well from 1971 onwards, but the concert business was getting better and better and kept him at the top of the entertainment industry. However, Parker strongly advised against concerts outside of the US. Here the Presley organization would have to deal with different currencies, languages, tax systems and much more. It all would have been a lot more expensive than staying in the US. Besides that, Elvis refused to perform in large outdoor stadiums and the indoor venues in Europe and Asia were a lot samller than the ones at home. As the 1970s wore on, the king's drug addiction increased again and at times he was barely able to function. Because of that, movie projects and longer concert tours were refused. There simply was no way to hide the problem, if Elvis was around outsiders for a longer period.

Like he had always done, Parker used his business partner's weak points to his own favor. Elvis had no clue about financial and contractual issues and wasn't interested in the business side of his career at all. He seemed to be happy as long as he was a millionaire. In late 1966 he convinced his client, that everything but the regular installments from RCA Victor, the fees from the movie studios and the earnings from live performances should be split 50/50. When Elvis -against the Colonel's advice- sold the rights to royalties on everything he had recorded prior to 1973 (excluding the song "Fool") to RCA, he even managed to make the king believe, that this was a joint venture, too, and therefore the earnings had to be shared by half. From 1976 onwards the concerts were also regarded to be a joint venture. At this point Parker received 50% on everything but the regular prepayments from RCA.

When Elvis died on August 16, 1977 the Colonel reacted fast and made several merchandising deals. Because each and everyone seemed to sell Presley souveniers, at least a part of the money landed in the pockets of the Presley family. In September 1978 Parker staged the "Always Elvis" festival at the Las Vegas Hilton, which was attended by Priscilla and Vernon.

In the late 1970s it became known, that the Colonel had missed to register his client with BMI and ASCAP and therefore lost millions of dollars over the years. Besides that, he still received 50% of the Presley estate's income. Because Elvis had never made any investment and spent all of his money instead, the joint heirs ran out of cash. They tried to get rid of Parker and filed a suit against him. By revealing his true identity, the manager caused a mayor delay of the court proceedings. A delay, Elvis Presley Enterprises could not afford. So it was decided to settle the case out of court and simply buy the Colonel out with two million USD. Even though Parker had revealed, that his real name was Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk and he had lived under a fake identity for several decades, there were no attempts to make him leave the country. He was a wealthy man, had always paid his taxes and attended to his duties. Over the years several stars offered Parker to manage them, but he always turned them down. The only job he kept was the one of an advisor for the Las Vegas Hilton. But it's safe to say, that this was simply because of his gambling habit.

Interview With Colonel Parker (August 15, 1987)