The Colonel - BBC Radio 2 Documentary

[Graceland Gardener]

Luuk will love that. He's apparently the Colonel's number one fan.

[Luuk]

Luuk will love that. He's apparently the Colonel's number one fan.

I am not The Colonel's number one fan. I just always wonder why people only accentuate mistakes The Colonel supposedly made with Elvis' career. Some even go as far as to suggest The Colonel hypnotized Elvis so The Colonel could take a lot of money and have Elvis do whatever The Colonel wanted him to do.
If you lived in the fifties and sixties you would know that there were no rules yet for managing an artist.
Elvis was surrounded by some 15 guys all the time. Most of these had ties in the music world and could advise Elvis. IMO if Elvis really had wanted to do live shows in Europe, like he said many times in interviews ever since 1956, these shows would have been done. In 1960 it was already discovered The Colonel originated from The Netherlands. He joined the US Army and lost his Dutch passport because of that if he ever had a Dutch passport. He was legally a minor when he went to the USA!
Anyway, with his contacts up to presidential level I am sure The Colonel could have gotten a US passport and travelled with Elvis to Europe.
Perhaps there were other reasons for Elvis not appearing here? Like no good halls, no chance of making a profit, no good security or best of all: no tickets for the fans as all tickets would be taken up by local celebrities!
This happens when Robby Williams and the likes do shows here, so guess what happens when Elvis would do a show? How many fans had a chance to get tickets for the July 31, 1969 opening show? The hall was filled with celebrities only! I bet a lot of fans would have wanted to be there but could not get a ticket.......

[Keith Richards, Jr.]

Luuk will love that. He's apparently the Colonel's number one fan.

No, he's not. I am.

The Colonel is the coolest and most fascinating manager to ever walk the earth.

Keith Richars, Jr.

[Marko]

The Colonel is the coolest and most fascinating manager to ever walk the earth.

But certainly not the greatest.

[Graceland Gardener]

Of all the people who ever aspired to be rich and famous,
and was driven to achieve fame and fortune....

Col. Parker certainly did accomplish that....

for his own self; making himself rich and famous.


Elvis Presley was the tool.

The gyrating device.


----

Not many managers/agents are thinking now how can "I" become rich and famous?

But I suspect Tom Parker did just that.


Eddy Arnold got him a fair amount of fame, money, and clout.

But he latched onto Elvis and really skyrocketed to success!

Milked Elvis' popularity for all he could get out of it too.


Heads of State sent flowers to the Vegas Hilton went Parker died.
He was indeed a legend with admirers & mourners all over the world.

[Keith Richards, Jr.]

But certainly not the greatest.

You've got a point there, Marko!

But I do love the guy. I spent a week reading "The Colonel" by Alanna Nash during a vacation last summer. There are so many fantastic stories in that book. What a character...

Keith Richards, Jr.

[Marko]

But certainly not the greatest.

You've got a point there, Marko!

But I do love the guy. I spent a week reading "The Colonel" by Alanna Nash during a vacation last summer. Each night when me and my girlfriend went out eating I'd tell her what had happened in the book I'd read during the day. I was a success every time! There are so many fantastic stories in that book. What a character...

Keith Richards, Jr.

I agree that he is an interesting character. Even with the Nash book he is still a bit of mystery. Had he been alive in 1999 when I went to Las Vegas I certainly would have made an effort to meet him.

I've been waiting for the book that his widow was suppose to make using Colonels own archives. The writer Bruce Banke died in 2000 and I haven't heard anything of it since.

[Luuk]

The Colonel is a prime example of the American Dream: from (illegal) immigrant to millionair (sp).

[Steve_M]

The Colonel is a prime example of the American Dream: from (illegal) immigrant to millionair (sp).

Yep, that's true, I have no objections to him being compared to Al Capone.

[Marko]

The Colonel is a prime example of the American Dream: from (illegal) immigrant to millionair (sp).

Nightmare would be more likely. Man fleeds his native country probably after killing a woman. Has a nervous breakdown in the army and is released because his diagnosed as a psychopath. Becomes a multimillioner but loses his fortunes because of gambling and then betrays his only client to pay his own debts. Refuses to talk with his dying sister and dies himself relatively poor and lonely. If this is the American Dream you can keep it.

[Luuk]

The Colonel is a prime example of the American Dream: from (illegal) immigrant to millionair (sp).

Nightmare would be more likely. Man fleeds his native country probably after killing a woman. Has a nervous breakdown in the army and is released because his diagnosed as a psychopath. Becomes a multimillioner but loses his fortunes because of gambling and then betrays his only client to pay his own debts. Refuses to talk with his dying sister and dies himself relatively poor and lonely. If this is the American Dream you can keep it.

1. There is absolutely NO PROOF that the Dutch police even considered Dries van Kuijk as a possible murderer. This a fantasy from Alana Nash to sell the book.
2. While in the US Army Thomas A. Parker during a leave went to the circus and travelled with them instead of going back to the barracks. In order to leave the US Army and travel with the circus he played the fool and got kicked out of the Army. Just like he wanted!
3. How he spent his money was up to him and him alone. If Elvis did not want Parker to get his manager's share (whatever percentage they AGREED upon) he should have fired Parker.

Please stick to FACTS instead of some poor woman's fantasy.

[Graceland Gardener]

Luuk,

ummm...

do you happen to be a relative of Dries van Kuijk





You defend him more than anyone I've ever known.

[Marko]

The Colonel is a prime example of the American Dream: from (illegal) immigrant to millionair (sp).

Nightmare would be more likely. Man fleeds his native country probably after killing a woman. Has a nervous breakdown in the army and is released because his diagnosed as a psychopath. Becomes a multimillioner but loses his fortunes because of gambling and then betrays his only client to pay his own debts. Refuses to talk with his dying sister and dies himself relatively poor and lonely. If this is the American Dream you can keep it.

1. There is absolutely NO PROOF that the Dutch police even considered Dries van Kuijk as a possible murderer. This a fantasy from Alana Nash to sell the book.
2. While in the US Army Thomas A. Parker during a leave went to the circus and travelled with them instead of going back to the barracks. In order to leave the US Army and travel with the circus he played the fool and got kicked out of the Army. Just like he wanted!
3. How he spent his money was up to him and him alone. If Elvis did not want Parker to get his manager's share (whatever percentage they AGREED upon) he should have fired Parker.

Please stick to FACTS instead of some poor woman's fantasy.

Luuk,

1. I actually agree with you about the murder case. There's no hard evidence to support the claim except the anomonys letter that named Colonel as the killer. That's why I used the word "probably". However, it's quite clear from Parker's behaviour later on that he had something to hide. What it was, we don't know. But the way he was acting indicates it was something serious.
2. Fooling expert doctors is pretty hard to do. Until someone shows me a medical certificate that says he wasn't psychopath I'm afraid I have go with that. What is your evidence that he wasn't psychopath? Please stick to the facts, my friend.
3. I'm not critising Colonel for losing his money. I'm critising him for making deals behind Elvis's back for himself to pay his gambling debts. Colonel got all kinds of consultant fees from companies that he dealed while he was negotiaging for Elvis. He owned millions to Las Vegas Hilton. At the same time he was supposed to make the best deal possible for Elvis. That's a clear violation of his duties. He also got perks from hotels, RCA and other companies. Elvis never saw any of the money that Colonel got for himself nor is there any evidence that he knew of them. Still Colonel took his percentage from everything Elvis made. They were supposed to be partners (as Colonel claimed after Elvis died). Colonel betrayed Elvis because of his gambling debts.

[Luuk]

The Colonel is a prime example of the American Dream: from (illegal) immigrant to millionair (sp).

Nightmare would be more likely. Man fleeds his native country probably after killing a woman. Has a nervous breakdown in the army and is released because his diagnosed as a psychopath. Becomes a multimillioner but loses his fortunes because of gambling and then betrays his only client to pay his own debts. Refuses to talk with his dying sister and dies himself relatively poor and lonely. If this is the American Dream you can keep it.

1. There is absolutely NO PROOF that the Dutch police even considered Dries van Kuijk as a possible murderer. This a fantasy from Alana Nash to sell the book.
2. While in the US Army Thomas A. Parker during a leave went to the circus and travelled with them instead of going back to the barracks. In order to leave the US Army and travel with the circus he played the fool and got kicked out of the Army. Just like he wanted!
3. How he spent his money was up to him and him alone. If Elvis did not want Parker to get his manager's share (whatever percentage they AGREED upon) he should have fired Parker.

Please stick to FACTS instead of some poor woman's fantasy.

Luuk,

1. I actually agree with you about the murder case. There's no hard evidence to support the claim except the anomonys letter that named Colonel as the killer. That's why I used the word "probably". However, it's quite clear from Parker's behaviour later on that he had something to hide. What it was, we don't know. But the way he was acting indicates it was something serious.
2. Fooling expert doctors is pretty hard to do. Until someone shows me a medical certificate that says he wasn't psychopath I'm afraid I have go with that. What is your evidence that he wasn't psychopath? Please stick to the facts, my friend.
3. I'm not critising Colonel for losing his money. I'm critising him for making deals behind Elvis's back for himself to pay his gambling debts. Colonel got all kinds of consultant fees from companies that he dealed while he was negotiaging for Elvis. He owned millions to Las Vegas Hilton. At the same time he was supposed to make the best deal possible for Elvis. That's a clear violation of his duties. He also got perks from hotels, RCA and other companies. Elvis never saw any of the money that Colonel got for himself nor is there any evidence that he knew of them. Still Colonel took his percentage from everything Elvis made. They were supposed to be partners (as Colonel claimed after Elvis died). Colonel betrayed Elvis because of his gambling debts.

1. When asked why he never revealed he was of Dutch origin The Colonel replied nobody ever asked.
IF Dries van Kuijk had something to hide, why did he expose himself to the world as the manager of Eddy Arnold and a few others and Elvis Presley? Everybody with a high profile will be under investigation from the press to see if they can dig up any dirt. The only one who came up with possible dirt is Alana Nash but again, there is absolutely no proof of her claim.
2. Fooling expert docters was done quite regularly here in The Netherlands. Any male turning 17 or 18 years old got a mental and physical check up in order to get drafted. I was there with a friend who was musician in a well-knwon band making a lot of money at the time. He told the doctors he was homo-sexual and he was not drafted! I can assure you that the guy was no homo-sexual at all.
There were also some other tricks to avoid being drafted. The only backlash was that if one ever applied for a Government job, you would not get it if you were disqualified for military service.
3. Believe me, being well into showbizz and it's practices, managers, artists and rich people get perks from all sorts of organisation. Did you ever hear the expression "De duivel schijt altijd op dezelfde hoop" (The devil always shits on the same pile) which means rich people get gifts which poor people (who could use the gifts) do not get?
Do you think that the president of the USA needs to buy a ticket for a concert? Or senators?
Hey, I can get free tickets just because I am in politics! So it is no surprise The Colonel got perks here and there. He even would have gotten a passport from the President!

[Keith Richards, Jr.]

Fooling expert docters was done quite regularly here in The Netherlands. Any male turning 17 or 18 years old got a mental and physical check up in order to get drafted. I was there with a friend who was musician in a well-knwon band making a lot of money at the time. He told the doctors he was homo-sexual and he was not drafted! I can assure you that the guy was no homo-sexual at all. There were also some other tricks to avoid being drafted.

This sounds awfully familiar...

Keith Richards, Jr.

[Juan Luis]

I love the Colonel for the marketing prowess he displayed in the 1950s with the Album covers and bonus photos and songs etc.. Even today with FTD we get BONUS songs. The COLONEL lives!

[Marko]

Luuk,

Colonel was in a mental institute for several months. Besides he wasn't avoiding to be drafted. He volunteered. I see no evidence in you reply that would contradict the medical report that was done.

The perks are one thing but when you are representing a client you job is to get your client the best deal you can. Colonel was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars by the same companies that he was dealing on behalf of Elvis and Elvis knew nothing of those deals. That is not ethical. He took money for himself rather than making the best deals for Elvis. It was also pointed out by Blanchard Tual who investigated the dealings with Elvis and Colonel that the deals Colonel got for Elvis weren't good. Elvis's royalty rates (not to mention that the recording contracts lacked standart clause that would give Elvis the right to audit the company records) and performance fees were not as high as they should have. Basically hotels and RCA paid to Colonel to get Elvis cheap. There's also a strong suspicion (that hasn't been proven) that Parker used Elvis's as a payment for Hilton for his gambling debts. In spite this has not been proven it's clear that Parker owned Hilton several millions of dollars. If that doesn't affect his ability to negotiate with Hilton then I don't know what does.

[Steve_M]

IF Dries van Kuijk had something to hide, why did he expose himself to the world as the manager of Eddy Arnold and a few others and Elvis Presley?

2. Fooling expert docters was done quite regularly here in The Netherlands. Any male turning 17 or 18 years old got a mental and physical check up in order to get drafted. I was there with a friend who was musician in a well-knwon band making a lot of money at the time. He told the doctors he was homo-sexual and he was not drafted! I can assure you that the guy was no homo-sexual at all.

Dries van Kuijk did have someting to hide - that very name itself.

Dries van Kuijk never exposed himself with that name to anyone yet alone the world once he'd reached the US shores.

not sure how you'd assure us he wasn't a homosexual, i could understand it if you were able to be in a position to assure us he was, if you see what i mean. not saying you are, you aren't or right or wrong or whatever. Just, well.... work it out

[ColinB]

You guys aren't spelling it right:

Andreas Cornelius VanKuijk

'Dries' was the way his family shortened it - a sort of nickname.

[Luuk]

IF Dries van Kuijk had something to hide, why did he expose himself to the world as the manager of Eddy Arnold and a few others and Elvis Presley?

2. Fooling expert docters was done quite regularly here in The Netherlands. Any male turning 17 or 18 years old got a mental and physical check up in order to get drafted. I was there with a friend who was musician in a well-knwon band making a lot of money at the time. He told the doctors he was homo-sexual and he was not drafted! I can assure you that the guy was no homo-sexual at all.

Dries van Kuijk did have someting to hide - that very name itself.

Dries van Kuijk never exposed himself with that name to anyone yet alone the world once he'd reached the US shores.

not sure how you'd assure us he wasn't a homosexual, i could understand it if you were able to be in a position to assure us he was, if you see what i mean. not saying you are, you aren't or right or wrong or whatever. Just, well.... work it out

I was talking about the guy from the (Dutch) famous band who pretended to be a homo-sexual to avoid being drafted and lose his good income.

As far back as 1960 it was in a Dutch magazine that The Colonel was Dutch. In 1974 or 1975 he started to talk in Dutch with fans from The Netherlands whose tickets for the Elvis' concerts were cancelled (they did not gamble enough at the hotel!)
Yet those clever Americans only discovered The Colonel was Dutch somewhere in 1979 or 1980.

[Steve_M]

Canno have been 78 79 or 80 as elvis was referenced with saying he thought the colnle was duthc. elvis left in 77 unless you meant he wasn't a clever american.

i know you were talking about a person claiming homosexuality to keep his income (why that sound like rectum?) intact, but i was asking about your comment about being able to assure us yourself of how you knew his sexual status. It didn't matter, it was a joke hence the smiley at the end. The end of the sentence that is not on the end of anything else, well i dunno, that I cannot assure you of

[Sean Ryan]

The Col. was good for Elvis in the 50's, no question.The 60's he also was good.The movies were good buisness and it kept Elvis in the money, even though they were rubbish.

But Elvis should have sacked him in 1969 and got himself a manager who thinks about his client and not himself.

He wouldnt let Elvis go abroad to tour because he was afraid that if he went with him then he wouldnt be allowed back into the States.

He also took 50% off of Elvis even though Elvis was not in his right frame of mind and obviously didnt know what he was doing.

The Col. even sold all of Elvis's rights to his songs which is why today the Elvis Estate doesnt get any money from his music.

The Col. was a greedy fat gambling pig and i wished that he would have dropped dead at the start of the 70's.

[Marko]

No, they didn't discover he was illegal alien. Colonel had been lying about his past claiming to have been born in the US. Dum Elvis. He should have figured out that his manager wasn't who he said he was, right? Or maybe Parker should have just told him that he was an illegal alien without a passport.

Luuk, let me ask you something. In your opinion did Colonel ever do anything wrong?

[Steve_M]

colonel was getting 505 on some deals during the 60's as well. Part of the contract moved a scetion up to 50% in 1967, the full 505 on everything was January 1976 though not enforced until the CBS deal in 77.

This is the bit that sums Parker up:

Elvis makes a film and Parker gets a share of Elvis' money.

Parker, who claims Elvis as his sole client, then gets paid by the movie company (now another client) for his role as Technical Advisor.

Elvis gets 0% of Parkers money.

This grew further out of proportion in the 70's when Parker moved various aspects of the business over to be his own and no longer a part of the partnership and thus take 100% of the income of that whilst taking 50% of Elvis' now lower share of what was left.

The 1976 renewal of the contract was Elvis' last chance to get out alive. In becoming equal partners there was no longer a client manager relationship they both held equal status within their company for want of a better way of putting it and Elvis couldn't sack Parker and vice versa after that. The only way out was an unaffordable buy out of the others contract.

Ironically it was Parker who put feelers out for that in 77 not Elvis.

[Sean Ryan]

Well put Steve.

To think there are members on here who like the Colonel.

To Luuk and the others.Its nothing to do that he was from Holland.If he was british and related to me i still would have wished someone should have put a bullet in his head cause of the way he treated Elvis.

He was another Norman Petty.

Buddy Holly got ripped off as well which led to his death.

Petty took all of Buddy's money and wouldnt give it back and said to Buddy' I would rather see you dead than give you the money'.

Buddy Got married and his wife was pregnant and he wanted to stay home with her but had to tour cause he was skint and it was that tour where his plane crashed.
To think that the Col wanted to sign Buddy if he couldnt get Elvis.

At least Buddy knew he was getting shafted unlike our Elvis.