bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Lynn Farah

A gambling, circus- and cigar-loving illegal immigrant: that’s who created the buzz behind the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Elvis Presley. Colonel Tom Parker was the one person you’d see at Presley’s side all the time and the testy relationship between the Jailhouse Rock singer and the man who elevated him onto the throne has been brought into the spotlight with Baz Luhrmann’s recent biopic, Elvis. American actor Tom Hanks plays Presley’s former manager in the film.

So, who was the man that gave the world so much but, at the same time, took so much from the person he got everyone to adore? Meet Colonel Tom Parker, a complex man who was not all bad … but certainly not all good.
The immigrant

Parker was born in the Netherlands as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk. He was the seventh child of a delivery driver and housewife, according to Radio Times. He was an illegal immigrant when he arrived in the US in 1929 at the age of 20.

When Parker arrived in the US, he created a new identity for himself and worked as a carnival employee before becoming involved in music promotion. It was reported that despite his official title, he was never actually a colonel, and when he enlisted in the US army, he was discharged after a psychiatrist certified him a psychopath, reported The Guardian.
It has been well-documented that Presley wanted to tour Europe, but Parker always prevented that from happening because of his illegal immigrant status.
Meet the 6 women Elvis Presley fell ‘in love’ with
Meeting Elvis Presley

According to Biography, Parker had learned of Presley through his associate Oscar Davis and heard his voice live at the Louisiana Hayride in 1955. Memphis radio personality Bob Neal was managing Presley at the time, before Parker took it into his own hands and catapulted the star’s career to international stardom. Radio Times reported that Neal didn’t have enough time to promote his client.

After a meeting between Parker and Presley, the colonel started to take control of some of his bookings and promotions. Presley’s contract with Neal expired and Parker became his full-time manager in 1956, becoming his sole representative and landing the rising star a new record deal with RCA Victor.
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. He also became an adviser to the star, helping Presley make the decision to accept military service in 1958 and marry Priscilla Beaulieu in 1967.

After Presley died, Parker managed his estate but in 1980 a judge found that his management had been unethical. It was during this case that it also emerged that The King had lost out on millions in royalties because the colonel had decided not to sign him up to The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

Parker was also nicknamed “The Snowman”. According to Screen Rant, the nickname is a play on showman, with snow referring to a con or trick.
Who will be the next James Bond? 10 men – and 1 woman – in the running
The accent

In the Elvis movie, the colonel’s accent is prominent. According to Alanna Nash, who has written four books on Presley and one on the colonel’s relationship with the rock star, the accent was actually made to sound like the colonel had a speech impediment. He apparently found it difficult to pronounce consonants like “R”, she wrote on Vanity Fair.
Making a rock star

If there was one thing Parker knew how to do, it was to market Elvis Presley. Besides merchandise, the manager knew how to work the press to have the most sensational angles published.

According to Nash, the colonel was a master at creating controversy because he knew that made his artist more famous.
The good

Although the colonel is depicted in the Elvis movie as a sly huckster and it was eventually deemed that he had operated unethically as a manager, he did make great strides in the entertainment industry.

Nash argued that Parker reinvented American popular culture through his merchandising techniques. He landed one of the first US$1 million movie deals for a Hollywood actor and got Presley the highest-paying Vegas contract at the time.
Who’s the richest Wooga Squad member? Net worths, ranked
The death of Colonel Tom Parker

Presley’s manager died in 1997 in Las Vegas from a stroke at age 87. According to Smithsonian magazine, he had no children and his wife was more of a companion than a lover. It was never revealed who Parker really was before he arrived in the US, but in Nash’s biography, The Colonel, she believes he was “potentially a stone cold killer”.
Priscilla, Elvis’ ex-wife, attended the funeral. She said the world was “richer, better and more interesting because of their collaboration”, per Radio Times. She added, “And now I need to locate my wallet, because I noticed there was no ticket booth on the way in here, but I’m sure that the colonel must have arranged for some toll on the way out.”
Want more stories like this? Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.


Who was Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley’s manager who allegedly stole over half of his millions? Inside their controversial connection, depicted in Baz Luhrmann’s new biopic

Colonel Tom Parker was the manager of Elvis Presley. Photo: @priscillapresleyelvisfan/Instagram

Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley. Photo: @flippy.elviss/Instagram

Colonel Tom Parker, manager of musician Elvis Presley, pictured smoking a cigar, circa 1955. Photo: Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Colonel Tom Parker helped Elvis Presley rise to international stardom. Photo: @priscillapresleyelvisfan/Instagram

Colonel Tom Parker watched Elvis Presley live at the Louisiana Hayride in 1955. Photo: @priscillapresleyelvisfan/Instagram

Colonel Tom Parker became Elvis Presley’s full-time manager in 1956. Photo: @elvisdiscussions/Instagram

Colonel Tom Parker reportedly took over 50 per cent of Elvis Presley’s income. Photo: @tcb_elviscollection_ny/Instagram

Colonel Tom Parker took over Elvis Presley’s estate after his death, but a judge found him guilty of unethical management. Photo: @flippy.elviss/Instagram

Elvis Presley’s manager Colonel Tom Parker was nicknamed The Snowman – for not-so-amicable reasons. Photo: @iconic_elvis_/Instagram

Colonel Tom Parker, who managed Elvis Presley, was born in the Netherlands before he illegally immigrated to the United States. Photo: @elvis.presley.live/Instagram

Colonel Tom Parker was arguably the mastermind behind Elvis Presley’s worldwide fame. Photo: @priscillapresleyelvisfan/Instagram

Colonel Tom Parker encouraged drama, even if staged, for the purpose of publicity for his client Elvis Presley. Photo: @priscillapresleyelvisfan/Instagram

Despite his controversies, Colonel Tom Parker unquestionably did help make Elvis Presley a star. Photo: @priscillapresleyelvisfan/Instagram

Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley landed some of Hollywood’s most lucrative deals at the time. Photo: @priscillapresleyelvisfan/Instagram

Colonel Tom Parker stayed in the US and died in Las Vegas in 1997. Photo: @terrymeiners/Instagram

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Played by Tom Hanks in the Elvis film, the Dutch-born cigar lover moved to the US illegally at age 20 and changed his name, touring with a circus – it wasn’t until the 50s that he met young Presley
Parker was nicknamed ‘The Snowman’, referring to cons … but he did get Presley Hollywood roles and a lucrative Las Vegas contract, and Priscilla Presley attended his funeral


Played by Tom Hanks in the Elvis film, Parker allegedly stole over half of the King’s millions, but he’s also credited with reinventing American popular culture …
