I played on one of the songs from those sessions (Treat Me Nice), but I wasnt that good of a player. In Elvis, out June 24, we get a portrait not only of the rise and fall of Elvis (Austin Butler), but also of his manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), and the co-dependent relationship between the two. In 1969, she was an employee of the International Hotel when Elvis made his record-breaking performances there. The Elvis version became a smash while you were overseas and blissfully unaware. The bass was either the father or the heavy. Some people have said the movie undersells Elvis country and crooner influences to make him look like almost solely the product of blues and R&B. The Colonel wouldve made a movie like this you know, without Baz Luhrmanns ability or chops. It was all to make him into a beloved pop idol, not a dangerous, lugubrious rock n roller. Anything else to say about the Parker characterization? Eddy Arnold, whom Parker had built into a household name, had fired him as his manager over failing to honor their exclusive contract, though Parker continued to book him. A nice thing is that the characters names are the real names of the first cast, and its kind of sweet those first members of the cast have been immortalized. The Colonel is a complicated character, and while he always took too much of Presleys money, he made some very sound decisions for him. He liked B.B. Elvis would never have been so crass as to have fired Colonel from the stage. The Colonel was upset with us because we got friendly with Elvis, and he didnt like that. The timeline well, what timeline? Colonel Parker is seen as under pressure from secretive governmental forces who want to keep Elvis from corrupting youth and to try to get him to tamp down Presley, they threaten to expose. "But he had no other client than Elvis Presley, and he lacked the imagination to see just how truly a greater social force Elvis could have been.". Presley had other ways of making money that they could fall back on. And it still gets produced; it played in New York again in 2018 and in London last year. In 1967, Parker pushed Elvis to marry Priscilla Beaulieu, hoping that it would help change the tide of his career. I dont like the story. And then, of course, there was (the film) Jailhouse Rock (also retitled after a song Leiber and Stoller came up with), which was where Elvis heard the demos and wanted to meet us. Those guys complaining some of them are not working too good. Its kind of like Priscilla letting Baz make Parker out to be such a villain, but is now having Hanks and Baz say they toned down the Colonels evilness once they met with her, because Parker was a good guy. No one is probably expecting that; any practiced watcher of biopics knows virtually any example will take deep liberties with the facts for dramatic purposes. Hanks explained that he was days away from shooting the film in March when he contracted COVID-19. In the end, they'd become dependent on one another and were in too deep to even know how to start over. Still, Elvis is right on enough counts literally or spiritually that its worth trying to separate fact from fiction in the movies narrative of Elvis Presley (played by Austin Butler) and his nearly career-long manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). I'm just going to say, sir, it is always a pleasure to talk with you. "The promotion. ", Luhrmann similarly saw the dynamic as one on a grand scale that defied any simple construct of villainy. While proving to be a frequent challenge for Parker, Elvis and the Colonel stuck together. And I was very happy with the way my songs were used. Are you kidding? That can be found in detail in two Parker biographies published in recent years Colonel Tom Parkerby James Dickerson (2001) andThe Colonelby Alanna Nash (2003). How about a credit? And Jerry Wexler said, But you wrote the song! As a joke, he formed the. However, as he always does, Hanks shone as Tom Parker in Elvis, and the Colonel proved to the world that he could play a complex villain. 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. No, it never did. [A movie version of Walk on the Wild Side was eventually produced in the 60s, with none of the same talent attached, and flopped.]. In particular, Hanks was looking forward to taking part in a fresh look at the story, as the tale of Elvis is well-known enough to garner fatigue. ", Another guy says he has a script which would cinch an Oscar for Elvis and wouldnt we do it for less money. Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's Manager : 1993 As Presley's fame grew, people became interested in Parker as well. And there certainly would've been no Elvis without Colonel Tom Parker.' Parker realized early on the bigger potential of Austin Butler's Elvis and transitioned to managing him full-time. Tom Hanks is playing Elvis Presley manager "Colonel Tom" Parker in the upcoming Baz Luhrmann film, and to get a better idea of the infamous character, the actor had dinner with Priscilla. Tom Hanks has built a reputation for disappearing into his roles. Parker found ways to market Elvis through merchandise, TV appearances, and films, always working in some kind of cross-promotion to make more money off the endeavor. Which I thought was weird, at the time. The Tom Hanks Tom Parker portrayal was a shocking one. Parker used Jimmie to sidle up to Elvis and form a friendship to get Elvis to sign with Parker and the elder Snow, who were then business partners. They were hot with Grand Funk Railroad and a variety of things, but that was not what they were looking for in 1969. It certainly was a big question mark then as to whether people would accept a jukebox musical that had no book at all. In their rush to denounce him for failing his client in later years, many Elvis fans forget that there may not have been an Elvis Presley were it not for Tom Parkers work in those early days. In an exclusive interview, David E Stanley said his brother's manager Colonel Tom Parker - played by Tom Hanks in a new movie about the star - treated the iconic singer as a "product" and. From your memoir, it sounds like Peggy Lee might have been the least fun? And I went, 'I bet Tom Hanks would be into a playing a dark note on his instrument that no one could see coming. He. The film opens on Parker, absolving himself of guilt for the trajectory of Elvis's life, saying, "Some would have me the villain in this story." The Beatles and the Stones both covered your songs (Kansas City and Poison Ivy, respectively). It became a big hit. Then we didnt see her at all for the next five or six years until she was presented with a demo that we had done of Is That All There Is? She said the song was written for her, that it was based on her life which it wasnt, but she said it was her life story. Tom Hanks is playingElvis Presley manager "Colonel Tom" Parker in the upcomingBaz Luhrmann film, and to get a better idea of the infamous character, the actor had dinner withPriscilla Presley. He had a matter-of-fact method of speaking and didn't suffer fools lightly. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. He did make him by 1961 a talent that would reign eternally, probably a career that could be of import for 20 years. Which is not the one in the film, because the one in the film was blown out and had a bigger orchestra. When Elvis returned home from the Army, The Colonel focused on more films, TV appearances, and albums, saturating the airwaves with Elvis. Any thoughts on that? He also paid a visit to Little Richards home in California in the late 50s. In 1983, he was paid $2 million dollars in an out-of-court settlement, which had him turn over any and all audio and video recordings he had of Elvis and terminated his involvement in any Elvis-related earnings for five years. Cash was split down-the-line of 75% to Elvis and 25% to the Colonel, with the William Morris Agency taking 10% off of the top of film revenues. Parker was an avid gambler, which is believed to have been the source of many of his "fast money" dealings with Austin Butler's Elvis. He is seen attending so many performances by R&B singers, whether its Arthur Big Boy Crudup as a kid or Big Mama Thornton, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, B.B. The actor has talked about the project, what drew him to it, and how he felt about the overall story. Davis went to have a look and went back to tell Colonel Parker all about him and how he wiggled and girls went wild. Elvis and the Colonel were associated throughout the musician's entire career, including music, movies, and TV specials. Why dont you wait outside? So we waited, trying to imagine how we were going to be rewarded for bringing this great plumb. Peter (2018), So maybe we never win an Oscar but were going to win a few box office awards. But we do remember Elvis and are remembering him more universally than we have since his 1977 death, thanks to Baz Luhrmanns new Elvis biopic. Stand by Me is never going away. Read Next: Pink Performs Acoustic Set for No Kid Hungry, Talks Why Her Upcoming Arena Tour Will Feel Intimate. ), Parker admitted he was a bit troubled by the public perception that he was profiting too much from Presleys work. We were in the studio with her for Im a Woman [later in 62], and it worked out great. I don't know if that's true or not. ", For Butler, doing the heavy lifting as Presley, he saw the casting of Hanks as a stroke of brilliance in complicating the Colonel's villainy. But the first take was great. That sold tickets! Colonel Parker is seen as under pressure from secretive governmental forces who want to keep Elvis from corrupting youth and to try to get him to tamp down Presley, they threaten toexpose his past, as a non-American native of Holland, which hes desperate to hide. Only then did the Presley-Parker partnership make a triumphant return to television and, soon after that, to the concert stage. And when you first buy it, you love listening to it. The actor has proven time and again that he's up to the challenge of playing a real-world personality and the role of Elvis and the Colonel is no different. Is it true that Colonel Parkers reason for being attracted to Elvis was that he thought a white singer who sounded Black was bound to be a star and accomplish what a Black singer could not? But he worked closely with the Pentagon, planning Elvis army career and post-army concert to raise money for the U.S.S. Colonel Parker is seen as under pressure from secretive governmental forces who want to keep Elvis from corrupting youth and to try to get him to tamp down Presley, they threaten to expose. He mentions that church in the film. And then I guess it, obviously, became something else. While director Baz Luhrmann's take on the complex dynamic between Elvis and the Colonel goes far behind the black-and-white shades of good and evil, what makes it even more compelling is that the grotesque figure of Tom Parker is played by, arguably, the most beloved actor of the last 40 years, Tom Hanks. Privately, Parker referred to Elviss family as shit and rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. I'll tell you specifically. Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action, Baz Luhrmann clarifies not casting Harry Styles as Elvis, hopes to work with him in the future. I do know that while researching for my book, The purpose here is not to recap the relationship between Parker and Presley. Love him or loathe him, Elvis manager Colonel Tom Parker was good for Vegas "But having seen the movie, I notice something profoundly different every time. Is it bittersweet that you had your theatrical success with a revue? But they all tended to be the same kind of story. '", This notion of making Elvis and the Colonel foils to each other was what made Hanks feel like Luhrmann's Elvis would be a fresh take on the story. And then they asked us to write for a movie that became Loving You, when it was renamed after the song that we wrote. On top of that, Parker found venue upon venue for Elvis to perform in, be it recording studios, Hollywood films, TV specials, and even satellite broadcasts, immersing the artist into the cultural zeitgeist while keeping him landlocked in North America. Col Parker is talking from 16:45---16:55(ish) and that last bit is 20:04---you get a clear shot of Parker talking and good audio . We never saw him again. Is it true, as portrayed, that Parker was consistently trying to pressure Elvis to tone down his sex appeal? He was believed to have been in debt to the Las Vegas Hilton for over $30 million at one point, which led to his eviction from the property after Elvis' death. Elvis seemed to evoke a love or hate response in anyone I knew. How did you finally land on the Colonels bad side? Near the end of his life, Parker is said to have been speaking with two promoters about this, since Elvis was so deeply unhappy about never getting to go tour Europe, but it never happened. But first we had to pass muster with the Colonel, so we were invited to dinner by the music publishers Jean and Julian Aberbach, who also were tied in with the Colonel; they had started with Eddie Arnold, too, and met through that business relationship. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member (class of 1987) told us about everything from why he never much liked Presleys version of Hound Dog Big Mama Thornton was a hard act to follow to how he realized a Broadway musical rooted in the duos songs, Smokey Joes Cafe, could be a smash if they just dispensed with a storyline and script. Anyway, one of us said, Uh, Big Mama, you know, you could growl it, and she said, Dont be telling me how to sing the blues! [The version Leiber and Stoller relay in their memoir has a little more lewdness to the response.] In making him such an antagonist, they have robbed him of his many accomplishments with his client. With writer-director Baz Luhrmanns Elvis opening in theaters this weekend around the world, I recently got to speak with Tom Hanks about playing Colonel Tom Parker in the biopic. With the Coasters, who you were just as prolific with, you had a whole style of songwriting going that was based in storytelling, almost like mini-musicals you called them playlets.. The Tom Hanks Tom Parker portrayal was certainly a different type of role for the actor, who is known for taking on characters like the sunny Mr. Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. Visit Billboard Pro for music business news, Kenny Loggins Talks Danger Zone Return For Top Gun: Maverick, Jim Carrey Says Will Smith Should Have Been Arrested for Chris Rock Oscars Slap, Pam & Tommy Director Lake Bell Explores Personal, Cathartic Episode Four. Tom Hanks is playingElvis Presley manager Colonel Tom Parker in the upcomingBaz Luhrmann film, and to get a better idea of the infamous character, the actor had dinner withPriscilla Presley. Yes. Monday at 10:00, you're going to be on set and you're going to be committing to film forever the emotional spine of the movie. Hanks also reveals his dream project and its not what youre expecting. Yes, Priscilla invited us to a private screening, and she and Jerry Schilling were there. He wanted us to write the score for it, and for us to help get Elvis to play the lead. Dean Reed was an incredibly handsome guy. And there certainly would've been no Elvis without Colonel Tom Parker.' But hey, its generational, I think. Elvis had just as many white influences and announced as early as seventh grade that he was going to sing at the Grand Ole Opry. Colonel Parker Answered Criticism . Why AI Has Some Viewers Asking Which Film Actors Are Real. Is there anything to that? And he pretty much disappeared after we started talking and telling him what to do or suggesting this and that; he just took off. I dont think the band is great. If Hollywood has an everyman, it's Hanks, the affable All-American Guy cut from the same cloth as stars like Gary Cooper, James Stewart, and Henry Fonda. Didnt he ask to become the manager of Leiber and Stoller, too and, as the story goes, he presented you with a completely blank contract? Nash, a veteran music journalist, published The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley to acclaim in 2010 and her book has just been reissued with a new afterword. The Coasters were different characters. He literally never made any artistic suggestion to Elvis. So much so, that the Elvis estate even sued Parker for mismanagement. Luhrmann hasnt really given him his due by a long shot. He cited several reasons primarily security and not big enough venues, or said the money wasnt right. '", Luhrmann's instinct was right. Colonel Tom Parker [1909-1997] Colonel Thomas Andrew "Tom" Parker (Born Andreas Cornelis van Kuyk) was an enigma from the day he arrived on a freighter in Tampa Bay, Florida, as an illegal immigrant at about the age of 20 until his death at the advanced age of 87 in 1997. He sells! However, it soon became obvious that Elvis had staying power, with the right guidance. And when I got to New York and stepped off the gang plank, Jerry ran up to me I hadnt seen him in almost four months and said, Mike, we got a smash hit! I said, Youre kidding. He said, Hound Dog. I said [incredulously], Big Mama Thornton? He said, No, some white kid named Elvis Presley. And thats how I heard about Elvis.

Incorporating A Lost Loved One In Family Portrait, Minot Daily News Obituaries, Articles C