The Colonel

by Alanna Nash

  pagelink “a gang of promoters”: Movie-plot ideas, Colonel Tom Parker in letter to Hal Wallis, December 18, 1958, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “a gypsy boy”: Dick Sokolove in interoffice memo to Hal Wallis, June 5, 1961, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “flooding the market”: Colonel Tom Parker to Steve Sholes, quoted in Guralnick and Jorgensen, Elvis Day by Day.

  pagelink “I’ve got money stashed in places all over the world”: Colonel Tom Parker quoted by Byron Raphael to author, 1998. According to two other people close to the Colonel, he occasionally traveled out of the country with a fake passport. This has not been documented.

  pagelink “some important papers”: Judy Gay Burkley to author, 1997.

  pagelink “People thought it was strange,”: Freddy Bienstock to author, 1997

  pagelink “I hope our paths cross again”: Lyndon Baines Johnson in letter to Colonel Tom Parker, December 29, 1959, Senate Masters Collection, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library.

  pagelink “certainly counting on you”: Lyndon Baines Johnson in letter to Colonel Tom Parker, January 13, 1960, Senate Masters Collection, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library.

  pagelink “My special meeting in Washington”: Colonel Tom Parker in letter to Joe Hazen, September 30, 1959, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “feels they would do the same”: Paul Nathan in interoffice memo to Hal Wallis, July 21, 1959, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink Often, Parker said: “Then Elvis went to the army for two years and I spent my money keeping Elvis’s name alive for the two years until he came out.” Colonel Tom Parker to Ralph Emery, phone conversation quoted in raw interview transcript, April 1993.

  pagelink “just another G.I. Joe”: Estes Kefauver, “Tribute to Elvis Presley,” Congressional Record, Friday, March 4, 1960, no. 40, pp. 4151–4152.

  pagelink “You don’t think”: Colonel Tom Parker quoted by Steve Sholes to Jerry Hopkins, JHC/UM.

  pagelink “the Colonel went through”: Account of Kotlowitz’s time with the Colonel, Robert Kotlowitz to author, 1999.

  pagelink to call an army recruiting officer”: Norman Racusin to author, 1997.

  pagelink “like a happy young colt”: David Halberstam, Tennessean, March 7, 1960.

  pagelink “One of the dogs may sue us”: Colonel Tom Parker in letter to Hal Wallis, February 23, 1959, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “He would lose fortunes”: Freddy Bienstock to author, 1997.

  pagelink “I think the reason for his gambling”: Julian Aberbach to author, 1997.

  pagelink “controlled by more mobs than any other casino in Nevada”: Reid and Demaris, The Green Felt Jungle.

  pagelink known as Mr. Entertainment: Information on Jack Entratter comes from - Berman, Lady Las Vegas; The Agency; and the author’s interviews with Byron Raphael and with Art Nadler of the Las Vegas Sun.

  pagelink for Elvis to be photographed with Prell: The information about Parker’s relationship with Milton Prell comes from Goldman, Elvis, and from sources who wish to remain anonymous.

  pagelink “The Colonel demanded everything”: Anonymous source, 1998.

  pagelink “He got just wild”: Lamar Fike to author, 1994.

  pagelink “We feel sure”: Colonel Tom Parker in letter to Hal Wallis, June 30, 1960, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “His be-rhinestoned cuff links”: Billboard, April 25, 1960.

  pagelink With a change of studios: Twentieth Century–Fox believed that selling Elvis as a dramatic actor as well as a singer could attract an ever wider audience than before. Charles Einfeld letter to David Weisbart, November 7, 1960, DWC/USC.

  pagelink “I have sweated over the script”: David Weisbart in letter to Buddy Adler, June 6, 1960, DWC/USC.

  pagelink “We want all the best”: Colonel Tom Parker quoted by David Weisbart to Ted Cain, August 10, 1960, DWC/USC.

  pagelink “I would not know”: Colonel Tom Parker in letter to David Weisbart, July 12, 1960, DWC/USC.

  pagelink “I think Parker”: Charles Einfeld in letter to David Weisbart, November 10, 1960, DWC/USC.

  pagelink “Elvis Acts!”: Don Siegel in letter to Harry Brand, October 12, 1960, DWC/USC.

  pagelink “an excellent dramatic actor, a natural actor”: Philip Dunne, MPAS/OHP.

  pagelink “the gifted individual”: From story conference with Joseph Stefano and Jerry Wald, April 29, 1958, JWC/USC.

  pagelink “I have never advised”: Colonel Tom Parker in night letter to Jerry Wald, November, 1960, JWC/USC

  pagelink “Svengali who has hypnotized”: Twentieth Century–Fox, unpublished press release for Wild in the Country, 1960, JHC/UM.

  pagelink “When we previewed”: Philip Dunne, MPAS/OHP.

  pagelink “Negro cotton field harmony”: Memphis Commercial Appeal quoted in Guralnick and Jorgenson, Elvis Day by Day.

  pagelink “He started snowing them”: Ron Jacobs to Jerry Hopkins, quoted in Hopkins, unpublished magazine article, JHC/UM.

  pagelink “one of the admirals”: Tom Moffatt to Jerry Hopkins, JHC/UM.

  pagelink “every penny . . . must go to the fund!”: Music Reporter, February 20, 1961.

  pagelink “how encapsulated Elvis was in his fame”: Minnie Pearl to author, 1981.

  pagelink “It is very important”: Hal Wallis in letter to Colonel Tom Parker, January 30, 1961, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “A Presley picture”: Hal Wallis in the documentary Elvis in Hollywood.

  pagelink “He really can’t”: Joe Pasternak quoted by Byron Raphael to author, 1998.

  pagelink “That’s fine”: Colonel Tom Parker quoted by Jerry Weintraub at Colonel Tom Parker’s Memorial Service, Las Vegas, January 25, 1997.

  pagelink “They’ll never win”: Colonel Tom Parker quoted by Jean Bosquet in Guralnick and Jorgensen, Elvis Day by Day.

  CHAPTER 14: “MISTAKES SOME-ONE MAY HAVE MADE”

  pagelink “It seemed like a fairy tale”: Adam van Kuijk quoted in Rosita, see below.

  pagelink “Master Ad van Kuyk Jr.”: A copy of the letter from “Andre” to Master Ad Van Kuyk Jr. was obtained from Mr. Van Kuyk. The original remains in his possession. The quotes from Ad Sr. are from articles in Rosita, July 1, 8, and 15, 1961. All quotes from Ad Jr. are from the author’s interview, and from letters to the author dated May 4, 1998, and February 21, 1999. I also relied on Dineke Dekkers, “Tom Parker . . . American or Dutchman?” It’s Elvis Time, April 1967.

  pagelink “If Elvis had known”: Lamar Fike to author, 2001.

  CHAPTER 15: TROUBLE IN THE KINGDOM: THE COLONEL TIGHTENS HIS GRIP

  pagelink “going over there to meet Elvis”: Presley and Harman, Elvis and Me.

  pagelink “I said, ‘God Almighty’ ”: Lamar Fike to author, 1994.

  pagelink “Not any special one”: Elvis Presley, press conference, Memphis, March 7, 1960.

  pagelink “he didn’t give them a time”: Priscilla Presley quoted in Finstad, Child Bride.

  pagelink “We had to keep everything”: Anita Wood quoted in Finstad, Child Bride.

  pagelink “I may not type good”: Colonel Tom Parker quoted by Al Wertheimer to author, 1998.

  pagelink “always remain friendly with the Colonel”: Constant Meijers to author, 1998.

  pagelink “RCA has nothing to say”: Jerry Hopkins, unpublished magazine article, JHC/UM.

  pagelink “just explode out into the hall”: Joan Deary in the documentary Mr. Rock & Roll, 1999.

  pagelink “None of us liked it”: Joan Deary to Constant Meijers, raw interview transcript from the documentary Looking for Colonel Parker, 1999.

  pagelink “That kid was not only unhappy”: Anne Fulchino to author, 1998.

  pagelink “If they’re smart enough”: Colonel Tom Parker quoted by Byron Raphael to author, 1998.

  pagelink After her husband went to prison: The author is grateful to Virginia Overholt, whose letter provided the central thesis of this argument.

  pagelink “If someone else”: Colonel Tom Parker to MGM, April 15, 1964, quoted in Guralnick and J
orgensen, Elvis Day by Day.

  pagelink “He was singing one song”: LouCeil Austin to author, 1998.

  pagelink “If you didn’t know”: Colonel Tom Parker quoted Sam Katzman to Jerry Hopkins, JHC/UM.

  pagelink “Look, you can’t”: Joe Pasternak to Jerry Hopkins, JHC/UM.

  pagelink “Sam Katzman said”: Yvonne Craig to Jerry Hopkins, JHC/UM.

  pagelink “That doesn’t mean”: Interview with Hal Wallis in Las Vegas Desert News and Telegram, April 1964.

  pagelink “I didn’t mean that, guys”: Elvis Presley quoted by Bob Moore to author, 1998.

  pagelink “Once we started on the MGM contract”: Freddy Bienstock to author, 1997.

  pagelink “By dumb luck”: Michael Streissguth to author, 1999.

  pagelink “a great, great man”: Bob Moore quoted in Cronin, Isler, and Rowland, “An Oral Biography.”

  pagelink “a pretty nice old codger, really”: Buddy Harman to author, 1997.

  pagelink “Boy,” the Colonel said: Colonel Tom Parker to Hal Wallis quoted by Bob Moore to author, 1998.

  pagelink “soft, fat, and jowly around the face”: Hal Wallis in letter to Colonel Tom Parker, December 10, 1963, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “He’s just been eating what he always eats”: Marty Lacker to author, 1994.

  pagelink “He had this big orchestra in there”: Marty Lacker to author, 1994.

  pagelink “Colonel just damned near”: Gabe Tucker to author, 1997.

  pagelink “You do your thing”: Colonel Tom Parker quoted by Gordon Stoker to Chris Clark, WTVF-TV, Nashville, May 2000.

  pagelink “I thought it was kind of rank”: John Hartmann to Jerry Hopkins, JHC/UM.

  pagelink “We didn’t hurt ourselves workin’ ”: Gabe Tucker to author, 1997.

  pagelink “The Colonel thinks you ought to invite us to supper”: Gabe Tucker to author, 1997.

  pagelink thanking him for swiping it: “Thanks for the little dish you swiped from the Elephant Club.” Colonel Tom Parker in letter to Hal Wallis, June 4, 1963, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “I could tell you”: Hal Wallis in letter to Colonel Tom Parker, June 10, 1963, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “Of course, we want”: Hal Wallis in letter to Colonel Tom Parker, August 19, 1963, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “You have a certain magic wand”: Colonel Tom Parker in letter to Hal Wallis, June 17, 1963, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “When I was doing Roustabout”: Allan Weiss to author, 2001.

  pagelink “I was at the house one day”: Lamar Fike to author, 1994.

  pagelink “What you’re talking about”: Elvis Presley quoted by Larry Geller to author, 1998. All quotes from Larry Geller come from the author’s extensive interviews and e-mails with Mr. Geller, 1998–2002.

  pagelink he’d brokered deals that had earned Presley $35 million: People, February 3, 1997.

  pagelink “My husband is deathly ill”: Marie Parker to Henry Jenkins as recounted by Gabe Tucker to author, 1997.

  pagelink “Gabe, Colonel is bad sick”: Henry Jenkins quoted by Gabe Tucker to author, 1997.

  pagelink “Goddamn, Colonel, you scared”: Conversation between Colonel Tom Parker and Gabe Tucker quoted by Gabe Tucker to author, 1997.

  pagelink “Elvis’s last good picture”: Joe Hazen in letter to Hal Wallis, October 23, 1965, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “is dying all over the country”: Charles Boasberg in letter to Hal Wallis, May 11, 1966, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “I think the Colonel”: Hal Wallis in interoffice memo to Joe Hazen, September 13, 1965, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “the height of duplicity”: Joe Hazen in letter to Hal Wallis, October 23, 1965, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “Elvis came up to me”: Marty Lacker to author, 1994.

  pagelink wielding a machete: The machete photograph appears in the 1966 Annual Report for Colonel Hal Wallis, Picture Producer, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “a fifty-fifth cousin to P. T. Barnum”: Colonel Tom Parker quoted in Guralnick and Jorgensen, Elvis Day by Day.

  pagelink “Heck yes, I would retire”: Colonel Tom Parker quoted in James Kingsley, Memphis Commercial Appeal, February 6, 1966.

  pagelink “an insult to Elvis and fans”: Janet White, president of the Hampshire, England, fan club, in letter to Hal Wallis, 1966, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “when his career is beginning to falter”: “Concerned Fan” in letter to Hal Wallis, July 5, 1966, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “I realize that there is”: Marjorie Reep in letter to Hal Wallis, 1964, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “radically wrong”: Hal Wallis in letter to Colonel Tom Parker, September 6, 1966, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “I did not know who”: Norman Racusin to author, 1997.

  pagelink “During the making of [the film]”: Twentieth Century–Fox, unpublished press release for Wild in the Country, 1960, JHC/UM.

  pagelink “My daddy doesn’t do anything”: Elvis Presley quoted by Bones Howe in Cronin, Isler, and Rowland, “An Oral Biography.”

  pagelink “I walked in the door”: Elvis Presley quoted by Marty Lacker to author, 1994.

  pagelink “When I fall deeply in love it will happen”: Elvis Presley quoted by Hedda Hopper, Motion Picture, May 1961.

  pagelink “He ate out of depression”: Jerry Schilling to Jerry Hopkins, JHC/UM.

  pagelink “The Colonel took us out in the hall”: Marty Lacker to author, 1994.

  pagelink “The Colonel went back in”: Marty Lacker to author, 1994.

  pagelink “She was absolutely petrified”: Judge David Zenoff, Life, February 10, 1995.

  pagelink “It was the Colonel”: Priscilla Presley quoted in Finstad, Child Bride.

  pagelink “had a penchant for the tables”: Norman Racusin to author, 1997.

  pagelink “I’m sure there was an awful lot going on”: Dick Contino to author, 1998

  CHAPTER 16: BLACK LEATHER BLUES: THE ’68 SPECIAL

  pagelink “I know that both of you”: Colonel Tom Parker in letter to Hal Wallis and Joe Hazen, May 5, 1959, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “could very well lose”: Colonel Tom Parker quoted by Hal Wallis in letter to Joe Hazen, September 27, 1965, HWC/MPAS.

  pagelink “Charro! is the first movie”: Elvis Presley quoted in Susan Doll, The Films of Elvis Presley.

  pagelink “which have been in”: Colonel Tom Parker quoted in Guralnick and Jorgensen, Elvis Day by Day.

  pagelink “Would TV serve to refurbish”: TV Guide, November 30, 1968.

  pagelink “I wanted Elvis to let the world in”: Steve Binder to Jerry Hopkins, JHC/UM.

  pagelink “show to depart completely from the pattern”: Bob Finkelin in memo, quoted in Guralnick and Jorgensen, Elvis Day by Day.

  pagelink “This is what I want my boy to do”: Colonel Tom Parker quoted by Steve Binder to Peter Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1993.

  pagelink the genius of the Colonel: “To me, the genius of the Colonel is that he had grown men terrorized all around him.” Steve Binder to Peter Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1993.

  pagelink “There was no blood and guts of this man left”: Steve Binder to Jerry Hopkins, JHC/UM.

  pagelink “You certainly knew”: Steve Binder to Peter Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1993.

  pagelink “without any weak points”: Steve Binder to author, 2001.

  pagelink “We hit it off pretty well”: Steve Binder to Constant Meijers, raw interview transcript from the documentary Looking for Colonel Parker, 1999.

  pagelink Steve Allen had made him look silly: In a 1997 letter to the author, Allen made it clear he did not mean to humiliate Presley, and in fact, while Allen received much criticism for the stunt through the years, he believed it enhanced Presley’s performance. “I had personally come up with the two ideas that made Elvis look so good that night,” he wrote, “the singing ‘Hound Dog’ to an actual dog, and the Range Roundup sketch with Andy Griffith and Imogene Coca.”

  pagelink “You make a record”: Steve Binder to author, 200
1.

  pagelink “he was not in the business as far as I was concerned”: Steve Binder to Peter Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1993.

  pagelink “it was my job”: Steve Binder to Peter Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1993.

  pagelink Howe thought, “Elvis probably felt”: Bones Howe quoted in Cronin, Isler, and Rowland, “An Oral Biography.”

  pagelink “once he had the stranglehold”: Steve Binder to author, 2001.

  pagelink “He laughed at that”: Steve Binder to Constant Meijers, raw interview transcript from the documentary Looking for Colonel Parker, 1999.

  pagelink “He told me he had been burning up”: Steve Binder to Jerry Hopkins, JHC/UM.

  pagelink “I felt very, very strongly”: Steve Binder to Jerry Hopkins, JHC/UM.

  pagelink “He looked amazing”: Steve Binder to author, 2001.

  pagelink “I wanted him to be not that agreeable”: Steve Binder to Jerry Hopkins, JHC/UM.

  pagelink “quite well read”: Steve Binder to Peter Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1993.

  pagelink “Elvis was scared to death of the Colonel’s power”: Steve Binder to author, 2001.

  pagelink “He felt shamed”: Steve Binder to Peter Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1993.

  pagelink “I think what pissed him off”: Steve Binder to Peter Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1993.

  pagelink “Whenever Parker basically told me”: Steve Binder to Constant Meijers, raw interview transcript from the documentary Looking for Colonel Parker, 1999.

  pagelink Binder said maybe Interpol: “Because Interpol was looking for him and he - didn’t want to leave the United States for fear of being arrested.” Steve Binder to Peter Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1993.

  pagelink “You can’t fire me”: Bill Strange quoted by Steve Binder to author, 2001.

  pagelink “There was a day of tremendous pressures and tension”: Steve Binder to Jerry Hopkins, JHC/UM.

  pagelink “I’m a Jewish kid from New York”: Billy Goldenberg quoted by Steve Binder to author, 2001.

  pagelink “When Elvis heard the first note”: This paragraph is a combination of quotes from Steve Binder to Jerry Hopkins, JHC/UM, and Peter Whitmer, raw interview transcript, 1993.

  pagelink an overgrown sweetheart who reminded Binder: Steve Binder to author, 1998.