{"id":403314,"date":"2022-02-03T23:36:13","date_gmt":"2022-02-03T20:36:13","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2022-02-03T23:36:13","modified_gmt":"2022-02-03T20:36:13","slug":"the-true-story-behind-baz-luhrmanns-elvis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-true-story-behind-baz-luhrmanns-elvis\/","title":{"rendered":"#The True Story Behind Baz Luhrmann&#8217;s Elvis"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a35f001243c8\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a35f001243c8\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-true-story-behind-baz-luhrmanns-elvis\/#The_Mysterious_Colonel\" >The Mysterious Colonel<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-true-story-behind-baz-luhrmanns-elvis\/#A_Murder\" >A Murder?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-true-story-behind-baz-luhrmanns-elvis\/#The_Colonel_Discovers_Elvis\" >The Colonel Discovers Elvis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-true-story-behind-baz-luhrmanns-elvis\/#The_Colonel_Brings_Elvis_to_RCA\" >The Colonel Brings Elvis to RCA<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-true-story-behind-baz-luhrmanns-elvis\/#The_Colonel_Gets_Elvis_Everywhere\" >The Colonel Gets Elvis Everywhere<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-true-story-behind-baz-luhrmanns-elvis\/#Elvis_Joins_the_Army\" >Elvis Joins the Army<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-true-story-behind-baz-luhrmanns-elvis\/#Elvis_in_the_1960s_and_the_Comeback\" >Elvis in the 1960s and the Comeback<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-true-story-behind-baz-luhrmanns-elvis\/#The_Later_Years\" >The Later Years<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-true-story-behind-baz-luhrmanns-elvis\/#A_Horrible_Sale\" >A Horrible Sale<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-true-story-behind-baz-luhrmanns-elvis\/#A_Star_is_Born\" >A Star is Born<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/the-true-story-behind-baz-luhrmanns-elvis\/#The_Final_Years\" >The Final Years<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;<strong>#The True Story Behind Baz Luhrmann&#8217;s Elvis<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<pre><code>     &lt;span class=\"mx-1\"&gt;The biographical musical drama tells the story of Elvis Presley\u2019s relationship with his controlling, greedy manager, Colonel Tom Parker.&lt;\/span&gt;\n&lt;\/p&gt;&lt;div id=\"\"&gt;\n\n\n\n                &lt;figure class=\"sf-entry-featured-<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a> \"&gt;\n            &lt;img width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/filmschoolrejects.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Baz-Luhrmann-Elvis-Movie.jpg\" class=\"articlethumb wp-post-image\" alt=\"Baz Luhrmann Elvis Movie\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmschoolrejects.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Baz-Luhrmann-Elvis-Movie.jpg 800w, https:\/\/filmschoolrejects.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Baz-Luhrmann-Elvis-Movie-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/&gt;                                    &lt;p&gt;\n                    &lt;span class=\"sf-entry-flag sf-entry-flag-creditline\"&gt;Warner Bros. &lt;\/span&gt;\n\n                        &lt;\/figure&gt;\n\n    &lt;!-- START BYLINE --&gt;\n    &lt;div class=\"row align-items-center justify-content-center my-4 text-center medium dark-gray\"&gt;\n        By\u00a0Will DiGravio\u00a0\u00b7 Published on February 3rd, 2022 \n        &lt;\/div&gt;\n    &lt;!-- END BYLINE --&gt;\n\n    The next movie by director &lt;strong&gt;Baz Luhrmann\u00a0&lt;\/strong&gt;(&lt;em&gt;Romeo + Juliet&lt;\/em&gt;,&lt;em&gt; The Great Gatsby&lt;\/em&gt;) is a musical drama about Elvis Presley. &lt;strong&gt;Austin Butler&lt;\/strong&gt; starts as the so-called \u201cKing of Rock and Roll\u201d in the biopic, which is simply titled &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Elvis&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/em&gt;.\n<\/code><\/pre>\n<p>It centers specifically on the relationship between Presley and Colonel Tom Parker, played by <strong>Tom Hanks<\/strong>. Parker discovered Presley and managed the singer up through Elvis\u2019 untimely death at the age of 42, in 1977. Here is a brief look at the real story of the music legend and his manager.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Mysterious_Colonel\"><\/span>The Mysterious Colonel<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While Elvis Presley\u2019s name features as the title of Baz Luhrmann\u2019s movie, Hanks tops the cast list as Colonel Tom Parker. So, let\u2019s start there.<\/p>\n<p>Parker was born in 1909 in the Netherlands. At the age of 19, he illegally immigrated to the United States via a shipping vessel, most likely through Canada, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smithsonianmag.com\/history\/colonel-parker-managed-elvis-career-but-was-he-a-killer-on-the-lam-108042206\/\">according to an article in <em>Smithsonian<\/em> magazine<\/a>. Once in America, he served in the US military.<\/p>\n<p>In the 1980s, more information began to come out about the man. He refused to leave the United States, even when he could have made millions of more dollars bringing Elvis around the world. He let the IRS handle his taxes. When asked, he told people he was born in Huntington, West Virginia.<\/p>\n<p>And he wasn\u2019t even a real colonel. While in the army, he served as a private, and his career \u201cended in ignominy,\u201d according to <em>Smithsonian<\/em>. In 1932, he went absent and eventually served time for desertion. The magazine reports, \u201cHe was released only after he had suffered what his biographer Alanna Nash terms a \u201cpsychotic breakdown.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Years later, when the draft was reinstated as part of World War II, Parker \u201cate until he weighed more than 300 pounds in a successful bid to have himself declared unfit for further service.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Murder\"><\/span>A Murder?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Before we get to Tom Parker\u2019s associations with Elvis Presley, here\u2019s one more interesting and shocking tidbit from the <em>Smithsonian\u00a0<\/em>article. Some believe Parker may have feared more than just his immigration status being found out. After all, Parker\u2019s management of Presley made him a powerful man. He could have called the president himself. And \u201cthe Alien Registration Act of 1940 had offered an effective amnesty to all illegals.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So what exactly was he hiding? Some speculate that Parker had, in fact, fled the Netherlands after committing a murder. A journalist received a tip that he had left the country without telling his family in May 1929. An anonymous letter said that he had murdered the wife of a greengrocer. After some digging, a journalist found that the murder had also occurred in May 1929. According to <em>Smithsonian<\/em>:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cAnd the spot where the murder had occurred was only a few yards away from what had been, in 1929, Parker\u2019s family home. Members of the Colonel\u2019s family even recalled that he had been paid to make deliveries for a greengrocer in the area, though they could no longer remember which one.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Of course, no solid evidence was ever presented. But some people, including Parker biographer and journalist Alanna Nash, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.earcandymag.com\/thecolonelinterview.htm\">believe he did it<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Colonel_Discovers_Elvis\"><\/span>The Colonel Discovers Elvis<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Now that we\u2019ve got that out of the way, let\u2019s get back to Elvis Presley.<\/p>\n<p>Colonel Tom Parker began managing musical acts in the late 1930s. At the time, crooners like Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra were the major stars of the day. And Parker began trying to find singers to shape in that mold. Among those early stars under his management was Eddy Arnold. Parker moved with the singer to Nashville, where he began to build his reputation. In 1948, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1997\/01\/22\/arts\/tom-parker-is-dead-at-87-controlled-presley-s-career.html\">according to the <em>New York Times<\/em><\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201che wangled the honorary colonel\u2019s title from Louisiana\u2019s Governor, Jimmie Davis, and henceforth asked to be addressed as \u2018Colonel.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>It was not until 1955 that he heard about a kid named Elvis Presley. Parker wanted to skate to where the puck was going, not where it was, and Presley had a different style and tune that drew Parker in. Presley\u2019s influences included performers like Sister Rosetta Tharpe (played in Luhrmann\u2019s\u00a0<em>Elvis <\/em>film\u00a0by <strong>Yola<\/strong>) and Little Richard (played by <strong>Alton Mason<\/strong>).<\/p>\n<p>At that time, Parker managed a singer named Hank Snow (played by <strong>David Wenham<\/strong>). He booked Presley as the opening act. A partnership was born.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Colonel_Brings_Elvis_to_RCA\"><\/span>The Colonel Brings Elvis to RCA<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Elvis Presley began to regularly open for Hank Snow. And the Colonel got to work courting Presley\u2019s parents and his then-manger, Bob Neal. Parker convinced them to let him provide professional guidance to young Elvis. Later that year, Presley agreed to bring on Parker as his advisor.<\/p>\n<p>At the time, Presley had been recording songs with Sun Records, such as \u201cThat\u2019s When Your Heartaches Begin.\u201d It was at Sun that <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lithub.com\/when-young-elvis-met-the-legendary-b-b-king\/\">Presley met pioneers and influences<\/a> like B.B. King (played in the film by <strong>Kelvin Harrison Jr.<\/strong>). But once Parker became officially involved, he began to organize Presley\u2019s departure from Sun.<\/p>\n<p>In November 1955, RCA Records purchased Presley\u2019s contract for a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/aws2.gibson.com\/news-lifestyle\/features\/en-us\/spotlight-1121-2010.aspx\">then-shocking $35,000<\/a>. It soon paid off. Presley\u2019s first recording for RCA was the 1956 classic \u201cHeartbreak Hotel.\u201d The hit topped the charts for weeks and RCA sold millions of records. The King had arrived.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Colonel_Gets_Elvis_Everywhere\"><\/span>The Colonel Gets Elvis Everywhere<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In 1956, Elvis Presley\u2019s contract with Bob Neal ended, and he signed with Parker. The partnership was finally, fully official. According to the\u00a0<em>New York<\/em> <em>Times,\u00a0<\/em>the contract said Parker was the \u201csole and exclusive adviser, personal representative, and manager\u201d to Presley.<\/p>\n<p>It didn\u2019t take long for Elvis Presley to be everywhere.\u00a0<em>The Ed Sullivan Show<\/em>? Check. Merchandise? Check. A <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">series<\/a> of live performances in Las Vegas? A semi-check.<\/p>\n<p>In 1956, on the heels of the release of \u201cHeartbreak Hotel,\u201d Presley had found massive, enthusiastic success around the country. The kids loved him. But when he went to the older crowd of Vegas, they didn\u2019t quite know how to respond. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewjournal.com\/entertainment\/music\/elvis-las-vegas-debut-65-years-ago-wasnt-the-disaster-people-think-2329397\/\">According to the <em>Las Vegas Review-Journal<\/em><\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe consensus is that Las Vegas simply wasn\u2019t ready for Elvis, but he may have found more success had he come a couple of years earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Vegas during that period was undergoing a transition, but it certainly would not be the last time they saw Elvis Presley. And that year wasn\u2019t all bad for Presley. He signed a multi-picture deal with Paramount. And the song \u201cLove Me Tender,\u201d from the movie of the same name, was a massive hit.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Elvis_Joins_the_Army\"><\/span>Elvis Joins the Army<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In 1958, Elvis Presley was drafted into the Army. And Parker saw an opportunity. He knew that this could help keep Presley interesting to the public. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.history.com\/this-day-in-history\/elvis-presley-is-drafted\">According to <em>History<\/em><\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cColonel Tom Parker continued to release singles recorded before his departure, keeping the money rolling in and his most famous client fresh in the public\u2019s mind.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Presley\u2019s tour of duty was scheduled to last for two years. He trained at Fort Hood in Texas and served in West Germany. He could have served in Special Services as a performer but declined, per the advice of those who said it would look better if he completed traditional service. While serving, Presley met then-14-year-old Priscilla Ann Wagner (played in the film by <strong>Olivia DeJonge<\/strong>). After a prolonged courtship, they married in 1967.<\/p>\n<p>In March 1960, Presley was honorably discharged. He made a major return <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>earance two months later on <em>The Frank Sinatra Timex Show: Welcome Home Elvis.\u00a0<\/em>The episode features a major cultural moment: <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=BskKbs_BHNg\">a duet between Sinatra and Presley<\/a>. The performance served as a kind of bridge between the heartthrobs of two generations.<\/p>\n<p>And the best part? Elvis <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.graceland.com\/blog\/posts\/the-chairman-and-the-king-frank-sinatra-and-elvis-presley\">was paid<\/a> $125,000 for the appearance. Or $1.17 million today.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Elvis_in_the_1960s_and_the_Comeback\"><\/span>Elvis in the 1960s and the Comeback<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>According to the\u00a0<em>New York Times<\/em>, by 1964, Colonel Tom Parker had built Elvis Presley \u201cinto a commercial empire that was worth $35 million.\u201d And he took high commissions too, sometimes taking as much as 50 percent. The control Parker exerted over Presley\u2019s career has led some to refer to him as a \u201c<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.express.co.uk\/entertainment\/films\/1552116\/Elvis-movie-Tom-Hanks-Colonel-Tom-Parker-Baz-Lurhmann\">Machiavellian overseer<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But as the 1960s went on, Presley\u2019s fame began to fade. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-lists\/readers-poll-the-10-best-elvis-presley-songs-151994\/in-the-ghetto-165604\/\">According to <em>Rolling Stone<\/em><\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cElvis spent much of the 1960s churning out cheesy B-movies and lifeless soundtracks while new acts like the Beatles and Bob Dylan made him seem like a relic.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Many blamed Parker, who took few risks and turned down a number of exciting opportunities on behalf of his client. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mailplus.co.uk\/edition\/showbiz\/film\/131061\/the-casting-might-have-beens-of-the-original-west-side-story\">Rumor has it<\/a> Parker turned down the offer for Presley to play Tony in\u00a0<em>West Side Story.\u00a0<\/em>He supposedly did not think being a member of a gang would be good for Presley\u2019s image.<\/p>\n<p>But then in 1968, Elvis began what is often referred to as his \u201ccomeback.\u201d He recorded a TV special, also simply titled <em>Elvis<\/em>, that featured a number of hits, including \u201cSuspicious Minds.\u201d That song was recorded earlier that year and is often considered one of, if not his finest work.<\/p>\n<p>With the excitement following the TV special, Presley began to lean in more to live performances. In 1969, he tested the waters with a show in, of all places, Las Vegas. Before 2,000 people, he delivered \u201c<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.express.co.uk\/entertainment\/music\/1554616\/elvis-presley-colonel-tom-parker-tears-emotional\">the performance of a lifetime.<\/a>\u201d Wearing his iconic costumed karate outfit, he gave the crowd everything they wanted.<\/p>\n<p>Priscilla Presley writes in her memoir (<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.express.co.uk\/entertainment\/music\/1554616\/elvis-presley-colonel-tom-parker-tears-emotional\">via the <em>Express<\/em><\/a>):<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe most touching moment was when Colonel Parker arrived with tears in his eyes, wanting to know where \u2018his boy\u2019 was.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Later_Years\"><\/span>The Later Years<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Las Vegas show sparked a renaissance for Elvis Presley. He began touring again, including at major venues like Madison Square Garden. Colonel Tom Parker negotiated higher rates. Life was good.<\/p>\n<p>And then, on January 14, 1973, Presley recorded what turned out to be <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-news\/flashback-elvis-presleys-aloha-from-hawaii-marks-his-final-truly-great-moment-705310\/\">one of the final highlights of his career<\/a>. He starred in <em>Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite<\/em>, a live concert that made use of satellite <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a> to broadcast his performance to the world. He took his inspiration, in part, from President Richard Nixon\u2019s broadcasted <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trip<\/a> to China, during which Nixon restored normal diplomatic relations with the nation.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Horrible_Sale\"><\/span>A Horrible Sale<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Later that same year, things began to crumble. Parker negotiated a horrible deal on behalf of his client. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/music-news\/elvis-presley-was-unjustly-exploited-by-record-label-lawsuit-467624\/\">According to\u00a0<em>Billboard<\/em><\/a>, Elvis Presley\u2019s\u00a0<em>entire\u00a0<\/em><em>catalog,\u00a0<\/em>a collection of more than 1,000 recordings, was sold for $5.4 million. It would become one of the most valuable archives in music. And perhaps most shocking of all: Presley\u2019s estate would receive no royalties for his previously recorded work after his death.<\/p>\n<p>The estate eventually filed a lawsuit against RCA and Parker after Presley\u2019s death. A settlement was eventually reached in 1983. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1983\/06\/22\/arts\/presley-executors-settle-with-manager-and-rca.html#:~:text=Executors%20of%20the%20Elvis%20Presley,in%20all%20Presley%20related%20contracts.\">According to the <em>New York<\/em> <em>Times<\/em>,<\/a> the estate was given $1.1 million, and Parker walked away with $2.2 million for \u201c\u2018right, title, and interest in all Presley-related contracts.\u201d Parker sold a number of Presley\u2019s master records for another $1 million. The <em>New York <\/em><em>Times\u00a0<\/em>reports:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"css-axufdj evys1bk0\">\u201cThe agreement followed a court battle by the estate\u2019s co-executors against Colonel Parker on grounds of massive fraud and mismanagement of Mr. Presley\u2019s business interests.\u201d\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Star_is_Born\"><\/span>A Star is Born<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>By the mid-1970s, Presley was suffering from drug use. He was in a slump and lost. But then he got offered a great opportunity. Barbara Streisand asked him to star in <em>A Star is Born, <\/em>to be released in 1976. Presley, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/outsider.com\/news\/entertainment\/elvis-presley-almost-starred-1976-a-star-is-born-why-kris-kristofferson-landed-role\/\">according to reports<\/a>, was deeply excited by the role and the chance to restart his career.<\/p>\n<p>But then Parker got in the way. He demanded that Presley be paid $1 million to star in the role. He also wanted 50 percent of the film\u2019s profits. Streisand, understandably, declined and move on.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Final_Years\"><\/span>The Final Years<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In Elvis Presley\u2019s final years, he was offered the chance to play abroad in various countries for millions of dollars. But Colonel Parker refused. Again, the speculation about his immigrant status and background got in the way.<\/p>\n<p>On August 16, 1977, Presley died of heart disease. He was only 42. Even in death, Parker continued to exert control over Presley\u2019s likeness and career. According to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/archive\/lifestyle\/1997\/01\/24\/one-for-the-money\/64320e52-8b84-4690-b59a-d76428a62327\/\">a 1997 report in the\u00a0<em>Washington Post<\/em><\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cWhen the singer died in August 1977, the first thing Parker told an associate was: \u2018This won\u2019t change anything.\u2019 And even as Presley was undergoing an autopsy in Memphis, Parker was putting the finishing touches on a souvenir merchandise deal, the final chapter in his client\u2019s transformation from cultural oddity to commercial commodity.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In the years that followed, Parker continued to manage Presley. And legal battles like the one mentioned above ensued. People began to find out more about him. And on January 21, 1997, Parker died at the age of 87. The aforementioned <em>Washington <\/em><em>Post\u00a0<\/em>article described him as such:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cHis stranglehold on Elvis Presley\u2019s career earned Colonel Tom Parker a pot of money but ruined one of the century\u2019s greatest acts.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<hr\/>\n<p><em>Baz Luhrmann\u2019s Elvis hits theaters on June 24, 2022.<\/em><\/p>\n<pre><code>    Related Topics: Real Stories\n    &lt;!-- AUTHOR BOX --&gt;\n<\/code><\/pre>\n<div class=\"gray-bg p-4 border small mb-5\">\n<div class=\"row align-items-center text-md-center\">\n<div class=\"col-md-2\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmschoolrejects.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/will.jpg\" class=\"circle img-fluid\" width=\"100px\" height=\"100px\"\/>\n        <\/div>\n<p>            Will DiGravio began writing for Film School Rejects in 2018. He also hosts The Video Essay Podcast and owns a TV.\n    <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<pre><code>    &lt;!-- START RECOMMENDED READING 1 --&gt;\n                                &lt;section class=\"recommended py-5\"&gt;\n            &lt;h3&gt;Recommended Reading&lt;\/h3&gt;\n\n\n        &lt;\/section&gt;\n            &lt;!-- END RECOMMENDED READING --&gt;\n\n\n\n\n&lt;\/div&gt;\n<\/code><\/pre>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/social-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Social Media category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/filmschoolrejects.com\/elvis-true-story\/#utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=elvis-true-story\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#The True Story Behind Baz Luhrmann&#8217;s Elvis&#8221; &lt;span class=&#8221;mx-1&#8243;&gt;The biographical musical drama tells the story of Elvis Presley\u2019s relationship with his controlling, greedy manager, Colonel Tom Parker.&lt;\/span&gt; &lt;\/p&gt;&lt;div id=&#8221;&#8221;&gt; &lt;figure class=&#8221;sf-entry-featured-media &#8220;&gt; &lt;img width=&#8221;800&#8243; height=&#8221;450&#8243; src=&#8221;https:\/\/filmschoolrejects.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Baz-Luhrmann-Elvis-Movie.jpg&#8221; class=&#8221;articlethumb wp-post-image&#8221; alt=&#8221;Baz Luhrmann Elvis Movie&#8221; loading=&#8221;lazy&#8221; srcset=&#8221;https:\/\/filmschoolrejects.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Baz-Luhrmann-Elvis-Movie.jpg 800w, https:\/\/filmschoolrejects.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Baz-Luhrmann-Elvis-Movie-768&#215;432.jpg 768w&#8221; sizes=&#8221;(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px&#8221;\/&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;span class=&#8221;sf-entry-flag sf-entry-flag-creditline&#8221;&gt;Warner&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-403314","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-social-mediaa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/403314","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=403314"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/403314\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=403314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=403314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=403314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}