Do you believeElvis could have done it better if Col. Tom Parker was not his manager?

[Diane]

Yes, now I do remember that interview with Hy Garner and he did say he wanted to be an actor. The trouble was the scripts were not what he had envisioned. He really should have walked away from those films long before he did.

I do think you are right about his apathy Jak. I'd just like to know what caused it.

Diane

[jak]

Yes, now I do remember that interview with Hy Garner and he did say he wanted to be an actor. The trouble was the scripts were not what he had envisioned. He really should have walked away from those films long before he did.

I do think you are right about his apathy Jak. I'd just like to know what caused it.

Diane

I will put some blame on Parker for Elvis' film career.If nothing else he should have realized the films were beneath Elvis and weakened his credibility.Even though most were lame they made money and Elvis was paid very well for doing them.For Parker the business side won out at the expense of Elvis' artistic credibility.I still wonder why Elvis didnt go to the studio durign this time to record dome quality songs rather than the movie junk.And I do mean JUNK.
Jak

[Diane]

Yup, me too Jak. It seems like he gave up on that and that wasn't in his character earlier on. I don't get it either. Something caused a change in Elvis that he felt he needed the meds and that in turn may have caused the apathy...don't know. I'm just glad he didn't give up altogether and stopped singing. At least his voice was there until he died.

I still can't get around the no man is an island theory though - I really believe in that.

Diane

[KPM]

"As for the world tour in the '70's....remember, Parker worked for Elvis, not the other way around. Elvis was his own man. If he REALLY wanted to tour overseas, he would have. Most of you all give Parker Waaaaaay too much credit"

You are exactly right.The belief that the Col kept Elvis on a short leash or exercised mind control on him drives me nuts.As I have said so many times, Elvis didnt get off his rear that often during that time frame to do much of anything to keep his career revitalized.How could you expect an artist that didnt even know what his album covers looked like or even cared,get motivated for a world tour?Elvis had a great resurgence in 68 that didnt last but a few years.He didnt sustain enough personal momentum to go through with such an idea.
Jak

If I recall correctly even in the book we have been discussing in the other thread- Rev of the MM-somewhere they discuss how Parker had a control over Elvis and how Elvis depended on the Col. One of the guys even wondered what the Col had over Elvis which caused such control. Am I wrong or is that not discussed?
You are correct Parker worked for Elvis-doing what? To guide and promote Elvis and his career-that was his job. He always told Elvis- When the time is right. He turned down every huge offer which ever came his way for any overseas show or tour. i posted the Alex Shoofey story which is a prime example-he asked for the moon expecting to be turned down-every demand was met-he still turned it down. Unreal.

[jak]

I have no doubt that Elvis trusted Parker.My problem is with Elvis not expressing his desires to achieve other things in his career.Elvis was an insecure person.Parker kept the money rolling in and to a point I think that satisfied Elvis.Vernon was the same way.They were very poor and then they were very rich.I dont think Elvis wanted to rock the boat.At anytime Elvis could have picked up the phone and said arrange for a session I want to get some new music down.He could have rehearsed for his live shows and got creative there also.Does everybody realize he even stopped rehearsing for concerts?When you look at the things Elvis had total control over minus Parker he never did a thing on his own.You cant blame the Col for that.
Jak

[Patsy]

I agree with Diane...Elvis shouldve cut him loose in the late 60s

[KPM]

I have no doubt that Elvis trusted Parker.My problem is with Elvis not expressing his desires to achieve other things in his career.Elvis was an insecure person.Parker kept the money rolling in and to a point I think that satisfied Elvis.Vernon was the same way.They were very poor and then they were very rich.I dont think Elvis wanted to rock the boat.At anytime Elvis could have picked up the phone and said arrange for a session I want to get some new music down.He could have rehearsed for his live shows and got creative there also.Does everybody realize he even stopped rehearsing for concerts?When you look at the things Elvis had total control over minus Parker he never did a thing on his own.You cant blame the Col for that.
Jak

I do agree about the creative fire but IMO to be creative you have to mingle so to speak. Something has to perk your interests to want to create. Was Elvis allowed by Parker to truely interact musically with anyone of his own stature-no. When Nixon wanted him to perform at the WHite House did COl even consider allowing it-huge honor, great challenge to entertain the President and all the important people who would attend-No. Sure ELvis had lost his fire for probably a lot of reasons-decisions like these did not help.

[Vissie]

Thought I would share this ~ (she has a comment about the col)

[Diane]

Nice article Vissie, thanks for posting. I'm almost 100% convinced Elvis was suffering from depression and the drugs compounded it. He just couldn't seem to make his mind up on anything anymore.

Diane

[medleyofcostumes]

Left me speechless!!

Nothing could save Elvis at this point!

[Vissie]

He always seemed so compassionate about his fans, didn't he?

[KPM]

I heard her tell that story on the Vicky Lawrence short lived talk show in the late 80s or early 90s. Vickys husband was a make up artist, he was the one who made up Elvis for the concerts which were filmed for the EIC special.

[rawkinlvs]

Elvis could have gone to Europe, Australia, Japen etc, especially in the early days.

The lack of a world tour had little to do with the Colonel. After all, Elvis went to Germany without him for nearly two years.

Yes, Elvis wanted to go overseas (or so he said, but I never believed him), but he made his choice to stay home. Early on, it was probably him wanting to stay home after being away so long, then getting caught in the movie rut.

But in the seventies, it was the guns and drugs that prevented him from going overseas. There were no medical "connections" in other countries, so Elvis would've been screwed. And he could never have taken his guns on a plane either.

Yes, Elvis could've gone for a world tour. But the Colonel is not to blame for it never having taken place.

exactly right on the narcotics and firearms, the quantity of narcotics would have put ELVIS and his doctors in a heap of s... also tom hullett haid said that thhe colonel had no problem in letting ELVIS tour overseas , as tom would be trusted to handle things , but ELVIS had his doubt's that he could committ to such a long tour and perform the usual 2 hour set that europeans expected from entertainers, and because of course ELVIS health, it was hard enough to get him up to do a 10 city tour nevermind a 60 day run, in a foreighn country , i believe E.P. played it safe.

[rawkinlvs]

whatever gelto you know everything

the story goes that parker told ELVIS and vernon if they wanted out , that they would have to pay him 2million , as he had already set up a million dollars worth of work and another million in merchandising, so ELVIS backed down and vernon advised him, that they didn't have the 2 mill to pay, again i'm only going on what i read concerning this,

[jak]

"Was Elvis allowed by Parker to truely interact musically with anyone of his own stature-no"

I have never heard of any indication of Elvis wanting to interact musically with anyone.Please give some examples of Elvis not being allowed these things by the Col.
Jak

[rawkinlvs]

about the colonel looking @ ELVIS as a meal ticket - ELVIS and vernon knew that the colonel looked at him as a source of income, from the begining, and a good thing to as he was consumed in finding ELVIS PRESLEY work , wheter it was in movies[albeit some real bad ones] , performances, tv appearnces, tours, merchandising, he did what he promised he made ELVIS PRESLEY a millionaire many times over, and the fact that ELVIS PRESLEY was his only client [other than george hamilton] was a great thing as he would only be focused on one client, i don't believe he evertold ELVIS that he would make him the most respectible, incedible actor/performer , he just told hm and vernon that he would make them money, and he acomplished this , even after ELVIS death he was still making ELVIS PRESLEY money.

[rawkinlvs]

I heard her tell that story on the Vicky Lawrence short lived talk show in the late 80s or early 90s. Vickys husband was a make up artist, he was the one who made up Elvis for the concerts which were filmed for the EIC special.

yes i had seen that some years ago, it's just to bad that the makeup really didn't hide the fact that his eyebrows were pretty faint[a vitamin d deffinency] and his colour complexion was ash.

[KPM]

yes i had seen that some years ago, it's just to bad that the makeup really didn't hide the fact that his eyebrows were pretty faint[a vitamin d deffinency] and his colour complexion was ash.

Also his eyebrows were dyed and mascared for so long the hair weakens and thins.

[Erhan]

I often wonder and ask this question after reading some negative feedbacks on how the late Col. Tom Parker handled Elvis phenomenal career. Why he refused performances outside the United States and why he turned down important movie roles for Elvis and let his talent as a promising actor go to waste. How he manipulated business transactions for him to gain more than what Elvis will get and many more sad stories having Elvis at the receiving end. What if somebody else played the part of his manager ? Could Elvis have achieved more mileage in his career?

he could do better career without Colonel and Pills!

[bestseller92]

"Colonel Tom Parker didn't help. I think a monkey could've managed Elvis, and maybe done a better job."

Waylon Jennings.