Elvis Presley Had No Idea His Manager Was Keeping A Chilling Secret From Him

Armed with a golden voice and gyrating hips, Elvis Presley was the undisputed King of Rock and Roll. But he didn't win that throne on his own. The singer's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was constantly pulling strings behind the scenes. Contrary to the man's military nickname, he was no fan of law and order. Parker made a career out of bending the rules in extreme fashion, and it's likely that even his lifelong client didn't know the extent of his lies.

Man Behind the Myth

Few pop icons evolved as rapidly as Elvis, who was an Army mascot, movie heartthrob, and Las Vegas showman at various phases of his life. However, he didn't come up with any of those personas himself. Tom Parker steered the singer through his decades of fame. Once he sank his talons into Presley, he would never escape.

Promising Young Star

In 1955, Elvis was poised for a breakthrough, though his two previous managers failed to make him a star. During a break between two shows at the Memphis’ Ellis Auditorium, he and his band were due to meet with Parker, who was recommended by a mutual friend. Unfortunately, the conversation didn't get off to the friendliest of starts.

Testing Loyalties

From the get-go, Parker made himself out to be a big-shot, someone who would make Elvis a household name. That was all well and good, except that Sam Phillips, Elvis' producer at Sun Records, took offense to the Colonel's grandstanding. Luckily, promises of big profits helped smooth over some of the tension.

Parker in Charge

By 1956, Parker wriggled past Elvis' other business associates to become his sole manager, and he was undeniably successful. Performing on national television and beginning production on his first film, Love Me Tender, the rocker really had hit the big time. Elvis proved that he was an unconventional star, and Parker, too, was an unconventional manager.