Elvis - A Lighted Candle

[maia]

refering to the follwing interview:
http://www.elvis.com.au/presley/interview_loanne_parker2.shtml

Of course there is always two sides to every story, but the Col's last wife sure paints a different picture of the Col. than I had received from other sources (not just Wanda). She makes some flat-out statements, like the Col. not actually taking 50% of Elvis' earnings, as Elvis really needed the money.

His wife DID help clear up why the Col. went to Elvis' funeral dressed as he did. Makes me feel better about that.

My question to Wanda is: what was your take about some of the things the wife said, like about the Col. being so compassionate toward Elvis that he chose not to take the 50%? I mean, I really DON'T BUY THIS, but I do think the Col. probably told his wife this story.

[Lighthouseseeker]

God!.. everybody can talk, but Elvis ..not in a billion years I would ever believe those lies..

[Wanda June Hill]

Hi, there are stories around that say totally different things than his 2nd wife. I think he would want her to think the best of him-then there are those who worked around him and said just the opposite. Then there are those who cared for Elvis (not the mm) but his true friends who tried to do right for him and weren't allowed much leeway by the mm guys. They saw and heard things that scared them, worried them and gave them great fear for Elvis' life...but they could do nothing-they were just "hired ons" for this or that and not inner circle guys. And there were those who traveled with the Col and say he was always looking out for Elvis-sure he was-without Elvis he wouldn't have a fame and forture and fear-people feared him. He had power-he had Elvis-. I'm sure the Col. may have thought he was doing the best, keeping the money coming in and heaven knows Elvis spent it quickly-he had hundreds of people depending on him for their income and etc:. And Elvis had to give things away- he had to...he said that...I had to do it. I beleived him. It was in his nature and he just had to do it. But he did spend money freely-he said, it's their money, they just gave it to me and i want to make it do the most for them and everybody. I can get more. He always believed that-because he had always been able to do it. The Col. nearly killed him, he killed his spirit, he killed his youth his eagerness for life, he killed his soul by taking his books and ridculing his interest in spiritual things and life and purpose. He killed his heart by making him think he was dumb and too inarticulate to talk or put two sentences together that made sense. He had those private talks with him often, and Elvis always came out of them subdued and sometimes angry but always obediant to the Col/s will. Now whether the Col could hypnotise Elvis, I don't know-but I know others could-he was easy to put under...apparently if one knew how. There was a woman comic in Hollwood, a blond who could put him under just by walking into the room and saying his name! He had let her do that and I guess he did everything she said while under and he didn't remember it. She had him on all fours, barking like a dog, rolling over, playing dead and then sitting up and singing in dog talk! That's the story I heard from a couple who had been there and couldn't stop laughing.
Elvis didn't believe he had done those things but some one videoed it on a9mm camera and gave him the tape. I guess he was roaring with laughter over it but he found out later that she could just look at him and say his name and he'd be under again! He liked her, they talked alot and he said she gave him pointers on how not to be put under by anyone else. Col. Tom, maybe? What ever, wives are always going to defend and uphold their husbands and why not the 2nd ms. P. She doesn't know it all either-only what she was supposed to know.
If he had cared so much-why the hell didn't he get Elvis into a hospital and some real help for him instead of sending him on stage after sloshing his face in iced astringent and slapping him to wake him up? Why wasn't he taking care of that? Sorry, don't buy any of it.
They could get Elvis to do just about anything else-even if he didn't want to-so don't tell me they couldn't get him in to a hospital that could help him. Sorry, he wasn't that damn difficult to handle...nor was he stupid. No one paid any attention-it was all go, go , go and get. get .get.
wjh Jeez my blood pressure is rising...

[Lighthouseseeker]

mine too Wanda..(the blood pressure) ..I can feel it very well..

[maia]

Yes, I would have to agree with you, Wanda...100%.

[Barbara Lea]

Is how The Colonial was allowed to live a Ripe Old Age, when The Colonial Helped PUT OUR PRESIOUS ELVIS AT A WAY TO YOUNG 42 YEARS OLD, IN HIS GRAVE. After reading how it Truly was for Elvis, all I what to do is sit and Cry! and Wish I had the Power to turn Back the Clock, I don't know if I could have made some difference but I would have give all of my Life Now for the Chance to really be there for Elvis, in every way possiable. Barb

[Rainbow Light]

Have just re-read the interview and it doesn't ring any more true than when I checked it over the first time. Generally I believe in giving people a chance and 'the benefit of the doubt' but just instinctively can't believe any of this and so I back Wanda up 100% in what she had to say.

There's just so much that feels wrong about what Loanne had to say and it doesn't balance with so much else that I've read and heard during the years about the Colonel. No way!

I agree and understand, too, about what Barb says. Hard to know whether in actual fact any of us could have changed what was to happen to Elvis but it would've been good to have had the chance anyway. At least, for him to have had more decent, loyal and caring friends around such as Wanda! Sounds like with all what was going on in Elvis' life beyond his control, he could've done with as many real friends as he could get, huh?

[Blue Moon]

Wanda,

I have heard that Elvis was planning on getting rid of Colonel Parker as his manager, at some point in the 70's. Is this true? And, if so, do you think Elvis would have followed through with it had he lived longer?

[Wanda June Hill]

I think he would have. He wanted to do his own thing, be his own boss and he wanted to have a film production company of his own and he had ideas and plans for things. But in the end, he wasn't able to carry it out- I truly think that certain people around him, over his career and controling things that he had no control over, kept him from doing and trying to do something different. He was tired of being Elvis Presley-he wanted to do something else-different-reach people through films and still sing but at smaller places-where he could see and touch the people-big arenas were so different-he liked the closness he felt at smaller places-that's why he loved Tahoe-it was more intimate a setting and he liked the feeling. He wanted to reach people-big places allowed them to come see him but he couldn't see them much at all. Even turning up the house lights didn't help him because he couldn't see distances very well by then. But people loved it and so he did too... He said that playing at the Houston Astrodome just about scared him silly-it was so big he didn't think he'd fill it and he filled it 8 times! And would have done 8 more I'd bet because people didn't get tickets and complained. My husbands brother and his wife couldn't get tickets! It sold out so fast every day he was there. He said of that "gig" I was the biggest hunk of bull there! It was a fair where they had livestock and rodeo's etc: wjh

[Rainbow Light]

Wish he'd had the chance to do his own thing and be in control of his own production/film company, done much more of what he wanted to do but it was not to be and think the fact that he did underestimate his own talent/drawing power was to his disadvantage, sadly, when it came to control by Parker and certain people in Elvis' group - mm etc.

[Rainbow Light]

Have located a memo/letter that was sent to The Surgeon General - U.S. Army dated August 19th, 1933 - see what you think, ok?

1. In compliance with paragraph 16 c, Army Regulations 615-360, report that Private Thomas Parker, 6 363 948, Headquarters
Battery, 13th Coast Artillery, was on August 19th, 1933, honorably discharged on certificate of disability per 3rd Ind CDD Hq 3rd Corps Area, August 11, 1933, by reason of ''Psychosis, Psychogenic Depression, acute, on basis of Constitutional Psychopathic State, Emotional Instability"

??!!

[Wanda June Hill]

Wow! Could explain some of the "fixation" qualities he had and controling sequences that were evidiant throughout. never heard anything about him being in service anywhere- that was sure kept quiet huh? I'll bet Elvis did know either... Parker was such a strong personality and cunningly so- and Elvis was such an innocent young kid when he got his hands on him. His mom didn't ever like him- was always wanting Elvis to stop performing, not sign any more papers etc: and Elvis wanted more- as he said, "the main thing I wanted was security for my family, momma, daddy an' me- an then for the others... it'd been so hard for so many and this was the way to have that- security, I mean." He said there wasn't any thing he wouldn't do to be on screen and there wasn't much he wouldn't do to keep his career going full steam ahead. And Parker used that to every advantage. He purposely didn't take his full comisson so he could hold that over his young star's head-knowing that would be the tie that binds-security for his family... and it worked. Too good at times. wjh

[Wanda June Hill]

I wonder if that were the Col? because his real name was not Thomas Parker- And could he have been in service in the US then? I know you don't have to be a citizen here to join the army even today, but I wonder. Would not surprise me at all- the Col. was just honorary title given him way back when. He was sneaky and sly and could be a real jerk and I didn't like him one bit and only had brief contact- not brief enough to suit me! And I could see what effect he had on Elvis- who could be up and ready to fight back and then down, lower than whale poop on the ocean floor after a session with him.
His whole attitude would be defeated... I could never figure out what exactly the Col. could say to bring Elvis to his knees so many times- It wasn't because he was holding "something horrible" over his head- I don't beleive that- Elvis didn't have a reason to give a darn by then- so much had been said about him anyway- so it had to be financial or scare tactics and promises of a better day if he'd just stick it out... I just don't know. Then the mafia stepped in... and that cinched it. wjh

[Blue Moon]

I do remember reading somewhere that Tom Parker had joined the US military. I wonder if there's any way to verify the authenticity of the above quote re Tom Parker's honorable discharge. It would not surprise me if it was authentic. I am curious as to what was meant by "Constitutional Psychopathic State". Sometimes I wonder if Col. Parker ever cared about Elvis as a person. It seems like Elvis was just a commodity to him.

I have read in a # of places that Col. Parker knew how to hypnotize people. I sometimes wonder if he practiced it on Elvis w/o Elvis being aware of it.

[Wanda June Hill]

He may well have. Elvis said he went under fast for a lady who had a comedy show where she put people under and she proved to him that he was no exception. Had him on all fours, barking, sitting up etc: and someone video'ed it and gave it to him. Then he was a believer-that before he got married-60's. She showed and told him how to put himself under for various reasons if he wanted...and he said that he did when he felt bad or was nervous more than usual or whatever before performing so he could be at his best... But he was always aware of what he was doing etc:...he said it wasn't like somebody else controling what you did through suggestion etc:. Parker learned early on what Elvis' weaknesses were and how insecure the young boy was-how little he'd had growing up and what his dreams were for his family and himself-he used those things I think- he reinforced them at every opportunity and kept on doing it right to the end. I think Elvis was seeing that,
but he was feeling so low himself, he wasn't able to fight back emotionally or physically which in turn affected him mentally as well. I think he was planning a way out-he just ran out of time... because it was his time to leave- he had reached the point he couldn't do any more here I guess, maybe because his physical body wore out or maybe because there was too much outside pressure?
I hope to find that out when I cross over to the other plane/side/heaven/whatever/ when I fly out of this body and sail about freely as I have once for sure! Then I will go find out-from the source. wjh