Does The Batra Family Reconcile Their Differences. Elvis is a 2022 Biopic Musical film directed by Baz Luhrmann. Col. Parker snapped: "We're here to honor his memory. However, Parker claimed that his issue with overseas performances was over security issues, as well as poor venues not suitable for the star's stature. On August 14, 1981, Judge Evans . Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. It was no less than blasphemy. ", 'Where has this been hiding? He is injected with a medicine, given a temporary solution, made to stand, and almost forced to perform on stage. His father, Vernon, was an incompetent business manager, which allowed Tom Parker to play his tricks. He booked Presley as an opening act on a Hank Snow tour and began trying to persuade Presley, his parents and his manager, Bob Neal, to let him provide professional guidance. Paul Shirey is a senior news writer for Screen Rant. As a young man, he worked at carnivals and fairs, founding the Great Parker Pony Circus and Colonel Tom Parker and His Dancing Chickens. Having been a staple in The King's life for so long, he was well known to Elvis' ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, who humored his appearances at such venues, regarding him as a family friend despite their clashes over the estate. I like to dwell in the cinematic world and ponder over philosophical thoughts. In Las Vegas, he worked as an adviser for Hilton Hotels, consulting on entertainment. Despite the court controversy, Parker continued to appear at Elvis-themed events, from anniversaries to special events, etc. Either he went to Germany and served in the army, or he would have to serve a sentence in prison. . The very next morning, Tom died in a renowned hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada due to stroke-related complications. In 1955, Parker began advising Elvis Presley, who at that time was signed with a small recording label, Sun Records. Tom Hanks was also intrigued by the fact that the wider public knew very little about the Elvis manager, claiming this was another reason he took on the role. On January 20, 1997, Parker's wife heard a crashing sound from the living room, and found him slumped over in his chair after having a stroke. Speaking to Stephen Colbert on The Late Show last year, Hanks described Parker as both a genius and a scoundrel He was a very disciplined man, but also a guy who you might want to check your wallet to make sure you still have all those fives and 10s. Most surprisingly, Hanks described asking Elvis Presleys ex-wife Priscilla about Parker, and getting a surprising answer. Astrological Sign: Cancer Nacionalities Dutch Death Year: 1997. At the same time, Parker was being sued by Priscilla Presley, and his dubious financial and ethical behavior toward one of the world's most beloved performers was being detailed. And, notably, Parker did not accompany Presley on the trip, fearing being exposed as an illegal immigrant with an assumed name. The public was charged $5 to see photos, placards (one billing Presley as "the nation's only atomic-powered singer") and other show business memorabilia -- mainly featuring Parker. More than 40 years after his death, Elvis Presley remains one of the most famous and most easily recognized people in history. He said he had turned down numerous book offers, some worth seven figures, because publishers were looking for the seamy side of Presley's life. Tom Parker's Cause of Death. In the end, they'd become dependent on one another and were in too deep to even know how to start over. The Legend Versus Cirkus: The Key To Making A So Bad That Its Good Movie, Explained. Eventually, Parker began to manage musicians. Mr. Parker began his management career with the singer Eddy Arnold, establishing a reputation as an all-consuming patriarch by moving in with the singer and his family in Nashville. The connection isn't nearly as directas the film implies, which presents Elvis residency at the International Hotel as a way for Elvis' managerto settle his sizable gambling debts at the hotel's casino. The 'Creed III' Star Lied About Being On Raya, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter. Where normal manager fees were in the 10- to 15- percent range, Presley agreed to a 25-percent fee when he signed with Parker in the 1950s and signed a new agreement in the 1960s that raised his fee to an incredible 50 percent. Smithsonian reports that Parker even restricted Presley from touring internationally due to his own undocumented status, forfeiting a potentially enormous payout. Thank you.". Tom Parker Is Dead at 87; Controlled Presley's Career, https://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/22/arts/tom-parker-is-dead-at-87-controlled-presley-s-career.html. He would have undoubtedly laughed away any attempt at an intervention. Col. Tom Parker, the strict, unorthodox and controversial manager who orchestrated Elvis Presley's career from 1955 until the singer's death in 1977, died yesterday at Valley Hospital in. It has been suggested he assumed his new name from a Captain Thomas. Priscilla left Elvis in 1973, as she felt that the only time he was alive was when he was performing on stage. Those steps mostly involved eating. She knew that something bad would happen with this association, but Elvis had made up his mind. But its gone now.. How did Colonel Tom Parker die? Colleagues said Mr. Parker's carnival experience made him an excellent judge of character and a fearless negotiator who was able to extract unprecedented sums for Presley's appearances and interviews, building the singer into a commercial empire that was worth $35 million by 1964. Elvis had reached the state of exhaustion. He served two years without incident and then re-enlisted in 1931. Sayen Ending Explained: Does Sayen Protect Her Community And Prove Her Innocence? Even so, he continued to sell out shows and hit the Top 10 charts. Baz Luhrmanns film takes you to that golden era when the alleys of Hollywood were hit by a sandstorm from Memphis, Tennessee. And, in fact, there is an unsolved murder in Bochstraat that fits the timeline of Parker's movements: In 1929, a woman named Anna van den Enden was beaten to death behind her husband's grocery store. Date of death: 21 January 1997 Las Vegas: Manner of death: natural causes; Cause of death: stroke; Place of burial: Palm Downtown Mortuary And Cemetery; Country of citizenship: Kingdom of the Netherlands; . Elvis Presley was huge. For the entirety of Presley's nearly 25-year career as "The King," his manager,"Colonel" Tom Parker, was the man who made all the career decisions. For answers, we enlistedexpert Alanna Nash, the author of several Elvis books (including The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of ColonelTom Parker and Elvis Presley and Baby, Lets Play House: Elvis Presley and the Women Who Loved Him). As theLos Angeles Timesreports, when Priscilla Presley, Elvis' ex-wife, sat down to go over the estate in 1979, she was shocked to discover it was a failing enterprise revenues had fallen to just $1 million that year and were expected to fall to less than $500,000. I believe in the kind of cinema that not necessarily makes you laugh or cry but moves something inside you. Meet Colonel Tom Parker, a complex man who was not all bad but certainly not all good. Jerry Schilling, one of the managers in Presleys Memphis Mafia, didnt understand why Tom Parker was not letting him perform abroad. Elvis Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, has been accused of killing the singer by some people. He couldnt break the association he had with Parker, but eventually, his body couldnt take the physical exhaustion and the mental fatigue. He saw the greasy-haired lad, clad in a pink suit, transform into a superhero. With Elvis in Las Vegas, Parker ran up enormous debts with the casinos and was focused on keeping Presley working constantly so he could cover his debts. Col. Tom Parker, the strict, unorthodox and controversial manager who orchestrated Elvis Presley's career from 1955 until the singer's death in 1977, died yesterday at Valley Hospital in Las Vegas, Nev. Elvis Presley and the Colonel Tom Parker. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. One of the suits was filed by a lawyer for Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie. I am Elena, the curator of all the biography, Net worth content that you will be reading on this blog. First, Baz Luhrmann joined a list of directors including Joe Wright, Frank Darabont, and Lawrence Kasdan as someone who had two Best Picture nominations but didn't get a Best Director nomination either time. Elvis' manager was obsessed with money and reveled in the sheer amount of it he could extract from his only client's enormous success. The actor has proven time and again that he's up to the challenge of playing a real-world personality and the role of Elvis and the Colonel is no different. Throughout his life, Parker claimed that he had been born Thomas Andrew Parker in Huntington, West Virginia, shortly after the turn of the 20th century. Nobody cared about what Elvis wanted. The Colonel seized on the moment and put Elvis back on tour, eventually settling on a residency in Las Vegas and a non-stop barrage of venues and recordings that took the singer to the brink, as he deteriorated into a mockery of his former self. He moved to Las Vegas and in 1989 got married a second time, to a woman named Loanne. How Did Colonel Parker Died. Yet Parker soaked Elvis for an enormous amount of money. In February of 1957, historian Michael T. Bertrand writes, Edward R. Murrow invited Elvis to appear on his prestigious evening news program. Once he experienced Las Vegas, that became a frequent stop for the promoter. Media in category "Colonel Tom Parker" The following 3 files are in this category, out of 3 total. Everybody loves Tom Hanks but they may not love Tom Parker, the predatory music manager he plays in Elvis. She says in her book Elvis and Me that she would occasionally hear that he had checked into the hospital, and that she would then call to see if he was all right, Nash says. Col. Tom Parker, the former carnival barker who helped guide Elvis Presley to stardom, died Tuesday of complications from a stroke in Las Vegas. After Elvis' death in 1977, the Elvis Presley manager continued on as if The King were still alive. During that period, Elvis mother passed away, and there were other political developments that shook him to his core. Colonel Tom Parker's House. Times, He was usually in good spirits, talking about the carnival days, the Eddy Arnold days, the Elvis days. The actor has talked about the project, what drew him to it, and how he felt about the overall story. Lisa Marie Presley dies:The only child of Elvisdies at 54 after a brief hospitalization. Over the course of their long relationship, he exerted a remarkable level of control over the star, who put up with him until his death in 1977. Colonel Tom Parker was best known for being the . Elvis was asked to perform, but his contract wouldnt allow it, Nash says. No matter what Colonel Parker says, his actions did qualify as a betrayal. Colonel Parker had never witnessed such an electrifying presence of any artist in his life till then. And throughout the 1960s, Parker forced Presley to appear in a series of truly awful films simply because they made money even as they arguably destroyed Elvis' credibility as a musician. 'Elvis' movie fact check: What's true, what's fiction in new biopic? "I had the luxury of essentially recreating somebody who no one really knew. The pattern that Parker would traditionally follow was affordability and profit over quality, which would eventually help to torpedo Elvis' career for a time. King, who worked as a DJ in Memphis at the time,would certainly have been aware of Elvis, and vice versa, but they would not have been hanging out and catching acts such as Little Richard as the movie portrays,says Nash. He lost his rights to Presleys millions, and got into further legal trouble with RCA, to whom he ultimately sold Presleys master recordings in order to stave off further litigation. Col. Parker stayed in the position until "the King of Rock 'n' Roll" died Aug. 16, 1977. Possibly because he was a murderer. He walked with the help of a cane during much of his adult life because of spine problems. He gained weight and looked awful, sweating through his rhinestone jumpsuits. The six-day exhibit drew hundreds of Presley fans, and Col. Parker seemed at the height of his glory as he escorted the tours. He dreamt of donning the same suit that B.B King wore, one day. Is He Dead Or Alive? Parker had a reputation for being incredibly protective of his relationship with Presley and for isolating the singer and encouraging his descent into drug addiction and poor health, a cycle that resulted in Presley's early death at age 42. There was a petition to bar Elvis Presley from doing television shows. In Elvis, Tom Hanks' Colonel Tom Parker refers to himself as " The Snowman ," but the nickname was far from a joke for Parker. As per reports, Colonel Tom Parker's Cause of Death was revealed that he died of stroke. He began with country singer Eddy Arnold in the late 1940s, and his behavior toward Arnold foreshadowed how he would later approach managing Elvis Presley: Per the Times, he literally moved into Arnolds family home in Nashville. And for every dollar Elvis earned, Tom Parker took a piece. The Presley estate sued Parker for fraud in 1981, specifically over the deals he had with RCA in addition to his contract with Presley which, needless to say, amounted to a conflict of interest. The two argued into the night until Elvis, in his 30th-floor suite, fired Parker, who immediately replied that he quit and, as the movie depicts, retired to his offices to draw up a bill for what he claimed Elvis owed him. A deeper look into Parkers biography reveals more of his genius and his exploitation of Presley. Since he'd never been naturalized as a U.S. citizen, either, he wasn't a subject of either country. In fact, as Smithsonian Magazine writes, Parker was born in Breda, in the Netherlands, in 1909, and his birth name was Andreas van Kuijk. And those better scripts were out there and offered to Presley. According to biographer Alanna Nash, Parker was diagnosed as a psychopath and discharged. Elena Eremina Hi there! The Washington Post also reminds us that this cost Presley whose estate was worth just $7 million when he died a great deal of money. In 1983, he was paid $2 million dollars in an out-of-court settlement, which had him turn over any and all audio and video recordings he had of Elvis and terminated his involvement in any Elvis-related earnings for five years. Elvis didnt stop performing the way he wanted to, and eventually, the right-wing had enough. There is a scene in the film where Elvis faints just before going on stage. Elvis died at the age of 42, in the year 1977. Tom Parker caught a glimpse of the singer backstage. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Colonel: The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker and Elvis Presley. It can never be proved that Colonel Parker had direct involvement in the death of the artist, but it is an inevitable fact that he created situations that led to it eventually. Some people, though, didnt appreciate his wiggly gyrations and considered them obscene and against public morality. Parker returned to the carnival (one not-too-dissimilar to the 1950s carnival in American Horror Story thanks to the setting), where he made his living for a time before getting involved in music promotion, working with the likes of Gene Austin, Minnie Pearl, Eddy Arnold, and Hank Snow. . Show director/producer Steve Binder turned to songwriter Earl Brown to write an emotional ballad, "If I Can Dream," that reflected Elvis hopes that the nation could get through such a crisis and heal. Parker was a svengali who exerted an extreme amount of control over his charge's career, and took enormous 25 to 50% in commission. Formerly the Editor-in-Chief of JoBlo.com, he has over a decade of writing and reporting about the entertainment industry and has covered everything from Comic Con to CinemaCon to Star Wars Celebration, as well as covering numerous set visits and junkets all over the world. At that point in time, a fresh voice had emerged out of nowhere in the market. AccordingSmithsonian Magazine, the reason for this attitude is the same reason Parker refused to travel internationally and why he usually settled lawsuits instead of taking the chance of being forced to testify under oath: He was terrified that his status as an illegal immigrant would be revealed. Parker always stood by his arguments in which he said that he did what was best for the singer. In particular, Hanks was looking forward to taking part in a fresh look at the story, as the tale of Elvis is well-known enough to garner fatigue. Parker found ways to market Elvis through merchandise, TV appearances, and films, always working in some kind of cross-promotion to make more money off the endeavor. Tom knew that Elvis was the golden goose and Hank was a story of the past. Parker, ever the carny, knew what brought people in the big tent.. Elvis could have played the lead in West Side Story, for example, or the role that made Jon Voight a star in Midnight Cowboy. The Colonel's Greed Killed Elvis That isnt to say that Parkers gambling and Elvis Vegas shows aren't linked, she says. His first wife, Marie, died in 1980. Then in 2017, when the house was set to be demolished for a car wash, music historian and collector Brian Oxley purchased the rights to the . I think I didn't hear you very well. Frequently photographed with Presley, Parker became a celebrity in his own right, usually pictured chomping on a cigar. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); COPYRIGHT Digital Mafia Talkies | DMT. After incredible success in the 1950s, a period during which Presley came to define the new sound of rock and roll, his popularity plummeted in the 1960s after a stint in the Army and a series of lazy, poorly received films. He allegedly took a 50% commission on his earnings and exploited him to support his gambling and betting addiction. Just how true are they? Tax bills and other expenses were eating up every dollar The King had left behind, and there were no more tours, records, or films to bring in more cash. Tom Parker wasn't a household name before Elvis, but it's clear that after the biopic, it soon will be. In that act, he placed live chickens on a hot plate covered with sawdust, and the chickens "danced" to music. He was a true blue personification of a capitalistic setup. Who would account for that mental and physical fatigue? He claimed to have been born in Huntington, West Virginia. As a veteran even a veteran with a stain on his record Parker would have been an ideal choice for the draft. When Elvis wanted to break the association, Parker sent him a notice, in which he stated that the singer owed approximately eight million dollars to him. A rough-spoken, imposing, cigar-chomping businessman, Mr. Parker rarely gave interviews and was known for fabricating his background. He made a mockery out of the life of the best-selling solo recording artist of all time. He was 87. As theLos Angeles Timespoints out, his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, knew that Elvis' brand was so powerful that he could earn millions at any moment simply by booking a tour, recording an album, or appearing in a film. Col. Parker was 300 pounds, enjoyed smoking Cuban cigars and was said to have been lacking in social graces -- he wore walking shorts, a colorful shirt and a baseball cap to Presley's funeral. According to The Washington Post, Parker turned down offers for Presley to star in several films that went on to be huge hits and establish their stars as legitimate actors. To settle litigation with RCA, he sold his Presley master recordings to the company for $2 million. Parker was eventually sued by the Elvis estate over mismanagement, which found his dealings over the years to be unethical and extortionate. AsSmithsonian Magazinereports, van Kuijk, who was born in the Netherlands, created an elaborate fake past for himself. The immigrant Colonel Tom Parker, manager of musician Elvis Presley, pictured smoking a cigar, circa 1955. But could he also be blamed for his extramarital affairs, his reckless spending, his careless attitude, his addictions, and the debauchery he engaged in, that took him farther away from himself and made him alienate the very people who loved him unconditionally? Alanna Nash's biography of Parker, The Colonel, claims he may have been trying to avoid passport scrutiny because he might have been a suspect in a murder in Breda. AsSmithsonian Magazinereports,Parker had apparently had all he could take of Army life and took steps to avoid serving his adopted country. On January 20, 1997, Parker's wife heard a crashing sound from the living room, and found him slumped over in his chair after having a stroke. I came to Mumbai to bring characters to life. Even his birthplace was in dispute: He said West Virginia, but most reference books said the Netherlands. Biography tells usthat after emigrating illegally to the United States from the Netherlands in the 1920s, Colonel Tom Parker eventually joined the U.S. Army in 1929. All of that missed the point, however: Parker was an incredibly secretive man who managed to somehow remain mysterious despite spending decades as one of the most famous people in the country. Read more to discover the real story behind the man who made Elvis. Privately, though, he loved to reminisce: As Bruce Banke, a former publicity director for the Las Vegas Hilton, told the L A. The theory was never tested. He was tired of life. 10 Days Of A Good Man Ending, Explained: Did Sadik Find Tevfik And The Mastermind Behind His Disappearance? As The Washington Post notes, British music promoter Harvey Goldsmith said flat out that when he tried to sign Presley to a performance in England, Parker told him privately it would never happen because he was afraid to leave the U.S. In the early 1940s, he was a dogcatcher in Tampa. The new contract also allowed Parker to charge additional fees for services he provided, eating away at the money that should have gone to Elvis instead. Even in times of war, the Army has some strict standards about the physical condition of its soldiers, so Parker's brilliant plan to avoid the draft involved gaining weight. The colonel was said to be worth $1 million a year to the International because of his gambling, according to onetime International executive Alex Shoofey, Nash says. After Presley died of a diseased heart, the courts ruled that Col. Parker had no legal rights or interest to the Presley estate. Parker entered the country illegally and never took any steps to correct his status despite the fact that it would have been relatively easy to do so. Never one to miss an opportunity to make money off of his prized client, Colonel Tom Parker jumped on Elvis' death as a marketing cash grab. Managing the world's biggest musical act isn't the most difficult job: Elvis Presley was one of the most in-demand artists in the world, and the offers literally came to Colonel Tom Parker no matter what he did. "Colonel" was an honorary title bestowed on him in 1948 by Gov. Anuel AA lanza indirecta a Karol G en la cancin 'Ms rica que ayer'. AsThe Washington Postnotes, in 1973, Parker sold the rights to Presley's recording catalog to RCA for a measly $5.4 million and earned $1.5 million more than Presley in the deal. He was 87 years old at the age of his death. But Parker was also a very scared man who sacrificed millions in potential earnings because, as writerAlanna Nashreports, he didn't have a passport and was afraid to let Presley tour overseas without him. On top of that, Parker found venue upon venue for Elvis to perform in, be it recording studios, Hollywood films, TV specials, and even satellite broadcasts, immersing the artist into the cultural zeitgeist while keeping him landlocked in North America. Even Tom knew that he was doing so only to win their trust, and that, in fact, the business manager would be nothing but a puppet whose strings would be controlled by Tom himself. Add in the soundtrack royalties and the free publicity for Elvis' records, and it's easy to see why Parker ignored his client's pleas for better scripts. AsThe Washington Postnotes, Parker took home a hefty fee for managing Presley's career. Elvis was tired. He had created a different narrative for himself, and he takes us back in time when he heard about the King of Rock and Roll for the first time in his life. AKA Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk. As noted byThe Washington Post, in 1981, Albert Goldman published a biography of Elvis Presley that was pretty scathing in its portrayal of Parker and exposed his true identity to the world. The rumor floated around town that Milton Prell, Shoofeys old boss at the Sahara, had brokered the (Elvis) deal for the colonel, getting money from the mob to put the deal together,"Nash says. Related: Elvis Cast Guide: What The Characters Look Like In Real Life. Parker realized early on the bigger potential of Austin Butler's Elvis and transitioned to managing him full-time. Plenty of men of all ages chose not to wait for the draft and volunteered for service. Hanks retains all of these qualities in his performance, including the adoption of prosthetics to help look more like the controversial Parker. Wednesday, September 14 2022 . From director Baz Luhrmanns research in Memphis and Elvis birthplace ofTupelo, Mississippi, to scores of well-researched biographies, there is laudable accuracy to the film, which is streaming and on demand now (HBO Max,Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Vudu, Google Play and other platforms). The epic biopic "Elvis" covers a lot of ground - 42 years, to be precise - from the iconic singer's birth until his death in 1977. At some point, he made his way to the United States Smithsonian speculates that he entered through the Canadian border and resided in America for the rest of his life as an undocumented immigrant. All Images property of their respective owners. Never one to miss an opportunity to make money off of his prized client, Colonel Tom Parker jumped on Elvis' death as a marketing cash grab. However, she adds, there was an incident a few years before his deathwhen Elvis explodedat Hilton owner Barron Hilton. But then something extraordinary happened. Elvis would no more have responded to an intervention than a demand to give up singing. Mr. Parker was widely reported to have come to the United States as an illegal immigrant from the Netherlands and to have feared that he would not be allowed back into the country if he went abroad with Presley. After being discharged from the army, he spent time traveling with circuses as a carnival worker. Its part of why he wanted him in the first place. Doctors told Tom Parker that he had stage 4 . He came on stage, and it felt like he would faint because of anxiety and stage fright. The RCA record label signed Elvis and Sam Philips was duly compensation for letting the artist go. Then again, existing evidence suggests there was confusion as to the proper spelling of his middle name prior to his death. Breaking News. Jimmie Davis of Louisiana. Presley, however, was confident in the song, and Heartbreak Hotel was soon at the top of the Billboard Charts. And there certainly would've been no Elvis without Colonel Tom Parker.' Yet he never bothered and remained an illegal immigrant his entire life. The Elvis Presley manager did a lot of controversial things during his time in show business, and the Baz Luhrmann movie reveals just how much of a monster he really was. In a review of a biography of Parker in The Washington Post, book critic Jonathan Yardley reflects that The hold [Parker] had on Presley is an enduring mystery. Presley remained loyal to Parker, even as Parker exploited and benefited from his star power and talent. The Masked Lookalike Explained, Every Baz Luhrmann Movie, Ranked According To Box Office Mojo, Tom Hanks' Tom Parker isn't his usual role, The New Mad Max Might Break A Decades Old Series Rule, Chris Pratt Joins Luigi Actor To Troll Super Mario Bros. Movie Voice Critics, Warner Bros Just Destroyed The Rings Of Power. However, Hanks, who has six prior nominations and won twice, was snubbed for his role as Colonel Tom Parker. Its a story about power, about control, about greed, and most of all, about freedom, for which our protagonist longed till his last breath. He is survived by his wife, Loanne, of Las Vegas. Eventually, this uneven arrangement led to a truly incredible scenario: Elvis Presley's manager made more money than Elvis himself. Into his late 80s, Colonel Tom Parker began to struggle with various illnesses including diabetes and gout. In the end, both Elvis and Colonel Parker shared a tragic journey that mirrored their working relationship. All rights Reserved. When Tom made an offer to partner with Elvis, the first thought that came to the singers mind was that it could be the end of all his struggles. AsThe Washington Postnotes, by 1966, Parker was earning 50 percent of Elvis' paychecks, and in 1973, Parker sold the rights to Presley's recording catalog to RCA for a low-ball $5.4 million. 'I couldn't be an imposter': How Austin Butler vanished into the role of Elvis Presley. Parker suffered a stroke in 1997, dying at a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada after years of declining health, survived only by his second wife.