Elvis Completely Cut Out 1 of His Favorite People at Colonel Parker’s Demand: ‘Like an Obedient Child’

Priscilla Presley once described Elvis Presley as a “master at manipulating people,” but even he was afraid to stand up to Colonel Tom Parker. Parker was Elvis’ manager, and he guided the musician through every step of his career. Priscilla said Elvis rarely questioned Parker’s decisions, even if he disagreed with them. When Parker told Elvis to stop speaking to a valued friend and employee, Elvis listened.

Elvis Presley cut off a key member of his entourage because of Colonel Parker

In the mid-1960s, Elvis hired a new barber, Larry Geller. His appearance in Elvis’ life worried Priscilla and the rest of Elvis’ entourage. Geller introduced Elvis to spirituality; soon, it was all the musician could talk about. Parker noticed it, too, and instructed Elvis’ entourage — but primarily Geller — to leave the musician alone.

“‘Elvis should concentrate on his career,’ he said. ‘He’s an artist, not a shoulder to cry on. Leave him alone, and let him do his work,’” Priscilla recalled in her book Elvis and Me. “The Colonel looked over at Larry; it was obvious that his message was primarily aimed at him.”

While Elvis put high value on Geller’s opinions, he did not stand up for him.

“Elvis sat and listened like an obedient child, looking down, saying nothing,” Priscilla wrote. “He did not stand up for Larry; no one did.”

Later, Parker took it further, telling Elvis to cut out Geller entirely. Parker believed Geller’s spiritual teachings were negatively impacting Elvis. While Elvis denied this, he agreed to do what Parker said. 

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“I was surprised at how attentively Elvis was listening,” Priscilla wrote. “Elvis had always argued with anyone, even me, who said anything against Larry. At one point, it seemed Elvis would cut off his right arm for Larry. But now Elvis promised the Colonel he wouldn’t spend any more time than he had to with him. He kept his promise. He only used Larry to style his hair and was never alone with him again.”

Priscilla Presley said Elvis was afraid to stand up to Colonel Parker

Elvis didn’t always agree with the directions in which Parker guided his career. Still, Priscilla said there were very few times that he ever questioned Parker’s decision-making. He hated the business side of his career so much that he would rather accept Parker’s decisions than stand up for himself.

“He could have demanded better, more substantial scripts but he didn’t,” Priscilla wrote. “Part of the reason was the lavish lifestyle he had established and become accustomed to. The main reason, however, was his inability to stand up to the Colonel. In Elvis’ personal life, there were no stops in letting anyone know how or what he felt. But when it came time to stand up to Colonel Parker, he backed off. Elvis detested the business side of his career. He would sign a contract without even reading it.”

Priscilla Presley was happy to see Larry Geller go

While Priscilla found Elvis’ behavior surprising, she was happy that he didn’t stand up for Geller. She didn’t like the barber or his influence on Elvis and was happy to see him go. She was even happier when Elvis decided to get rid of the books Geller gave him.

“After Larry left, Elvis locked away many of his books,” Priscilla recalled. “I told him I was glad, that they were literally destroying us. We were engaged to be married. ‘Would it make you feel better if I just got rid of them all?’ Elvis asked. I nodded.”

They piled the books in the yard and set them on fire.