Independent cinema stalwart Bob Parr has died aged 77.
Parr was a mainstay of the exhibition sector for more than 60 years, serving as program manager for South Australia’s Wallis Cinemas for four decades before moving into a senior advisor role.
His career also included a stint as the manager of the historic Chelsea Cinema in Kensington Park, now known as the Regal Theatre.
Parr joined Independent Cinemas Australia (ICA) as a board member in 2003 and was recognised for his contribution to the organisation in 2015 with the Mark Sarfaty CEO Award.
Other honours bestowed on him throughout his career included an Order of Australia medal in 2011 in recognition of his service to the community as a contributor to charitable fundraising, and the independent spirit award from the Australian Independent Distributors Association in 2011.
Wallis Cinema CEO Tony Edmonds, whose friendship with Parr spanned 45 years, told IF there wasn’t section of the industry that the exhibition veteran “hadn’t touched or worked in”.
“Bob was my encyclopedia,” he said.
“If I needed anything to do with history of cinema, I go down to his office and he’d be able to tell me anything I needed to know.
“He was an absolute wealth of information, in terms of the history and the stories he was able to tell.
According to Edmonds, Parr concentrated on the “nostalgia side” during his final years with the exhibitor, managing to be involved up until about four weeks ago.
“He would get up and do questions and Q&As, where he would explain the films, the stars, the history of the stars, and the background of the stars.
“It just gobsmacked how much he had actually retained on every aspect of cinema.”
Parr’s lasting legacy will be celebrated with a new ICA award to be presented annually.
Created in conjunction with the Wallis family, the Bob Parr OAM Wallis Cinemas Mentoring Award will provide a six-month mentor and booking support program to an ICA member cinema owner or employee selected on merit and need.
In a statement, ICA CEO Adrianne Pecotic said the late board member “brought such strength, joy, and irrepressible love of life to all around him”.
“He made a unique and legendary contribution to independent cinema for over 50 years and will be remembered as a true champion of the independent spirit.”