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| Malcolm Parry with a Bentley in front of our Kerrisdale home on Athlone |
This man in
conjunction with art directors Rick Staehling (now dead) and Chris Dahl ran Vancouver Magazine which not only was
this city’s best magazine but also one of the best in Canada.
Parry had an
office with an open door. He saw most of the people that went in without
appointment and many left with writing, illustration or photographic
assignments.
Parry knew
the power of gossip so he moved to the Vancouver Sun and became one. His
photographs were excellent.
I believe
that Parry could do anything he wanted well and jokingly I might opine that he
probably was never able to write poetry.
I believe
that now at my age of 84 I may be the most prolific photographer (and a pretty
good one) in Canada thanks to this pushy mentorship and that of his art directors.
Those of us
who knew and know him (mostly now dead) understand the value he contributed to
this city not only as the editor of Vancouver
Magazine but also of Western Living.
He used to tell me that Western Living was a magazine that featured empty bathrooms.
As soon as he became its editor he hired Peter Trower our logging
poet.
During the
Falkland’s war he told me I had to write about my experience as a conscript in
the Argentine Navy. It became a cover story (he took my portrait for it) and
that began my writing career.
I will
finish in this way. “Mac my friend Felipe
Ferrer Junco is the chief of the Mexican Federal Police in Acapulco.” His
response, “Go”.