THE team at Warrington Parr Hall has paid tribute to Tony Peers, the man behind the annual pantos, who has sadly died.
Tony Peers was the man behind the magic of the annual pantos at Warrington Parr Hall and his legacy will live on at Beauty and the Beast next January, which has already been cast.
“Although we’re comforted that his legacy will live on thanks to his brilliant team, we’re still feeling very sad after hearing he made his ‘final bow’ on Wednesday morning. He died peacefully surrounded by family and friends, aged 78.
“As we reflect on this sad moment, we thought we’d share a few photos of when Tony joined the panto gang during a press day in Warrington in 2022. For all of us here at Parr Hall, we’ll best remember Tony as that warm-hearted dapper gentleman with a beaming grin who lived and breathed showbiz and loved the way pantos brought everyone together, particularly different generations of the same family.
“Sure, Tony’s pantos may have plenty of cheeky innuendoes but there’s always been an innocence to his shows as well in that they make parents, grandparents and even great grandparents feel like kids all over again.
“Having worked with Tony for more than 15 years, the magic hasn’t worn off for us – we’re still completely spellbound – and safe to say our audiences are too given Cinderella, at the beginning of this year, was one of our most successful pantos yet. And rest assured the show must go on as we proudly keep Tony’s memory and legacy alive with Beauty and the Beast in January.
A little about Tony’s star-studded career:
In 1969, Tony left a well-paid job in gentlemen’s clothing to become a Butlin’s Redcoat. He also cut his teeth at working men’s clubs and on the cabaret circuit.
This all paved the way for working his way up to Butlin’s chief host – running the full entertainment section at the popular holiday park.
That led to TV opportunities such as featuring in Corrie, Emmerdale and Last of the Summer Wine. Tony even played a journalist in the film Funny Bones which starred Lee Evans, Oliver Reed and Jerry Lewis. Another highlight was featuring in Esther Rantzen’s The Big Time – a showbiz reality show.
Tony came to Scarborough in 1983 to work at the Grand which was then a Butlin’s hotel. He also had a long and fruitful partnership with the Victorian entertainment venue, Scarborough Spa – where he was involved in more than 2,500 shows as a performer, director and producer. One huge honour was when he met the late Queen when he compered the opening of the town’s Open Air Theatre.
It was when Butlin’s came to an end in the 1990s when Tony joined forces with friends to start producing his own shows and the rest, as they say, is history.
