Life and Career
Parnell was born in London on Valentine's Day in 1892. He began his theatrical career at age 13 by working as an office boy for a music-hall circuit. By 1945 he had become Managing Director of the Moss Empires music hall and variety circuit, in charge of some of London's most prestigious theatres.
He auditioned and signed a twelve-year-old Julie Andrews for her first professional performance and introduced her to her manager, Charles Tucker, aka Uncle Charlie Tucker.
In 1956 he was appointed Managing Director of Associated TeleVision. He took a personal interest in the station's output and presented the weekly musical variety show Val Parnell's Sunday Night at the London Palladium until 1965.
He lost his position on the ATV board to Lew Grade in 1962 and retired in 1966.
He died in France in 1972.
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