A Lifetime Love of Movies…by Jeff Cooke
Jeff Cooke, Aviation Enthusiast, Dog Lover
The cinema and movies has always been a source of enjoyment and employment. After leaving college, my first job was with Kerridge Odeon, a film distributor in Auckland, New Zealand. This provided the ideal start for my working life and, unknown to me at the time, the ideal introduction into my own movie distribution company much later.
Like most young fellows of my vintage, the yearning for change and “something better” saw me take up different opportunities as they presented. The next few years after leaving Kerridge Odeon saw me working as a sales cadet for a major engineering supply company, before becoming Sales Manager for a smaller company, also in the Engineering field.
Life was good and getting even better.
After becoming a husband to my life partner, Sherrie, a bonny New Zealand lass, and later a father, my career path changed yet again and I became a self-employed Insurance Agent for AMP, selling Life, Super, Fire and General insurance.
In 1978, as a family, we left New Zealand to live in Queensland, Australia.
Yes, this move prompted another career change, still in the sales area - I became Sales Manager for a home builder, selling family homes and assisting with finance. This led to an interest in and passion for property development and a few years later, along with Sherrie, we started our own property development company. I am a member of the Australian Institute of Construction (MAIC).
Our development business prospered yet we were always seeking new opportunities and the booming home entertainment industry and movie rental explosion provided the inspiration. In 1991, Eagle Entertainment (Aust) Pty Ltd, a film distribution company, a family business, was born.
Today, one of my sons is running Eagle Entertainment and my time is spent between the property business and the film business.
My life is blessed; whilst we lost my beloved wife and mum of our kids last year after a long illness, I enjoy the love and support of 4 children and 6 grandchildren. And with all the travelling Sherrie and l did over the years, mainly in the Film Industry, I cherish a wonderful circle of friends in many countries.
