Film distribution and marketing expert Jim Murphy, a founding member of the Toronto Filmmakers’ Co-op, died April 12 in Toronto following ongoing health problems. He was 59.

Murphy was highly respected in the production and distribution community, and known as an avid supporter of Canadian filmmakers and a movie aficionado.

In a career that spanned nearly 40 years, Murphy was instrumental in the acquisition, distribution and marketing of feature films including Dead Ringers (1988), Better than Chocolate (1999), Ginger Snaps (2000), The Art of War (2000) and Century Hotel (2001).

He worked for companies including Bellevue Films, Astral Films, Malofilm and TVA Films (formerly Motion International), and also served as part of senior management at the Ontario Film Development Corporation from 1994-96, and, more recently, as program manager at the National Screen Institute and part-time instructor at Ryerson University’s film school.

‘He became a second father to me,’ says Toronto helmer David Weaver, who met Murphy nearly 14 years ago at the OMDC. ‘He was essential to the distribution of my first feature film, Century Hotel, and taught me everything about that side of filmmaking.’

Dan Lyon, feature film unit director at Telefilm Canada, remembers Murphy as a ‘walking encyclopedia’ of film knowledge. ‘He could recite not only the plot and the box-office gross of every movie he had ever seen, but if pressed, would also identify the cast, director, screenwriter and DOP,’ Lyon says.

The NSI is planning to name a fund or program after Murphy, who is described as an ‘invaluable ally to Canadian filmmakers’ by Brendon Sawatzky, producer, and manager of training programs at NSI.

‘He cared so much about training, so it’s a natural fit,’ says Sawatzky, whose producing credits include the drama Who Loves the Sun, currently in theaters.

Murphy is survived by his sister, Mary Ann.