Mary's on 2nd's Bobby Stansberry interviewed for new QC Pride in Memory Documentary
Bobby Stansberry, owner of Mary's on 2nd in Davenport, had nothing to hide. He took time out to sit down for an in-depth interview with documentary filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films for the new Quad Cities Pride in Memory documentary "Our Story: Pride in Memory".
His life's story ebbed and flowed, much as the river down the block from Mary's. Bobby shared his story without any hesitation, of growing up gay in the Quad Cities, working at gay bars in the area and then in Texas where he moved for awhile, and how the bar scene provided a 'safe haven' for the gay community when there was nowhere else to go.
Bobby opened Mary's on 2nd in 2000 and it quickly became a thriving cocktail and event lounge for LGBTQ patrons. "There will be a 25th Anniversary celebration," he said. Mary's has survived a stolen vehicle crashing through the building, flooding, a pandemic... and, so very much more.
"We'd been looking forward to sitting down and talking to Bobby for some time," said producer Tammy Rundle. "We had a couple of derailments in getting the interview arranged. But Bobby was certainly worth the wait, and we are grateful to him for being so accommodating and candid with us for this project."
"The compelling thing about this documentary project is the story is still unfolding as we film it," said director Kelly Rundle. "Yes, we are looking at the past and all of the obstacles, struggles and the successes the Quad Cities' LGBTQ community has gone through over the decades. But their stories are quickly evolving even now in the face of present day changes, political impediments and injustices."
Our Story: Pride in Memory (working title) will shine a light on the untold history of the Illinois-Iowa Quad Cities’ LGBTQ+ community. From the guarded 1950s, AIDS, and gay marriage to current attempts to roll back LGBTQ+ rights, the film reveals the story of a personal and local civil rights movement.
The new documentary features the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ residents through illuminating on-camera interviews and combines them with compelling archival images, documents, and film footage to tell an inspiring story of struggle, achievement, and pride.
"We have met so many beautiful people through this project" said Tammy Rundle, producer/writer. "Each of them have shared stories that have moved and inspired us. We are looking forward to the completion of this project and sharing it with audiences throughout the country."
The Rundles have produced over 22 award-winning documentaries together, and were awarded their fifth Mid-America Emmy in the fall of 2024. The husband and wife team have conducted over a dozen interviews for the documentary project, and hope to wrap production by fall of 2026.
The documentary film project is currently in the fundraising phase, with grant writing underway to complete production, and move the project into the post-production (editing/completion) phase by late 2026. With fundraising in place, the project could be completed and premiere in 2028. We are truly grateful to ALL of the contributors who have helped to keep this important film project moving forward.
YOU CAN HELP! Donations for the documentary project are gratefully accepted via QCPrideinMemory.org (just click on the DONATION button for details).
