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Not many movie theaters can boast personal visits from the likes of Tim Robbins, Nora Ephron, Chevy Chase and Gene Wilder. Stamfords Avon Theatre can.
Located at 272 Bedford St., the Avon Theatre Film Center, Inc. caters to filmmakers and filmgoers who savor delving into the back story of a movie as much as they enjoy viewing the finished product. The theater regularly offers talks and presentations on the films it shows, providing insights into the artistic process as part of its art-house programming. It specializes in classic, independent, documentary and foreign films.
The Avon is unique in that it is member-supported. It is a not-for-profit theater that operates through donations, membership contributions and ticket sales.
The theater became a nonprofit in 2003, after undergoing a major restoration. It was built as a commercial entity, designed by renowned architect William Hohauser and constructed by the F.D. Rich Co. It originally opened in 1939 under the ownership of Samuel Weiss Amusements, and has changed hands over the years. The Royce Foundation, its current owner, purchased it in 2001.
Among the Avons distinctive features are its interior murals. Designed by local artist Oscar Glas, they depict early inhabitants of Stamford.
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