Avon Theatre Film Center

I was wondering if this theater is much cheaper than all the other regular theaters and if they are what price does it start?

the theatre will reopen between november and december, it will be a art/foreign/student film cinema.
The construction going on is unbelievable. there will be new seating, new management, new candy stand and more! I am very excited to see the out come of this once crown owned theatre.

At one time the Avon Theatre seated 722 people.

What a treasure of a theater - now to be saved.
I am a film buyer who would be most interested in
working with the folks who are reopening this classic
venue for art and foreign films.

The official website is http://www.avontheatre.com/

The Avon will officially reopen Friday January 23, 2004. It will be an art films venue with two auditoriums having a total seating capacity is 610.

I was in the Avon yesterday to watch some screenings of 35mm trailers and 16mm films as the final touches were put on the theatre. It is absolutely amazing inside following a $1 million renovation. It is the most well-restored classic movie house that still screens films that I have ever been inside. After it officially reopens if you are anywhere in the vicinty you should come take a look at the Avon!

I have lived in Stamford for 10 years. I was an actor for 5 of those and just wanted to say it's great news about the Avon! Also, I wanted to take this opportunity for a shameless plug: My recent project, Root of All Evil, filmed in and around Bristol,CT is set to premiere on March 20th at the Warner Theater in Torrington. More information about the premier and the project can be viewed at www.treesthemovie.com or by contacting me at pmg_12063@yahoo.com
Looking forward to the official re-opening of the Avon!

I cannot believe they saved this theatre! I have been inside and it looks fantastic. There's finally going to be a real place to see a movie in Stamford and an art film at that!!

I grew up in nearby Cos Cob and have great memories of time spent at the Avon back in the late 50's and 60's. It was the theatre I first saw a 3-D film in and I clearly remember sitting there ducking down to avoid being hit by the arrows flying out of the screen and people seemingly falling into the audience. My dad and brother had more than a few laughs as I tried to avoid being hit. The movie was "The Charge at Feather River" and I have never forgotten the experience. Along with the Avon was the magnificent Pickwick Theatre in Greenwich, which was huge inside and beautifully decorated.

Thanks to Cinema Treasures, I was able to find out about this place, and had the opportunity to attend there this evening. Wow. What a jewel! This is the best "divide the theater in half" project I've ever seen executed. In short, it was done right. Neon on the marquee, too. Very, very pleased to see this. I attended in the stadium theater, and it was just terrific. Ticket and refreshment prices were reasonably priced. One of the attendants claimed they served "real butter" on the popcorn, but it sure tasted like the fake stuff. That was the only (slight) bummer. But overall, an "A" and I'll certainly be back to catch a few films per month. (As an aside, there is a great new restaurant directly across the street that serves terrific malts.) From my house to there is 20 miles each way, but in my book this is well worth it. I am SO done with those megaplexes!!

the new website is http://www.theavon.com/

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the above wesite is not fo the avon theatre in Stamford , CT

The original balcony was actually stadium seating at the rear of the orchestra.

There are 592 seats, not 610. I was there for a special screening last week of "Sidewalk Astronomer." Wow. Spacious inside. Ticket booth is on the left and concessions in the lobby on the right. The stairwell in the middle has a bannister and a stairwell on both sides. A great carpeted foyer and very nice tiled bathrooms are present. There's a large sitting area with 4 nice leather chairs and many bookshelves where one can read and there's a fireplace as well.

The large theater on the right side has 350 seats and the balcony has 242 totalling 592. I counted each one after the event. The main theater is gorgeous and very spacious. The seats are comfortable but very squeaky. There's a stage with the screen and steps leading up from each side for Q and A. The seats on both sides' cupholders angle slightly toward the center but the seats are forward. There's little lights under each aisle chair (armrest) on both sides of the aisle of the left and right aisle of the theater.

Watercolor paintings on cancas (3 on each side) adorn both walls. They look like murals but aren't upon closer inspection. There are 2 undrawn red curtains on each side of the paintings with a horizontal light above each painting (that stay on with the aisle lights during the movie). On each side of the proscenium are 3D pedestals that come out with a painting in each one and it's shaped like a half oval.

You can see the projection booth with curtains drawn on both sides and can tell it was the balcony at one point.

Standing in the lobby to the left is the mini-theater that was the entire balcony but it's just half of it. The curtain in front has pink insulation behind it. There are 6, (3 on each side) original circular metal cutouts depicting ancient scenes of Peter Pan. The black iron is quite thin upon touching it and the current owners added multicolor gels that go around all of each one. 1 is a horse and buggy, 2 is a couple in Victorian wear with a house in the background, 3 is a pirate ship with the sun in back, 4 is Peter and Wendy, 5 is two folks and 6 is a bunch of Lost Boys by the water's edge.

This is a recent photo of the Avon Theater.

Also known as TransLux Avon Theatre, TransLux Avon Twins Theatre and Crown Avon Twin.

First listed in the 1940 Stamford City Directory at current address. In 1964, it doesn't list the Avon, but rather the Bedford Amusement Corporation at 276 Bedford. In 1981, it's listed as TransLux Avon Theatre. In 1989, it's the TransLux Avon Twins Theatre. The 1994/1995 Directory lists it as the Crown Avon Twin.

The architects for the renovation, Khun-Riddle Architects, describe the project thusly:

"A multi-use conversion of an unoccupied, 1920s town-center cinema to include a new 3-screen cinema addition, retail, restaurant and office space."

So this does appear to confirm that the three current auditoriums are in an entirely new wing of the building, while the old theatre has apparently been converted to other uses.

OK, that comment I just made can be disregarded. I posted it on the wrong page (the hazards of having too many browser tabs open at once.) It pertains to the Amherst Cinema Arts Center in Amherst, Massachusetts.

1983 Day Photo

1983 Night Photo