Gene Stavis

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Gene Stavis
BornApril 29, 1943
Boston, Massachusetts
DiedDecember 30, 2013 (aged 70)
New York City, USA
NationalityAmerican
Other namesEugene Benumen Stavis
OccupationProfessor
Known forFilm preservation, film archiving, film history, cinephilia, Queer Cinema

Eugene (Gene) Benumen Stavis was an American film archivist, cinephile and gay film pioneer.[1] He was the producer of The Emerald City, the first ever gay-themed cable television show in New York and a storied professor of film at the School of Visual Arts, which named a theater in his honor.[2]

Early life

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Gene Stavis was born in Boston. He attended Brookline High School and later Boston University. He founded the BU Film Society in the early 1960's.[3]

American Cinematheque Project

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During the 1970's Henri Langlois made an effort to establish an American counterpoint to the Cinémathèque française, which he had established with Georges Franju and Jean Mitry. Gene Stavis became Langlois's American counterpart for the venture and was to serve as its New York director.[4] The building that was to house the American Cinematheque was conceptualized by the I. M. Pei, however the project never came to fruition due to lack of funding.[5]

Later in his career Stavis was in charge of the development and opening of the Visual Arts Theater on 23rd Street in Manhattan, which opened in 2008.

Emerald City

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In the mid-1970's Stavis, along with Frank Dowd and Steve Bie formed Truth, Justice, and the American Way, Inc., a company, which produced the community-access cable television program The Emerald City. At the time it was the first ever gay-themed cable television show in New York. It focused primarily on issues in the gay community and aired on Channel J. The program was later syndicated in San Francisco.[6]

Teaching

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Gene Stavis taught cinema studies and film history at City University, John Jay College, LaGuardia College, New School and Fordham[7] before being appointed as the film history professor at the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1981, where he instructed for 30 years.[8] At a certain time he was appointed to be the instructor for the freshman year film history class, hosting every incoming film student for weekly screenings of classics from the silent and early talkie eras of cinema.

Notable directors who studied under Stavis include: Michael Cuesta, Craig Gillespie, Robert Kolodny, Morten Tyldum and Ti West.[9]

Personal life

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Stavis would often host private invite only screenings for young cinefiles and industry aficionados at his Waterside Plaza apartment. There he would project rare 16mm or 35mm prints and serve food. Stavis kept a large format, framed image of Henri Langlois in his living room. He was rumored to have discovered a lost student film by Orson Wells, titled The Hearts of Age.[10]

He passed away in New York City on December 30, 2013.

See also

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References

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Notes

  1. ^ "Gene Stavis - IMDb". IMDb. Archived from the original on 2015-11-01. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  2. ^ "Gene Stavis, Gay TV Pioneer, Dies at 70 – Gay City News". gaycitynews.com. 22 January 2014. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  3. ^ "EUGENE STAVIS Obituary - Death Notice and Service Information". Legacy.com. 13 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Fall 1964". www.filmcomment.com. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  5. ^ "Stavis, Guerra, and an American Cinematheque".
  6. ^ "ArchiveGrid : Emerald City(television program) videotapes, 1976-1979, (bulk 1978)". researchworks.oclc.org. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  7. ^ "Interview with Prof. Gene Stavis, formerly of the School of Visual Arts – Handout". www.handoutzine.com. July 2010. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  8. ^ "STAVIS, Gene - Speakers Archive (hidden) - Crossroads Cultural Center". Archived from the original on 2010-07-05. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  9. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-06-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ^ "The Kid Brother (1927) - Decent Films". decentfilms.com. Retrieved 2025-08-14.