W. Varick Nevins III

After graduating from Alfred University in 1932, W. Varick Nevins III returned to his alma mater to teach mathematics. Affably known as the master of puns by his students, Varick distinguished himself as a man of wit and humor throughout his thirty-year career.

Determined to bring a piece of Hollywood to Alfred, he and his wife, Lillian, showed movies in the Campus Theater. Together, they ran the Alfred Cooperative Pictures for thirty-five years. Varick created his own amateur films using a Bell & Howell movie camera and often featured students in fantastic, inventive plots. His films can still be viewed as visual tributes to Alfred’s history. Today, the Nevins Theater at Alfred University honors the unique memory of Varick and Lillian.