Friends of LaValley share memories of his warmth and compassion

FROM LAVALLEY PAGE 1 media studies department, wrote that she remembers LaValley as “an endless source of fascinating and rare information about directors, actors, producers and the mechanics of Hollywood.”

He also created one of the first documentaries about AIDS ever produced, “A Time of Change: Confronting AIDS,” Brown said.

When students felt excluded from Greek life culture in the 1990s, LaValley would host parties at his home for students to get together, Brown said.

“He had this great way of embracing people and making them feel comfortable,” Brown said.

While he was chair of the film department, visiting professors and junior faculty often lived with Al for as long as they needed, according to film and media studies professor Amy Lawrence. After he retired, he would allow people who were struggling to stay at his place or find ways to sponsor them for jobs, Lawrence said.

Rapf said that LaValley’s compassion also extended to his love for animals, noting that he took care of two stray cats and adopted a stray dog. LaValley loved birds and could identify them by their calls alone, she added.

Claire Brown said that Professor LaValley was a memorable figure in her childhood.

“Of course, I will never forget using his belly as a trampoline — leaping from the arm of the old fuzzy green couch and plopping, and likely bouncing off, just to repeat it several times, laughing all the while,” she wrote.

According to Lawrence, everyone loved being around Al — “a lively, funny, generous man.”