Brian Avery is a native of Los Angeles, California, and attended Loyola High School, where he received the Bing Crosby Drama Medal at graduation. He then attended Loyola University on scholarship, earning a B.A. in English with minors in Philosophy and Languages.
Brian's artistic career began on Broadway in the musical "How Green Was My Valley," which caught the attention of a Universal Studios talent scout. He began working at Universal Studios, collaborating with Harrison Ford and Katharine Ross, and appeared in films such as "Journey To Shiloh" and "The Graduate" (1967).
Brian's membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) was facilitated by Gregory Peck, who recommended him to the Board of Governors. Brian has been an active participant in the Academy's activities, serving on several committees, including the Foreign Language Film Committee, the Executive Committee, and the Student Academy Awards.
As a member of the Academy, Brian has hosted incoming directors for the Academy Awards, including Ang Lee, Giuseppe Tornatore, and Sergei Bodrov. He has also served on the Documentary Committee and the Membership Screening Committee.
Brian's high-level contacts with the Academy prompted him to transition into producing. He brought "Crash" (2004) to the Yari Film Group, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. He has also produced "Shortcut to Happiness" (2003),"Where the Red Fern Grows" (2003),and "Flashbacks of a Fool" (2008).
Brian is currently producing the action drama "Venice Pier," which was developed through the AMPAS Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting program. He has been invited to participate in several film festivals, including the American Film Institute (AFI) FEST and the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA).
Brian is a member of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA),the Actors Equity Association (AEA),and AMPAS. He has also taught as a private teacher of voice and a public teacher of English as a Second Language, Mathematics, and Cultural Studies for the Los Angeles Unified School District, Adult Division.
Brian is married to Nicole Avery, a psychotherapist, and they have two children, Eric, the co-founder and original bassist of JANE'S ADDICTION, and Rebecca, a gifted actress and mother of their first grandchild, Henry.
