Before movies had sound, silent films were often accompanied by live musical performances. Often a single piano or organ. But what I didn’t know was that at one time there were elaborate one and two person keyboards, one-man-bands, that some high-end theaters would acquire for their film accompaniment.
That is, until Bill from the Virginia City Players bought a few horns from us and Lindsey, their musical director, sent me photos of the horns set up for use.
The Virginia City Players have a working Cremona Photoplayer, one of the last few in existence.
Lindsey built a stand for the horns and keeps them close at hand.
We’ve made use of them in a couple numbers that we do in our vaudeville show. We don’t allow video/pics during show, so can’t show you those. One is a crazy chicken number, the other is of a traffic jam with wooden cars that people are carrying around.
Thank You Bill and Lindsey for sharing your story and these photos. Check out their website for more information about their shows and amazing old musical instrument collection. VirginiaCityPlayers.com. Here’s the story of their Cremona Photoplayer and its use in our not so distant past.
Not a Cremona and it uses a player piano roll to make most of the music but you can get the idea here…
Or listen to an NPR story on the Cremona Photoplayer.
prince of chaos
pied piper
of pandemonium
curly haired muppet
speaks with hand jive
strumming dummy
sleeves spewing knives
fold your wings harpo
come back down to earth
harp, horns and whistles
come play with me
grins like a cat
climbs like a goat
rumpled top hat
and magical raincoat
piano destroyer
a honking disguise
don’t give him the scissors
he’s got insane eyes
fold your wings harpo
come back down to earth
harp, horns and whistles
come play with me
bobble-headed trickster
never says please
If he lies with your dog
he will give him fleas
chasing the chickens
all over the ballroom
wouldn’t know what the pluck
to do if he caught one
fold your wings harpo
come back down to earth
harp, horns and whistles
come play with me
slip you a leg
for a handshake
while he’s pocketing
your green
cut your ties and tail off
most innocent thief I’ve seen
he’ll plop right down
on upon your lap
and slap you in the face
confessing his love to a horse
and the whole human race
fold your wings harpo
come back down to earth
harp, horns and whistles
come play with me
blowing bubbles
free of troubles
he is our favorite clown
master of mischief
top of the props
he’ll steal the toupee
right off of a cop
silly
jolly
full of folly
i dare you not to laugh
the fastest fork
of the five brothers
always himself
not like the others
fold your wings harpo
come back down to earth
harp, horns and whistles
come play with me
the train came chugging
down the track
and at a break neck speed
with jockey harpo
on its back
his nose was in the lead
rag-tag
mad man
peter pan
i’ll ride in your sidecar
you probably ate the gas tank
so I know we won’t get far
fold your wings harpo
come back down to earth
harp, horns and whistles
come play with me
a blowtorch
to light a candle
burning at both ends
i promise when you get here
we’ll be the best of friends
i can make a gookie
I can climb a tree
I’d like to be adopted
into the family
fold your wings harpo
come back down to earth
harp, horns and whistle
come play with me
my dear friend harpo –
i’ve planned our day, chock full of love happy with plenty of monkey business. first, after a day at the the races and a night at the opera, we’ll don horse feathers and go west, stopping at the big store for cocoanuts. spending a night in casablanca, we’ll order duck soup with animal crackers from room service.
sincerely,
professor pinky p. pinello