Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > May 1998 > 1998.05.05 > 07Prev  Next


Automatic Pianos In the Movies
By Mark Forer

In response to Hal Davis's observation about automatic pianos in the
movies, check out these flicks sometime for some quick flashes of some
instruments:

A nice Wurlitzer LX in the lobby of the wax museum in "Mystery of the
Wax Museum"- Warner Bros./First Nat'l., '33;

A playing Coinola Cupid that Barbara Stanwyk kicks as she walks out of
her father's dive in "Baby Face"- Warner Bros./First National, '33;

Bogie shoots a National automatic while it's playing in United Artists'
"Dead End", 1938;

Clara Bow and Fredric March get involved in a drunken fracas in a
roadhouse.  Behind them sits a dandy Wurlitzer upright nickel-grabber
("The Wild Party", Paramount, '29);

Two Josef von Sternberg classics feature A-roll pianos performing in
key scenes, the first, in a waterfront dive, in the late silent "Docks
of New York", Paramount, '28 starring George Bancroft.  The second:
"Blonde Venus", where a similar piano performs in a seedy dive
somewhere down south where Marlene Dietrich begins her fall into
degradation (Paramount, '32);

Marlene turns up again in a "house" with a player piano (electrified)
in Orson Welles' "Touch of Evil" (Universal, '57);

I'd be interested in finding out  from other readers if they know of
any other movies featuring these machines.

And Robbie, check out the record shop called Music and Memories in
North Hollywood on Lankershim for those elusive George Wright LPs,
as well as Canterbury records in Pasadena, not too far down the
street from radio station KPCC, where your host Bob Ralston plays
George Wright all the time from 7 to 8 PM, Sunday nights, on
"Gee Dad, It's A Wurlitzur."

Regards, Mark Forer


(Message sent Tue 5 May 1998, 06:42:53 GMT, from time zone GMT-0700.)

Key Words in Subject:  Automatic, Movies, Pianos

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page