by Chaz DeSimone
Professor Rinaudo
“PROFESSOR RINAUDO” as silent cinema aficionados call him, has been my friend for fifty years, since junior high school. Back then Joe Rinaudo was collecting 16mm silent films and would put on shows for his friends.
Today he researches, collects, restores and exhibits silent films (35mm these days) on a hand-crank projector, usually with live accompaniment of theater organ or piano, as itinerant shows to audiences in churches and halls, just like it was done 100 years ago.
Twice a year Joe brings his itinerant show to the opulent Nethercutt Museum in Sylmar, California. He is invited regularly to hand-crank his 1909 Powers Cinemagraph for special screenings at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscars). Joe is also consultant and provider of restored films to the Library of Congress.
Please read the full story of Joe’s passion for silent film here.
Good job Chaz! I caught this Huell Howser episode a while back & Joe is absolutely amazing! I’m hoping to pull together a few more Hoover friends & make it to his Oct show at the Nethercutt.
Debi, whether you can round up Hoover friends or not, be sure and get to this show if you’ve never seen one before. This one especially, as Joe is showing his fully restored (with previously missing color footage) 1925 Phantom of the Opera. Dean Mora at the organ is amazing. Thanks for the compliment on the website. It’s a labor of love for my best friend of over 5 decades. (He hasn’t changed, trust me.)
Nice job, Chaz. Excited to know that you’ve got it up and I imagine that Joe is thrilled!! I’ll be watching for updates.
Rita, if you only knew how much prodding it took for Joe to finally say okay…but now that it’s launched he’s really excited. It’s been fun for me, too. A nice way for me to thank Joe for being such a good friend for over half a century. See you in October?