Tag Archives: Joe Rinaudo

Fotoplayer, Silent Cinema

ENCORE REPLAY: CORONAVIRUS QUARANTINE CONCERT

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In case you missed the live stream, hit the replay button below to enjoy Joe Rinaudo’s incredible

LIVE FACEBOOK STREAM

QUARANTINE CONCERT

on his Style 20 American Fotoplayer

Original Live Stream:
SUNDAY MARCH 22, 2020
6:00 PM PDT

replay concert

If you’re stuck at home during the global pandemic, Joe invites you into his home for some good old-fashioned entertainment. Right in the middle of his living room stands his Model 20 American Fotoplayer (customized with extra bells and whistles—and horns and glockenspiel and earthquake and sirens and on and on) which he restored a few years out of high school. You can hear this thing for blocks! The neighbors actually enjoy the sound, as many of Joe’s Facebook and YouTube followers do, too. Here are some of the hundreds of comments that were pouring in during the live concert:

  • Hi Joe! Thank you for performing this for us tonight.
  • This is unbelievable. I have never seen anything like this. I love it.
  • I never knew I could 23 skidoo til I heard this snazzy tune!
  • Thanks for the performances and history lesson!
  • Smiling from ear to ear! Thank you Joe!
  • How do you find or make parts for this?
  • MORE COWBELL!!!!
  • do you ever get complaints from your neighbors lol
  • Amazing Joe! Simply amazing!
  • Joe, where’s your virtual tip jar? 😊
  • Thank you so so so much! This was so needed and wonderful! We sat huddled around the lap top as if it were an old style radio, as we leaned in as close so as to soak up every moment. !
  • Thanks Joe! That was so much fun to watch!
  • 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
  • He just makes my heart happy
  • 💞

If you’ve never seen or heard a Fotoplayer, you are in for a treat.

replay concert

What is a Fotoplayer?

The fotoplayer (“foto” from photoplay and “player” from player piano) is a wonderful contraption that was built to provide music and sound effects for silent movies. These machines appeared around 1912 and were used in medium sized theaters. Fotoplayers were in expensive to operate because you didn’t have to be a musician to play them as they were also playable by way of player piano rolls.

The fotoplayer used a fascinating combination of piano, organ pipes, drums, and various sound effects designed to narrate the action of any silent film.

Pedals, levers, switches, buttons, and pull cords were all used to turn on the xylophone, beat a drum, ring a bell, create the sound of thunder, or chirp like a bird.

When sound films came into being in the late 1920’s, the fotoplayer became passé. Of the thousands of American fotoplayers made during their heyday, sadly less than 50 survive, and of those only 12 are known to be in playing condition. One of those 12 is in Joe’s living room.

This machine was originally built in 1926 in Van Nuys Calif. and shipped to a theater in Saskatchewan Canada. It was meticulously restored by Joe Rinaudo in 1976…after being shipped back to California.

More About the Fotoplayer

Visit this page to learn more about the Fotoplayer and see close-up photos, right here on SilentCinemaSociety.org

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A FEW MORE COMMENTS…

  • He’s so cute, thanks for doing this Joe!
  • I’m a filmmaker that is so disappointed they never taught us about these amazing instruments in our film 101 classes. we learned about silent film but they never taught us much about the live music played during the shows
  • My grandmother played one of these in Tulsa Ok, during the silent movie era. I have never actually seen one live. So cool!
  • Would love to get a move tracked with this cool machine!
  • Love the suspenders!
  • Omg I love his positivity
  • Fantastic, thanks for the closeup of the rolls. Fascinating how they encoded the musical data in hole punches. So thoughtful of you to do this for us, buddy😃👍
  • Wish it wasn’t 2:30 AM over here right now. Could watch this for hours. Thanks and good night.
  • Joe does hand-crank films at Two-Strike Park the last Saturday in July for the Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley. He doesn’t bring this, though. The sound is excellent. The bass is real deep!
  • I just love you so much Joe!!
  • thanks so much for this concert, this is so fun to learn about and watch. so grateful theres people out there like joe doing this!
  • This is so amazing!!!!
  • Why does he twist his left hand when pulling on those chains on the left?
  • 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
  • What a fantastic format – Q&A between songs. This show is SO WELL DONE. Kudos to Gary and Nina!
  • Joe your passion for this so palpable, thank you for sharing this with us youngins who may never have found it otherwise.
  • Thank you! This is a treasure. Amazing talent and instrument.
  • He’s a treasure
  • What a spectacular wonderful way to bring joy and love to the world in such craziness. Joe, you’re generosity and kindness is amazing This is unbelievable. I have never seen anything like this. I love it.
  • Hi Joe! Thank you for performing this for us tonight. 
  • I never knew I could 23 skidoo til I heard this snazzy tune!
  • Thanks for the performances and history lesson!
  • Smiling from ear to ear! Thank you Joe!
  • My grandmother played one of these in Tulsa Ok, during the silent movie era. I have never actually seen one live. So cool!
  • He’s so cute, thanks for doing this Joe!
  • I’m a filmmaker that is so disappointed they never taught us about these amazing instruments in our film 101 classes. we learned about silent film but they never taught us much about the live music played during the shows
  • Would love to get a move tracked with this cool machine!
  • Love the suspenders!
  • Omg I love his positivity
  • Fantastic, thanks for the closeup of the rolls. Fascinating how they encoded the musical data in hole punches.
  • How do you find or make parts for this?
  • MORE COWBELL!!!!
  • thanks so much for this concert, this is so fun to learn about and watch. so grateful theres people out there like joe doing this!
  • This is so amazing!!!!
  • The sound is excellent. The bass is real deep!
  • I just love you so much Joe!!
  • So thoughtful of you to do this for us, buddy😃👍
  • Wish it wasn’t 2:30 AM over here right now. Could watch this for hours. Thanks and good night.
  • any carpenters on here? 😁😁
  • Joe does hand-crank films at Two-Strike Park the last Saturday in July for the Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley. He doesn’t bring this, though.
  • This is fantastic Joe! Thanks for doing the livestream.
  • Why does he twist his left hand when pulling on those chains on the left?
  • do you ever get worried you’ll pull too hard and bust it???
  • PhotoPlayer is so much more fun than Photoshop when in quarantine…and you get more of a workout!! Thank you, Joe!
  • do you ever get complaints from your neighbors lol
  • So much knowledge being shared
  • Joe, where’s your virtual tip jar? 😊
  • What a fantastic format – Q&A between songs. This show is SO WELL DONE. Kudos to Gary and Nina!
  • Joe your passion for this so palpable, thank you for sharing this with us youngins who may never have found it otherwise.
  • This just keeps getting better!
  • Do you have any modern songs cut?
  • Thank you! This is a treasure. Amazing talent and instrument.
  • this is so wholesome thank you
  • Joe needs his own PBS show I would totally watch!
  • So excited to see this!! That original video of Joe playing the fotoplayer is one of my favourites <3
  • All the more reason to get this documented. No one has more charm or passion for this than Joe, a phenominal font of fun and knowledge
  • Thanks to the camera and audio crew also! And everyone who organized it and got the word out. Made my day.
  • Honor our first responders who have to still go to work. Play To the Rescue!
  • Good job Joe…great performance and talk.
  • Thank you so much, Joe
  • What a spectacular wonderful way to bring joy and love to the world in such craziness. Joe, you’re generosity and kindness is amazing
  • Thanks a lot for this live Joe, this was so wholesome and interesting ♥
  • this is keeping me sane I do not want it to end
  • This has been amazing and would love it if there was another one again, since we’re going to be hunkered down for weeks and weeks.
    —We’re workin’ on it. Glad you had fun.

STAY SAFE ♥ STAY HEALTHY ♥ STAY TOGETHER (SORT OF)

Harold Lloyd, Nethercutt, Silent Cinema

MEET SUZANNE LLOYD IN PERSON AT THE NETHERCUTT

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CALL FOR TICKETS
Wednesday, September 26, between 4-6 pm
for a very special Silent Cinema event at the Nethercutt
Phone: 818 364-6464
More information about tickets and venue here.

MEET SUZANNE LLOYD

Suzanne LloydNot only will you be entertained watching Harold Lloyd on the silver screen, you will have the opportunity to meet his granddaughter, Suzanne Lloyd,  producer and president of Harold Lloyd Entertainment, who will speak about her grandfather and his career. 

An enlightening biography of Suzanne Lloyd is to be enjoyed at the TCM Film Festival site.

WATCH HAROLD LLOYD IN “HOT WATER”

A rare film, Hot Water, from the collection of the Harold Lloyd estate will be hand-cranked by Joe Rinaudo, assisted by Gary Gibson. Dean Mora will narrate the film on the Mighty Wurlitzer.

Harold Lloyd’s films were not shown on television for decades (concensus was editing and commercials would not be appropriate), so the actor and his films are not as well-known as many other silent film stars. 

During the 1920’s Harold Lloyd was the most successful film star in the world. When he died, his entire film library was bestowed upon his granddaughter.  Suzanne Lloyd considers it an honor to preserve and promote Harold Lloyd’s legacy for future generations.

Joe Rinaudo and the Nethercutt consider it an honor to have Ms. Lloyd enlighten their attentive and appreciative audience as Joe cranks her grandfather’s films.

This event will be presented at the
Nethercutt Collection
Friday, October 26 at 8pm
Saturday, October 27 at 2pm and 8pm

You must CALL IN FOR TICKETS on this day only!
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Call between 4-6pm (the earlier the better)

Phone: 818 364-6464
If it’s busy just keep trying.

Detailed call-in instructions and event info here.

NOTE: The Nethercutt website is dark while it is being redesigned. Thus, fewer people will know about this special event, so this is your chance to get your friends together, call in Wednesday, September 26 2018, and enjoy the show which is Friday, October 26 at 8pm and Saturday, October 27 at 2pm and 8pm.

 

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Joe Rinaudo, Oscar, Powers Cameragraph, Silent Cinema

Professor Rinaudo at the Oscars

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Oldman and Dern cranking projector.

Gary Oldman and Laura Dern crank projector inside Professor Rinaudo’s Itinerant Show tent at the 90th Academy Awards. (Click on photo for hi-rez version.)

PROFESSOR RINAUDO  
and his Amazing Hand-Cranked
MOVING PICTURE MACHINE

  present an Itinerant Tent Show at the 
90TH OSCARS
March 4, 2018

Sunday was Hollywood’s biggest night at the 90th annual Academy Awards, and just after the last Oscar was handed out the crowd of Hollywood’s elite made their way to the Academy’s official party, the Governor’s Ball.  Being the 90th anniversary of the Oscars, the theme of this year’s ball was the history of filmmaking and on display were many relics such as props from old movies, Oscar statuettes from years past, and even cameras and equipment used by such geniuses of the cinema as Cecil. B. DeMille and Orson Welles.  

By special request of the Academy President, one more relic was added to the Governor’s Ball…a living, breathing relic of cinema in the form of the Great Professor Rinaudo and his Amazing Hand-Cranked Moving Picture Machine.  A special Silent Movie Tent  was constructed as a throw-back to the earliest days of movie making before there were movie theaters when the itinerant projectionist would bring his tent-show to your town and entertain you with the magic of the movies.  

Professor Joe Rinaudo was assisted by his able assistant Gary Gibson working the magic lantern along with accompanist Robert Israel playing the piano.  Much of Hollywood’s finest made their way through the Professor’s tent including the likes of Steven Spielberg, Meryl Streep, Bradley Whitford (who appeared in two of this year’s films nominated for best picture, Get Out and The Post), Oscar winner for best Cinematography Roger Deakins (Blade Runner 2049), Supporting Actor nominee Richard Jenkins (The Shape of Water), and director Guillermo Del Toro clutching an Oscar in each hand for The Shape of Water (one for Best Director and the other for Best Picture).

The Silent Movie Tent became an interactive demonstration as those attending the ball were invited to crank the projector themselves.  The first to take the helm from Professor Rinaudo was actress Laura Dern who seemed apprehensive at first, but after some friendly badgering from her friends was having the time of her life cranking and laughing as she made the movies come alive on the silver screen.  Ms. Dern was followed by a succession of producers, directors, and cinematographers all excited to play their part in a recreation of the dawn of cinema.

The highlight of the evening came when Gary Oldman, fresh from his Best Actor win for his brilliant portrayal of Winston Churchill in the movie Darkest Hour, came into the tent, took a look at the projector and shouted JOE!!!  Mr. Oldman is acquainted with the Professor’s exploits as he is in pre-production of a movie he plans to direct about the earliest days of the moving image. Clutching his Oscar in one hand, and the projector crank in the other, Mr. Oldman cranked the projector and laughed in amazement as he took his turn in that magic moment when the image hits the screen and comes to life. 

The final guests into the tent were Academy President John Bailey and his lovely wife Carol, and their guests.  Mr. Bailey’s visit was the grand finale to a wonderful evening of fun and education in the way movies were presented in the earliest days of filmmaking.  As his wife  was cranking the projector, Bailey turned to the Professor and said with a smile “I think the Academy should have more hand-cranked presentations, and as president I can make that happen.”Press to leave a comment.

 
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