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Played for a film history (a/k/a “cinema studies”) class at NYU, where it all started for me. Teacher was Antonia Lant, and I’ve played for her class once a year for the last few years. Hadn’t played at NYU since ’85 or ’86, and then Antonia turned up at one of my Silent Clowns shows…

Have just recorded three scores for an upcoming DVD release by Kino. The films, all shorts directed by Edwin S. Porter for the Thomas Edison Co., are to be extras for the main feature, a doc on Porter’s work. So, here are three more Edison shorts you can add to your collection which are not…

In the last week I’ve played three Immigrant shows for school groups at AMMI out in Astoria. Shows went well, and I got a refresher in how to play for this film at 21fps; hadn’t played for it there in a while, as I usually request it at 24fps. It depends on who’s in the…

November 17 – Wesleyan University, Middletown CT — Performed my score for Keaton’s Sherlock Jr. at the dedication/naming of the Goldsmith Family Cinema. The cinema is part of the university’s new film building, and I’d played for Safety Last there in January. I’d been invited to perform for the evening by the department chair, Jeanine…

Sorry I haven’t posted in a while. Am on a busy schedule, averaging 4 or 5 shows a week, plus the usual ‘being-my-own-agent’ workload. Here’s what’s been goin’ on since 10/24… Sat Oct 28, NYC – Bruce Lawton and I did a program of “spooky silents” for the Turtle Bay Music School. Bruce programmed The…

While taking my daughter to school this morning, a boy who looked like he was around 11 (and who attends her school) came up to us. He asked me, “Are you the guy who showed a Buster Keaton movie at school last year?” I said I was (I had showed One Week and handed out…

October 14 – RED BANK, NJ – well, my 4th silent film for the annual Red Bank International Film Festival was a presentation of Don Q, Son of Zorro with Douglas Fairbanks. 35mm print came from Douris, and I accompanied on an Allen electronic theatre organ. Print looked great, and projection was quite good. The…

Haven’t had a chance to post, because of all the work and gigs. Here’s a quick update. Am in the midst of composing/recording a score for Haldane of the Secret Service (1923), starring Harry Houdini (also prod/dir). It’s a straight detective melodrama, and not a pair of ‘cuffs in the whole 6 reels. Am using…

Spent the week giving a talk to clowns, playing for MoMA’s Pola Negri series, and “christened” a new venue out in Sag Harbor (L.I.). 9/17 – BROOKLYN, NY – Did my talk on silent film comedian’s adapting their performance work to motion pictures at the NY Clown Theater Festival. Program was well-attended and enthusiastic. Showed…

Have only been back in town for a few days, and already a number of things are percolating: ReelclassicDVD’s release of Paths to Paradise with Raymond Griffith (and my piano score) is now available I’ve been hired to record a score for a new release from Kino. What is it? Can’t tell ya just yet,…