The Silent Film Guy

Bringing Silent Movies to Life. Live.

There was a time when movies didn't come with sound.

They came with musicians.

A pianist or theater organist sat beside the screen and made the music happen right there in the theater — following every chase, every romance, every pratfall, every moment of suspense.

The Silent Movie Guy brings that experience back.

I accompany silent movies live at the piano or theater organ, improvising the music as the story unfolds.

No prerecorded soundtrack.
The movie plays. I play.

Come Watch a Movie the Way Movies Began

Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton are only the beginning.

The silent era gave us comedy, adventure, romance, mystery, fantasy, horror and drama — an astonishing world of movies created before movies learned to talk.

And there's something wonderfully different about seeing them with a musician in the room.

The audience watches the movie.

I watch the movie and the audience.

The music happens once, for those people, in that room.

No two performances are quite the same.

At the Piano or Theater Organ

From the intimacy of a piano to the magnificent sound of a theater pipe organ, live music gives silent movies a dimension that no recorded soundtrack can reproduce.

A chase gathers momentum. A tender moment finds its voice. A comic mishap gets just the right musical punctuation.

And because the music is improvised, it responds to the movie as it happens — and to the audience experiencing it.

Whether it's a Chaplin comedy, a Keaton adventure, a fantastical journey or a full-length dramatic feature, the music and the movie become one performance.

That's how silent movies were originally experienced.

And I Can Bring the Movie Theater to You

You don't need a movie palace to enjoy the experience.

I also bring live silent-movie programs to retirement communities, clubs, churches, community organizations and private events.

The program can be completely turnkey.

I bring the piano, sound system, projector, screen and movie.

You provide the room, electricity and people who'd enjoy a good movie.

Programs can range from a collection of shorter films to a complete feature, with a wide variety of genres from which to choose. I introduce each film with a few words about its history, the people who made it, and what makes it worth watching

Single performances and recurring Silent Movie Series are available.

And When the Movie Ends...

There's often another enjoyable part of the experience: the conversation afterward.

When appropriate, I'm happy to stay for an informal Q&A.

The questions — and the conversation — are different every time.

Let's Put on a Show!

There's something special about gathering in a room, laughing together, marveling at something wonderful made a century ago, and forgetting our troubles for a little while.

That's what I love about silent movies.

Whether you're presenting a theater screening, planning a special event, or looking for something different for your community, I'd love to hear from you.

Let's talk.