Anyone remember John Muri / Theatre Organist?

He was a talented, and well respected theatre organist who accompanied silent films over a period of 75 years. Mostly playing live at silent film showings Some of his recorded film credits include:

College / Buster Keaton (1927)
Foolish Wives (1922)
Oliver Twist (1922)
The Silent Enemy (1930)
Tillie’s Puntured Romance / Charlie Chaplin (1914)


Why do I remember him?.......He was my Grandfather.


"The piano has been drinking, not me"...(Tom Waits)

He was definately before my time. But I knew someone who probably had heard of him. Ever heard of Bill Fearnley. I'll bet your Grandfather knew of him. As a child he had been the pianist in the pit orchestra for silent movies (in NYC). His father was the conductor. He also accompanied movies solo on the organ. When I first met him (in 1959) he was a pianist at a famous resort hotel in my area where he played for dining and tea concerts primarily. Many years later our local Carnegie Hall (not the one in NYC) showed Chaplin's 'Goldrush' and this gentleman (then in his 80's did the accompaniment on a theater organ that they brought in for the occassion. It was really wonderful to see an authentic accompaniment to a classic silent movie in a historic hall.
Was your grandfather actually in the movies that you mentioned. How fortunate you are if you have video of a relative from that long ago. Walt