I read with interest the reference to the "Third Man" [161002 MMD];
it brought back memories of my youth. One summer my parents rented
a beach cottage for a weeks summer vacation. The furnishings included
a player piano, something I had never seen before. My parents knew
what it was but told us that we should not even touch it.
My curiosity led me to investigate and I discovered that it was an
electrically operated piano and I found the owners had taken the belt
off the motor and pump. Upon getting the piano to play I found a roll
of "The Third Man Theme" and, to my parent's chagrin, that was it for
my beach experience! I played the roll over and over again and when we
had dinner I would turn the replay lever for automatic replay, driving
my parents completely crazy.
That experience left me wanting a player piano in the worst way and I
finally had my own a month after graduating from high school. I still
have that piano sixty some years later but it sits unused gathering
dust in the garage.
Of the very few music books I acquired after owning a Mortier cafe
organ, the Third Man was one. It has gotten lots of play. I still
love "The Third Man Theme".
Cecil Dover
Los Angeles
[ The Billings Rollography, Vol. 4, gives this roll information:
[ THIRD MAN THEME, THE (The Harry Lime Theme) [Anton Karas]
[ QRS 8616 (Instrumental) played by J. Lawrence Cook [3/50]
[ -- Robbie
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