Fred Willard: The American Fotoplayer
For a brief period in time, long ago, I wanted to know some of the history of early computing - punch card machines and player pianos - and I ended up learning a thing or two about the American Fotoplayer, one of the weirder instruments ever to exist.
The American Fotoplayer is a type of photoplayer developed by the American Photo Player Co. between the years of 1912 and 1925. The Fotoplayer is a type of player piano specifically developed to provide music and sound effects for silent movies. Before movies had sound, it was discovered that playing background music during a film could aid in developing a particular mood for a certain scene. Initially, small theatres would use player pianos to produce music automatically from piano rolls.
I have a real soft spot for weird musical instrument tech.
And boy howdy, this is a weird one.
this is the most powerful man on earth
“What instrument do you play?”
Joe: yes
This is simultaneously the birth of modular synthesis and also the logical endpoint.
a child literally dies
oompa loompas:
So, The American Fotoplayer: this thing is essentially a 1920’s version of the Creative SoundBlaster.
I was just happy to have learned about this man and his wild instrument.
I’m reminded of this because of, well, riffing in the collapsing lands:
hehehehe, American Fotoplayer.
Anyways, that also reminded me of one of the funniest sketches I’ve ever seen.
I am but a simple man, and the first time I saw this sketch - a standout from the already memorably excellent “I Think You Should Leave” - I almost hurt myself I laughed so hard.
Partially because… when they said “replacement organist” and flashed to Fred Willard in front of an honest to god American Fotoplayer, I knew what was coming.
“I now see that he’s brought his own… much larger… organ.”
Beyond that, I love Fred Willard. This was his last, ever, sketch.
This man could sell earnest cluelessness better than any other actor on the planet. The great thing about a Fred Willard sketch is that he’s the butt of the joke, but also he doesn’t notice or care or seem to experience shame or awkwardness.
He feels out of place in the “I Think You Should Leave” Universe because so many of the other sketches are about a character stewing in an awkward situation that they’ve created for themselves - over-committing, doubling down, and making the whole situation worse for everyone.
But the joke is, it never works. They’re always fighting an uphill battle and losing.
And yet, when Fred Willard does it, he does it while presenting a character utterly without malice, everyone so dumbfounded by his bombast that he escapes all consequences scot-free.
I think he might be the only character in the entire series powerful enough to over-commit, double down, and get away with it.
this is the most powerful man on earth