A Living Legend

Silent Movie Organist's Life Story

(CBS)  The heyday of the silent movies ended more than 70 years ago, but a new generation of film fans is being exposed to the silent era thanks in part to a senior citizen in California with a real connection to the past. The early show contributor Laurie Hibberd has details.

Yeah, when you walk into the silent movie theatre in Los Angeles, you feel like you've been transported to a bi-gone era. But there’s a very special 92-year-old employee there who brings a sense of authenticity to the experience.

It’s said that loving what you do is doing what you love.

"I get entertained while I'm being employed. I love to watch the movies. I'm just in seventh heaven while I'm watching the movie," says Bob Mitchell.

In the case of Mr. Mitchell, a love for music instilled early on a led to a lifelong passion and career as a silent movie organist.

"My mother was passionately fond of music, she started me with piano lessons when I was four years old, " says Mr. Mitchell "And then, when I was 10, I was tall enough to reach the pedals of an organ, so I told mother, I want to play that organ."

In 1924, Bob played his first silent movie and a career was born.
"I played for What Price Glory, Beau Jest, and then most remarkably for Metropolis," notes Mr. Mitchell.

But Bob’s days of playing at the silent pictures came to a premature end, just a few years after his career started.

My father said, "oh, I see they're going to have sound." I said, "oh that'll never catch on!"

Were you sad? When talkies came in?

"Oh yes. Yeah. And first they just had part talking. But of course, it ended the organist right away."

Bob’s role in the movies may have been cut, but there was still a need for organists, in church. Bob set out on a new path for his life, by starting a boy’s choir.

"The Bob Mitchell Boys' Choir"

Mr. Mitchell started the choir in 1934 and it ran for approximately sixty-five years.

Over those years, The Bob Mitchell Boy’s Choir grew from 11 original members to over 600 alumnae. Even in the early days, it was obvious that this was no ordinary church choir.

A casting director from RKO heard Bob’s Choir. And cast them for "That Girl from Paris." That was the first picture they made in 1937.

Appearances in more than 100 films with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars followed over the next 60 years. But Bob never forgot about his days playing for the silent pictures, and in 1999, when the client movie theatre in Los Angeles re-opened, he found out that his role in the silent movies hadn’t been forgotten either.

Charlie Lustman, owner of the silent movie theatre said, "We had him come in. And I auditioned everyone. And people are like, ‘you don't audition this man.’ So he played and I was like, 'oh my god.'"

For Bob, though, it’s not about legend or fame. Playing the organ is just a basic and essential part of life.

"As long as a mother has a baby, she's going to sing it to sleep. And as long as people die, they're going to sing dirges. And when they get married, they're going to be happy. And they're going to dance and sing to the rhythm of the heart beat," Says Mitchell. "I think that's what impresses me about life."