If MY memory serves, the title was indeed "Don't Shoot the
Piano Player," which was taken from a late-nineteenth century
catchphrase that went: "Don't Shoot the Piano Player, He is
Doing His Best." I believe this was considered witty at the
time and showed up on small signs hung in western barrooms,
among other places, similar to the "In God We Trust, All
Others Pay Cash" signs that were found in stores. Of course,
my memory could be influenced by a lifetime of watching
westerns.
HTH
Bob
Moorich2@aol.com wrote:
> Last weekend I saw the musical "Lautrec" in London
which features music and
> lyrics by Charles Aznavour. Reading his bio in the
program I was surprised
> to see among his movie credits the title "Don't
Shoot the Pianist." While
> the copy of the novel I have back in the US is the
original DOWN THERE and it
> has been twenty years since I saw the movie, I
remember the movie title as
> "Shoot the Piano Player."
>
> Thinking this was mildly amusing I mentioned it to
three friends (one each:
> Belgium, English, American) here in Brussels and to
my surprise all
> remembered "Don't" in the movie title. The only
reference book I have with
> me here is a battered copy of HALLIWELL'S FILMGOERS
COMPANION and the
> relevent entries have the title "Shoot the
Pianist."
>
> I can imagine that the American release of the movie
used "piano player" as
> "pianist" carries the image of a concert performer
and that may not be the
> case for "pianist" in Europe. Halliwell sometimes
gives the US title and
> other times not. One of the many frustrations I have
always found with his
> book.
>
> Can anyone out there run through the title history
for me? I think the
> theater program is simply wrong and all three of my
friends have worse
> memories than I do.
>
> No bar bets are at stake. I'm not that confident of
my memory.
>
> Richard Moore
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