Lee Erwin

Lee Orville Erwin (July 15, 1908 – September 21, 2000) was an American theatre organist who played an important part in a revival of interest in the silent film era. His career began as an organist accompanying first-run silent films in the 1920s. He received classical training in Cincinnati and France, and then began a career as organist and arranger for radio, significantly at WLW and CBS Radio, the latter in association with Arthur Godfrey, that lasted through the mid-1960s. When his radio career ended he was commissioned to provide complete new scores for silent films exceeding seventy in number, and in this capacity and as an organist for silent film tours and exhibitions he received widespread critical acclaim. Erwin was active into his early 90s.

Biography Lee Orville Erwin was born July 15, 1908, in Huntsville, Alabama. His mother was a church organist for a small congregation, and at age of four Erwin would copy on a toy piano what his mother was playing on a regular instrument.

While studying at the conservatory under Parvin Titus, Erwin earned sufficient funds to support himself by continuing to play organ at theatres.

Erwin relocated back to Cincinnati in 1932 to become organist at the Albee Theatre in Cincinnati, Ohio. he was hired by CBS as both an organist, pianist, arranger and composer. The marriage lasted a brief few months, and speculation ran that it was an attempt to hide his homosexuality. The result was so successful that Erwin spent the next six months, and time intermittently after that, touring with Gloria Swanson while performing his score for the film. His organ tours accompanying silents became highly popular, and though he had previously made a few albums for small and budget labels, in the 1970s he recorded several albums for Angel Records, while at the same time his silent movie organ soundtracks were released by the BBC. His later years were spent on performing tours and a regular circuit of silent film showings. As his health deteriorated, he was cared for by life partner Donald Schwing until Erwin's death on September 21, 2000. He commented in 1989 that, contrary to a commonly held concept regarding piano accompaniment of silent films, many theatres had small orchestras to provide music. He sought to provide a similar kind of sound using organs and synthesizers. Erwin was widely considered the greatest artist of silent film accompaniment and singularly responsible for the genre revival, and has been credited with helping to revive the interest in silent films in general. By the time of his death he had scored in excess of seventy silent films. He was twice named as the American Theatre Organ Society's organist of the year.

Other activities Erwin obtained a pilot's license in 1940, and regularly flew his own Taylorcraft Aircraft thereafter, a testament to his financially rewarding career at WLW. In the 1950s he listed mathematics and sailing his sloop Aloha as his favorite hobbies. Other activities included acting as president of a music publishing company (Erwin-Howard Music) and a recording firm.

Partial discography (1956) – Moon River Music (Zodiac LP-333) (1957) – Words and Music of Love – with Tony Marvin (Zodiac Z-1375) (1961) – Oldies for Pipe Organ – (Somerset P-12600) (1968) – The Sound of the Silents – (Concert Recordings CR-0045) (1971) – Lee Erwin Plays Ben Hall's "Little Mother" Wurlitzer – (Concert Recordings CR-0075) (1974) – Sound Of Silents – (Angel S-36073) (1974) – Rosebud: Marches And Rags Of Scott Joplin & Kerry Mills, Eubie Blake, Harry Guy – (Angel S-36075) (1976) – D.W. Griffith – (Angel S-36092) (1979) – Moon River Revisited – (OVC-ATOS 34519)