Forrester to bring Laurel and Hardy classics to life
Musician and former child actor Forrester Pyke is bringing the sound of music to some classic Laurel and Hardy silent films.
The Bridge of Allan resident will be at the Hippodrome in Bo’ness at 2.30pm on Saturday, April 23 for a triple bill of the iconic duo’s films - Duck Soup, Two Tars, and Liberty.
A Hippodrome spokesperson said: “Pianist Forrester Pyke has had a successful career as a teacher and musical director and is one of the most highly respected silent film accompanists in Scotland.
“For over 25 years he has brought many of the great silents vividly to life for a new generation of cinemagoers.”
Forrester has provided improvised piano accompaniment for silent movies at venues across the country and locally including the Edinburgh International Film Festival, Stirling’s Macrobert and the Festival of Silent
Cinema Hippodrome Bo’ness for over 25 years and has composed music for the Scottish Screen Film Archives.
However, the 69-year-old has spent most of his life across a wide spectrum of entertainment and the arts.
As a child, he enjoyed success in many roles such as the Shepherd’s Boy in Tosca and Peaseblossom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and played Tiny Tim in the BBC TV production of A Christmas Carol, broadcast on Christmas Eve, 1962.
He also appeared in‘the Avengers’ on ITV and his voice was also used in the Judy Garland film,‘i Could Go on Singing.’
For many years he was organist and choirmaster of St Michael’s Parish Church, Wood Green, London but on moving to Scotland and gaining his teaching qualifications, he spent two years singing with Scottish Opera and the SNO chorus.
Aside from his teaching posts, he has undertaken many musical directorships with local companies and shows such as the Stirling and Bridge of Allan Operatic Society, the Gilbert and Sullivan Societies of Falkirk, Stirling and the Stirling Gang Show and resident pianist of the Stirling Burns Club. He was a regular organist for church services and as organist and choirmaster of Bridge of Allan Parish Church for over 37 years.