1988 • Michael Keaton, Geena Davis In this house, if you've seen one ghost, you haven't seen them all. Tim Burton's comic twist on supernatural horror tales offers a comic fantasy that mixes the quick and the dead with a laugh and a fright. The film received an Academy Award for its innovative and memorable makeup.

ADAM SWANSON on the Bösendorfer Grand Piano. Old Town Music Hall is thrilled to welcome pianist Adam Swanson, one of the world’s foremost performers of vintage American popular music, including ragtime, early jazz, and the Great American Songbook. This concert features all of the above and more—and even a guest performance on the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ.

Hosted by Animation Historian Jerry Beck- Adults adored them, children idolized them. Saturday matinees once exploded with the exploits of Mighty Mouse, Superman and Casper the Friendly Ghost. Join us as we re-create those matinees of yesteryear, with Fantasies and Fables in Technicolor, Happy Harmonies and Color Rhapsodies, featuring Tom Thumb and Red Riding Hood as you’ve never seen them before. 

Hosted by Animation Historian Jerry Beck- The evening show will include 1930s pre-code and 1940s wartime-era cartoon shorts geared toward more mature viewers. Betty Boop, Flip The Frog, and the Looney Tunes’ first leading man, Bosko, are among the musically diverse pioneering cartoon stars in this program. Tex Avery’s Red Hot Riding Hood, Bob Clampett’s incredibly violent early version of Tweety, Chuck Jones’ Oscar winning Pepe LePew are among the characters we’ll see on the big screen!

1928-silent • Renee Jeanne Falconetti • Accompanied Live by Robert York on the Mighty Wurlitzer • This intense and expressive portrait of Joan of Arc is consistently listed as one of the best silent films ever made. Director Carl Theodor Dreyer captures the essence of her struggles through close-ups of her reactions, and the viewer feels intense sympathy as a result. Falconetti is honest and brilliant, and her raw, natural acting style is ahead of its time. A silent film event not to be missed!

1973 • Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Cindy Williams, Directed by George Lucas • Introduced by Julian David Stone • Return to the nostalgic world of the early 1960s where teenagers cruise the streets in hot rods and rock and roll tops the music charts. The film features a memorable soundtrack with tunes from the likes of The Beach Boys and Buddy Holly. Two cast members who didn’t receive top billing but were definitely noticed are Harrison Ford and Suzanne Sommers. And of course, this is the film that put George Lucas on the road to becoming one of the most influential film directors of all time, thanks largely to the film’s producer, Francis Ford Coppola.

The Sedalia Ragtime Orchestra celebrates music from the ragtime era, roughly 1897 to 1917 — including the music of Scott Joplin, James Scott, Joseph Lamb, and Irving Berlin — as well as marches, waltzes, early show tunes, and Tin Pan Alley favorites. Start tuning your vocal cords because you might be asked to sing along with some of the songs we all know and love.

1955 • Cary Grant, Grace Kelly In-Person Guest: Author/Film Historian Sloan De Forest Cary Grant and Grace Kelly – what more could you want in a classic film? Hitchcock’s romantic thriller stars Cary Grant as a retired cat burglar accused of a new crime and he has to clear his name. It’s charming, romantic and witty, with spectacular photography of the French Riviera. Sloan De Forest is a writer and film historian who has authored three books in the Turner Classic Movies library: The Essential Directors, Dynamic Dames, and Must-See Sci-Fi. She has appeared on Turner Classic Movies and CNN, and served as a consultant on the 2020 HBO documentary Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind.

Once again, we celebrate Mother’s Day at Old Town Music Hall with lovely musical gems of the 1910s, 20s and 30s performed with uncommon authenticity by the enchanting Janet Klein and her Parlor Boys -- purveyors of rare and scintillating early Jazz, Tin Pan Alley & Vaudeville.

Join us for a hilarious selection of shorts from three of the funniest guys ever. There were almost two hundred Three Stooges short comedies produced over many decades, starting in the 1930s. We’ve selected some of the best ones, so bring the kids and get ready to laugh out loud!

1928 – silent • Buster Keaton • Live Accompaniment by Pete Eveland on the Mighty Wurlitzer • Steamboat Bill, Jr. is regarded as a masterpiece of its time. Buster Keaton was known for his dangerous stunts. Perhaps the most memorable scene is the iconic moment when an entire building collapses on Keaton, but he’s left standing safely in an open door that falls perfectly around his body. Buster Keaton’s work is true genius; a man far ahead of his time. The film will include live accompaniment by Pete Eveland, who was once the resident calliope player on a steamboat!

1960 • Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray Directed by Billy Wilder Winner of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay, the wonderful gem of a film follows Lemmon’s character as he angles for a promotion in his company and becomes compelled to lend his apartment to his bosses for their affairs. When he finds out his girl is also seeing his boss, he has a decision to make!

1946 • Myrna Loy, Fredric March Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Harold Russell Directed by William Wyler William Wyler's masterpiece about post World War II America highlights the lives of three service men returning from the war, facing the unexpected challenges of simply returning to their hometowns. The film was a tremendous critical and financial success, winning seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Harold Russell, himself a returning veteran, won two Academy Awards for his performance!

1976 • Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burgess Meredith Screenplay by Sylvester Stallone At the time of the film's production, Sylvester Stallone was living the true underdog story. Down to his last dollar, he sold his screenplay, and made it a condition that he star in the film. The studio took a chance, paid him scale, and the rest is history.

1928 • Colleen Moore, Gary Cooper • Live Accompaniment by Randy Woltz on the Mighty Wurlitzer • Introduction by Film Historian Stan Taffel This rarely seen gem was one of the highest grossing films of 1928. it is a poignant story of a French girl and her family that take care of American fliers during WWI. With incredible aerial footage, and a sweet, sentimental love story, this story will be brought to life by a fantastic new restoration, introduced by Stan Taffel.

1939- See it on the big screen, and bring someone who has never seen it! In this beloved masterpiece, Judy Garland plays a young farm girl who is magically transported into the enchanted land of Oz. As she and her little dog travel down Oz's Yellow Brick Road to find the Wizard to ask for a way home, they meet a wonderful group of characters. This 1939 classic introduced the song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”.

1927 – silent • Clara Bow, Charles “Buddy” Rogers • Live Accompaniment by Donnie Rankin on the Mighty Wurlitzer • Directed by William Wellman PLEASE NOTE: The Organ Console will be on the right side of the stage for this presentation. It will have the music rack in place, so there will be slight obstruction of the screen for seats B 9-12, C 9-12, and D 9-12. Please be advised when purchasing tickets to this event. Wings was awarded the first-ever Oscar® for Best Picture in 1927, featuring spectacular aerial photography and a memorably sweet performance by Clara Bow. It’s a crowning achievement of the silent-era. This is a rare opportunity to see the film with live accompaniment on our Mighty Wurlitzer -- just as it was experienced by audiences in 1927.

• Eve Elliot, Vincent Johnson, John Reed-Torres • The popular American musical genre known as “Ragtime” enjoyed its heyday between 1895 and about 1920, and then fell into virtual obscurity until a revival in the 1970s with Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer” made popular by the film The Sting. Please join us as we celebrate our 46th year of this rousing tradition with three phenomenal, local pianists. You’ll love ‘em!

1975 • Directed by The Maysles Brothers Often considered one of the best documentaries ever made, Grey Gardens is an unforgettable portrait of a mother and daughter living in poverty in a deteriorating mansion, offering glimpses of their elegant, stately past. This raw and candid film delves into the squalor and mental illness that ultimately took over their lives and is equally compelling and unsettling.

1964 • Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke This Walt Disney musical classic won five Academy Awards, and has been cherished for generations. It features memorable songs by the Sherman Brothers such “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” and “Chim Chim Cher-ee”. Bring the family and see it on the big screen. Come see why Mary Poppins enriches the lives of everyone she meets.