User:Kellychi4u/Remo Saraceni

Remo Saraceni was born in Pescara, Italy and before emigrating(1965) to New York he worked on archaeological excavations, manufactured "innovative" radios and record players; designed audio-visual equipment for a major corporation; did research on air pollution in Milan; and was active as a shoe designer and industrial developer in his father's business. Since coming to this country, he has free-lanced for an electronic company developing rocket modules for space projects from 1966 to 1970, then established his own design firm. He has contributed artworks and audio-visual-tactile designs to numerous exhibitions and private collections. He has been commissioned to create museum exhibits relating to subjects varied as International Telecommunications to Biological Sciences and DNA as the fabric of life; designed a solar energy-activated outdoor sculpture for Disneyland.

Saraceni eventually became a world-renowned engineer and lighting designer, but the thing for which he is best known was his invention of the “The Walking Piano” that was a hallmark of the major motion picture “Big” (1988), starring Tom Hanks. In the movie, Josh Baskin (Hanks) impresses the owner of a toy company (Robert Loggia) with his insight into current toys and his childlike enthusiasm. The two men proceed to play “Heart and Soul” and “Chopsticks” by dancing on the keys of Saraceni’s invention, the 16-foot, foot-operated lighted electronic keyboard, on display in F.A.O. Schwarz toy store in New York City. Since then, versions of the piano have been installed in museums, children’s hospitals and other public places around the world, entertaining millions of fans, even to this day.