Remo Saraceni, a long-time resident of Philadelphia and inventor best known for his enormous piano, which gained notoriety after it was prominently featured in the 1988 movie” Big,” passed away on Monday at the age of 89 from heart failure.
Lifelong friends joined Saraceni in Swarthmore for his last moments, said his assistant, correct- hand person, and caretaker Benjamin Medaugh.
According to Medaugh, Saraceni remained alert and engaged in his last months of life, keeping up with the news and his diverse collection of books from Italian, English, and Spanish authors. With the aid of Medaugh, he continued to stick with smaller works and insisted on cooking for himself until his health took a turn.
He” miraculously found ways to make people find pleasure in very simple issues,” said Medaugh of Saraceni’s legacy, claiming that his genius was in preserving a child’s humor and instilling beauty in the common.
Remo Saraceni was born in Fossacesia, Italy, in 1935. He grew up in what he described , to The Inquirer next year , as a sincere lifestyle. A fresh Saraceni developed his artistic playtime by frequently making toys out of materials around him as a result of spending his early years in a home with few resources.
Saraceni sought a change of pace growing up in Benito Mussolini’s totalitarian rule, applying for a particular card for entrepreneurs, citing his ability to make microphones. He recalled being a resident of the United States by the middle of the 1960s, working time jobs as a space agency assistant in Philadelphia and helping the U.S. Navy enhance its space missions.
His ideas attempted to combine art and sing, with an emphasis on how people react to music and lighting.
” It’s innate in us to harmonize with the surroundings, especially for love and peace”, Saraceni told The Inquirer in December.
A music lily pillow that responded to pressure was one of his inventions. When somebody sat on a flower, a distinct note had play. His most notable invention utilized a concept similar to that of a big piano that could be tapped with the foot to play it across several feet.
Saraceni and the renowned toy shop FAO Schwarz, who sold a number of Saraceni’s toys, began to work together in the 1980s. News accounts of the time said Anne Spielberg, a writer for” Big”, saw the music in the company’s store and worked it in the picture.
In a famous scene where Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia perform” Heart and Soul” and” Chopsticks” before a group of children and parents, the piano would be one of the most memorable scenes in the movie.
Although Saraceni would claim to have a successful relationship with the toy company ( the toy company would continue to sell a Big Piano through 2015 ), their fortunes would change in 2016. Saraceni would go on to experience cut out as the new FAO Schwarz user began selling its own variation of the large music after an equity-backed company bought the company as it struggled to compete with discount retailers.
Saraceni had a dream of moving back to his native Italy, but a years-long trademark infringement dispute resulted in his losing his most cherished design, leaving him with little to call. He claimed to have been thousands of dollars in debt as he launched a , GoFundMe , which achieved only a small portion of its purpose.
In addition to his two brothers who live in Italy, Saraceni is survived by two children.
Chapel services are still being figured out, said Medaugh.
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