Rosa Rio papers, 1940-1983

Rosa Rio (1902-2010) was the stage name of the theater and motion picture organist Elizabeth Raub who was known for production and arrangement. She began her career as a silent film accompanist. She became a leading organist on network radio for soap operas and dramas. She continued to perform until the age of 107, becoming one of the oldest performers in the music industry. Among the films she composed for and provided accompaniment include The Phantom of The Opera, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and The Birth of a Nation. Known as "Queen of the Soaps," Rio worked for 22 years in radio, providing the organ background music for 24 radio soap operas and radio dramas, and playing an average of five to seven shows per day. During World War II she had her own radio show, Rosa Rio Rhythms. Rio made a smooth transition into television, playing for shows that include As the World Turns and The Today Show. However, compared to radio, television offered fewer opportunities for work. Rio later moved to Connecticut, where she opened a music school with classes in voice, organ, and piano. During the 1980s, she provided scores and Hammond organ accompaniment to more than 370 silent films released on video by Video Yesteryear. In 1993, Rio moved to Florida, where she played accompaniment to silent films at the Tampa Theatre.