Luigi Catalano, Director of the Strand Theater Orchestra, Modesto CA, 1921

At the beginning of 1921, Luigi and his family moved to Modesto, California from San Francisco so that Luigi could take up his new position as the Director and Conductor of the Strand Motion Picture Theatre Orchestra. 

According to Wikipedia, "From the beginning, music was recognized as essential, contributing to the atmosphere and giving the audience vital emotional cues.  Once full feature films became commonplace, however, music was compiled from "photoplay music" by the pianist, organist, orchestra conductor or the movie studio itself, which included a cue sheet with the film. These sheets were often lengthy, with detailed notes about effects and moods to watch for. Starting with the mostly original score composed by Joseph Carl Breil for D.W. Griffith's groundbreaking epic The Birth of a Nation (USA, 1915) it became relatively common for the biggest-budgeted films to arrive at the exhibiting theater with original, specially composed scores.

By the height of the silent era, movies were the single largest source of employment for instrumental musicians (at least in America)."

A souvenir postcard of the Strand Theater in Modesto, California, circa 1921.  The theater opened in December of 1920 and Luigi was its first music director and conductor.  The 1800 seat theater, which cost $250,000 to complete had crystal chandeliers and murals in the lobby, rich carpets, a stage, a $30,000 Wurlitzer pipe organ, and an orchestra pit with a full orchestra. It was considered Modesto's most beautiful and prestigous theater.