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Buffalo Nickel Photoplay, Inc. Lyrics by Peter Friedman

Ragtime: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

1998

[TATEH as BARON ASHKENAZY, spoken]
Anyone can get lucky in America. I remind myself of this every day. 
(sung)
The first nickel I ever earned
I keep in a little silver frame
It's how I gave my company a name
Reminding me how very far I came!
I was a
Maker of the silhouettes
Who made a small improvement—
A little book of silhouettes
That simulated movement
Well, people seemed to like it
Soon the money's going clink
And I'm Buffalo Nickel Photoplay, Inc. 
I go from
Silhouettes to photos
I invent a small projector
And soon, I'm making movies
And they're calling me director!
An industry is dawning
And I'm standing on the brink—
Mister Buffalo Nickel Photoplay, Inc.!
Life shines from the shadow screen
Comical, yet infinitely true
People love to see what people do
Here where everyone is someone new!
Such tales from the shadow screen!
Little men who never get the breaks
Fighting on till something finally takes—
What a lovely movie it all makes!
Well, business is booming
I'm happy to say
I just made a contract
To film for Pathé
A series of chapters
That end in suspense
Each week, see what's next
For another five cents!
And I am
Waking every morning
Filled with such anticipation!
I frame the sea
I frame the sky
And this is my vacation!
I shake your hand
I kiss your hand
I buy you all a drink!
And maybe if you chance to see
A movie that was made by me
Remember when my name goes by
(That's Ash-K-E-N-A-Z-Y)
The baron, now American
Who happened once to think
Of silhouette
And flicker book
And movies as they're
Meant to look
And Buffalo Nickel—
Buffalo Nickel Photoplay, Inc.!
(spoken)
Action!
Credits
Peter Friedman

Peter Friedman

About “Buffalo Nickel Photoplay, Inc.” by Peter Friedman

Read the complete lyrics to "Buffalo Nickel Photoplay, Inc." by Peter Friedman from the album "Ragtime: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 1998. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under History, Theatre, Broadway.

"Buffalo Nickel Photoplay, Inc." is performed by Peter Friedman. from the album "Ragtime: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 1998 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Buffalo Nickel Photoplay, Inc.", explore more songs by Peter Friedman using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Buffalo Nickel Photoplay, Inc." is credited to Peter Friedman. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Buffalo Nickel Photoplay, Inc." appears on "Ragtime: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 1998.

Visit the Peter Friedman artist page at /artist/peter-friedman for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.