THEY CALLED HIM 'PIANO MAN' SAUL TAPLIN ENTERTAINED AT A VARIETY OF VALLEY VENUES.

Byline: Holly Andres Staff Writer

Saul Taplin will be remembered as ``the piano man'' to his family and the seniors at the Wilkinson Multi-Purpose Senior Center in Northridge.

Taplin, of Woodland Hills, died Aug. 6 in Canoga Park. He was 89.

``Our special relationship was the music,'' said his son, Richard Taplin. ``My dad was 40 when I was born so we didn't do the typical things that dads and sons do. Music was the main thread in his life. Anything with a keyboard on it, he could play.''

Saul Taplin was only 4 when he sat down at the family piano and picked out ``I Love Coffee, I Love Tea'' after watching his older sister take a piano lesson. His parents decided he should take violin lessons, but his heart was set on the piano.

Taplin favored pop music and jazz. He enjoyed listening to the music of Art Tatum and admired the performing style of Victor Borge.

``He was very talented. If you sang a song once to him he could play it,'' said longtime friend Elaine Marchesano. ``He could find your key if you sang one note. He loved the attention of an audience but you couldn't talk when he was playing. He didn't want any talking.''

Taplin had a four-piece band that played for dances on Friday nights at the Wilkinson senior center. He also played piano once a month at various jazz clubs that met at Elks and Moose lodges in Canoga Park, Thousand Oaks and Santa Monica.

Taplin also entertained, accompanied by Marchesano as she sang, for patients at nursing and convalescent homes in the San Fernando Valley.

Richard Taplin recalled his father's authoritative voice and he and his two sisters knew they were in for a serious lecture when their dad shut off the TV, sat down and contemplated the words he wanted to say to get his point across.

``I remember when I was 10 I skipped school to go and play pool. My dad was there playing pool when he was supposed to be at work,'' recalled Richard Taplin. ``My dad told me 'I won't tell if you won't tell, but if I ever catch you in here again...'''

Saul Taplin was born Dec. 14, 1914, in Boston. He worked as a salesman in the automotive, vinyl siding and recording fields. Before his retirement, Taplin worked in quality control for Data Printer in Cambridge, Mass.

He moved to the San Fernando Valley in 1980.

In addition to his son, Taplin is survived by his daughters, Bonnie Taplin and Lori Boelens; and two grandchildren.

A funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Oakwood Memorial Park, 22601 Lassen St., Chatsworth. Arrangements were handled by Angeleno Mortuary in North Hollywood.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Holly Andres, [phone]

holly.andres(at)dailynews.com

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Saul Taplin loved to entertain, but hated it when people talked while he was performing, his family lovingly recalled.