Lair of the White Worm - 1989 93 minutes -This film is adapted from a novel by Bram Stoker. Directed by Ken Russell and starring Amanda Donohue as the title invertebrate, it is not a very good movie but she plays the vampire part with comedic effect. The piper acts the part of a snake charmer. The piper was Ian Fleming who composed the tune (a 6/8 march) and instructed Peter Capaldi on how to hold the instrument so that it looked like he was playing.
Lafayette - 1961 - There is uncertainty here whether the correct movie has been identified (anyone offer some help?).The memory offered is of a movie about the French pirate Lafayette taking sides against the English in the colonial war. A scene shows a Scots regiment marching in through the fog, preceded by a piper (and getting blown to kingdom come in the process).
The Last of the Finest (a.k.a. Blue Heat) - 1990 - Orion Pictures. Directed by John Mackenzie and starring Brian Dennehy. It includes about four pipers from the Los Angeles Police Pipe Band who played Rowan Tree and We're nae awa' tae bide awa'. The piping was not good: the high A out in relation to the other notes, the players were not together, and there was much racing through the tunes.
L.A. Story - 1991 95 minutes - Directed by Mike Jackson with Steve Martin and Victoria Tennant. It's a comedy, of course. Martin forsakes one girlfriend for another whom he doesn't think he can get. A billboard promoting the Queen's Own Highlanders by the side of the freeway starts to play Amazing Grace at the end of the film to an enlightened Steve Martin.
Lateshow (David Letterman) - ? - Back when Phil Collins was touring with Sears as his sponsor, he was on the Lateshow with David Letterman and he played some pipes, but with a drone corked. He discussed with David Letterman how he became interested in playing pipes and that he had two sets. Letterman made a quip about him having a good quality bagpipe, stating, "must be a Craftsman.."
Law & Order - 1991- In the first episode of the year, which bids good-by to George Dzundza and introduces Paul Sorvina, George's character, Sgt. Greevey, is killed. During the police funeral, a lone piper plays Going Home.
Lawrence of Arabia - 1962 222 minutes - Directed by David Lean, this Horizon-Columbia Picture stars Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn and John Hawkins. It is the story of Lawrence and his incredible adventures in the Middle East. In one scene, Lawrence and some other officers are talking on the porch of a building in Cairo as a pipe band marches past playing The Brown Haired Maiden (?). In the shot, the pipers have their pipes on their shoulders, but are not blowing into them --- a good trick if you can master it. The sound track is longer than the visual bit.
The Light in the Forest - 1958 - This Disney movie has several instances of pipe music. The regiment (circa 1750/1760) is called The Royal American Rangers. They come marching through some woods near the location of Fort Pitt (Pittsburgh). The noise so impresses the Indians, that they sign a treaty. The pipers manage to perform Highland Laddie both when they are actually playing the instruments and when they are only carrying them --- wow! They also play Cock of the North, and something else.
The Little Rascals - 1994 - One of the kids plays the pipes in a dream sequence by Alfalfa. All the Rascals are in kilts and formal Highland dress, including the dog. Buckwheat plays the pipes. The real piper who supplied the music for the soundtrack is PM Eric Rigler of the Los Angeles Police Pipe Band .
The Longest Day - 1962 180 minutes. Directed by Ken Annakin, Andrew Martin and Bernhard Wicki, and starring John Wayne, Robert Michum and Henry Fonda, this is a stunning, solid war epic which details the D-Day landings by the Allies on June 6th, 1944. The pipers play in a military advance with bullets flying. The piper in charge was William Millen (who was the actual piper who accompanied Lord Lovat's troops on D-Day). Lord Lovat, played by Peter Lawford, calls for various tunes but each time the sound track repeats The Black Bear. There is a second spot where the piper plays Green Hills of Tyrol. The solo piper was Leslie (Dee) DeLaspee, the Pipe Major to the London Scottish Territorial Army Pipe band, a post which also made him the personal piper to HRH The Queen Mother.
Lords of Discipline - 1980s? - There is a report of a pipe band in this film. Anyone have information on it?
Lovejoy - (TV: A&E) The episode is called Highland Fling. The program stars Iain MacShane and takes the antique dealer to a castle in Scotland where the butler - a piper - is the secret lover of the lady of the house and the father of her illegitimate child, who is a mystery figure even to the end of the program.
Lucy Show - (TV series) In one of the colour episodes of Luceil Ball's show (1960s?) Lucy decides to go Scotland and promisses to have a pipe band with her. Her friend and neighbour, Ethyl, was volunteered to play the pipes and eventually a whole pipeband shows up.