Letters To The Editor Dear Editor: right to use his own name on a theatre. gest Mr. Delay go through his back While I enjoyed Dorothy E. Elliot's Marcus contended that his good will was issues and find the one in which I wrote story on the Providence Performing Arts being infringed upon. The court finally about the regional convention in Phoenix. Center (Loew's State), I'd like to point out ruled that Elias Moses Loew might use This "fool" praised it as being the best­ that there was no such person as '' E. his name on a theatre provided that he produced and paced one an ATOS group Marcus Loew." There were two show­ prefixed it with his initials, "E.M. " Thus, has put on. But even there, I did not like men named Loew who were not related "Loew's Capitol" meant that the house the way the jam sessions were handled. and not even friendly: Marcus Loew and was operated by the long-established Nutt' said. Elias Moses ("E.M .") Loew. Marcus while "E.M. Loew's Capitol" Sincerely, Marcus was born in 1870 on Manhat­ meant that the theatre was run by Elias Don Story, tan's Lower East Side. At an early age, Moses-Come Lately. Of course, few were Tucson, Arizona Marcus began working in a print shop, able to make the subtle distinction and peddling newspapers, and doing odd jobs. confusion reigns to this day. Dear Editor: Eventually, he became a fur salesman. Sincerely, I am a new member of the ATOS, hav­ After he had saved some money, he ac­ PaulChavanne ing joined after hearing Mr. Thomas quired equity in a Harlem apartment Wakefield, Massachusetts Hazleton provide the people of Santa house. Comedian David Warfield bought Barbara with a fine program on the newly into an apartment house next door and Dear Editor: installed Robert-Morton instrument at the Loew talked his way into becoming War­ Please allow me one final word in re­ Arlington Theatre. I have been a mem­ field's real estate manager. Thus began a gard to the responses to my lengthy letter ber of the American Guild of Organists life-long association which made both in the July/August issue which stirred up for 11 years now and have enjoyed my millionaires. Another Harlem neighbor a bit of a hornet's nest apparently. I thank association with the many professionals was who, like Loew, had you for printing it in its entirety. who make up that organization. been in the fur business but was now run­ First I appreciate the dedicated work My main reason for writing is that in ning penny arcades . Loew and Warfield done by Tim Needler and others. I would, the two issues of THEATRE ORGAN that joined Zukor in his arcade ventures but however, have to still take issue with Tim I have perused since joining the ATOS, eventually pulled out and operated four or whoever set up hotel arrangements at I have seen many verbal barbs from var­ arcades of their own. Loew became some conventions in recent years and ious ATOS members directed against the aware of motion pictures and installed a ditto some regional conventions. True, AGO. It seems that the AGO is labled by projector in his Cincinnati arcade. Six the room rates obtained by ATOS plan­ the ATOS as a bunch of intellectual snobs months later, Loew and Warfield were ners may have been "attractive" FOR who get together at their meetings and operating 40 highly profitable nickleo­ THAT HOTEL, compared to their normal discuss heavy academic subjects and deons. They also featured live acts along rate but still awfully expensive for what play heavy classical music for each other. with films. In 1920, to assure film product many members are used to paying or can Nothing could be farther from the truth. for his theatres, Loew bought out Metro afford to pay. I wonder if arrangements Five years ago, a group of AGO members Pictures which evolved into Metro-Gold­ couldn't be made with 3 or so hotels with who were at the time members of the wyn-Mayer. varying rates and still supply enough Santa Barbara Chapter of the AGO, and In September of 1927, Marcus Loew bookings at a particular hotel to get pre­ a few other interested organists from died at the age of 57. He was widely ferred rates on rooms, banquet facilities, Ventura County petitioned the national mournedand left an estate of $35,CXXl,CXXl. etc. offices of the AGO for a chapter charter. The E.M. Loew story is another rags­ As for classical music, I certainly have We were granted that charter in Sep­ to-riches saga. Born in Czernowitz, Aus­ no complaint with it being played and I tember of 1983, and there began the tria, in 1897, the son of a public school have the utmost respect for Tom Hazle­ Ventura County Chapter of the AGO. teacher, E.M. received basic education ton, Jonas Nordwall, et al in their presen­ Since our beginning, we have had many there until the age of 13 when a family tation of it on theatre organs - and members' recitals a number of them be­ friend in persuaded the parents occasionally vice versa. (Jonas's concert ing held where we can invite the public. of E.M. to send him to the United States. on the big Rodgers at the Portland Para­ These members' recitals are not unlike His first job in Brooklyn was as an assem­ mount was as delightful and impressive the ATOS's Open Console sessions. bler of iron beds. After seeing his first as any concert I have ever heard.) But I Everyone is allowed a time at the organ, Western film, E.M. became a confirmed stand by my point, which, incidentally, and nobody is afraid to play in front of the movie fan. He quit night school to be­ Harry Anderson summed up beautifully in group. We always say to the shy ones, come an usher at the Delancy St. The­ his letter, we are members of the Theatre "Remember, you are among friends." atre. Rather than seeking his fortune in Organ Society and should not be a­ In closing, I challenge those who are , he moved to Boston. shamed to present theatre organ music . stereotyping the AGO as "intellectual There he survived by working as a meat Lastly, I don't believe Tom Delay read snobs" to come see the "party animals" cutter, usher, busboy, and bellhop. my original letter with very good compre­ of the Ventura County AGO in action at In 1917, E.M. and a friend put up hension regarding my feelings on jam their annual "Pipescreams" Halloween $1,000 each to take control of the Crystal sessions. Because of convention pacing, program, and our "Old Chestnuts" pro­ Theatre in Worcester, Massachusetts. which I have already commented on, I grams. We, and I'm sure many other AGO They eschewed living quarters and slept decided to forego both the jam sessions members, are not afraid to shut down in the ladies' room of the theatre. Despite in Portland. No doubt Tom Hazleton and the mixtures, draw the tubby flutes and their sacrifices , the venture failed. Dan Bellamy's "duet duel" was a musi­ tremulants, and try, as frustrated theatre Undaunted, E.M. acquired the Dream­ cal treat. And if it was a spontaneous organists, to make our "classical" instru­ land in Lynn, Massachusetts , and this thing, Great! But convention planners ments sound like theatre organs, to play turned out to be a success. Soon, E.M. should not schedule an artist to ''kick off'' light toe-tapping music that delights our had quite a chain of theatres and started a jam session when that artist will be do­ assembled audiences, and have a good putting his name on them. This attracted ing a full-fledged concert during the con­ time doing it! I the attention of Marcus Loew who took vention. After all, isn't a jam session Sincerely yours, E.M. to court. There was a long and supposed to be a spontaneous output of G. Mark Caldwell Continued on bloody litigation. E.M. insisted he had the peoples' talents . I would strongly sug- Santa Paula, California Page 48 ...

6 • MARCH/APRIL THEATREORGAN Letters To The Editor Nuggets, Gold Dust Continuedfrom page 6 Continuedfrom page 6 Dear Editor: GOLDDUST ... Keep in About 1928 Kinsey Theaters built a Broadcasting organists: 12/34 LEW beautiful 700-seat movie palace in Lum­ WHITE, WJZ, NY; WILLIAM MEEDER, touch with berton, North Carolina. The walls were also WJZ; DICK LEIBERT, WEAF, NY; done in a tan paint; the molded plaster JESSE CRAWFORD, NBC network ... the British work was all gold leafed, and there was 2/35 JOHNNY WINTERS, WOR, Newark; an abundance of it. The proscenium was ARTHUR CHANDLER, WLW, Cincinnati; Theatre sort of a flattened arch with much gilded LLOYD DEL CASTILLO, WEEI, Boston; plaster relief work. The ceiling was HARRY E. RODGERS, WAAS, Boston; Organ capped with a beautiful dome and a huge GORDON JOHNSON, WBEN, Buffalo; crystal chandelier with multi-color light­ HAL BECKETT,WOR, Newark; GEORGE Scene! ing. The seats were covered in red velvet, SHACKLEY, WOR .. . 5/35 CHAUN­ and the floor was carpeted in the same CEY PARSON, WLW, Cincinnati; MAUR­ color. There were three floors of dressing ICE B. NICHOLSON, WBEN, Buffalo; rooms. A musicians' room and entrance EDDIE WEAVER, WICC, Bridgeport, Subscribeto The Journal of the into the orchestra pit, and other rest Conn.; WALTER DAWLEY, WTIC, Hart­ Cinema Organ Society, a rooms and showers were below stage. ford; ELMER TIDMARSH, WGY, Sche­ quarterly publication featuring This beautiful old Palace which had nectady . . . 6/35 DION KENNEDY, stood empty and unused for many years WOR, Newark ... 7/35 Mrs. JESSE photos, history, stoplists, has been restored by Lumberton Citizens CRAWFORD, WEAF, NY; MILTON biographiesand technical and is now the Carolina Arts Center. The CHARLES, CBS Network .. . 8/35 ER­ articles ... Plus monthly balcony lobby is now an art gallery. NEST JOHNSON, WTAG, Worchester, A descriptive flyer was sent to inter­ Mass. Capitol Theatre ... 9/35 "DICK newslettersof the latest theatre ested persons telling of the restoration LEIBERT'S Dinner Concert" at 7 p.m. on organ news, events, and of the theatre and that a theatre must NBC Network; FRANCIS J. CRONIN, record reviews. have an organ, so they had leased the WAAS, Boston; CARL COLEMAN, 2/8 Robert-Morton that was for many WKBW, Buffalo; FRED FEIBEL, CBS Send $20.00 (U.S.) or 9.50 pounds years in the Art Deco Center Theatre in Network at Noon; "EDDIE DUNSTED­ sterling for membership in The Cin· Durham, North Carolina, from Piedmont TER Entertains,'' CBS Network . .. 3/37 ema Organ Society. Includes a sub· Chapter ATOS. The Center was the last LEN SALVO, WGN, Chicago. scription to the Journal and 12 movie palace built in North Carolina. That should do it for this time. monthly newsletters. Then followed the statement; "Wonder Solong,sourdoughs! what happened to the original organ?" Jason & The Old Prospector General Secretary: The 2/5 Wurlitzer was removed from John Smallwood the theatre in the late 40s. The console had long been gone. The organ was REMEMBER 33 Idris Villas, Tywyn, Gwynedd, placed in a Lumberton music store and LL36 9AW, Great Britain hooked up to a pink Baldwin console TO VOTE! where it played for years. It then passed through several owners in different cities, THEATRE ORGAN ADVERTISING RATES ending up with David Eplee in Whiteville, RATE CARD Black & White, 1-Time North Carolina. This summer, David, AD SPACE SIZES AVAILABLE Front Cover- not sold having sold the beautiful white and gold, Width Height Fourth Cover ...... $285 .00 3-manual French console that he had Full Page (Bleed) ...... 8-3/8 10-7/8 Inside front cover ...... 255.00 built from scratch, to a person in Cali­ Full Page (Regular) ...... 7-3/16 10 Inside back cover ...... 255.00 fornia, gave the organ back to its original 2/3 Horizontal (3 col.) ...... 7-3/16 6-5/8 Page ...... 230.00 home. They hope to add it as an echo 2/3 Vertical (2 col.) ...... 4¾ 10 2/3 Page ...... 160.00 ½ Horizontal (3 col.) ...... 7-3/16 5 ½ Page (Horiz . or Vert.) ...... 145.00 division to the 2/8 Center Robert-Morton. ½ Vertical (2 col.) . . 4¾ 7½ 1/3 Page (Horiz. or Vert.) ...... 105.00 J. Marion Martin 1/3 Horizontal (3 col.) ...... 7-3/16 3¼ ¼ Page (Horiz., Vert . or Special) ..... 90.00 Whiteville, North Carolina 1/3 Horizontal (2 col.) ...... 4¾ 4-7/8 116Page (Horiz. or Vert.) ...... 80.00 1/3 Vertical (1 col.) ...... 2 ¼ 10 1/8 Page (Horiz . or Vert.) ...... 70.00 ¼ Horizontal (3 col.) ...... 7-3/16 2½ Column inch ...... 30.00 Opinions expressedin this column are those of the cor­ ¼ Horizontal (2 col.) ...... 4¾ 3¾ Bleed: Bleed accepted for full page adver­ respondents, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions ¼ Vertical (1 col.). . . 2 ¼ 7 ¼ tisement only. of the editors or the policies of ATOS or 11-IEA TRE *¼Special ...... 3½ 4-1/8 Special positions available at 15 % above ORGAN. Letters concerning all aspects of the theatre 1/6 Horizontal (2 co l.) .. . . 4¾ 2-3/8 space rate. organ hobby are welcome. Unless clearly marked "not 116Vertical (1 col.) 2 ¼ 4-7/8 for publication" letters may be published in whole or 1/8 Horizontal (2 col.) ... 4 ¾ 1-7/8 FOUR-COLOR in part. 1/8 Vertical (1 col.) ...... 2¼ 3¾ Full Page ...... $660.00 Address: Professional Cards ...... 3½ 2 OTHER SIZES ON REQUEST Editor , 11-IEATRE ORGAN 4633 S.E. Brookside Drive, #58 MECHANICAL PROFESSIONAL CARDS Milwaukie, Oregon 97222 3½ " Wide ' 2" High Phone:503 / 654-5823 REQUIREMENTS Trim Size ...... 8-3/8 x 10-7/8 6 Issue Contract ...... $75.00 Top Margin ½" - Bottom Margin 3/8" 2 Issue Trial ...... 35.00 Outside Margin 5/8" - Inside Margin 9/16" (Paymentmust accompany order) Bleed: Add 1/8 " to top, bottom and outside ATOS Classifieds Get Results • ¼ SpecialSiz.e limited to pro-<:ardpages CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES: 20¢ Per Word . margins for trim. Keep reading material at Minimum $2.00. First 10 words are FREE to mem­ least ¼ " inside the trim . Camera-ready copy is requested as the publication is printed Page: 7-3/16" X 10" ottset. Typesetting. photo reproduction . layout. proofing, bers. Deadline for placing ads is the fifth of each cropping. reversing, bleed layout and any other mechanical month PRECEDINGpublication . Please send all ad­ Bleed: 8-3/8" x 10-7/8" costs requested by the advertiser or agency will be charged vertisingcopy to: ATOSADVERTISING , 1839 Weeg (without allowance for trim) by the publisher at nominal rates. Way, Park Ridge, Illinois 60068.

48 • MARCH/APRIL THEATREORGAN