It is rarely that this writer-re­ ried Lawrence Phelps whom I be­ the aging Harry, as he had to make searcher is privileged to spend over lieve was in insurance, then became the rounds of 20 publishers each four hours with an organist whose an organ architect and consultant. week, sort the music into groups. reminiscences about scores of his through his connection with the purchase it and mail it. Adele helped contemporaries from the great era of church and with Cassavant. in most phases of this work. the , can hold us spell­ "OTTO F. BECK played the Boyd "When Harry died, Adele carried bound. Such was our experience Theatre in Philadelphia, Virginia on, probably with one helper. She when ATOS member Mary Bowles Theatre in Atlantic City, the Rialto was especially fond of organists. arranged for Dr. C. A. J. Parmentier, in New York and several Washing­ having been one herself. She was the only organist to open the two ton. D. C. theatres. playing in Loew's Gates Theatre largest theatres in the "HAL BECKETT I remember as when she met Harry. I do not know (Roxy in I 927, Radio City Music playing the Roxy, Loew's Premier how long the club continued as I lost Hall in 1932) to meet with us. They and the Brooklyn Fox 4/ 37 Wur­ touch when I went into the service. were visiting Rochester to hear a litzer. But. I feel a warm glow when I think concert and to try out the Audi­ torium Theatre's 4/ 22 . Frankly, we were sorry to end our meet, as this amazing man is a con­ cert unto himself. Not having a portable tape record­ er, we were at a disadvantage. and for some time after our meeting, we wondered how we could put Dr. Par­ mentier's phenominal memory to the advantage of THEATRE ORGAN readers. Having built a master card index of all the organists (over 890) whose names have appeared in "Nuggets From the Golden Days" since its inception in 1967. we com­ piled a list of 128 organists who worked in the metropolitan New York area. sent it to the good doctor, and he graciously responded with more than sufficient material for this feature. He enlisted the aid of two of As Told To Lloyd E. Klos his organist-friends to provide ad­ ditional information. This will be. for the most part, a listing of organists remembered by Dr. Parmentier and friends. "HARRY (Nick) and ADELE of the Blairs' Thanksgiving and "FRANK STEWART ADAMS BLAIR always were of great help to Christmas dinners which were fab­ was a fine organist, most conserva­ organists." Doc Parmentier's friend. ulous." tive in everything. He gave one the organist Johnny Winters. recalls the Dr. Parmentier says that Johnny impression of the looks of a morti­ Bl airs: "These were two of the nicest Winters should be heard by ATOS cian, but was a most pleasant fellow. and kindest persons it was my good audiences. "He plays the heavy clas­ At New York Society of Theatre Or­ fortune to know. Harry was a song­ sics. and has a most interesting style ganists get-togethers, he was the plugger for Shapiro-Bernstein and when he plays pop music. He gave a most amusing and funniest fellow when the business petered out. Harry recital in New York's Town Hall a you'd ever meet. He played the Rial­ suggested to Bernstein that he retain few years ago. The first half of the to and Rivoli theatres in New York, an office and set up a music service program was a masterful interpreta­ and served in several offices in the for organists. There were still many tion of the standard organ works of NY. STO. His wife. MARGARET organists working throughout the Bach. Wagner. De Fala and Ravel. FRENCH. was a fine organist in country in the thirties. and. turning The second half was all popular mu­ Loew's houses in New York. out professional copies of new songs sic and novelties. It was absolutely "RUTH BARRETT. and I worked was a service publishers were not too marvelous, believe me! at the Cameo (B.S. Moss) Theatre on eager to perform. "GEORGE BLAKE was organist 42nd Street, a very small but classy "So, they welcomed Harry's ser­ over WJZ, New York. in the early theatre with a fine 3-manual Ernest vice as did the organists. He called thirties. All these years, I never knew Skinner organ. Ruth Barrett, who the venture 'The Noon-Day Club,' he was an organist. but knew him as later worked the Colony Theatre in because local organists and those Dick Leibert's manager. New York, has been for years the or­ visiting New York would meet in "KURT BOEHM played theatres ganist in the Christian Science Harry's office and then go to lunch. in Philadelphia and the Criterion Mother Church in Boston. She mar- Performing this service was tiring for Theatre in New York.

DEC. 1978/JAN. 1979 THEATRE ORGAN 39 "CARL BONA WITZ played the­ cation was a trip to Rochester to dis­ and Aldine theatres in Philadelphia. atres. in Atlantic'City, and the Strand, cuss a professorship at the Eastman "JOHN F. HAMMOND. who 69th St. and Germantown theatres School of Music. A few weeks later, taught at Rochester's Eastman in Philadelphia. He did some broad­ Deszo left officially, and I got the School of Music in the early twenties, casting from New York's Waldorf Capitol job on a more permanent was also organist in New York's Astoria ballroom (4-manual Moller basis. Piccadilly Theatre. He played the concert organ) when the hotel first "ROBERT ELMORE played the­ Saenger Theatre in , opened. Incidentally. they tried to atres in Philadelphia and Bethle­ starting in early 1927. Rosa Rio, get Jesse Crawford to play here. but hem, Pa .. and was a fine recitalist who was his wife then, played the he took one look at the organ and de­ and church organist. theatre as 'Betty Hammond.' Later, cided it was not his cup of tea. "I arranged for GEORGE EP­ John managed the Hammond Organ "Bonawitz eventually wound up STEIN to replace me at the Carlton Studios in New York where he did with Penny-Owsley. the Hammond Theatre in Brooklyn and the Roxy an outstanding job, helping many organ dealers in , before where he played for some time. organists including yours truly. his death. "JOHN GART played Loew's "ARLO HULTS played the RKO "EDYTHE BROOKS played New Metropolitan Theatre (my brother 86th Street Theatre and over NBC in York's Loew's Victory Theatre. and teacher, Firmin. also played New York. Now on the Coast. he is Her husband, ARTHUR SCOTT there). Loew's Valencia in Jamaica known as 'Ario.' BROOKS and I worked together at (organ now Pete Schaeble's). John "ERNEST F. JORES (pronounced Loew's New York Theatre Roof. He had an excellent musical back­ Joe-Ray) played New York's Audu­ was an organbuilder and was private ground. both in Europe and in bon and Capitol theatres. organist to Bennett Champ Clark. a America. He studied organ with "HENRIETTA KAMERN played multi-millionaire. Their daughter, Herbert Sisson and Clarence Dickin­ Loew's Rio Theatre in 1927. Still a THEODORA BROOKS. played in son. a nd began playing profession­ very fine organist, she lives in Flori­ many theatres. including Loew's ally at 16, and became the youngest da. Lexington. Their son at one time was vaudeville director for Loew's The­ "FREDERICK KINSLEY played in charge of the Convention Hall or­ atres at 21. He was also a top-flight the Hippodrome Theatre, and the gans in Atlantic City. where I met accord ion ist and wrote accord ion Riverside Baptist Church, which was him a few years ago. solos and orchestral compositions, the Rockefeller's place of worship. "J. VAN CLEFT COOPER played and was in the habit of working 22 "SIGMUND KRUMGOLD play­ at New York's Rivoli Theatre and hours a day. 7 days a week for a long ed the New York Paramount and served in several offices of the N. Y. time. John and I have been dear Criterion theatres. According to my Society of Theatre Organists. He and friends ever since we worked togeth­ friend, Johnny Winters, Boris Mor­ I worked together at the old Acad­ er on radio transcriptions. Now liv­ ros was general music director for emy of Music. ing in . he is a wonderful Paramount Theatres in New York, "BERNIE COWHAM played the fellow and it was a real pleasure and when he took Krumgold to RKO Flushing Theatre. At one time. working with him and for him. He to be studio organist they dispensed with his services and does not play in public. but still plays and to score pictures for Paramount, all the people in the neighborhood exceedingly well. it was a sad day for patrons of the boycotted the theatre. So, they had "ARCHER GIBSON, an organist Paramount Theatre. He was a true to reengage him. Bernie used to say. on WJZ and WEAF in New York. master of playing a movie. 'I play two ways - loud and louder.' was the pet organist of the Rocke­ "DICK LEIBERT, after his Pitts­ "JESSE CRAWFORD played in feller family. and was the darling of burgh days, played the Brooklyn many theatres on the Coast. then in the society women. He was tall, slim Paramount before his long tenure , and finally the New York and had a great deal of charm. When­ as chief organist at Radio City Music Paramount in 1926. After leaving ever any organ company installed Hall. beginning in December 1932. theatre work. he got the agency for instruments in these society people's He and I opened the Music Hall's the Leslie Vibraphone for the eastern homes and the owners complained 4/ 58 Wurlitzer. United States, and we worked to­ about ciphers and other malfunc­ "LEONARD MAC CLAIN, the gether in promoting the Leslie, and tions, they'd send Archer Gibson famous 'Melody Mac,' opened prac­ at N.B.C. After World War II, he over. He'd play noodles around the tically every theatre in Philadelphia. turned the agency over to Steinway & ciphers and pacify the owners! He studied organ for 30 years. had Sons, and they made him the head of "DOLPH GOBEL played the his own radio program, did exten­ their organ school. RKO 58th Street Theatre and over sive teaching (Dennis James and "DESZO VON D'ANTALFFY NBC in New York. Keith Chapman were two of his stu­ played the Capitol, the Roxy and la­ "KENNETH HALLET and dents) and played at Wanamaker's ter the Radio City Music Hall. He worked as demonstrators for the Store. was a fine organist and composer. In Choralcello Organ Co. in 1916. I had "ROLLO MAITLAND was one of 1922. I left a steady job at Loew's been in the United States for only a the finest organists. His home ground 83rd Street Theatre (my partner few months and I still spoke with a was Philadelphia where he played there was Marsh McCurdy) to play slight British accent; Hallet tried to the Aldine, Arcadia, Stanley and for one week as substitute for D'An­ boss me around. In 1923, he was my Strand theatres. He eventually be­ talffy at the Capitol while he took a assistant at the Philadelphia Fox came blind. vacation. It turned out his week's va- Theatre. He also played the Strand "DR. MELCHIORE MAURO-

40 THEATRE ORGAN DEC. 1978 / JAN. 1979 COTTONE for years was the fea­ tured artist at New York's Capitol Theatre. playing the illuminated Estey console. He also had a stint at the Roxy for awhile. "MARSH MC CURDY, who played Loew's Lexington Theatre for several years, also played Loew's State and Loew's 83rd Street thea­ tres. "BILL MEEDER played in New Jersey theatres, taught (one of his students was Rex Koury of Gun­ smoke fame), played at the RKO Richmond Hill 3-manual Robert Morton. From here. he became staff organist at NBC before free-lancing. One radio program for which he played was Search For Tomorrow. "HENRY 8. MURTAGH played the Rivoli and Capitol theatres in New York, as well as other theatres from coast to coast. "JOHN PFEIFFER played the Loew's New York Theatre and the Hippodrome. We met at the former. When my wife and I were married, we were both under age. So. John acted as guardian at our wedding! "JOHN PRIEST, besides the Cameo, played the Colony and Ri­ alto in New York. In 1924, when I played the Aldine Theatre in Phila­ sponsors were manufacturers of left the Fox Theatre in Philadelphia, delphia, and the State Theatre in soaps and detergents (Proctor & John urged me to work with him at Jersey City. I understand he was pri­ Gamble, Colgate, Lever Bros .. etc.). the Colony as his associate. He took vate organist for the Du Pont family, "Besides the impressive openings ill a few days before I was to become and he played a concert every Sun­ and closings, the pipe organ (with his co-worker, and I took John's day at the fabulous Du Pont Con­ Hammond entering the picture after place on a Sunday. After the last servatories in Wilmington, Del.. 1935 because of low maintenance show, I visited him at the hospital, which was open to the public. cost and mobility), set the mood and where he died about midnight. "EMIL VELAZCO played mostly led into and out of commercials. "I insisted that his wife and daugh­ in the Midwest, including Chicago. The organ made an important con­ ter spend the night with us, instead He was slated as one of the Roxy tribution to radio, and today, the of going back to their apartment. organists in New York, and we even electronic organ is still being widely They were so shaken and helpless rehearsed together. But. he took ill used on many TV shows. Here is a that I made the funeral and burial a few days before the opening in list of some of the organists and their arrangements. March 1927 and never played the program credits as I remeber them. "John Priest was one of the finest Roxy publicly. Soon after, he opened Some are still active. You will notice organists I ever met. He was to have an organ school in New York. and several names credited to one show. played the Sesquicentennial in Phil­ eventually he went into business. Most organists subbed during va­ adelphia in 1926, and was slated for composing, scoring and recording cations and illness. the Roxy in 1927. music for commercial films." PAUL CARSON - One Man's "HAROLD RAMSAY (Rams­ When the use of the theatre pipe Fami~v: I Love a Mystery. bottom) traveled extensively from organ diminished, following advent coast to coast. In New York, he of the talkies, many organists trans­ GAYLORD CARTER - Amos n' played the Rivoli. ferred their talents to the infant Anczv. Second Mrs. Burton. Ho/­ "JOHN STANGO was at the Boyd medium, radio. Dr. Parmentier's (vwood Hotel; Phantom of the and 69th Street Theatres in Phila­ good friend, John Gart now adds a Organ: Cahfornia Melodies: Bride delphia. sizeable contribution to this feature. & Groom; One Man's Fami~v: I "PROF. FIRMIN SWINNEN which he calls "Organ in Radio." Love a Mystery: Breakfast In studied at the Royal Flemish Con­ "The organist played a very im­ Hol(vwood. servatory of Music in Antwerp, Bel­ portant part in radio. It helped the GEORGE CROOK-Played Brook­ gium, about the same time my broth­ listener in building a better image lyn Strand and was a star demon­ er, Firmin, did. Besides the Rivoli and fantasy. Best known was the strator for Hammond while John and Rialto theatres in New York. he , because most of the Hammond was in charge. Played

DEC. 1978 /JAN. 1979 THEATRE ORGAN 41 Park Ave. Synagogue and was on Myrt & Marge; Mr. Keene; that I will admit to being 60 - plus. NBC staff. Strange as it Seems; Land of the Seriously, I'd like to say that since JOHN GART - Bright Horizon; Lost,· Young Dr. Malone; When a becoming an ATOS member in True Story Theatre; Superman; Girl Marries: Valiant Lady, Whis­ 1974, Cathy and I have attended all House of Mystery: Truth or Con­ pering Streets. TV included the of the national conventions as well as sequences; Evelyn Winters; House Chubby Jackson Show; Where the some of the regional conventions. in the Country (conductor). TV Heart ls; Love Is a Many Splen­ Where else can we meet such nice credits include Valiant Lady, Love dored Thing; Time For Fun; Dis­ people? Sincerely. of Life; Whom Do You Trust?; covery. Winters served all three Harry Koenig The . major networks. Niles. 111inois ATOS sincerely thanks Dr. Par­ DOLPH GOBEL - Ethel & Albert Dear Lloyd: mentier and his friends, John Gart ABE GOLDMAN - Easy Aces: and Johnny Winters. for their in­ We just want you to know what a Gangbusters; Grand Slam valuable assistance and coopera­ superb writing job you did on the Ar­ EDDIE HOUSE - Myrt & Marge tion. Without them, this article nold Leverenze article which was in the August/September THEATRE SKITCH HENDERSON - Smile would not have been possible. D Time ORGAN. Our magazine came yes­ terday and we went over to see the CHESTER KINGSBURY - · On Leverenz's tonight. CBS staff I only wish you could have seen ANN LEAF - ; Easy those thrilled people, to see the ex­ Aces: Vic & Sade; Pret(v Kitty tho pression on Arnold's face! As Marie Kel~v; Ann Leaf at the Organ: read aloud to him, he nodded ap­ Nocturne. letters proval several times. Even though it DICK LEIBERT - The Second is difficult for him to communicate, Mrs. Burton; Stella Dallas; When to he obviously thought the article was a Girl Marries; Big Sister. very good. We wanted you to know how much HERSCHEL LEUCKE - We Love tho this meant to them, and we all thank and Learn; Lzfe Can Be Beauhful. you for your fine work. WILLIAM MEEDER - Pepper udi1;ors Sincerely and best wishes. Young's Family; Right to Happi­ Homer & Jane McKee Johnson ness; Search for Tomorrow. letters to the Editor con­ cerning all aspects of the Portland, Oregon DR. C. A. J. PARMENTIER - On theatre organ hobbyare en­ CBS. NBC staffs. From 1936 to couraged.Send them to the Dear Editor, 1948, he worked on approximately editor concerned.Unless it's A situation has been transpiring 40 shows. stated clearlyon the letter in a number of churches in this na­ CHARLES PAUL - Young Dr. "not for publication,"the ed­ tion which is disturbing. Theatre Malone; Road of Life; This is itors feel free to reproduce organ enthusiasts who have been Nora Drake; The Shadow; As the it, in wholeor part. involved with theatre organ instal­ World Turns. lations and restorations have set ROSA RIO - Between the Book­ Address: themselves up in business "over ends: Second Honeymoon; The night" so to speak to maintain church .. ~ GeorgeThompson organs. Shadow; Cavalcade of America: ~ Editor Court of Missing Heirs; Myrt & The American Institute of Organ­ ~ P.O.Box 1314 builders, a professional society, had Marge: Deadline Drama; Ethel & h. Salinas,Calif. 93902 Albert; Front Page Farrell; Lor­ discussed this problem recently at enzo Jones; ; their National Convention in Moor­ Dear Mr. Thompson: Rosa Rio Rhythms. head, Minnesota. Organbuilders, We've just received our copy of the who have spent a good share of a life HENRY SULVERN -Nick Carter: August/September THEATRE OR­ time being trained to be organbuild­ Boston Blackie; Phio Vance GAN and have been looking over the ers and who have a business of tun­ PAUL TAUBMAN - Rosemary: section about the Atlanta conven­ ing and repairing church organs, are Penthouse Club tion. extremely distressed over this situ­ ELSIE THOMPSON -Aunt Jenny: I got a chuckle out of Bob Ober­ ation. Professional organ mainte­ The Shadow lander's piece about the jam sessions nance firms are finding that their where he mentioned my age. Of DOC WHIPPLE - : regular customers are being talked Light of the World course I'm not 80 - yet. I some­ into having hobbyists take over their times say. ''I'm having a hard time service contracts in order to make a LEW WHITE - The Shadow: convincing people that I'm going to few bucks on the side and so church­ Young Dr. Malone; The Green be 85." and then after a short pause es can "save money" on their organ Hornet: Ethel & Albert I add "some day." Guess Bob didn't maintenance. In my opinion, this is JOHNNY WINTERS Young hear that part. a deplorable practice! Many fine Widder Brown; ; To set the record straight let's say church organs have been damaged

42 THEATRE ORGAN DEC. 1978/JAN. 1979