12emember- When •••• . . . . you were thrilled at the sound of the Radio City Music Hall Organ, with the great Dick Liebert at the keys ...... you heard Eddie Dunstedter play "Open Your Eyes" for the first time . . . . . you saw Jesse Crawford play "at the movies" When the music of the theatre organ was part of your life .... Now, for the first time, you can relive all these moments and more, with Theatre Organ Greats, a new and unique book from BRADLEY PUBLICATIONS.

It's a music folio, a collector's item, and a history of the theatre organ, all wrapped in one. Fifteen of the world's greatest theatre organists are brought together in one book saluting the world's greatest theatre: Radio City Music Hall. Original arrangements and transcriptions in authentic theatre organ style by: Don Baker ( Limehouse Blues); Ray Bohr (As Time Goes By); Del Castillo (The Peanut Vendor); Gaylord Carter (The Perfect Song); Doreen Chadwick (Musetta's Waltz); Jesse Crawford (Smile) ; Eddie Dunstedter (Open Your Eyes); Lee Erwin (Sherlock Jr.); Reginald Foort (Blue Tango); Rex Koury (Here's That Rainy Day); Ann Leaf (Inspiration Tango); Richard Liebert (Come Dance With Me); Lance Luce (Summertime); Ashley Miller (The Song Is You); Rosa Rio (Forgotten Melody). Also includes complete biographies of each organist. Spiral-bound for your convenience. Theatr-e Or-aan 6r-eats A Saluteto RadioCity MusicHall

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BRADLEY PUBLICATIONS 43 West 61 Street New York, N.Y. 10023

Jesse Crawford: Lee Erwin: Ann Leaf: Rosa Rio: Don Baker: Ray Bohr: Reginald Foort : Doreen Chadwick: "Poet of the Organ." CBS organist. "Mighty Mite of the "F irst Lady of the The "dean " of Radio City Music London Palladium B.B.C. organist. Mighty Wurlitzer ." Soap Opera." pipe organists. Hall organist . organist. Ill Rex Koury: Ashley Miller: Gaylord Carter: Del Castillo: Richard Liebert: Lance Luce: Eddie Dunstedter: RKO theatre TV and radio Organist for the Member of the Radio City Music Present Radio City His theme, organist . organist. "Amos & Andy" Organists' Hall of Hall's first organist . organist. "Open Your Eyes," show . Fame. has become a standard . ATOS National Membership is $15.00 per cal­ endar year, which includes a subscription to THEATRE ORGAN , the official publication of the American Theatre Organ Society. Single copies $2.50. Make check or money order pay­ (ISSN 0040-5531) JOURNAL OF THE able to ATOS, and mail to P.O. Box 45, Falls Church , Virghia 22046 . AMERICAN THEATRE ORGAN Editorial Address SOCIETY THEATRE ORGAN P.O . Box 1314 Salinas, California 93902 VOLUME 22, NUMBER 2 Phone : (408) 663 -3238

Advertising Address ATOS Advertising APRIL / MAY 1980 2231 North Burling Street Chicago, Illinois 60614 Membership Office featur-es ... P.O . Box45 Falls Church, Virginia 22046 5 John Hammond, Master Organist ...... Lloyd E. Klos Phone : (703) 573 -4138 ATOS Corporate Office 12 Double Debut in Santa Ana ...... Stu Green ATOS 6900 Santa Monica Boulevard 15 The Melody Lingers On ...... Ted Crampton Los Angeles , California 90038

Office of the President 20 The Pipe Piper ...... Lloyd E. Klos Thomas 0 . (Tommy) Landrum 4815 Leonard Parkway 24 Film: Funny and Unfunny ...... John Muri Richmond, Virginia 23226 Phone : (804) 353 -8376 25 Official Notice of General Membership Meeting National Headquarters ATOS 28 ATOS Chapter Chairmen and Secretaries P.O . Box 1 002 Middleburg , Virginia 22117 Phone : (703) 364 -2423

National Officers Thomas 0 . (Tommy) Landrum , President technical ... Lois Segur , Vice President 26 Questions and Answers ...... Lance Johnson Erwin Young, Treasurer Wyn McDonnell Davis, Secretary 36 The Acoustical Consultant ...... R.J. Weisenberger National Board of Directors Paul (Mac) Abernethy , Jr . John Ledwon William Rieger Judd Walton W . "Tiny" James Betty Mason depar-tments ... Richard Schrum George F. Thompson 4 President's Message 30 Vox Pops Ray F. Snitil , Past President Curator 11 Nuggets from the Golden Days 35 Book Review Paul Abernethy P.O . Box 2480 17 For the Records 36 Letters to the Editors Burlington, N .C . 27215 EOrrORIAL STAFF 23 Dinny's Colyum 38 Chapter Notes Editor - George Thompson Associate Editors - Lloyd E. Klos, 25 Closing Chord 54 Classified Ads Peg Nielsen Editor-Emeritus - W . "Stu" Green Photographer - Bill Lamb 27 Konsole Kapers Publishers - Floyd and Doris Mumm Editorial Assistants - Don Lockwood Jan James Advertising Manager - Len Clarke Cover- Vhoto Circulation Manager - Lee Prater

THEATRE ORGAN (title registered U.S . Patent The "Dowager Empress," formerly in the Paramount Theatre in New York Office) is published bimonthly by the American City. Very likely the most talked about, most compared, and often referred to Theatre Organ Society, Inc., a nonprofit organi­ as a tonal criteria for other theatre organs, this Wurlitzer now performs regular­ zation. Thomas 0. (Tommy) Landrum, Presi­ ly in the Century II complex in Wichita, Kansas, with Billy Nalle as resident dent . All rights reserved. Entire contents copy­ righted. American Theatre Organ Society, Inc., organist. 1980. Office of publication is P.O. Box 2329, The console is in the "up" position as it would be seen by a patron in the first Livonia, Michigan 48151. row of a theatre, as originally decorated, and bathed in proper lighting for op­ timum dramatic effect. POSTMASTER: Second Class P"stage paid at The picture was furnished TH EATR E ORGAN Magazine by member Walter Livonia, Michigan . IF UNDELIVERABLE, send J. Brunke, to whom we extend our sincere thanks. form 3579 to ATOS Circulation Department, Box 45, Falls Church, Virginia 22046. ABCHIVES/LIBRARY APRIL/ MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 3 Vr-e§ident~§ Me§§aae This is the twenty-fifth anniversary of ATOS, a time for reflection and a time Richard Simonton to project future goals. Feb . 1955 - Oct . 1958 In the beginning, our membership numbered less than two hundred. There Judd Walton were many pipe organs still in theatres, Oct . 1958 - July 1961 mostly unplayable, and seemingly very Tiny James little interest in preserving either the July 1961 - July 1964 instrument or the art form associated with it. Carl Norvell ATOS was formed with the expressed July 1964 - July 1966 ideal of preserving that bit of nostalgia Dick Schrum known as "theatre organ," a formi­ July 1966 - July 1968 dable challenge. The success of our efforts is undeni­ Al Mason July 1968 - July 1970 able. We now number six-thousand members, and, although a great Stillman Rice number of organ-equipped theatres July 1 970 - July 1972 have since been demolished, or converted to other uses, almost all of the pipe organs have been saved. These instruments have been Erwin A. Young July 1972 - July 1974 rebuilt and reinstalled in new locations. Many of them are now available to the listening public through the pizza parlor phenomena, Paul M . Abernethy which seems to have replaced the movie theatre as a source of fami­ July 1974 - July 1976 ly entertainment. Twenty-five years ago no professional organist could have booked Ray F. Snitil July 1976 - July 1978 a successful theatre organ concert tour, but today, artist Dennis James, for example, (according to his ad on page 29 of the Feb I Mar Preston M . Fleet 1980 issue of THEATRE ORGAN) lists thirty-one concerts between July 1978 - N o v . 1978 August of 1979 through April of 1980. The same issue contains Pro­ Cards for seventeen artists available for concerts. There are prob­ ably three times that number of capable performers who do not advertise, wishing only to do local events because of travel inconveniences or other similar factors. Most of this has come about 170~01:?Al?-,,, in the last twenty-five years because of ATOS. M~M13~l?§ Had it not been for the imaginative guidance of the many people who have served ATOS, largely at their own expense, and for the 1959 - Jesse Crawford volunteer staff that has kept it all together, we would not be the 1960 - Famy Wurlitzer force we are today. 1961 - Mel Doner The future will no doubt bring changes which will further our ideals and be of benefit to our members and chapters. The 1979 1962 - Leonard MacClain Membership Meeting in Los Angeles asked for innovations and im­ 1963 - Eddie Dunstedter provements which are now being studied and considered. Action 1964 - Reginald Foort has been taken to set up the machinery for these alterations. 1966 - Dan Barton The National Board has always approached normal progress with 1966 - W . "Tiny " James the growth of membership in a conservative fashion, gradual 1967 - Erwin A . Young change being considered better than radical departures from the 1968 - Richard C. Simonton current systems in use. We will be embarking on a new method of balloting and, with our 19619- Judd Walton by-laws being studied, the most imperative recommendations of the 197'0 - Bill Lamb membership are being readied for consideration . 1971 - George and Vi Thompson Your selection of people to serve on the ATOS National Board is 1972 - Stu Green now more important than ever . 1973 - Al and Betty Mason Every member must remember that we didn't reach our present 1974 - Lloyd E. Klos level of prestige without thoughtful, innovative leadership . We must 1975 - Joe Patten continue to build on our past to grow solidly into the future . Think carefully about your choice for National Board and VOTE!!! 1976 - Floyd and Doris Mumm 19n - Les and Edith Rawle 1978 - Len Clarke Sincere/~ ~~ 1979 - J .B. Nethercutt Tommy Landrum, President, ATOS

4 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL / MAY 1980 0 n ammon MASTERORGANIST

by Lloyd E. Klos

A while back, we learned that the widow off or mer theatre organ­ ist, John Hammond, is living in Bogalusa, Louisiana. With the assistance of ATOS member Howard Jackson, we were put in con­ tact with Mrs. Hammond, who offered to supply background infor­ mation on the life of this Hall of Fame organist. This, then, is the story of John F. Hammond, master organist.

Born in Hempstead, Long Island, Wright, at that time, warden of the in 1894, his paternal grandmother AGO and one of the guild ex­ was a fine concert pianist, and gave aminers. Later, under the same him his first piano lesson when he instructor, John completed a was six. Learning very fast, and thorough course in musical theory. showing remarkable aptitude, he Though gaining credit through then studied under an uncle, William ability as organist and choirmaster in G. Hammond, a choir director and three Brooklyn churches, he soon be­ organist in a large Brooklyn church. came aware that the theatre offered a John's parents vehemently oppos­ broader and more lucrative field. ed their son becoming a musician. There being no school for motion His engineer father, and his mother, picture organists in the early days of an operator of a business school, the profession, the only road to suc­ thought music inferior to their cess lay through actual experience of choice of vocation for him - doctor. the most disheartening kind. The He did attend medical school, but way to advance was to hold a posi­ quit in this junior year, having tion long enough to learn all there studied organ on the side. One of his was to be learned, and then move on standing jokes was, "It's a good to another theatre. thing I dropped out of med school; I John Hammond was first em­ would only have made the under­ ployed as organist at New York's takers wealthy." Vitagraph Theatre. With great an­ So, music won out; it was his ticipation, he looked forward to his prime interest throughout his life. first evening performance. He very He studied organ under Frank carefully chose an opening number

THEATRE ORGAN 5 backdrop and curtains. The organ was used primarily with the or­ chestra in motion picture accom­ paniment. The adjacent Kilbourn Hall, used for student recitals and chamber music, had (still does) a 4-manual Aeolian-Skinner. In a large room on one of the upper floors of the theatre, was housed a 2/8 Wurlitzer, and this was employed for instruc­ tion and practice in the art of silent movie accompaniment, using a film library, a screen and projection equipment. Advanced students were given the opportunity to play the Austin in the theatre, thereby gain­ ing practical experience. There were 11 other practice studios for classical organ study; nine with 2-manual organs and two with 3-manual instruments. This was the scene which John Hammond entered late in 1922. From all reports, he was an excellent musician and a fine teacher. Rosa Rio, who studied under him at the Eastman, says: "He was an excellent teacher and inspired all who studied with him. He loved music dearly and was by far superior to Jesse Crawford as a musician, but never cared for fame or money." In August, 1923, the 16th annual convention of the National Associa­ tion of Organists was held in Rochester. Focal points of the ses­ sions were the Eastman Theatre and the School of Music. Mr. Hammond played a leading role in this affair, demonstrating motion picture ac­ John Hammond poses for a 1924 publicity photo at the console of the Piccadilly Theatre's 4/ 28 Marr & Colton in companiment and acting as a host of New York . (Harold Joi/es collection J the event. (See April 1972 THE­ which would be impressive, since he ander, musical director of ATRE ORGAN.) assumed there'd be a full house . Rochester's new Eastman Theatre, In July, 1924, he accepted the post Everything was ready and at the ap­ announced the appointment of two as organist at the new Piccadilly pointed moment, he played the organists for the theatre and for Theatre at Broadway and 52nd opening chords with great gusto. But teaching organ in the Eastman Street in New York. Installed was a when he observed the size of the au­ School of Music. They were Dezso $60,000 4/28 Marr & Colton, the dience, ''my pride fell like a punc­ von D' Antalffy of New York's largest that firm ever built. The tured balloon . There were but three Capitol Theatre, and John Ham­ theatre opened in September. persons in the theatre!" mond. Selection of Mr. Hammond was He then served successively at the The $5 million Eastman Theatre, made after a nationwide survey of National Theatre in Jersey City; "Dedicated to the Enrichment of theatre organists. While he was Claremont, Strand and Broadway Community Life," possessed what reluctant to leave his position in theatres in New York; and the Strand was described in glowing press Rochester, the off er was so finan­ Theatre in Brooklyn where he was to releases, "The world's largest cially attractive, he couldn't refuse remain for two-and-a-half years. theatre organ." It was a 4-manual, it. His selection was considered a During his tenure at the Strand, he 155-stop Austin, and it was always tribute to the high calibre of the was instrumental in organizing the regrettable that the pipes weren't Eastman faculty. The man who suc­ New York Society of Theatre situated in chambers on either side of ceeded him at the Eastman, was Organists and served as president for the proscenium, rather than in their Harold Osborn Smith, the same two terms. backstage location. As a result, they organist who took Mr. Hammond's In August, 1922, Arthur Alex- had to speak through the orchestra place at the Brooklyn Strand when

6 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL / MAY 1980 the latter went to Rochester. not placed in the exit-march photo-dramatic term, 'action. ' At the Piccadilly, Mr. Hammond category. Consequently, it is "Here, the console elevator comes was featured in a recital every noon. necessary to ref er frequently to the into play - the rising console is a For a time in 1925, his recitals were work and observations of the writer. certain attention-arrester. The broadcast over WGBS, New York. "It is almost an axiom in this day lighting is of utmost importance; the In short, John Hammond was fast of soap advertisements and publicity spotlight must not be too glaring and becoming one of New York's leading men to say that the curiosity and in­ must also reveal the console in order theatre organists. In the February terest of the public must be aroused that the actual manipulation may be 15, 1925 issue of The Metronome, by special efforts if sales are to be under observation. It is of equal im­ appeared an article by him entitled made. An appeal must be made to all portance that the surrounding house "Making a Box Office Attraction of the senses which the human lighting be of such a quality and the Theatre Organist,'' and since we organism possesses. One would character as not to distract attention believe it as important in today's think that music depended entirely from the per/ ormer. Next in the renaissance of the theatre organ as it upon the ear for its reception, and order of importance is the visible was in 1925, we reprint it here: such is indeed the case, but what per/ ormance. In this, we must be about the interpreter? Who receives guided by good taste between the "The theatre-going public in New the salary - the music, the organ or Seil/a of ludicrous acrobatics and the York City presents to the motion pic­ the organist? The answer is quite ob­ Charybdis of uninteresting rigidity. ture organist, problems which are vious. We have, therefore, not to sell The organist must become an actor not to be met with elsewhere. This music; our product is the organist, even as the orchestra conductor, and condition is due to many cir­ and his music and instrument are but every move be calculated to produce cumstances. In the first place, the two of the points in our ballyhoo. a reaction upon his audience. cosmopolitan aspect of the city is "An organist has no auricular ap­ Likewise, he must remember that a more pronounced than in any other peal per se. He can be seen, however, naturally pleasant facial expression section of the country. Then, there is and it is largely through vision that and an easy manner when facing the a predominance of excellent or­ his personality registers. One of the audience for applause are valuable chestral music to be found on Broad­ first requisites, then, is the matter of assets in the creation of a public de­ way. The New York public has been visibility. Unless the audience can see mand. All of the above remarks app­ educated to consider the orchestra of the organist readily from all parts of ly to the rendition of solo numbers in primary importance, relegating the the auditorium, there is little chance a cinema theatre; this branch of the organ to a very subordinate position. that his personality will create an im­ work being obviously the only spot Furthermore, the instruments have pression. Let us suppose that the on the program where personal ap­ not been located with a view to ex­ organist is in a suitable location for pearance is possible. It is worthy of ploitation from a showman's stand­ vision, what next? The attention of note, dear reader, that I have as yet point. Consoles are placed where it is the audience must be concentrated mentioned neither the organ nor the difJicult for the organist to be seen, upon him. This can be done by music to be rendered. and the organ chambers are put in lighting and motion, or to use the "From the audience standpoint, positions from which tonal egress is A publicity picture of John Hammond. The organ is not identified , but judging from the console light , it is a Kimball , limited, if not almost entirely and could be the one in Brooklyn's Mark Strand Theatre where he played in 1926. ( Hammond collection) obstructed. Finally, we have the bat­ tle for supremacy between the straight organ and the unit or­ chestra, a question which the organists have tried to decide for years, but which the public will even­ tually decide without any fuss what­ soever. "It will be readily seen from the foregoing statements that he who would put himself in a place of pro­ minence by per/ arming on a theatre organ in the neighborhood of the white lights has what might be term­ ed a "helluva chance" (which is col­ loquial for a "tough time"). How is it possible to develop a real interest in the organ on Broadway? The writer will probably be accused of egotism on account of frequent references in this article to his experiences. He oc­ cupies the singular position of being the sole featured organist on Broad­ way at the present time. By featured organist is meant one whose solos are

APRIL/ MAY 1980 given an organ of reasonably good In late 1926, Hammond had a stint the Saenger. In a day when Para­ tone (preferably one possessing in­ at the Mark Strand Theatre in mount Pictures operated on the prin­ teresting solo stops), the console is Brooklyn and Dr. Edward J. Bebko ciple of lush and extravagant the most important part of the in­ (Eddie Baker), remembers being in­ theatres to offset mediocre (or strument. Here we are again con­ troduced to him by mutual friend worse) entertainment, the Saenger fronted with the specter of visibility. Raul de Toledo Galvao (Paul Brass). was the last word. The architecture A console with stop keys located on Hammond was first organist at the was authentic Barnum and Bailey, a side panels or one with the stops ar­ Strand, and Galvao was his assist­ Hollywood (synonymous with ranged in straight, parallel rows ant. Galvao introduced him as the Heaven in them days) version of an above the top manual, is poorly laid ''organists' organist.'' Hammond open-air garden with stars in the sky, out for display purposes. In the case spoke in glowing terms of the complete even to the clouds moving of the former, the angle of vision is Strand's 3/22 Kimball: "It has the majestically across the vaulted bad, while the body of the organist best qualities of a concert organ and plaster heavens. almost entirely obscures the stops of the beauty of a theatre organ." "My particular domain was, of the latter. The practice of placing the In early 1927, the multi-million course, the organ. In one particular, console on an elevator is a good one dollar 3 ,400-seat Saenger Theatre the Saenger was a maverick; from two standpoints. In the first opened in New Orleans. This was a originally, it was to be the prize jewel place, the motion of the rising con­ John Eberson-designed house, the in the Saenger Circuit crown. sole, as previously explained, is an atmospheric variety, where on the Sometime during its construction, it advantage, while the elevated posi­ ceiling, friendly stars twinkled and became part of the Paramount tion enables the entire console to be wisps of clouds floated by. Mrs. harem, but in one particular, the on display, as well as the foot work Hammond provided a letter which union was not legitimate. Any true of the perf armer. The crescentic ar­ her husband had written to a friend inmate of the Paramount Seraglio rangement of the stop keys seems to in 1970, and describes some of his ex­ was automatically required to boast be the best type for the purpose of periences at the Saenger. It is so (?) of a large Wurlitzer organ. The display as is evidenced by the fact amusingly written that we reproduc­ Saenger, as become a true Southern that the most prominent of theatre ed excerpts of it here: Belle (ergo, a genuine rebel), was organ designers are practically equipped with a very fine Robert unanimous in its adoption. " The Saenger Theatre opened in Morton organ. "A word now as to the location of 1927. That's 43 years ago. Henry "No theatre organist in 192 7 could the organ chambers. Broadway has Ford's Model A had just hit the know that we were even then singing been singularly unfortunate in hav­ market and some crazy guy was pre­ our swan song and that we were ing either back-stage installations paring to launch a contraption about to become a vanishing race. where any scenery immediately designed to make the movies talk. Of Yet, in two short years, Al Jolson in wrecks the tone, or a relation be­ course, such a ridiculous invention The Jazz Singer sounded the death­ tween organ and console which was impossible; Tom Edison had knell of the theatre organist. In that renders it virtual(y impossible for the tried it years earlier, and if he brief duration, however, my beloved organist to judge the performance couldn't do it, no one could. But, Robert Morton was able to furnish which he is attempting. To obtain someone did! some excellent background music anything like satisfactory results, it is "But, to return to the opening of for the old silents, prostitute itself by imperative that the organ chambers open directly into the auditorium John Hammond at the Austin in the Strand Theatre in Brooklyn about 1921. He played in this theatre about 2 ½ proper, and that the console be plac­ (Hammond collection) ed in the auditorium proper, where the organist can hear himself as others hear him."

As was the case with prominent theatre organists in those days, their pictures appeared on covers of sheet music which the organists used on their programs. John Hammond was no exception. Among the song sheets having his picture were those of "Whispering Eyes," "Down Moonlight Lane" and "Back Where the Daffodils Grow," all in 1924; "Little Love Notes" in 1925 and "For Heaven's Sake" in 1926, the last being inspired by the Harold Lloyd picture of the same name. The notation appears, '' Introduced by John Hammond, organist, now at the Piccadilly Theatre, New York."

8 leading 'audience sings, ' and render a definite service to the cause of good music by presenting Sunday organ programs, contemptuously endured by the management, but remembered to this day by that generation of New Orleans citizens who came to the theatre early on Sundays so as not to miss the organ concert. "The Saenger had been in opera­ tion but a few months when disaster struck. A torrential downpour one night flooded the city. The show at -- the theatre had been over but a short time, and I was in my dressing room under the stage when suddenly the water, which had, unknown to us, piled up against the windows at sidewalk level, suddenly burst Mr. Hammond was a licensed pilot in the days when one flew "by the seat of his pants." (~:;:,;~~;:~i:;i~~) through and proceeded to flood the about 1927, ready to take off - once the plane gets out of the hangar! orchestra and console pit. The con­ sole elevator had been lowered for the night and was threatened by the ed? I could feel the color rising and of 89 theatres in six states. It had an sudden rush of the water. the perspiration starting as I tried_to orchestra platform and the orchestra "I raced through the rapidly rising check the situation without stoppmg was conducted by Castro Carazo. flood and reached for the elevator 'Preislied. 'Suddenly, I looked at the Top stage shows were booked and button. Wonder of wonders! It still stage, and there at the exact center, a great conductors were billed for operated and just long enough for completely indifferent black cat sat weeks at a time, including Ben Black, the console to rise all the way. Then, and contentedly licked its paws. To Art Landry, Ben Bernie, Ted Lewis, the water shorted the wiring and all add insult to injury, the darned Lou Forbes and others. power was cut off. The console and animal cast a bored look in my direc­ Mr. Hammond's assistant cable were not damaged, but the first tion, yawned cavernously and slowly organist at the Saenger was Ray 30 rows of seats in the auditorium stalked off (exit, stage right, as Snag­ McNamara, a local musician and were completely wrecked. It took a glepuss would say). It was too much! ''tops in both organ and piano,'' ac­ couple months for the musty odor to I stopped the music and joined the cording to Rosa Rio, who also dissipate and for new seats and audience in a good laugh! played the Saenger. She played duets carpet to be installed. In the mean­ "Of all the theatres which I played with John, before and after the slave time, I was farced to play in one of during my years as a movie organist, console was installed. Sometimes, the smaller houses on whatever was the Saenger is the only one of which I she played piano on stage while there. have not a single photo of any aspect Hammond played the organ. Under "I also recall the time when we in­ of it. I had a scrapbook of press the pseudonym of John Hassel, stalled a Howard Organ Seat. As you notices, but a diligent search has not Hammond made a few records for know, it was divided with a portion brought it to light. My wife and I Columbia, Diva, Harmony and for each leg, each part moving with have ransacked the joint in vain." Velvet Tone. Anybody remember its respective leg. It also had a com­ these labels? According to the Doner ! ortable back rest which was a swe_ll It should be mentioned here that Record List, Hammond used a idea. But unfortunately, my assis­ Mr. Hammond was a licensed Wurlitzer in New Orleans, and the tant, a long, tall and rather thin girl airplane pilot as far back as 1927: He recordings were made in 1927-28. sat on the seat. The halves parted was also interested in automobiles, John Hammond served as Saenger company and deposited her in a heap having owned at various times a one­ organist for three years. Sound had on the pedalboard, resulting in a cylinder Cadillac, Haynes­ come to the fore in movies, and tumult of protest from the pedal Asperson, Stutz Bearcat, Willys vaudeville was on the way out. Use division. And I do mean tumult! Overland, Studebaker, Flint, Model of the organ had become minimal, so "I also recall the time that I was T Ford several Chryslers and a he pursued other interests. He playing a transcription of the Dodge. 'He never had an accident, bought an accordion and began to 'Preislied' from Die Meistersinger at but once was stopped for driving ten play in night clubs to make a living, one of my Sunday programs. Sud­ in Brooklyn's Prospect Park. "I was the depression having set in, but ~e denly, a very audible titter from my just a kid, had stolen my dad's car to did not particularly care for this audience reached my ears. When take a ride, and didn't know that the facet of show business. However, he anything like that happens, one is speed limit in Prospect Park was had to eat. He had no car at this time, immediately concerned about per­ eight miles an hour!" so had to walk a considerable sonal matters. Has some part of his The Saenger in New Orleans was distance to work. One day, two men clothing become torn or disarrang- the "flagship" of the Saenger chain in a car offered him a lift, and upon

APRIL / MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 9 In this play, a scene required Fon­ In 1944, he moved permanently to da to hit John. In the process, Fonda Bogalusa, La., where he served as slipped and really hung one on his organist, choirmaster and minister adversary! of music of the E.S.M. United Another scene called for John to Methodist Church until his death. In play the accordion, but the Musi­ addition to his church work, he also cians' Union insisted on union scale taught instrumental music and voice. which the director couldn't pay. It Still interested in the legitimate was decided that John would play theatre, he encouraged the Mill the harmonica, which wasn't con­ Town Players which were an sidered a musical instrument, so he outgrowth of a group which met at spent an evening learning to play it Hammond's home to read plays. A for the rehearsal next day. full-scale little-theatre group was the Hammond then became a church result, and he directed its first effort, organist in New York. When the You Can't Take It With You. He Hammond electronic came to the acted in and directed a series of plays fore in 1935, he became the New for 16 years. York sales manager. Though he Active in the Masonic order, John Following his theatre organ days, John Hammond maintained that he was a distant Hammond was a Shriner and a played in churches and on radio. Here he accom ­ panies singer Janis George at the piano over a Detroit cousin of Laurens Hammond, the member of the Order of Amaranth. station . (Detroit News Photo) organ's inventor, John used an alias He died in Bogalusa in October, when working for that company so 1972. that the customers wouldn't com­ Mrs. Hammond says: "As a musi­ being told John's occupation, the ment on the similarity of names. cian, he was a master of improvisa­ driver pulled the car off the road and Former Roxy Theatre and Radio tion. He felt that when one sits on an stopped. It developed that the two City Music Hall organist, Dr. C. A. organ bench for six hours on end, were traveling Evangelists. J. Parmentier remembers John you have to do something, and he One said, "Brother, the Lord has Hammond. "I used to see him occa­ could do anything with a pipe organ! given you too much talent for you to sionally in the early twenties when we His memory was fantastic. No mat­ use like this. We're going to pray for had get-togethers for the New York ter what type music one asked him to you right now, and then take you to Society of Theatre Organists. When play, he could do it from memory: A your destination. But, don't play he became the head of the Hammond Bach prelude, an aria from a another night in the clubs. The Lord offices in the greater New York area Wagnerian opera, show tunes, pop is going to give you some decent around 1936, it was he who engaged tunes. He often said he could play work soon." John was offered me as a salesman. He was always on from memory a thousand selec­ money to tide him over until the my side in our discussions with the tions, but could forget a loafof bread favorable job arrived. powers-that-be concerning im­ at the store. He never saw the men again, but provements, policies, and promo­ "He was a marvelous man to took their advice. Three days later, tion of the Hammond. Also, John know, as well as being a great musi­ he met a friend who offered him a prevailed on the Chicago head­ cian. Young in heart, and remaining small part in the play The Farmer's quarters that I play a series of Ham­ very active until he died, he had a Daughter, starring Henry Fonda. mond organ commercial programs great sense of humor and always John often said that this whole affair over WQXR in New York. looked on the bright side of things." was a turning point of his life. "I remember quite well that It is regrettable that the writer whenever prospects or buyers would didn't learn of John Hammond's ad­ Believed to be the last photo of John Hammond, it come into the Hammond studios, dress until too late to correspond was taken in August 1972 when he played the organ they would invariably say, 'This is a with him. However, we thank Mrs. in the Perkins Chapel on the S.M .U. campus in Dallas, Texas. (Hammond collection) remarkable instrument, but suppose Hammond for her cooperation, for you have to fill a big church, hall or without it, this story would have auditorium?' Our stock answer was, been impossible. 'Why, we could fill Madison Square Fittingly, we quote Mrs. Ham­ Garden (organ volume-wise).' This mond's remarks for the end of our eventually annoyed me. story. "He was a man whose music "I am sorry I don't remember any touched deeply all who heard it. It anecdotes, but I can tell you John was as though the music came from Hammond was a wonderful guy, a Heaven, and he was the instrument truly great personality with plenty of through which it was sent." D kindness thrown in.'' After his years in New York, he spent time as a church organist in Theatre Or~an Chicago and Detroit. Detroit News Want Ad!i clips, dated November 16, 1940, con­ GET RESULTS tained praise of his music played on Try One the carillon on Belle Isle.

THEATRE ORGAN APRIL/ MAY 1980 Inc. houses in Chicago. Dec. 1928 (A TT) One of the most liked feature organ­ NUGGETS ists, RICHARD "DICK" BETTS, is in his first year at l"n1111 t Ill' the Century Theatre in Buffalo, N.Y., after opening numerous houses in the Schine organization. He is a prime GOLDENDAYS . favorite of the patrons of the Century. Good luck, Richie! Dec. 1928 (A TT) Anyone who has been successfully Prtl'>J)L'L'tl'd featured at Schenectady's Proctor's Theatre for four years, lw LloHI F. Klos, broadcast over the General Electric station WGY there, started an organ club, and then secured an engagement at Schine's Avon Theatre in Utica, N.Y., has created a tri­ This time, we travel all over the lode, picking up nug­ umph. One can be safe in saying that STEPHEN C. BOIS­ gets from the old era. References were Diapason (D), Mo­ CLAIR is a sure thing in the solo organist field. He is a tion Picture World (MPW), Local Press (LP) and Around national (sic) favorite and his playing is a stimulant to the the Town (ATT). music lover. October 1923 (D) The Midmer-Losh organization is re­ Dec. 1928 (ATT) There is an inspiration about DON building and enlarging the organ in the New York Hippo­ WILLIAMS, solo organist and assistant director of the drome, built about 10 years ago for the great spectacles orchestra at the Fox Japanese Gardens in New York where there. This was a 2-manual organ of limited range but of he has been for five years. Mr. Williams has been the great power, including high-pressure, large-scale stops. private organist for William Fox for two years, and has It is being converted into a three-manual instrument and several compositions to his credit, including "Despon­ removed from its location under the audience to spaces in dency," "Agitato" and "Eastern Twilight." He formerly the proscenium buttresses. There is included a 50% in­ played at the Palace Theatre in Wichita, Kansas. crease of tonal material. Dec. 1928 (ATT) Ever since MORRIS L. SCHEFF The Hippodrome is being extensively rebuilt with great­ opened the Sanders Theatre in Brooklyn, he has been the ly increased seating capacity, making it the largest theatre big favorite with the patrons. He is featured as solo organ­ in the world, and the new policy will include presentation ist and in the space of a short year, has created an enthusi­ of motion pictures. FREDERICK KINSLEY is organist astic following. Formerly at the Capitol in Brooklyn and at and the reconstruction of the organ is under his direction. the Lasky houses in Florida, Mr. Scheff is a graduate of In addition to a supplementary plant recently pur­ the Conservatory of Music in Moscow, and has composed chased, Midmer-Losh has completed substantial enlarge­ several numbers which he introduces as organ solos. ments. Dec. 1928 (ATT) ERNEST HARES is solo organist at March 1924 (MPW) Residents of the Beacon Hill dis­ Loew's State Theatre in St. Louis. Mr. Hares, billed and trict of Seattle turned out in full force for the opening of featured as "the youngest organist" and "the Welsh Boy the Grey Goose Theatre on January 29. The house seats Organist," has created a large following in his first year 500, and has two side aisles which are carpeted with cork, there. Previously, he had been doing concert work leading to the organ pit. A No. 25 Fotoplayer organ is in throughout the country. He broadcasts over KMOX, and use. features spotlight solos and specialties at the theatre. Sept. 26, 1925 (MPW) ROBERT J. BERENTSEN, or­ GOLD DUST: 12128 GRENVILLE TOMPSETT, Gra­ ganist at Rochester's Eastman Theatre, this week ren­ nada in South Bend, Ind.; ED SCHNEIDER, Atlantic dered the selection "Tell Me More" by George Gershwin. City's Earle; HUGH J. DODGE, Piccadilly in Rochester, Last week, he arranged a program entitled Echoes From N.Y.; LEONARD MAC CLAIN, Philadelphia's Strand; the Metropolitan Opera House. JOSEPH K. GLASNER, Philadelphia's Metropolitan; May 1926 (LP) LOUIS IUPPA and AARON MER­ ART VOSTEEN, Buffalo's Bailey; GEORGE WALD, CHEY signed a contract with Wurlitzer to buy a, Style E Stanley in Utica, N.Y.; LES HOADLEY, Milwaukee's pipe organ for their new Madison Theatre in Rochester, Wisconsin Theatre; WENDELL ENGLISH, Toledo's N.Y. Representing Wurlitzer were Charles S. Stewart and State; JOHN DE PALMA, Frankford and GEIBEL Millard M. Crane. FALCONER, Germantown in Philadelphia; BILLY Oct. 23, 1926 (MPW) The Lyric Theatre in Booneville, BARNES, New York's Loew's State; CARLOS MEIER, Mo., a Universal-leased house, is undergoing improve­ Chicago's Terminal; RUSS THAYER, "The Singing ments which will cost $50,000. The entire floor elevation Organist," Detroit's Ferry Field Theatre; MILLARD is being changed and steel girders put in. New seats, a new SPOONER, Philadelphia's Orpheum; EMILE CATRI­ organ and new carpets also will be included. COLA, Lincoln in Troy, N.Y.; MAURICE COOK, Loew's Dec. 1928 (ATT) LEO TERRY, celebrated organist, State, Syracuse; STANLEY PINHERO, Proctor's who has gained national acclaim through the value of his Palace, Newark, N .J.; HAROLD JOLLES, Lerner in work, is now playing a return engagement at the Picca­ Elkhart, Ind.; RAY C. GRUIS, Milwaukee's Modjeska; dilly Theatre in Chicago. Terry presided at the mammoth ROLAND KERNS, Westmar in Norristown, Pa.; PAUL 300-stop Kilgen organ upon the opening of this marvelous TOMPKINS, Baltimore's Stanley; F. DONALD MIL­ cinema palace and was chosen because of his ability, LER, Detroit's Fisher; KARL BONA WITZ, Stanley Co. showmanship and personality. theatres, Philadelphia; HARRY G. SULLIVAN, Roches­ He returned to the Piccadilly to the great delight of this ter (N.Y.) Theatre; ERNEST J. HUNT, Cleveland's Loew's theatre's patrons after splendid success in other theatres. State. Terry formerly filled brilliant engagements at the Capitol See you in June. So long, sourdoughs! and Stratford theatres and with the Great States Theatres Jason & The Old Prospector D

APRIL / MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 11 January 26th marked a twin pre­ miere. It was the initial pipe organ concert played by 16-year-old Chris Elliott, a young man with a bright future, unless we miss our guess. Chris first came to our attention when he competed in the Los Angeles Professional Organists' Club's 1979 scholarship competition. The writer was one of the judges in that contest. From the first we were impressed by the professionalism of the young man. He arrived early to acclimate himself to the conditions he would face. He tried out the plug-in organ all contestants would use, a make and model not familiar to him. ~;I~=•~~~~· Against formidable competition by other talented youngsters, Chris won second place. But on January 26th he would play his first concert on a pipe organ ~~~~· before a small invited audience, and ;I~ we were there. The event was also a "coming out" party for an organ which had been by Stu Green "in the process" for several years. It's an assembled organ which was originally a mostly-straight Moller installed in 1926 in a California beach town club. Bob Trousdale, of Chris Elliott's brief concert illustrated both his musical accomplishments and the facilities of the Trousdale organ. Santa Ana, Calif., purchased it in At 16, Chris is going strong. (Stufoto) 1972 and moved it to his home, where he built a 1200-square-foot studio building in his back yard to house it. The addition is 20 feet in width with a 13½-foot ceiling in the chamber area which is recessed into the ground to provide breathing room for the tall bass pipes. The organ has changed consider­ ably in its tonal aspects over the years. Nine basic ranks of the Moller remain but additions reflect Trous­ dale's desire for a more theatrical instrument. A look at the stoplist will indicate the origins of the added pipework, so far as can be deter­ mined. Note also the variety of wind pressures used. The overall sound is theatrical, but not akin to any one brand of organ in our experience. It's a one-chamber installation. But tonality is only half the story; how the pipework is operated is a tale in itself. Bob's experience in the electronics field inspired him to dis­ card the mechanical switches which are the heart of the unit organ. His profession acquainted him with solid-state circuitry, computer de­ sign and multiplexing practices. Why not replace the traditional mechanical switches, and all their

12 reliability problems, with the best has found an electrical way to controlled by the Style 260 Wurlit­ the space age could offer? The end achieve key changes in his current zer console, once part of the late Jim result was a switching system em­ project. . Gaines' "Echoing Antique Shop" or­ ploying integrated circuits and no His college major was in electricity gan. Originally, it had been in the moving parts, all installed in the con­ and electronics engineering. After Circle Theatre in Indianapolis, Indi­ sole. And multiplexing (circuit time graduation he was employed in re­ ana, where Dessa Byrd played it. To sharing) reduced the usual several search work for the Stromberg-Carl­ overcome his addiction to the key of hundred conductor umbilical con­ son Company in Rochester where he C, Bob rigged a chromatic key chang­ necting the console to the pipework developed electronic switching sys­ er operated by thumb pistons. He to a mere eleven wire cable! tems for telephone circuits. also devised a cassette-operated Bob Trousdale's first experience Moving to California with his combination setter which permits with a theatre organ was as a boy, family in 1956, he was soon busy in instantaneous setting of combination when his parents took him to the the computer field. (He now holds pistons simply by playing a prepared 1939 World's Fair at Flushing Mead­ upwards of seventy patents resulting cassette on a small recorder/play­ ow, near New York City. While in from his work in electronics.) But back into the circuit. And he per­ New York the family attended Radio always, the organ was on his mind. fected a device which permits tuning City Music Hall, and young Bob was He bought an Allen electronic long the organ and changing the pitches deeply impressed by the RCMH or­ before that company went "com­ while the tuner is in the chamber, gan. Soon afterward he determined puter." In no time he had devised an thus eliminating a second person at he would one day own his own pipe attachment which permitted him to the console to hold down keys. So organ. play his grand piano from the 2- much for a most remarkable resi­ Back home in Ithaca, New York, deck Allen console. The next step dence organ installation. Now back Bob rejected formal music studies; was to pipes. to Chris Elliott and the shakedown he would much rather play by ear. Bob has built some extra goodies concert. He still plays only in the key of C, but into the pipe organ, which is now Chris had a headstart - both parents are musicians. After classi­ What looks like a combination action setter board is actually the entire electronic switching system. This view, with cal piano studies, until he was 12, the the back panel of the console removed, shows the compact circuit board which replaces all mechanical switches lad sought someone who could guide and relays. Below can be seen the Crescendo pedal (left) and swell pedals which control three sets of swell shut­ ters, all affecting the volume of one chamber. Bob is working on a similar switching system for the new George him to an introduction to the theatre Wright studio organ. (Stufoto) organ. Records by Billy Nalle, Lyn Larsen and George Wright had es­ tablished a beachhead on Chris' musical spectrum. His appetite was whetted when organist Dean Mc­ Nichols invited him to have a go on the LA Haven of Rest Studio organ. Later, a session at the 4/73 Moller in LA's Shrine Auditorium cinched the matter. The sound of pipes had cap­ tured him. Chris was then 13. He found two very competent teachers; Del Castillo for the funda­ mentals and Gaylord Carter for the cueing of silent films, a craft very close to Chris' heart. That brings us up to the evening of January 26th. After a brief introduction by Bob Trousdale, Chris sat down at the im­ maculate console, which has been stripped of its gold paint job and fancy geegaws, and refinished in natural mahogany. Chris opened with a dead give­ away - the Gaylord Carter version of "The Perfect Song," a styling we have sometimes referred to as Gay­ lord's "all quarter note arrange­ ment" which the maestro uses as an opener for his famous "Flickerfing­ ers" shows. Next came the "March" from Robin Hood (1922), also a Car­ ter favorite. It could have been Gay­ lord playing. Chris had learned his lessons well.

13 to be a timesaver. The electronic transposer would aid less able play­ ers who are tied to one or two keys. Chris Elliott returned for an en­ core playing of "The Way We Were." As before, his registration and ex­ pression show skills beyond his 16 years. Los Angeles ATOS members will undoubtedly have an opportunity to hear him in the near future. Los Angeles Chapter Chairman Ralph Beaudry was present and he obvious­ ly liked what he heard. Thus , we witnessed the launching The Trousdale studio is separated from his home of a newly-assembled 3/ 19 theatre (left). It was built specifically to house the organ. organ, and the career of an organist whose abilities include playing the­ Organist John Scot was last to play at the console on The silent movie was Buster Kea­ the day the organ was auctioned at the Jim Gaines' atre music in a style reflecting the Antique Shop . Note the gold leaf finish, a holdover ton's One Week wherein the dead­ great days of the instrument. If Chris from its original home, the Circle Theatre, In­ pan comic builds a hilariously faulty patterns his playing close to the style dianapolis. The finish now is plain but highly polished mahogany. (Stufoto) house from plans doctored by the of Gaylord Carter, for the moment, villain. Chris followed Gaylord's it is only a step toward finding his While on the subject of learning, practice of marking each spot where own ultimate style. Other now bright it was the skills taught Chris by Del a thump or thud might fit with a key­ playing careers have started with Castillo which added lustre during board whap. Yet, he kept the fast­ imitation of an established organist. his scholarship contest performance. paced music going full tilt. How many of us are still making like Chris chooses able teachers. We wish Next was another Carter favorite, Jesse Crawford and George Wright? him well. D "Westward Ho!" the march from The Covered Wagon. Then he went into tunes which projected his own TROUSDALE ORGAN STOP ANALYSIS interpretations to a greater degree; "Feelings," and the theme from Love Story. WIND To spell Chris, Bob Trousdale COMPASS PRESSURE MAKE (ft.) (inches) took over for a demonstration of his RANK English Horn ...... Wurlit zer ...... 8 ...... 9 creation's wonders. His labor-saving Trombone ...... Unknown ...... 8 ...... 9 devices were of special interest to the Tuba Horn ...... Wurlitzer ...... 8-4 ...... 12 hobbyists in the group. For example, Diaphon e ...... Wurlit zer ...... 16 ...... 13 his one person tuning system has got Diapas on ...... Moller ...... 8-4 ...... 5 Op en Diapason ...... Wicks ...... ·· ·· · 8-4 ...... 8 Bob Trousdale midst his 19 ranks of speaking pipes, Tibia Clausa ...... Wurlitzer ...... 16-2 ...... 10 which are all playing from a single chamber . He de­ Tibia Minor...... Morton ...... 16-2 ...... 5 vised the intricate electronic switching system by *Orch. Oboe ...... Unknown ...... 4 ...... 6 which the organ operates . As a " one man organ company" he accepts assignments only in southern *Kinura ...... Unknown ...... 8 ...... 6 California . (Stufoto) Clarinet ...... Moller ...... 8-4 ...... 5 Strin g ...... Moller...... 8-4 ...... 5 Viol d' Orch ...... Marr & Colton ...... 8-4 ...... 8 Gamba ...... Wicks...... 8-4 ...... 8 Salicional ...... Moller...... 16-8 ...... 5 Vox Celeste ...... Moller...... 4...... 5 Oboe Horn ...... Moller...... 8-4 ...... 5 Concert Flut e ...... Wicks ...... 8-4 ...... 8 Clarabella ...... Moller...... 8-2 ...... 5 Flute Celeste ...... Unknown ...... 8-4 ...... 5 Gemshorn...... Moller ...... 8-4 ...... 5 Vox Humana ...... Wurlit7er ...... 8-4 ...... 6 M arimba / Harp...... Wurlitzer Chr ysoglott ...... Wurlitzer Xylophone ...... Morton Orch. Bells 1Glock ...... Morton Chimes ...... Moller Toy Counter ...... Wurlitz er

*In place but not yet operating. It is planned to add a Quintadena . Stopke ys for these ranks are on the hors eshoe.

THEATRE ORGAN APRIL / MAY 1980 n

by Ted Crampton

At the turn of the century, the hills around the town of Thomas, West Virginia, were covered with thick forests. This was soon to be changed by the "timber barons" who sent in gangs of timbermen to fell all the noble trees. Toiling alongside these timbermen were men from the small mining camps. Money flowed as if just invented. In 1905, Hiram Cottrill arrived in Thomas from Pennsylvania and built what he grandly called Cottrill's Opera House. The building bears that name to this day. John C. Thompson, an employee of Cottrill's between 1910 and 1942, provided this author with the history of the building. In its early years, the opera house played host to road shows doing one­ night stands. Mr. Cottrill was the owner-operator of a saloon occupy­ ing the ground floor of the opera house. With the coming of prohibi­ tion, he sold everything, including the theatre, and bought a farm else­ where in the state. The new owners operated the the­ atre, and entertainment ran from one-night stands through a variety of plays, finally turning to movies. The movies, with piano accompaniment and live shows added at times, soon became the prime attraction. In time the theatre again changed hands, go­ ing to a Mr. Sutton who renamed it Sutton's Theatre. The new manager always procured the best equipment, and his shows were a real treat. The original invest­ ment in a Photoplayer, a player piano with a small organ attach­ ment, was later replaced by a much - larger Photoplayer with two organ - attachments complete with traps. Early in 1928, a 4-rank Wurlitzer organ, Opus 1840, Model B, was in­ stalled in the theatre. Alas, its stay was short for the following year the introduction of talking pictures

15 D:ECAL·· THEATRE.- .COLCHESTER'S NE . LUXURY·. ,CINEMA _CON 'I_'IN UOt.JS PERFORMANC E DA IL Y 2 till 10.30 p .m. M_ONDA Y, MARCH 2nd, · AND ALL Tlllil · WE'EK · Ronald Colman in "CONDE .MNED -" !- With ANN HARDING. Dl.l>'ed<•n Hinh· NUoa' No\·el •• Co1ukmn ,·J. lo l)eyi J' t.lanJ ," ON THE STAGE: Dir ect from T he Cacilno De Purl'!. Sen ntlon al E n1!t1i m e;_t of "LE..S TROIS MATAS" BE UT Y AND GRAC~ . MA~ BRUCEON THE MIGHTY WURLITZERORGAN. HELR0'l'l0?\8 DY TH E R EGAL O R CHEST RA. IPopu,Ja ,.. P .. loe• o r Adm l•• lo n- ~~cflJ~i::~~~ - .':·-::~--_-.·: _:)~ ~,$ ~-~-- Privalo .l.loxf's to Heat G 10;-. 1':veuing3 6J. lo 2, 4. ).~...,.~ ~~~~~f?'.5i:~ ~ ~..:..-,.....Jr'~ D .UtOAIN M Tl l<~ES DAILY. l~or Sen.ts occupitld bofo,~ -1o' cloclc 3,1., 6J. .. 1/· & 1/6. • R E STA URANT OPEN DAl l,Y 10 a.m. t ill 10 p,nt . Wurlitzer Opus 1840 was installed in Cottrill's Opera House (above), Thomas, West Virginia, in 1928, when it was known as Sutton's Theatre . Three years later the organ had been shipped to England and was playing in the Regal Theatre, Colchester. This advertisement ( right) appeared in the Essex County Standard on February 21, 1931. made musical accompaniment ob­ The organ was purchased by air­ Opera House? Over the years, decay solete. line executive Jim Crampton, a lover and neglect have taken their toll, However, across the Atlantic, in of theatre organ since boyhood. He but the opera house with its ornate England, the arrival of "talkies" had purchased the water mill at Ox­ Italianate interior still stands. Help coincided with an intense rivalry nead, in North Norfolk, and modern­ for its restoration is at hand, for the among theatres to provide more ized the miller's house alongside present owner, Mrs. Betty Stewart, lavish entertainment programs. where he now lives with his wife, last year donated the theatre to the using the theatre organ to augment Barbara. The four-story water mill Alpine Festival Association of Tuck­ the orchestra, to accompany stage was built a hundred years ago and its er County, who, with assistance from acts and to provide solo interludes. waterwheel is still there but no the Arts and Humanities Division of This resulted in the installation of longer in use. With imagination and the Department of Culture and His­ over 500 unit organs in Great Brit­ good taste, Jim has now converted tory of the State of West Virginia, is ain. the second floor into a roomy, com­ planning to reopen the theatre after After its removal from Sutton's fortable concert room seating about its restoration. This writer is sending Theatre, the little Wurlitzer was re­ 100. At one end stands the console of recordings of the organ to them so turned to the factory for the addition a British Compton theatre organ , that the voice of the Wurlitzer may of a Tibia and Chrysoglott/Vibra­ presently being installed. At the once more be heard in the theatre phone. Then it was once more crated other end is the lofty chamber con­ where it first sang out over 50 years up and transported across the ocean taining the five ranks, tonal and ago. to England where it was installed in nontonal percussions and effects of Acknowledgements: Mrs. Mari­ the Regal Theatre in Colchester, a the Wurlitzer organ. The swell wyn M. Smith, Editor, The Parsons military garrison town in the county shutters are hidden by wall-to-wall Advocate; Mr. John C. Thompson; of Essex. A theatre of some sub­ curtaining which can be opened to Mr. Walter Smigal, of California; stance, the Regal offered daily pro­ reveal a movie screen. Clifford Manning, theatre organ grams that included a movie, a news The Wurlitzer console has been historian; John D. Sharp, photo­ feature, on-stage entertainment and immaculately restored to its beauti­ grapher. □ selections by the Regal Orchestra. ful mahogany finish , and the stop­ When the theatre was newly-opened keys, manuals and pedalboard have in February, 1931, Max Bruce was all been renovated. That the organ is England the organist. Several months later, in frequent use is a tribute not only aound upon his departure to the Bijou The­ to the Wurlitzer craftsmen of yester­ atre in Johannesburg, South Africa, year, but also to today's craftsmen This summer? the bench was taken over by Tom who have brought back to mint con­ Walker who remained at that post dition something tha t would have de­ Get your passport now! until 1963 when the organ was re­ cayed and faded away years ago. For more information, see moved due to modernization of the To go back to the beginning of the Feb/March issue - page 32. theatre. story, what has become of Cottrill's

16 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL/ MAY 1980 Waltz," "Eugene Tango," "Mili­ dy always on top of a fine instru­ tary Two-Step," "Lilac Waltz" and ment, this one may be for you. "Moonlight Saunter," titles which Jacket notes provide a tunelist, add charm to the music without notes about the organist and the much change in characteristics. organ and instructions for dancers. The tunes are played simply, with Recording is good. rhythm dominating, and little at­ tempt at fancy arrangements. Vari­ ety is achieved through frequent SACRED SOUNDS, John Landon changes in instrumentation. playing the 2/7 Page theatre organ in The tunelist consists of thirty-five the Paramount Theatre, Anderson, titles, about equally represented by Indiana. JWL-1004. $6.00 postpaid U.S.A., British and continental com­ from the Paramount Organ Society posers. So our continuing complaint Inc., 902 East 27th Street, Anderson, that British organists feature too Indiana 46014. much U.S. music would not apply here. But for those who like U.S. The name of John Landon is a tunes played by British organists familiar one in these pages. He has there are: "Avalon," "Moonlight devoted much time and research to and Roses," "Dancing With Tears the theatre organ field, his crowning in My Eyes," "If You Knew Susie," glory, so far, being a biog of Jesse Manufacturers, distributors or indi­ "Strangers in the Night," "Me and Crawford. He is also working on a viduals sponsoring or merchandising My Shadow," etc. But it's the British definitive volume on the theatre pipe theatre pipe organ records are en­ and European input which sets this organ but we have no information as couraged to send pressings to the album apart. to its publication date. All this in ad­ Record Reviewer, Box 3564, Granada Playing is clean and simple. There dition to his duties as a minister and Hills, California 91344. Be sure to are no surprises. Emphasis is on educator. John is obviously one of include purchasing information (post­ paid price, ordering address,) if appli­ keeping dancers happy, and in this those gifted and talented persons cable, and a black and white photo of area Eric Barlow succeeds ad­ who knows how to budget his time. the artist which need not be returned. mirably. The organ is the 2/7 in the Ander­ The Gaumont Wurlitzer responds son Paramount, a rare Page instru­ well, especially with the heavily ment discovered long ago by Rev. quinted registration preferred by Landon who provided the impetus BALLROOM FAVOURITES, played some British and continental organ­ to once more make it a living, on the Manchester Gaumont The­ ists, although the solo voices of the breathing organ. Back in 1964-65 atre Wurlitzer by Eric Barlow. Acorn 3/14 are used generously. the Page was restored by Lewis Hod­ label No. CF 260 (stereo). $8.SO air­ If your preferences are for con­ son and Rex Hoppes. Hodson was mail postpaid from Tom E.K. Herd, servative dance tempos, played in still around to lend a hand when a 8 Ashworth Court, Frenchwood, impeccably good taste with the melo- second overhaul was spearheaded by Preston, PRI 4PS, Lancashire, Eng­ land. Make out checks on U.S. banks to Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust.

Here's some easy listening music played by a competent and pleasing British artisan. The instrument is one of two Wurli's saved by the Lan­ castrian Theatre Organ Trust, this being the 3/14 in Manchester's Gau­ mont Theatre. The recording was made before the instrument was re­ moved to storage. To understand the philosophy of this album one must know that dancing to organ music is well estab­ lished in England. Therefore these selections are attuned to the needs of dancers, with no unrhythmic inter­ ludes linking selections. Tempo is maintained at all times, be the selec­ tions tangos, slow foxtrots, waltzes or the characteristic British "quick ­ step." Some variations on the norm Eric Barlow at the Manchester Gaumont Wurlitzer. Note the wide end pieces and double bolsters supporting the are presented here, such as the "Doris keydesk, a British Wurlitzer variation.

APRIL / MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 17 "Zion's Hill," "Shepherd Show Me How to Go," "Only a Touch of Thy Hand Dear Lord," "Fear Not I Will Pilot Thee," "Someday When the Shadows Flee." All could pass for pop ballads. For familiar old chestnuts, he has herded a few into two medleys: (1) Hymns About Heaven, (2) Hymns About the Cross. So tunes such as "The Old Rugged Cross" and "In the Sweet Bye and Bye" are represented by single run-throughs, not prominent enough to rate the question, "What - again?!" David Priest's jacket notes deal with the selections, the instrument and the organist, and generally add to the value of the package. The pro­ Rev. John Landon. A man of many talents. George Wright. His Chicago No . 2 is all George, even fits from this album are applied by the jacket notes. (Stufoto) Carlton Smith and Bob Dunn in the its sponsors, the Paramount Organ early '70s. They continue to keep the Society Inc., to the maintenance and Love," "All of Me," "Body and Page in good playing condition for improvement of the instrument Soul." the weekend intermissions at the heard here, so purchasing it is, in Everything is exactly the same as Paramount, played by John Landon effect, a donation toward keeping it was for Volume I; only the tunes and Carlton Smith. Landon's first the Page alive and singing. A most are different. From a personal view­ record was released in the '60s, a worthy objective, and the product is point we prefer the Volume II titles group of sacred tunes played on a well worth the fee. over those presented in Vol. I. It's Reuter organ. Later he did two strictly a subjective matter; the Vol. albums of standards played on the II tunes hit us where we live with Page. All were well received by greater impact, probably with the record collectors. Despite these suc­ GEORGE WRIGHT PLAYS THE same attraction they hold for George. cesses, John insists he is not a pro­ CHICAGO THEATRE ORGAN - We grew up among them when they fessional. This release is his best to Volume II. Century Records release were new and each holds a distinct date. He is at home among the No. 1061 (stereo). Order from J. Nel­ 1930's memory. hymns, which he plays in theatre or­ son Management, 900 Anderson gan style, often in catchy, rhythmic Drive, San Rafael, Calif. 94901. The 4/29 Chicago Theatre W ur­ arrangements and with full TO reg­ $9.95 postpaid. California residents litzer, with a mellow personality istration, including percussions. add 6 percent sales tax. all its own, sounds wonderful and Nothing "Churchie sounding" here. George's interpretation of the tunes Phrasing of music is good. Those who liked the Volume I is as faultles as ever. Things to look The organ sounds great. It pro­ "direct to disc" Chicago Theatre al­ for are the harp glissando "lead ins" vides the big organ sweep so dear to bum will find this release just as during ''1'11 Never Smile Again," the John's heart, and lots of registration intriguing. although it has been Crawford-style harmonization during variety. It is obviously in fine shape mastered from a tape made simul­ "Paradise" but with a distinctly and the recording brings out its best ta neously with the grooved version. ''GW" closing flourish, the typical qualities. The reason this volume was not re­ Wright key changes during a very John's arrangements are true to leased as a "direct to disc" album Fred and Gingery "Cheek to Cheek," his material. They may be light­ was explained to us; the grooved ace­ the completeness of "All the Things hearted but never frivolous. If there ta te was damaged and couldn't be You Are" (you may not find this is a fault it may be in the absence of used. No matter; perhaps there are much of it in recent sheet music ver­ key changes within tunes. something a few audiophiles who have equip­ sions), the scintillating Tibia and rarely done with hymn tunes. But ment which can differentiate , but for Vox registration which highlight here we are merely listening, not all practical purposes this biscuit is "You're Mine You" and ''I'm in the singing, and key changes could pro­ every bit as good from the technical Mood for Love," not to mention vide additional variety. viewpoint as Volume I, and it's sev­ thrilling key changes, the use of Even if one is not enchanted at eral bucks cheaper! Dunstedter-like mutation-heavy reg­ thoughts of a program of hymns, no The selections: "Flat Foot Floogie," istration during "All of Me" (plus matter. John has selected 10 titles 'Tl! Never Smile Again," "A Tisket that delicious pause and a touch of which are by no means over-record­ A Tasket," "Paradise." "Cheek to "bump and grind") and the beauty ed: "If I Could Sing a Thousand Cheek ," "Al] the Things You Are," of George's adaptation of "Body and Melodies." "Overshadowed," "Beau­ "The Music Goes Round and Soul." It's easily one of his most tiful Robes so White," "So This is Round," "You're Mine You." satisfying albums. Life," "Dwelling in Beulah Land." "Truckin'." "I'm in the Mood for The double album includes a pho-

18 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL/ MAY 1980 to of the Crawfords, who played the selection is mislabeled "Way Down instrument in solo and duet from Yonder in New Orleans." We can't 1921 to 1926, and program notes quite figure out what Don was trying totally by George this time, illus­ to say in this grouping, nor is there a trating his enthusiasm for the music hint among the jacket notes. he plays for this well-recorded col­ In fact, the notes (some by Don) lection of nostalgic gems. The press­ concentrate on the vaudeville and ing is smooth and free of over-modu­ "unit show" circuits of the '30s lation problems. The album has both rather than on the music. And Don current and historic values, illustra­ tells us how he classifies organs; ting the sound of an instrument de­ rather than group them by the man­ signed to accompany silent films, ufacturer's name, Don has his own which could rise to solo status when system. Regardless of make, Don played by an able artist. George categorizes organs as "singing, non­ Wright is one of the most able. singing, bombastic, pretty or just fair." The Alabama Theatre organ? It THE BIRMINGHAM, Don Baker has got to be a "singing" instrument, playing the 4/20 Wurlitzer organ in Don Baker. Bravurabut definitive. according to the sounds emanating the Alabama Theatre, Birmingham. from these grooves. The end result Concert label No. CR-0174 (stereo). Wind Maria." It's a thriller. There's might be described as "scintil­ $7.50 postpaid from Don Baker, lots of fun reflected by "Hell's Bells" lating." For this recording (and the c/ o The Citadel, 2400 Hackett Drive, and such bouncy tunes as "Baby 1978 ATOS convention) the Chapter Apt. 188, Houston, Texas 77008. Face" and "I Got Rhythm." "Send had the 4/20 in tip-top playing in the Clowns" depends so much on shape. It's a well-balanced instru­ This disc is also listed as "Don the lyrics that its risky to present it as ment, installed high in the sides of Baker. Volume 2." The material was purely instrumental. Don's version the auditorium in front of the pro­ taped while Don was in Birmingham will appeal mainly to those who like scenium. For those interested in to play a concert at the Alabama the tune and can sing the words statistics, the jacket includes a de­ Theatre. All who have more than a along with the theme; to us, the tailed stoplist. nodding acquaintance with theatre music alone is rather lacklustre. Max Schloss's taping captured organ know that veteran organist Not all of the selections are old Don's well phrased, often soaring Baker earned a solid reputation in timers. "You've Got a Friend" is arrangements with a fidelity which one of the toughest crucibles of all - somewhat hymn-like (reminiscent compliments the music. Concert's New York City in the '20s and '30s. of "Bringing in the Sheaves" in mastering is okay and the review He played at the Rivoli, Rialto, and spots) and "Brian's Song" recalls the pressing surface is smooth and per­ after a nearly two year playing stint famous TV biography of a doomed fectly centered. in English theatres, the coveted athlete. Only one of the selections Purchasers desiring Don Baker's Times Square Paramount solo spot, puzzles us. It's a medley of the old autograph will be accommodated. a position he held longer than any minstrel tunes, "Down Yonder" and Just supply the name and suggest other organist who played the Para­ "Chicken Reel" with many "Shave the desired wording. mount, nearly 14 years. So far as and a Haircut" inserts. The entire It's a worthwhile package. D theatre organ stylings are concerned, Don does just about everything right. He has a big organ style best des­ walk through Plccadllly Circus this summer! cribed as "bravado." On hearing his treatments of the many fine old chestnuts on this platter, one gets the impression that Don's arrangements and performance are "definitive" - sorta the last word. His "Stars Fell on Alabama" is typical. His upbeat treatment in fox­ trot tempo has some impish chro­ matic embellishment which simply exudes charm. His "Theme from 'The Apartment' " has become something of a Baker trademark. It is expertly phrased and attractively registered. There's more ornamenta­ tion during that Sinatra oldie, "Young at Heart" and the full meaning of the word "bravura" is SEETHE FEB/MAR ISSUEFOR FULL DETAILS ABOUT OUR ATOSCONVENTION illustrated during "They Call the

APRIL / MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 19 SACRAMENTO universal Studios, 100 Univ. City Plaza. Arden Pizza & Pipes, 2911 Arden way. 3/ 12 Robert Morton . occasionally. 4/ 20 Wurlitzer. Nightly . WIishire Ebell Theatre . Golden Bear Playhouse , 2/ 8 Robert Morton . occasionally . State Fairgrounds . 2/ 7 wurlltzer . Perlodlcally. ORANGE Grant Union High School, orange Theatre. 1500 Grand Ave. 2/ 8 Wicks. Perlodlcally . 4 / 22 Wurlitzer . Perlodlcally . PARAMOUNT Munlclpal Auditorium . Iceland Amphitheatre , 8041 Jackson. 4/ 46 Estey. Perlodlcally . 3/ 19 Wurlitzer . Regularly . SAN FRANCISCO PASADENA Avenue Theatre , 2650 San Bruno Ave . crown Theatre , 129 N. Raymond Ave. 3/ 15 Wurlitzer. Friday evenings . 3/ 14 Wurlitzer . occasionally . Cinema 21, 2141 Chestnut. RESEDA 2/6 Robert Morton . occasionally . The Wind Machine, 7500 Reseda Blvd. SAN JOSE 2/ 13 wurlltzer . Nightly. Wi~J~~s~~~~ ~,~lams . SAN BERNARDINO 3/ 13 wurlltzer. Nightly . callfornla Theatre, 562 w. Fourth . 2110 Wurlitzer . Perlodlcally . SAN LORENZO Ye Olde Pizza Joynt , SAN DIEGO 1951 Hesperlan Road. California Theatre , 348 w . Market . 3/ 13 wurlltzer. Wed. thru sun . 2/ 6 Wurlitzer. Often . Fox Theatre, 720 B Street. SAN RAFAEL 4/ 31 Robert Morton . Often. Marin Pizza Pub, 526 Third . 3/ 13 Robert Morton. Nightly . Organ Power Pizza H1 , This Is a reasonably up-to-date listing and sched­ 5375 Kearney Villa Road. ule of use of theatre pipe organs In public loca­ SANTA CLARA 3/ 12 Wurlitzer. Dally except Monday . Cap·ns Galley #1, 3851 Homestead Rd. tions In the United states and Canada. Additions, 3/ 12 Wurlitzer . Nightly except Mon. SAN GABRIEL Civic Auditorium, 320 s. Mission Dr. corrections or deletions should be reported to 3/ 16 Wurlitzer . Often . Lloyd E. Klos, 104 Long Acre Rd., Rochester, N.Y. SAN SYLMAR 14621. San Sylmar Museum , 15180 Bledsoe. CALIFORNIA (S0Uth) ~ 3/ 32 Wurlitzer. By appointment . Remember: This list Is for your convenience and @ SANTA ANA we cannot keep It current If updated material Is Pipe Organ Pizza, 1717 Old Tustin Rd. not sent to the above address. Deadline Is ANAHEIM 3/ 17 Wurlitzer . Nlghtly . Shakey·s Pizza, 1027 s. Harbor Blvd . December 1. 2/ 10 Wurlitzer . Fri., Sat., & sun . SEAL BEACH Bay Theatre. ARCADIA 4/ 42 Wurlitzer . Perlodlcaliy . Editor 's Advice: Status and use of each installat ion Arcadia High School. 2/ 8 wurlltzer . Rarely. WESTCHESTER are subject to change. Inquiry is recommended FOXStudios. before visiting. CATALINA ISLAND 3/ 14 Wurlitzer . occasionally . Avalon casino Theatre . St. Roberts Hall, Loyola College. 4/ 15 Page. Seldom . 2/10 Wurlitzer. Occasionally. DEATH '/ALLEY Scotty 's castle. 3/ 15 Welte. Dally. ALABAMA @CALIFORNIA (North> ~ EL SEGUNDO COLORADO Old Town Music Hall, 146 Richmond . BIRMINGHAM CAMPBELL 4/ 24 Wurlitzer . Regularly . Alabama Theatre , Third Avenue . cap ·ns Galley #3, 1690 s. Bascom. COLORADO SPRINGS 4/ 20 wurlltzer. Often . 3 / 27 wurlltzer-Morton . FRESNO City Auditorium, Kiowa & Weber . s. Side Baptist Church Recreation Hall. Nightly except Monday . Pizza & Pipes, First & Shields. 3/ 8 Wurlitzer . Often . 3/ 23 Wurlitzer . Nightly. 3/ 9 Klmball. Perlodlcally . CARMICHAEL MarJorle Reed Auditorium , Big Top Pizza, 5800 Winding Way. warnor Theatre , 1402 Fulton. cascade & Jackson. 3/ 20 wurlltzer. Nightly . 3/ 14 Robert Morton . Perlodlcally . 3/ 9 Wurlitzer . Monthly . FULLERTON Mt. St. Francis Auditorium , CONCORD Fullerton High School. w. woodman valley Road. ALASKA Bella Roma Pizza 62. 2/8 Wurlitzer . occasionally . 3/ 18 Wurlitzer . Nightly . 4/ 22 Wurlitzer . Rarely. DENVER DALY CITY GARDENA FAIRBANKS Roosevelt Memorial Park, Aladdin Theatre , 2010 E. Colfax Ave. steak & Pipes. Cap·ns Galley #4, Serra Monte ctr . 18255 s. Vermont . 3/ 17 Wicks. weekends. 3/ 8 Robert Morton . Dally. 3/ 15 wurlltzer . Nightly . 4/ 17 wurlltzer . Sundays. Organ Grinder Restaurant . Pizza & Pipes. 4/ 37 Wurlitzer . Dally. JUNEAU 3/ 22 wurlltzer . Dally. GLENDALE State Office Bulldlng . MCA-Whitney Recording studio, Paramount Theatre , 16th Street. 2/ 8 Klmball. Friday noons. FREMONT 1516 Glenoks. 4/ 20 Wurlitzer . Rarely. House of Pizza, 20 Fremont Ctr . 4/ 34 wurlltzer-Morton . Often. 2/7 Robert Morton . Thur. thru Sun. PUEBLO LEMON GROVE Memorlal Hall, Elizabeth & union . HEALDSBURG southland Music center, 4/ 65 Austin w / traps & perc . Rarely. ARIZONA Johnson 's Winery , 8329 state Hwy. 128. 3459 Imperial Avenue . 2/7 Marr & cotton. Often . 3/ 15 wurlltzer . Often.

MESA MARTINEZ LONG BEACH organ stop Pizza 62, Bella Roma Pizza #1. Koons· Motorcycle Shop, ~ 2250 w . southern Ave. 4040 Alhambra Ave. 1350 E. Anehelm . CONNECTICUT 3/ 25 wurlltzer . Nightly . 3/ 16 wurlltzer . Nightly . 3 / 22 wurlltzer-Welte . Saturday nights . PHOENIX MODESTO LOS ANGELES THOMASTON 1st Christ . Church Fellowship Hall, Pizza Machine #3, Alph a Beta ctr . Elks Lodge , 607 s. Parkvlew Ave. Thomaston Opera House, 158 Main . 6750 7th Ave. 2/ 9 wurlltzer. Dally. 4/ 61 Robert Morton . Often . 3/ 15 Marr & Colton . Often. 2112 wurlltzer . Often. Haven of Rest studio , 2400 Hyperion . PINOLE 3/ 13 wurlltzer-Klmball. Dally. WILLIMANTIC organ stop Pizza #1. 5330 N. seventh . The Red vest . Windham Tech. Schoo1 summit st . Ext. 4/ 29 wurlltzer . Dally. 2/ 10 Wicks. Nightly . Loyola Marymount University . 3/ 15 Wurlitzer . Period 1 cally . Phoenix College Auditorium, 211 o wurlltzer . Perlodlcally . 1202 w. Thomas Rd. PLEASANT HILL Orpheum Theatre, 842 s. Broadway . 2/10 Wurlitzer . Wednesdays . Pizza Machine, 850 HII Panolngo. 2/6 Wicks. Nightly . 3/ 13 Wurlitzer. Seldom . Philharmonic Auditorium . REDWOODCITY 4/ 80 Austin. Often . cap ·ns Galley 62, 821 Winslow . DELAWARE 4/ 26 Wurlitzer-Morton . Pilgrimage Theatre, ARKANSAS Nightly except Monday. 2580 Cahuenga Boulevard . 2/ 4 Robert Morton . occasionally. WILMINGTON RHEEM Shrine Auditorium , Dickinson High School, Univ. Media center of Arkansas . Pizza Junction . 649 w . Jefferson Boulevard . 1801 Milltown Road. 2/ 8 Hybrid . Perlodlcally . 3/ 9 wurlltzer . Nightly . 4/ 73 Moller . occastonally . 3/ 28 Klmball. Often .

20 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL / MAY 1980 JOLIET MUSKEGON FLORIDA Rlalto Square Theatre, 102 N. Chicago. KANSAS Michigan Theatre. 4/ 21 Barton . Saturday evenings . 3/ 8 Barton. Often . DUNEDIN LA GRANGE WICHITA PONTIAC Kirk Of Dunedin, 2686 U.S. Alt . 19. Lyons Township High School , Exhibition Hall, tentury II center . organ Grinder 's Pizza & Pipes, 4/ 23 wurlltzer . Monthly . 100 s. Brainard. 4/ 42 wurlltzer. Often . 2105 s. Boulevard East. 3/ 21 Moller . occaslonally . 3/ 20 Hybrid. Nightly. MIAMI Andre Hall, 4150 SW 74th Ave. LAKE FOREST ROYAL OAK 3/ 15 wurlltzer . Often . Deerpath Theatre , 272 E. Deerpath Ave. Royal Oak Theatre, 318 w. Fourth . Gusman Cultural center , 3/ 10 Geneva. Perlodlcally . LOUISIANA 3/ 16 Barton . Often. 174 E. Flagler . LISLE SAGINAW 3 / 15 wurlltzer . Perlodlcally. llllnols Benedictine College. NEW ORLEANS w . Washington . ST. PETERSBURG 2/ 6 wurlltzer . Perlodlcally . Saenger Theatre, 1111 canal. 1,rl~~lPoeltt>1t:i~.3 central Music warehouse , 4/ 26 Robert Morton. Weekly . LOMBARD 5175 Olmerton Road. Sally's stage #2. 2/ 7 wurlltzer . Often . 3/ 10 Barton. Nightly. TAMPA ____ M_A_IN_E__ _,~ ~---M_I_NN_E_S_OT_A_ ___,~ J. Burns Pizza & Pipes, MUNDELEIN ~ 103 E. Fowler Avenue . St. Mary of the Lake seminary . 4/ 24 wurlltzer-Gottfrled . occasionally . BROOKLYN CENTER 3/ 25 wurlltzer. Dally. PORTLAND Cicero's Pizza #3. PARK RIDGE State Theatre , 609 congress . 3/ 15 Barton . Nightly . Pickwick Theatre, 5 s. Prospect . 2/ 7 wurlltzer . occasionally. 3/ 11 wurlltzer . occasionally . EDINA SACO Clcero·s Pizza #2, 7101 Frances Ave. s. GEORGIA ROCKFORD Old Orchard Beach High School. 3/ 15 Barton. Nightly . Coronado Theatre, 312 N. Main. 3/ 13 wurlltzer . Perlodlcally. 4/ 17 Barton. Often. LILYDALE ATLANTA Diamond Jim 's, 801 Slbley Mem. Hwy. Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree st., NE. SPRINGFIELD 2/ 7 wurlltzer . Nightly. 4/ 42 Moller . Perlodlcally . Springfield High School , 101 S. Lewis. MARYLAND Music Grinder Pizza #1, 3/ 11 Barton . Often . MINNEAPOLIS 1038 Franklln Road. Civic Auditorium , 1403 Stevens Ave. 3/ 22 wurlltzer. Nightly. ST. CHARLES FREDERICK 4/ 21 Kimball . Rarely. Arcada Theatre , 105 Main E. Weinberg Ctr . for the Arts . 5/ 24 Kimball . Rarely. 3/ 16 Geneva. Often . 2/ 8 wurlltzer . Perlodlcally. RED WING Baker Hotel, 100 Main w . Sheldon Auditorium. 3/ 10 Geneva. Periodically . ROCKVILLE HAWAII Balley Studio , 140 congressional La. 2/8 Kllgen . Perlodlcally. 2/ 11 Moller . Often. WAUKEGAN ROSEVILLE Genesee Theatre , 203 N. Genesee. Clcero·s Pizza #1, Har Mar Mall. HONOLULU 3/ 10 Barton . occasionally . Hawaii Theatre, 1130 Bethel. 3/ 12 Hybr id. Nightly . 4/ 16 Robert Morton . Dally. Har Mar Ballroom . Wurlitzer. occasionally. Waikiki Theatre , 2284 Kalakua Ave. @ MASSACHUSEffS ~ 4/ 16 Robert Morton . Fri. & sat. ST. PAUL INDIANA GREENFIELD KSTPStudios , 3415 University Ave. Garden Theatre 3/ 15 wurlltzer. occasionally. 3/ 9 Marr & Colton . Occasionally . IDAHO ANDERSON Anderson Music center. SPRINGFIELD 2/ 6 wurlltzer. Perlodlcally . Julla Sanderson Theatre , 1700 Main. 3/ 11 Wurlitzer . Periodically . MISSISSIPPI BOISE Paramount Theatre , 1124 Meridian . Ada Theatre, 700 Main. 3/7 Page. weekends . STONEHAM 2/ 8 Robert Morton . occasionally . Stoneham Town Hall. MERIDIAN ELKHART 2/ 14 Wurlitzer . occasionally . Temple Theatre . MOSCOW Elco Theatre , 410 s. Main. 3/ 8 Robert Morton . weekends . University of Idaho . 2/ 11 Kimball. occasionally. WELLESLEY HILLS 2/ 6 Robert Morton . occasionally . Knight Auditorium , Babson College. FORT WAYNE 3/ 13 Wurlitzer . Often . Calvary Temple , 2901 N. Cllnton . 2/7 Marr & Colton. Regularly . MISSOURI ILLINOIS Embassy Theatre 121 w. Jefferson . 4/ 15 Page. occas 1onally . MICHIGAN KANSAS CITY VIiiage Inn Pizza, 4224 Coldwater Rd. Russell stover Auditor ium, CHICAGO 3/ 12 Barton . Nightly . 1004 Baltimore . Aragon Ballroom , 1106 w . Lawrence. ANN ARBOR 3/ 8 Wurlitzer . occasionally . 3/ 10 wurlltzer . occasionally . INDIANAPOLIS Michigan Theatre, 603 E. Liberty . 3/ 13 Barton . Often . POINT LOOKOUT Chicago Stadium , 1800 w . Madison . Hedback community Theatre, 6/ 62 Barton . Often . 1847 N. Alabama . School of the Ozarks, Highway 65. 2/ 10 Page. Often. BAY CITY 3/ 15 Wurlitzer . Often . Chicago Theatre, 175 N. state . Scottish Rite Temple , 4/ 29 wurlltzer . Often . Manual High School , 2405 Madison Ave. 2655 N. center Road. 3/ 16 Loulsvllle-Unlphone. Often. 3/ 28 Moller w / toy counter . Often . Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker . 3/ 50 Skinner . Often. Paramount Music Palace, 7560 Old Tralls Road. DETROIT MONTANA Moody Blble Inst ., 820 LaSalle. 4/ 42 wurlltzer . Dally except Monday . Fox Theatre , 2211 Woodward Ave. 3/ 14 Klmball. Regularly . 4/ 36 Wurlitzer . Rarely. 3/ 12 Moller. Rarely. BOZEMAN Oriental Theatre, 20 w. Randolph . VINCENNES Ellen Theatre . 4/ 20 wurlltzer . occasionally . Vincennes University Auditorium . Redford Theatre, 17360 Lahser Road. 3/ 14 wurlltzer . Often . 2/7 Wurlitzer . Regularly . Patio Theatre , 6008 w . lrvlng Pk. 3/ 10 Barton . Often . 3/ 17 Barton . occasionally . WHITING senate Theater mroc,, 6424 Michigan. MISSOULA 4/ 34 Wurlitzer . Monthly . WIima Theatre . Sally's Stage #1, 6335 N. western . Hoosier Theatre, 1335119th. 4/ 11 wurlltzer . occasionally . 3/ 10 Robert Morton . occasionally . 3/ 11 Barton . Nightly . FLINT WGNStudios , 2501 Bradley Pl. Recital Hall, Flint Inst . of Music. 3/ 11 wurlltzer-Klmball. Often. 3/ 11 Barton . Often . NEBRASKA DE KALB GRAND RAPIDS wurlltzer Auditorium . IOWA Roaring Twenties , 4515 28th St. SE. 5/ 65 wurlltzer . Often . 3/ 34 Wurlitzer . Nightly . OMAHA orpheum Theatre , 409 s. 16th . DES PLAINES CEDARRAPIDS GROSSE POINTE FARMS 3/ 13 Wurlitzer . Periodically . Main North High School , 9511 Harrison. Iowa Theatre . Punch & Judy Theatre , 3/ 10 wurlltzer . Often . 3/ 14 Barton. Periodically . 21 Kercheval Avenue . Iowa Hall, Kirkwood College. 2/ 6 wurlltzer . Rarely. DOWNER'S GROVE 2/ 7 wurlltzer . Perlodlcally. community High School, KALAMAZOO NEW JERSEY N. Grant & Main. Paramount Theatre . State Theatre , 404 s. Burdick . 3/ 10 wurlltzer . Perlodlcally . 3/ 11 wurlltzer . Perlodlcally . 3/ 12 Barton . Saturday evenings . ASBURY PARK ELMHURST DAVENPORT LANSING convention Hall. Elm Rink, Roosevelt Rd. & Route 83. Capitol Theatre, 330 w. Third . Michigan Theatre , 215 s. Washington. 3/ 7 Kllgen . occasionally . 4 / 24 Hybrid . Dally. 3/ 10 Moller-Wicks . Perlodlcally . 3 / 12 Barton . Sunday evenings . ATLANTIC CITY HINSDALE SIOUX CITY MT. CLEMENS convention Hall, s. Mississippi & Pacific . Hinsdale Theatre , 29 E. First . Municipal Auditorium, Gordon Dr. Macomb Theatre . 7 / 455 Midmer-Losh . Rarely. 3/ 21 Hybrid . Periodically . 3/ 12 wurlltzer. occasionally . 3/ 9 Kilgen . occasionally . 4/ 42 Kimball. occasionally.

APRIL / MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 21 BOUND BROOK ROCHESTER Brook Theatre, Hamilton st. Auditorium Theatre, 875 Main E. ~ OREGON j ~ TEXAS f{;J~ 2/ 4 wurlltzer . Saturday evenings . 4/ 22 wurlltzer. Monthly, sept . - May...... ______,..,...... ______....,

EATONTOWN Eisenhart Auditorium , 663 East Ave. COOS BAY AUSTIN Mahns Bros. Bicycle Shop. 3/ 8 wurlltzer. Perlodlcally . Egyptian Theatre. scampi's Organ Palace. 2/ 9 Robert Morton . occastonally. SYRACUSE 4/ 18 wurlltzer . Saturday evenings . 3/ 11 Robert Morton . Dally. GLOUCESTERCITY MIiis Bldg. State Fairgrounds . 3/ 11 Wurlitzer . Monthly, sept . - June. PORTLAND BEAUMONT King Theatre . Alpenrose Dairy Pk., Jefferson Theatre, 345 Fannin. 2/7 wurlltzer . Perlodlcally. 6149 SW Shattuck Road. 3/ 8 Robert Morton . Often . UTICA 2/ 5 Kimball. occasionally . MONTVALE Proctor High School, HIiton Ave. DALLAS Montvale Roller Rink, 3/ 13 wurntzer. occasionally . Benson High School , 546 NE Twelfth . Fine Arts Theatre , 6719 Snider Plaza. Chestnut Ridge Road. 3/ 18 Kimball . Perlodlcally . 4/ 27 Hybrid . Perlodlcally . 2/ 8 Robert Morton. Dally except WESTBURY Westbury Theatre , Post Avenue . Imperial Skating Rink, Landmark Pipes & Pizza, Monday & Wednesday . Union & Madison. 2 / 6 Mldmer-Losh. Often . 4/ 18 wurlltzer . Dally except Monday . 6522 E. NW Highway . NEWARK 3/ 11 Barton. Nightly . Casa ttallana , 985 s. Orange Ave. Oaks Park Roller Rink, SESpok . 3/ 11 wurlltzer. Sundays, Sept. - May. NORTH CAROLINA 4/ 40 wurlltzer. Dally. FORT WORTH ~ ~ Organ Grinder Pizza, 5015 SE82nd . casa Manana Theatre , OCEAN GROVE 3101 w . Lancaster. 4 / 41 wurlltzer . Nightly . 3/ 11 Wurlitzer . Often . ocean Grove Auditorium . ELON COLLEGE 4/ 30 Hope-Jones. occasionally. Scottish Rite Temple, 709 SW 15th . war Memorial Gymnasium . 3/ 13 wurlltzer . Often. GARLAND 3/ 11 wurlltzer . Often . PITMAN organ world studio. SHERWOOD 4/? Hybrid . Often. Broadway Theatre . GREENSBORO 3/ 8 Kimball . Dally except Monday . Oriental Theatre . Caronna Theatre , 310 s. Greene. 5/ 24 Marr & Colton . weekends . HOUSTON 2/ 6 Robert Morton. Perlodlcally . RAHWAY Pipe organ Pizza, Rahway Theatre, 1601 Irving . Masonic Temple . Memorial City Shopping center . 217 wurlltzer. Often . 2/ 7 wurlltzer . Often . 3/ 31 Wurlitzer . Dally. PENNSYLVANIA scooby's Fun Factory, SUMMIT Greenspotnt Mall. New Hampshire House Restaurant . 3/ 21 wurlltzer . Dally. 2/ 4 Kimball. Often. DORMONT NORTH DAKOTA south HIiis Theatre , 3075 w . Liberty . SURF CITY 2/6 wurlltzer . Often . Surf City Hotel, Long Beach Island . 3 I 15 wurlltzer . Nightly, May - sept . FARGO DURYEA Fargo Theatre . The Cinema Club. TRENTON 3/ 8 wurlltzer . Weekends. 3/ 27 Kimball. Nightly . UTAH Soldiers & Sailors war Memorial , w . Lafayette. ERIE 3/ 16 Moller. Perlodtcally . Gannon College, 109 w . 64th. PROVO OHIO 2110 Tellers . Pertodlcally . Pizza & Pipes. WANAOUE 3/ 13 Wurlitzer . Dally. HERSHEY Suburblan Restaurant, Belvedere Ave. AKRON SALT LAKE CITY 3/ 17 wurlltzer. Nightly, Wed. - sun . Akron Civic Theatre , 182 s. Main . Hershey community Theatre. 4/ 45 Aeollan-Sklnner. Perlodlcally . Capitol Theatre, Second & Main. WESTWOOD 3/ 13 wurlltzer . Pertodtcany. 2110 wurlltzer . Perlodlcally . Pascack Theatre. INDIANA The Organ Loft , 3331 Edison. 2/ 8 wurlltzer . Perlodlcally . CINCINNATI Manos Theatre. 5/ 34 wurlltzer. Saturday evenings. Emery Auditorium , Univ. of Cincinnati. 3/ 8 Robert Morton . Often . 3/ 20 wurlltzer . Often. KENNETT SOUARE CLEVELAND Longwood Gardens. NEW MEXICO Gray's Armory, 1234 Bollvar Road. VIRGINIA ~______j 3/ 13 wurlltzer . Perlodtcally . 4/ 169 Aeollan w / traps . Periodically . LANSDOWNE ROSWELL COLUMBUS Lansdowne Theatre, Lansdowne Ave. RICHMOND Pearson Auditorium , Ohio Theatre, 39 E. state. 3/ 8 Kimball. weekends. Byrd Theatre , 2908 w . Carey. N. Mexico Mllltary Institute . 4/ 20 Robert Morton . Often. 4/ 17 Wurlitzer . Nightly. 3/14 Hllgreen-Lane . Perlodtcally . St. Joseph Glrls Academy , 331 E. Rich. MARIETTA Mosque Auditorium, 6 N. Laurel. 2/ 7 Robert Morton. Perlodlcally . Marietta Theatre, 130 w. Market. 3/ 17 Wurlitzer . Often . 3/ 26 wurlltzer-Page. occasionally . &J ~ HAMILTON PHILADELPHIA ~ NEW YORK fl ~~~d~,~~,?i~-6~~~~~eR~eid~urant. Wanamaker's store, 13th & Market . ------4 / 30Wurlltzer . 6/ 469 Hybrid . Dally. WASHINGTON BINGHAMTON Every Fri. , Sat. and sun . Broome ctr . for Performing Arts. PHOENIXVILLE 4/ 24 Robert Morton . Perlodlcally . LORAIN Colonlal Theatre . Palace Theatre . 3/ 24 Kimball. weekends. BELLEVUE Roberson ctr . for Fine Arts , 30 Front. 3/ 11 wurlltzer . occasionally. Pizza & Pipes #3, 550112th NE. 3/ 17 Link. Monthly . PITTSBURGH 3/ 17 wurlltzer. Dally. MARION Keystone Oaks High School , BROOKLYN Palace Theatre . 1000 McNealy Road. BELLINGHAM Long Island university, 3/ 10 wurlltzer . Often . 2/ 10 wurlltzer. Often . Mt . Baker Theatre , commercial st. 385 Flatbush Ave. Ext. 2110 wurlltzer . Nightly. 4/ 26 wurlltzer . Often . OLMSTEAD FALLS BREMERTON Walker Theatre. Lampllghter Inn, 7068 Columbia Rd. 3/ 11 Kimball. Nightly except Monday . community Theatre . 2/ 10 wurlltzer . occaslonally. RHODE ISLAND 2/ 11 Wurlitzer . Often . CORNWALL-ON-HUDSON SPRINGFIELD Masonic Temple . New York Mllltary Academy . state Theatre , 17 s. Fountain . 2/ 8 Wurlitzer . occasionally . 3 / 7 wurlltzer . weekends . PROVIDENCE 4/ 30 Moller . Perlodlcally . Columbus Theatre, 270 Broadway . 2/ 6 wurlltzer. occasionally . BURIEN ELMIRA WILMINGTON Big Bob's Pipe Dream , 630 sw 153rd . Clemens Performing Arts center , WIimington College. 4 / 42 Wurlitzer . Nlghtly . 2/ 7 Wicks. Rarely. WOONSOCKET State & Gray. Stadium Theatre. 4/ 22 Marr & Colton . Perlodlcally . 2/ 8 wurlltzer . occasionally . MT. VERNON LAKE PLACID WORTHINGTON Lincoln Theatre . Palace Theatre . Worthington High School , 2/ 7 wurlltzer . occasionally . 3/ 8 Robert Morton . Rarely. 300 w . Granvllle . 3/ 17 wurlltzer . Periodically . OLYMPIA NEW YORK CITY SOUTH DAKOTA Olympic Theatre , 506 s. Washington . Beacon Theatre, Broadway & 74th . 2/ 9 Wurlitzer . occasionally. 4/ 19 wurlltzer . Rarely. ~ OKLAHOMA ~ LEAD PULLMAN Carnegie Hall Cinema, 883 7th Ave. _.______,..,.. Homestake opera House. Physical Sciences Building, 2/ 9 wurlltzer. weekly . 2/ 5 wurlltzer . occasionally . .vashlngton state university . Plaza Recording Studio , MUSKOGEE 2/7 Robert Morton . Periodically. Rockefeller center . Muskogee Civic center. 3/ 14 wurlltzer . Perlodlcally . 3/ 7 Robert Morton. Often. St:.ATTLE Haller Lake Improvement Club, Radio City Music Hall, OKLAHOMA CITY TENNESSEE 12579 Densmore . Rockefeller center. Civic center Music Hall. 3/ 8 Wurlitzer . Often . 4/ 58 wurlltzer . Dally except Thurs . 4/ 15 Kllgen. Often . CHATTANOOGA Paramount Theatre , l'!!,n. , & Pine. united Palace, 175th St. TULSA Tlvoll Theatre , 709 Broad . 4/ 20 Wur litzer . occasionally . 4/ 23 Robert Morton. Sundays. 3/ 14 wurlltzer . occasionally. Central High School. Pizza & Pipes #1, 100 N. 85th . 4/ 46 Kllgen . Periodically . NORTH TONAWANDA MEMPHIS 3/ 17 Wurlitzer. Nightly . Riviera Theatre , 67 Webster . Christ 's Chapel, oral Roberts Univ. Orpheum Theatre, 197 s. Main. oueen Anne High School , 215 Galer. 3/ 19 wurlltzer . Often . 4/ 21 wurlltzer . Often . 3/ 13 wurlltzer . Sundays. 3/ 10 Kimball. Rarely.

22 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL / MAY 1980 TACOMA Pizza & Pipes #2, 19th & MIidred. CANADA was a popular song called Drownin 3/ 17 wurlltzer . Nightly. In My Tear Drops which makes me Temple Theatre , 49 st . Helens. 2/ 9 Kimball. occasionally . cry just thinkin about it. Of course VANCOUVER they didnt always rite about sad uncle MIit's Pizza co . 3/ 18 Wurlitzer. Nlghtly . ~ BRITISH COLUMBIA ~ things , un less you call it sad when they was Prohibition. They was some VANCOUVER organ Grinder Restaurant #2. good ones about that. They was Im WISCONSIN 3/ 12 Wurlitzer-Hinners. Dally. On My Way To Montral For A Tall orpheum Theatre, 884 Granville . 3/ 13 Wurlitzer . Rarely. Highball , and then they was When BARABOO Al Ringling Theatre . The Good Ole Beer Comes Back. 3/ 9 Barton . occasionally . Way back in 1930 after the Crash MILWAUKEE Organ Piper Pizza, 4353 s. 108th . you would of thought that would be 3/ 28 Moller . Nlghtly except Monday. duck soup for them calamity howlers Pabst Theatre , 144 E. Wells. ONTARIO 4/ 20 Moller . Often. but instead they began to buck pee­ Pipe Organ Pizza, TORONTO pul up with songs like Prosperity 620 w . Oklahoma Avenue . Casa Loma 1 Austin Terrace . 4/ 16 Hybrid. Dally. 4 / 18 Wurlitzer. Monthly, Sept . - May . Its For You Its For Me, and Hello Riverside Theatre , Organ Grinder Restaurant #1, Prosperity How Do You Do, rit in 116 w . Wisconsin Avenue . 58 The Esplanade . 3/ 13 Wurlitzer . occaslonally . 3 / 13 Hybrid . Nightly . 1933, and There Aint Gonna Ba No More Depression, and On The Right died and they got out a song that Road With Roosevelt rit in 1932. said They Needed a Songbird in Maybe we need some of them riters Heaven so God Took Caruso Away. around now, instead of the morneful Them songriters they was always weepers like the guy that rote 14 doin things like that. They done one verses for a boat that sunk in 1976 when Pres. Roosevelt died and the in one of the Grate Lakes called The title was Our President Was Called Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald. Away To Heaven. Nobody gets off If we are goin to have a Depreshun easy when them gools in what they lets get some toons about it. I havent called Tin Pan Alley got goin. The heard one song about Inflashun but reason I know about them things is I in 1932 and 33 they was a lot more · started keepin a collection of them a songs than the ones I put in. long time ago. They was The Kid­ But them riters they rote about napped Baby about the Lindberg everthin. Jest to give you an idea and Kidnapin, and they was another one before I run out of room , look at called The Kidnapin of Peggy Mc­ these and you can almost gess when Math whoever she was. And how do they was rote. Since My Wife Took you like There's A Vacant Chair Up Miniture Golf. In A Little Bingo Accordin to the calendar it says For Will Rogers In Every Home To­ Parler. Doin The Quiz. Im A Fugi­ Spring Is Here . Mr. Richard Rod­ night. That was just after Mr. Rogers tive From A Chain Letter Gang. Oh gers he rote a nice peace about that died in that plane crash in Alaska. Gertrude , When We Get That Forty in a show I see a long time ago called Or maybe you like better I Lost My Hour Week. Were Goin Big For I Married A Angel , and I would of Love In The Ohio Flood. They was That Big Blanket Code. NIRA , like to put in some of the words here even a letter on the front page that NIRA. That give you a good idea? but Mr. Thompson he said that if I said This is my latest song and I And here's just one more to end up did I would get him into a lot of trub­ would be grateful if you place same with. A thought for the week: When ble with the Warner Bros. so I guess on your programs. The story of the I Take A Bath Before Saturday maybe I better not take the chancet. song is based on actual facks as re­ Night I Certainly Must Be In Love. □ Probily the way the wether has been ported in noospaper accounts of the actin up I should ought to tell you recent disastorus Ohio River Flood. about the song that says Spring Will I want to thank you for the help you Be A Little Late This Year , but of gave in making Little Old Church In '-'"'e course Mr. Thompson he wouldnt let The Valley, and Tell My Mother Im me put in the words of that one In Heaven. I am sure you will recieve '"°' ,,te'' neither so I guess the only pome I a grate response from your radio ot1°~-= can put in is the one that says Im a freinds every time you sing and play ATTENDTHE little Prarie flower Growin Wilder I Lost My Love In The Ohio Fllod. every hour, Im as wild as I can be, Of course that didnt go on the copies 1980 ATOS Annual Somebody come and play with me. that was sold in music stores. That convention So try that one on your organ. was on what they called Profeshunal Song riters they like to rite about Copies. I dunno. Them songriters is all the diferent seasons and the just plain morbid I guess. They was a JULY 20-27, 1980 months and peepul dyin and stuff very sad one called We Buried Her IN like that there. I think the one I re­ Benath The Willow that was rit by a LONDON, ENGLAND member the most was when Caruso hill billy bunch , and the saddest one

APRIL / MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 23 are shown in pizza restaurants and taverns from one end of the country to the other. There is some evidence that pizza-parlor organ-film exhibits can hurt attendance at local chapter­ sponsored organ programs. Charles Chaplin's older comedies are con­ sistently good and funny, but they, too, seem to be over-run. Some peo­ ple complain of Chaplin's occasional by John Muri vulgarity. His longer comedies (Mod­ ern Times, City Lights, The Circus) are best suited to silent accompani­ ments. The sound-track scores (Chaplin's own music) are dull and In the twenties, when theatre or­ years of such showings. We have run repetitive, but the films have not gan was an important part of Ameri­ and re-run Laurel and Hardy's Two been publicly over-exposed. Shut can life, catering as it did to all ages Tars and Big Business to the point off the sound-tracks and get a good successfully, theatres offered a mix­ where many of us can mentally re­ organist. ture of entertainment for the childish hearse the film scene by scene. I sus­ Some comedy material by Harold and the ad ult, the mature and the pect that many of our audiences can Lloyd is available, but one must immature, the silly and the serious. do the same. select it carefully. His Royal Slyness It worked. Today's movie theatre is It ought to be well known that not is a generally unfunny film. Pare much more limited in its service to all old silent movies are good movies. Lorentz, a respected film critic of the the very young and the old, who are Countless numbers of them are very twenties and afterward, thought that treated as if they were non-existent. bad and much less tolerable because Lloyd was lacking in "the comic Television and film experimenters current movies, despite the vicious­ sense." Personally, Lloyd did not are wallowing in an orgy of what A. ness of modern film-plots and lan­ exude humor, but the situations he Tofler calls "future shock." The cur­ guage, are technically much better got into were funny. rent video-taping of old Chaplin and than films ever were in the twenties. Larry Semon's comedies (The Charlie Chan movies is a fascinating Furthermore, certain acting prac­ Sawmill, School Days) were expen­ union of old material with new tech­ tices that were acceptable fifty years sively well-made by the Vitagraph nology, but some of the tech boys ago are now ridiculous. Audiences company, but his characterization don't want to stop with that. Gene usually laugh at the name and char­ alternates between childishness and Youngblood has written a lengthy acterization of "Mammy Pleasant" effeminacy. The same can be said book praising what he calls "ex­ in the old horror movie, The Cat and of Harry Langdon's work. Some of it panded cinema," the presumptive the Canary. There are scenes in The is riotous, but at least half of the movie of the future, in which the Phantom of the Opera that are ludi­ available film is too childish for action becomes merely videotronics crous, particularly when the heroine mature audiences. It was the least or computer-film in multiple-projec­ is taken into the Opera House cav­ popular group in a series of comedies tion environments, reproducing for erns riding a horse led by the Phan­ I accompanied at the Detroit Art man's finite mind "the circumambi­ tom. Shade of Lady Godiva! The Institute last year. A few corned ies ent universe." Maybe you can figure scene invariably invokes laughter. with Charley Chase are around, but that one out; I can't. Youngblood is The film Metropolis is good futuris­ one had better again be selective. convinced that many current film­ tic social commentary, but it has Chase made some hilarious comedies makers (like Alfred Hitchcock) have more ham acting than ought to be for Metro, but they are not on the not tried to expand what he calls permitted. The hero's actions are market. The Our Gang series has "awareness" but have simply man­ laughable. One special caution is in some good items, but many of them ipulated old dramatic conventions order: when renting old films for just drag along. for emotional effect. What has come public showing, one should not fail Several comedies are now on sale out of the experimentation to date is to preview each print, because many under the trademark "Educational," some expensive tinkering with elec­ of them are badly made. They can be a company owned by E.F. Hammons tronic and photographic machinery. too dark, too light, or they may lack in the twenties. They were usually The subject calls for extended treat­ definition. cheaply made films starring some ment elsewhere, but it is mentioned Comedy films have been the most good comedians like Lloyd Hamilton here for its contrast with the kinds of successful. Laurel and Hardy films and Andy Clyde, but the audiences movies we have been using at theatre are excellent, but they have been (for whom I played dozens of these organ shows. (and still are being) over-run. They comedies) did not find much to Our appeal, justification, or ex­ laugh at. The films seemed to have cuse for the use of old films is nostal­ Mr. Muri's opinions expressed herein been made in speed and despera­ gia, a return to the by-gone, the are his own and do not necessarily re­ tion, for director Norman Taurog, ancient, or the primitive. Films of flect the policies of ATOS or THE­ who made a lot of the Educationals, the twenties are most often used, and ATRE ORGAN Magazine . resorted to throwing live dogs and we shall have soon completed twenty cats around to get laughs. One had

24 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL/ MAY 1980 better pick carefully among the Edu­ cationals. There are a few comedies ATO~ by Alice Howell, Max Davidson, Gail Henry, "Sweedie" (Wallace Meml)e~ Beery), "Ambrose" (Mack Swain), Fatty Arbuckle (most of them good), "Hogan" (Charley Murray), and the l2eceives then-popular teams of John Bunny­ Flora Finch, Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Uistinauished Drew, and Harry Myers-Rosemary Theby. The team of Eddie Lyons-Lee Moran was good, but I can't find any Awa~d of their products. The few available Richard A. Nichols, past-chair­ Snub Pollard comedies are weak. man of the North Texas Chapter of We are fortunate that we have not ATOS, has been named a Rockwell yet exhausted the available supply of International Engineer of the Year silent comedy. A rather widely-held as part of that company's annual view among those sponsoring organ­ program to honor its scientific and film shows is that comedy "goes engineering community. over" better than serious films. Con­ Nichols is a design engineer for versely, this is unfortunate, since the company's Collins Transmission there is some fine serious film on the Systems Division in Dallas, Texas. Richard A. Nichols, past-chairman of the North market. Part of the trouble lies with Texas Chapter, has been named a Rockwell Engineer In making the announcement, of the Year. our audiences who have been so Rockwell International President conditioned to fragmented television Donald R. Beall said, "The Engineer engineering standards are traits movies and meaningless action that of the Year honor is awarded an­ which have consistently resulted in they have trouble following an ex­ nually in recognition of demonstrat­ significant contributions to the com­ tended story. ed technical excellence in engineer­ pany's satellite and terrestrial tele­ If it is true that patronage of the­ ing or scientific activities relevant to communications program," said atre organ shows has declined in our company's business. The award Robert L. Cattoi, staff vice president 1979, then it is none too soon for us takes on special significance when of Engineering for Rockwell. to evaluate our silent-film offerings measured against the outstanding Rockwell International is the lead­ and make appropriate adjustments. technological performance of Rock­ ing supplier in the digital and analog If audiences are going to laugh at well International's 15,000 engineers microwave market. quaint or badly-made films (and and scientists." Nichols is a native of Preston, pioneer films are good examples of Nichols has been with Rockwell Kansas, and a graduate of Preston rough film-editing, cheap settings, International for 27 years, having Consolidated High School. He at­ and over-acting), it's a certainty that joined Collins Radio Company in tended Pratt Junior College, Kansas, such films cannot attract modern 1953. (Rockwell acquired Collins and earned a BS degree in electrical audiences indefinitely. D Radio in 1973.) He is currently in­ engineering from Kansas State Col­ volved in the company's microwave lege in 1953. He holds four patents product line. and is a charter member of the Na­ "Dick's outstanding technical tional Management Association,

Marvin C. Bachofer, longtime member and officer of the Rochester OFFICIAL NOTICE Theater Organ Society, died on Feb­ ruary 29th. Having a love for the theatre pipe organ since his youth, his teacher 1980 ATOS was the late J. Gordon Baldwin, active in Rochester theatres. As an Annual Membership Meeting RTOS member, he served in numer­ ous capacities, including publicity director and senior citizens coordi­ HORNCHURCH,ENGLAND nator. He was a member of the board WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 1980 since 1974. He is survived by his wife, Marion, 2:30 in the afternoon a son, David, a daughter Nancy and two grandchildren. D

APRIL / MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 25 Tuba Mirabilis ...... 15" know how to do jobs or they com­ Clarinet ...... 10" plain of bad backs and are afraid Saxophone ...... 10" they will be asked to lift heavy parts. BUESTIONS Concert Flute ...... 10" Do you have any suggestions as to Solo String , Solo ...... 10" how to improve our maintenance AND Solo String, Main ...... 10" sessions and get more people in­ Viol Celeste ...... 1O" volved? ANS\NERS V.D.O ...... 10" ON THE Oboe Horn ...... 10" A. It sounds to me like you need a Dulciana ...... 10" new crew chief. With your casual TECHNICAL Vox Humana, Solo ...... 6" attitude as a group, you are also a SIDE Vox Humana, Main ...... 6" prime candidate for getting your­ Kin u ra ...... 10" selves thrown out of the theatre for by Lance ~ohnson Trumpet ...... 10" good. Unfortunately many chapters Quintadena ...... 10" or clubs do not have a full time pro­ Tonal percussions & traps . 15" fessional organ builder to rely on for NOTE: These pressures will vary due instruction on routine maintenance. to scaling and location. Your crew chief must outline in The same reader asked about the advance what type of session it will chamber layout and order of ranks be. Will it be a work session or open Doyou have any questions? on the chests from front to back. console? Is there enough work for This varied with each organ, depend­ everyone to keep busy? There is Send them direct to: ing on space and the era in which it nothing worse than having people was built. Many chambers were show up for a maintenance session QUIZMASTER triangular and the layouts had to be only to find work for only a few. The and Organbuilder split up to fit the chambers. rest feel like fifth wheels and soon LANCE JOHNSON leave. It is most important that all Box 1228 Q • Our chapter schedules "main­ those who come are kept busy at all Fargo, ND 58102 tenance sessions" at our theatre oc­ times. This will prevent them from casionally and we all have a great wandering in and out of the theatre time. Someone brings lunch and we and exploring. stay usually until early morning. The The work session must have a plan Q. I recently received the specifi­ only trouble is, we really don't ac­ of action very carefully thought out cations for a theatre organ which was complish much. We take turns play­ in advance, in fact , well in advance. a two-chamber installation. On ing the organ most of the night while The crew chief must think up jobs paper, the spec read that all stops most of the others just sit and listen. that each person is capable of doing. notated with an (S) spoke from the Many members do not show up at all Don't assign cleaning chores to peo­ solo and all those with an (X) spoke because they feel they either won't ple who hate doing it and will do a from both chambers. My question is, how is this possible when the stops are not marked as such on the con­ From Concerned Candidates for ATOS Director sole? This was a Publix #1 model We congratulate ATOS on its Silver Anniversary. We believe it and is now in the Organ Grinder in needs these ideas to strengthen it for the next 25 years. Portland. • New, creative, experienced Board leadership to help us look to A. I am a little confused as to why the future. this spec was written up this way. • Immediate use of revised election rules including sealed bal­ Usually the Wurlitzer console has a lots and a tally committee. white disc above each tablet to show • Increased membership whose dues would support a paid pro­ chamber location for each rank. The fessional administrative and publication staff. main had a plain white and the solo • Timely revisions of By-laws based on a federation model with had a black dot in the center. individual and chapter representation. • A theatre organ museum founded on corporate, charitable, Q • I would like to know the pres­ and governmental support. sures for a 4/21 Wurlitzer as follows: • An annual playing competition to encourage new performers on the theatre organ. A. Console, relay & switches .. 15" Diaphone Your Vote for Us Is a Vote for the Future of ATOS (some were on 15") .... . 1O" TIMOTHY NEEDLER RICHARD SKLENAR Tibia, Main ...... 15" ATOS since 1965 ATOS since 1965 Past Chairman, Past Chairman, Tibia, Solo ...... 10" or 15" Central Indiana CATOE (Depends on scale) This is a paid advertisement. Tuba Horn ...... 15"

26 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL / MAY 1980 poor job. Don't ask members to hold work is done. keys if they don't know the names of Theatre Organ Want Ads Another good point is for the the notes. Don't expect obese people GET RESULTS chapter to invest in tools that can be to crawl under chests to repair dead Try One left in the theatre. Then, whoever is notes, etc. It is best to call each per­ first to arrive can begin work im­ son and tell them exactly what you that you can rely upon and they will mediately. In larger theatres, it is expect to accomplish and what that learn specialties. well to purchase an intercom for person would do. It doesn't take long There have been examples of well­ talking between chambers, and from to find out which people learn to carried out sessions in many in­ chambers to the console. Each specialize. Don't ask people with stances. One member in the Chicago chamber should have a tool rack poor eyesight to do wiring jobs. area trained another mem her to be containing a small and large flat-tip Start out by passing out a work as­ a plumber's helper and they com­ screwdriver, pliers, soldering iron, signment at your club meeting ask­ pletely overhauled the plumbing in test wire and drop cord light. Much ing those who want to work on the the dressing room complex. time is lost in running around trying organ to sign up and leave the hours People who enjoy interior decor­ to find tools during organ servicing. that they can work and the duties ating can restore dressing rooms. In conclusion, if your group does they would like. Don't pressure peo­ Machinists and auto mechanics can not have an organ builder to super­ ple to work on organs if they don't repair lifts. Set realistic goals each vise restorations and maintenance, like to work with their hands. Soon time and work to accomplish them. please write to me and I will try to you will find a group in your club Leave the fun at the console until the find one in your area. D

pipework and placed shutters, vene­ the foot is on the volume pedal, this tian-blind style, on the outside to habit can be musically disastrous. control the volume from the cham­ Many years ago, Don Baker toured ber to the listener. the country for an electronic organ ~ ~l/71fr)@£@ Theatre organs normally have firm, giving a combination of con­ several swell shoes, or pedals. Each certs and workshops. In one of these particular installation varies from workshops, he dealt with this sub­ ~ ~,@~fr) the next. A theatre organ will nor­ ject. The key to what he said was mally have a swell pedal for each this: as the melody line of the music - by Shirley Hannum Keiter chamber, a general, for all chambers goes generally upward, the volume and a crescendo pedal. (The crescen­ should increase; as the music goes f/ I 111111111111111II 11111 Ill II ~ do pedal adds stops gradually and is down, so should the volume. It's a always on the extreme right. Don't good rule to remember. Also, unless use it to control volume.) You may you're on the last phrase of the song, EXPRESS YOURSELF! find another to control percussion leave yourself somewhere to go. (If volumes, or a master swell pedal you're already playing "loudest," Have you ever been to an organ whereby other swells may be coupled you can't end in a climax.) Music is concert where the artist's styling was onto one shoe. In the case of most composed in phrases, and each good, yet the performance left you electronic organs, however, one should be contoured in expression. unexcited? There are two causes of doesn't have much choice - there's Learn control. Gradual increases this - bland registration and lack of only one for the entire instrument. and decreases are much preferred expressive mood changes. Wise use If you're blessed with a console that over sudden changes. of the expression pedal can add lots has two, one will generally control Once you've learned the notes, of color to an otherwise dull pro­ the tibias while the other takes care learn the music. Analyze what you gram. of the rest of the organ. would like to get across from the first In Pipe Organ Registration, au­ When playing the organ, your note to the last. Your listeners will thor Jack C. Goode tells the history right foot should be on the volume hear the whole package, not each of expression pedals (or swell shoes). pedal - toe to press down for added note or phrase as you, the player, Liturgical organs that were built be­ volume, heel to pull back for less concentrate on what comes next. fore and during the time of J.S. Bach volume - at all times. If you're Keep your listeners in mind and ex­ were unenclosed. (The pipework was seated properly at the organ (in the press yourself - and the music - not encased, and many of today's middle, firmly on the bench, and accordingly. Sometimes it may help instruments use this idea for certain where your left foot can move from C to tape yourself and then, objec­ divisions of the organ. Aside from to C smoothly) your balance should tively, listen to it and make improve­ church organs, the pizza installa­ be better with the right foot on the ments on what you hear. Don't, how­ tions often expose the percussions.) expression pedal. If there are two, ever, mentally play the arrangement As musical history progressed straddle them, placing your foot be­ while listening to the tape; that will through the Romantic period, more tween the two. defeat your purpose. Controlled, gradations of tone were needed that Many organ teachers have seen but wise, use of the volume pedal will changing from one rank of pipes to varied and sundry uses for this help you to make music. another could not provide. Hence, pedal, but most students like to beat Here's to improved self-expression organ-builders began to enclose their time with their right foot. Being as through music! D

APRIL / MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 27 A TO\ Chapter- Chair-men and \ecr-etar-ies

ALABAMA DAIRYLAND LONDON AND NORTH TEXAS Linda Whitmire, Chm. Gregory K. Filardo , Chm . SOUTH OF ENGLAND Gene Powell, Chm. 2436 Wine Ridge Drive 2432 Kilbourn Ave. George E. Harrison, Chm . 2535 S. Garland Ave . Birmingham , AL 35244 Milwaukee, WI 53233 41 lnglehurst Gardens Garland, TX 75041 Redbridge, Essex 1G45HD Stella 0 . O'Neal , Sec 'y . John B. Scott, Sec 'y . Lorena McKee, Sec'y . Rt . #15 , Box 1010 3105 Taylor Ave . Edith, Rawle, Sec'y. 13406 Noel Road, #254 Birmingham, AL 35224 Racine , WI 53405 47 Doncaster Drive Dallas, TX 75240 Northolt , Middlesex ALOHA EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS OHIO VALLEY Betty, De Rosa, Chm . Royal Schweiger, Chm. LOS ANGELES Hubert S . Shearin , Chm. 1645 Ala-Wai Blvd. , #1107 41 Lawndale Road Ralph Beaudry, Chm. 5300 Hamilton Ave ., Apt. 310 Honolulu , HI 96815 Stoneham , MA 02180 12931 Haynes Cincinnati, OH 45224 North Hollywood, CA 91606 Claire Watson , Sec'y . Gerald A. Parsons, Sec'y . Blanche S . Underwood, Sec'y. 1515 Ward Ave ., #1404 32 Catharine Drive Avis Sch mill, Sec'y . 668 Enright Ave. Honolulu , HI 96822 · West Peabody, MA 01960 6130 Ensign Cincinnati, OH 45205 North Hollywood, CA 91606 GARDEN STATE BEEHIVE Peter T. Panos , Chm . OK CITY Wayne V. Russell, Chm . MAGNOLIA 109 McGregor Ave . C. M. Reynolds, Chm . 2579 Commonwealth Ave . Sam M . Feltenstein, Chm . Mt . Arlington , NJ 07856 2628 N .W . 33rd Salt Lake City, UT 841 09 3641 46th St. Oklahoma City, OK 73112 Margery W . Vitakis, Sec 'y . Meridian , MS 39301 Clarence E. Briggs , Sec 'y . 404 Hamilton Ave. James M . Harris, Sec'y. 1608 E. Stratford Ave. Marl C. Cobler, Sec'y. Glen Rock, NJ 07452 5117 W . Richie Salt Lake City , UT 841 06 261717th St. Enid , OK 73701 Meridian, MS 39301 GULF COAST BLUEGRASS Tom Helms, Jr ., Chm . OREGON John Courter, Chm . P.O . Box 19047 MIAMI VALLEY Terry Robson, Chm . C.P .O . 333 Pensacola, FL 32503 Dennis Werkmeister, Chm. 5725 N .E. Rodney Berea, KY 40404 8129 Mile Road Portland, OR 97211 Dorothy Standley, Sec'y . Dayton, OH 45345 Virginia K. Marsh, Sec 'y . 381 Euclid St . Gerry Gregorius, Sec'y. 733 Woodward Lane Pensacola , FL 32503 Lynn Phillips, Sec'y . 1633 N.E. Halsey St . Lexington, KY 40505 7207 Taffy Lane Portland, OR 97232 Dayton , OH 45459 JOLIET AREA CEDAR RAPIDS Robert F. Verduin, Chm . PIEDMONT Douglas A. Wiley, Chm. 7532 Monroe Ave . MOTOR CITY Paul M. Abernethy, Jr., Chm . 4400 Deer View Road N .E. Hammond , IN 46324 David J . Lau, Chm. 1108 Garfield Road Cedar Rapids , IA 52401 839 Brookwood Place Burlington, NC 27215 Willard E. Brier, Sec 'y. Ann Arbor , Ml 48104 Pat Marshall, Sec 'y . Valley High , Rt . #2, Box 41 Risden H . Hill, Sec'y . 3020 Circle Drive N .E. Yorkville, IL 60560 Jo W . Lau, Sec'y . 108 E. Longview St. Cedar Rapids , IA 52402 839 Brookwood Place Chapel Hill, NC 27514 Ann Arbor, Ml 48104 KIWI (New Zealand) CENTRAL FLORIDA John R. Granwal, Chm . PIKES PEAK AREA Charles G. Stanford, Chm. 17a Omahu Road NEW YORK Stan Destefan , Chm . 13401-A Quintin Lane Remuera, Auckland 5 Robert J . Godfrey, Chm. 1110 Pike Drive Tampa, FL 33618 New Zealand 4Avon Place Colorado Springs , CO 80904 Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07675 Winona A. Sullivan, Sec'y . Mollie L. Granwal , Sec'y. Barbara A. Clark, Sec'y . 3932 Eden Roe Circle West 17a Omahu Road Allen W. Rossiter, Sec'y . 1 07 S . Claremont Tampa , FL 33614 Remuera, Aucklan d 5 P.O . Box 1331 Colorado Springs, CO 80910 New Zealand Passaic, NJ 07055 CENTRAL IND/ANA POTOMAC VALLEY Robert Davidson, Chm . LAND O'LAKES NOR-CAL Leland J . Prater , Chm . 1 6 Southway Place Don W . Johnson, Chm . James A . Dunbar, Chm . 7231 Arthur Drive Greenwood, IN 46142 3401 Texas Ave . S . 13686 Old Tree Way Falls Church , VA 22046 St . Louis Park, MN 55426 Saratoga, CA 95070 Barbara J . Atkinson, Sec'y . Richard R. Haight, Sec'y . 1 527 Rogers Road Verna Mae Wilson, Sec 'y . Arthur Woodworth, Sec'y . 1602 Lewis Ave . Indianapolis, IN 46227 1 202 Margaret St . 1000 King Drive Rockville , MD 20851 St . Paul, MN 55106 El Cerrito , CA 94530 CENTRAL OHIO PUGET SOUND Dr . John R. Paisley, Chm . Thelma Barclay, Chm . 146 New Haven Drive 10228 N .E. 24th Urbana, OH 43078 A mailing was made to all chapters on January 15, 1980 re­ Bellevue , WA 98004 Robert Shaw, Sec'y . questing a list of chapter officers for 1980 to use in this Genny Whitting, Sec'y . 59 Parkview Ave . listing. As of March 1, 1980 no replies had been received 1223 N.E . 108th Westerville, OH 43081 from the following chapters; CATOE, Atlanta, Delaware Seattle, WA 98125 Valley, Houston, Land of Lincoln, Mid -America, Missouri CONNECTICUT VALLEY Valley, North Queensland and Tidewater . RED RIVER Norman L. Ray , Chm . David Knudtson , Chm . P.O . Box426 NOTICE: These names and addresses are correct accord­ Box 1878 Seymour, CT 06483 ing to National records. Please inform National Headquarters Fargo , ND 58107 of any errors or changes. Lynn K. Price, Sec'y . Sonia M . Carlson, Sec'y . 143 Hoyt St., Apt . 1-H 910 4th Ave. S Stamford, CT 06905 Fargo, ND 58103

28 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL / MAY 1980 ROCKY MOUNTAIN Ivan F. Duff, Chm . Lillian 6ish At Chicaao Theat.,.e 11171 W. 60th Ave . ATOS Arvada, CO 80004 The American Film Institute will $8 ($7 for Cinema / Chicago and AFI Alice A. Cutshall , Sec'y. E present a celebration of a spectacu­ members) , the upper circle is $5, and 45 S. Zephyr St . Lakewood , CO 80226 lar movie palace and a legendary tickets are available from all Tick­ N star , plus great silent movies with etron outlets in Chicago (call 454- ST. LOUIS live accompaniment by acclaimed 6777 for the nearest outlet). To order Marlin Mackley , Chm . G 617 Fair Oaks organist , Dennis James , at the tickets by mail enclose check or Webster Groves , MO 63119 L mighty Wurlitzer at the Chicago money order and a stamped self­ Betty Tyler , Sec'y . Theatre , on Wednesday, April 23rd , addressed envelope and mail to ''The 11 Roseacre Lane A at 7:30 p.m. Miss Lillian Gish will Best Remaining Seats," Plitt The­ Webster Groves , MO 63119 N appear on stage to discuss her ca­ atres, Inc. , 175 N. State St., Chicago , SAN DIEGO reer , showing clips from some of the IL 60601. Remaining tickets will go E. Coulter Cunningham , Chm . D finest films in which she starred , plus on sale at the Chicago Theatre box 14622 Quail Haven Lane a screening of a new tinted print of El Cajon, CA 92021 office at 9 a.m. on the day of per­ 1980 D. W. Griffith's Broken Blossoms. formance. For further ticket infor­ Daphne J . Hoskins , Sec'y . 747 Van Nuys St . The orchestra and front circle are mation, call (312) 782-6506. □ San Diego, CA 92109

SIERRA SOUTHEAST TEXAS SOUTH FLORIDA TOLEDO WESTERN RESERVE James C. Hodges , Chm . Floyd T . Broussard , Chm . Hal Stanton , Chm . Arthur Howard , Chm . Ernest Racic , Chm . 5632 McAdoo Ave . No . 1, C ircle E 2352 N .E. 9th St ., B-3 2936 ½ LaGrange St . 6579 Hathaway Road Sacramento , CA 95819 Orange , TX 77630 Ft . Lauderdale , FL 33304 Toledo , OH 43608 Cleveland, OH 44125 Betty Wilm under , Sec'y . Ruth Lindholm, Sec 'y. Ed Pannebaker, Sec 'y . Ann Moxley , Sec 'y . Carl J . Jenny , Sec'y . P.O . Box491 Rt . #2, Box 315 3980 S .W . 4th St. 111 Sunset Blvd . 1333 W . 61 st St . Carmichael, CA 95608 Silsbee , TX 77656 Miami , FL 33134 Toldeo , OH 43612 Cleveland , OH 441 02

SOONER STATE SOUTHERN ARIZONA SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND VALLEY OF THE SUN WOLVERINE Dorothy Smith , Chm . Raymond Chase , Chm . Norman Lax , Chm . Charles H . Creighton, Chm. Edward Corey , Chm . 5439 S . Boston 2509 N . Indian Ridge Road Car . Ham Road & Ray t or St . 4649 N . 40th St . 1311 N . Genesee Driv e Tulsa , OK 74105 Tucson , AZ 85715 Mansfield , Br isban e, Aus t ral ia Phoen ix, AZ 85018 Lansing , Ml 48915 Betty Weddle , Sec 'y . Pat Chase , Sec'y . Mr s. Lyn Fe dri c k, Sec 'y . Kathryn A Jones , Sec 'y . Tom Remington , Sec 'y . 3513 S . Indianapolis 2509 N. Indian Ridge Road 29 Parinar i St . 3101 W . Lisbon Lane 1311 N . Genesee Dr ive Tulsa, OK 74135 Tucson , AZ 85715 Alg este r, B risba n e, Au st ralia Phoen ix, AZ 85023 Lansing , Ml 48915

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APRIL / MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 29 for the purchase from Wurlitzer of a "celestial organ," a sort of theatrical •ex P8PI Echo Division. This section, aug­ menting the Main Organ of 60ranks, contains eight sets: Tibia, Quinta­ dena, Viol d'Orchestre, Viole Ce­ leste, Vox Humana, Kinura, Saxo­ phone and Tuba, all with trems. On January 13th, J. Melvin Butler, director of music at the church, played a concert on the organ. The well chosen numbers, which showed off the "celestial organ" to good ad­ vantage, included "Finlandia," selections from Sound of Music , "Maple Leaf Rag," and "Stars & JACKSKELLY Stripes Forever." The sound, en­ AT THEORG.AN Conducted , by Stu Green hanced by a barrel-vault ceiling, The big good-time sounds for fills the auditorium. In a couple of sl~oting. every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday evening , and the first years, a 3-manual tracker will re­ 2 sessions on Sunday afternoons . Readers are encouraged to submit in­ place the 60-ranker , but the Wur­ Main Rini~ only . teresting sidelights on the organ hob­ litzer section will be retained for use by ( exclusive of chapter news items} material they believe will be of general on special occasions. Check up one interest about local organ activities for our side, even if the Wurli ranks at the organ "attacking" the beast. and installations and the people who go tracker. "The organist is certainly not that work at the hobby. We know "there's wild," says Jack. He should know. VOX POPS in them there chapters" and it only requires a 10¢ postcard to get it to VOX POPS Editor, Box 3564, Remember when theatres popu­ Granada Hills, California 91344. If the contributor can afford a 15¢ stamp, larized their organists with bill­ Did you know that ATOS has a please include a contrasty black and boards, or in large newspaper ads, member in Norway, a land without white photo which need not be re­ e.g., "Eddie Horton at the snortin' theatre organs? Wilfred Hesteland, turned. Morton?" That sort of thing has dis­ of Bergen , has a question: is there an appeared but in Westchester, N. Y., organist named Granger Keyes? the Playland Ice Casino ran a full­ Wilfred has a recording labelled page display recently, with the boast The Grand Organ, Majestic Melo­ When Ray and Norma Hoeppel "Now You Can Do Almost Any­ dies; label is Manhattan MAN 546, stage a musicale in their Ojai, Cali­ thing On Our Ice!" In a prominent Hi-Fi Supertone (TRF 287). He has fornia, home, they do it right. Ray spot was a caricature of Jack Skelly been trying to pinpoint the artist and has a much-doctored Allen organ in his parlor studio and he enjoys (a) adding voices to it, (b) hearing it played by legendary organists. His New Year's bash included such lumi­ naries as Inna Glen, Del Castillo, Ario Hults, Ann Leaf, and Milton Charles. All did stints at Ray's much altered Allen and it was a matter of skilled organists playing for skilled organists, no holds barred. Results were electric. One non-luminary, Stu Green, in deference to the impressive array of talent, limited his key thump­ ing to a very non-military version of "chow call" to announce eats.

~ When Tom Grierson was organist at Rochester's Strand Theatre in the early twenties, he also doubled at the Brick Presbyterian Church (now Downtown United Presbyterian) on Sundays. He enticed a wealthy par­ Ray Hoeppel's distinguished guests whoop it up on New Year's Eve. Shown are veteran organists Irma Glen, Del ishoner into giving a substantial sum Castillo, Ann Leaf and Milton Charles. (Raypic)

30 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL / MAY 1980 instrument since 1963. represented both principals in the Pseudonymes are not uncommon transaction. among recording organists, either Wright commented, "Because of voluntarily to evade contract restric­ their scarcity, I had hardly counted tions or assigned, as in the case of on a rank such as this for my new piracy. We recall old 78's played by studio installation. I was particularly "Franklyn Ferris" and "Carol Wynne" elated to acquire this set because it (both were Emil Valazco) and more came from the Wurlitzer organ of recently LP's by "Montabla" (Bob the Golden Gate Theatre in San Hunter) playing a Wurlitzer theatre Francisco, a really superior organ organ in Nice, France (actually the with beautiful voicing. This trumpet Whitney studio WurliMorton in is one of the best I ever heard and I Glendale, California), "Kenneth remember it well from my lessons Lane" (Hi, Ashley!), "Eric Silver" with Floyd Wright on that organ in (often Buddy Cole), and "Guy Me­ my high school days. Too bad it David Peckham. He practiceson a very specialcon­ lindy" (Hi, George!). In the past, sole. was broken up and ruined. discographers have managed to "A further favorable aspect which identify those using an alias. How "Most of my practicing is done clinched my decision was the physi­ about Granger Keyes? on the former Syracuse Harvard cal condition of the pipes. With the theatre console now installed in my exception of one tiny dent, they are ~ home." in A-1 condition, having been pro­ Take one theatre organ, add three Memories! It was the Harvard's fessionally packed and stored." veteran accompanists of silent films, style B Wurlitzer your Vox Popper Wright added that this deluxe mix in generous portions of news­ broke in on in 1927. acquisition completes his inventory reels and comedies, and stir well of pipes. End of release. before 841 devotees of entertain­ What wasn't stated was that the ment as it once was and you have set of Trumpet pipes got a checkup the recipe for a Silent Film Festival. A J. R. Nelson release reveals that by famed Hope-Jones voicer James This was the bill of fare during Janu­ George Wright gave himself a "be­ H. Nuttall when he overhauled the ary when the Rochester Theater Or­ lated Christmas present" when he 3/13 Wurlitzer in the late '30s or gan Society presented a weekend purchased a 1929 vintage rank of early '40s. The only recording we re­ series at Eisenhart Auditorium. Wurlitzer brass trumpets from pri­ call played on the Golden Gate or­ Production supervisor was Ken Ven­ vate collector George R. Burns of gan was made by Larry V annucci 18 eron, and doing the honors at the Reno, Nevada. John R. Nelson, years ago. 3/8 Wurlitzer were area organists Wright's concert booking agent, The console shell, ordered from Dean Robinson, Doc Bebko and Irv Toner. Two shows an evening were presented, and the patrons were regaled with organ-accompanied newsreels of the twenties, episodes of Perils of Pauline, Hazzards of Helen, and the antics of Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chase, Will Rogers and Buster Keaton. Judging from the response, more of this type of pro­ gram will be scheduled.

~ From Hope-Jonesville (all right, Elmira), New York, David Peckham writes to inform us that the big Marr & Colton in the Clemens Center is getting plenty of exposure with re­ cent concerts by Gaylord Carter, Ron Rhode, Don Thompson and, yes, Virgil Fox (Virgil Fox at the M&C; there's an act). Coming are Lyn Larsen and, in June, David Peckham. Dave is studying classical organ at Eastman with David Craighead. One line of his letter turned us green Organfan Louise Harrison, of Laguna Hills, Cal., examines the wooden shell which will one day control George with envy: Wright's planned studio organ, after Bob Trousdale transforms it into a console. (Stufoto)

APRIL/ MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 31 Devtronix by Wright, has been de­ well aware of Ron Rhode's nation­ livered to the Bob Trousdale studio wide organ concerts when he isn 't in Santa Ana, California with man­ playing for pizza enthusiasts at the uals installed. It will be fitted with La Mesa (Arizona) "Organ Stop. " the sophisticated electronic switch­ But recently Ron 's younger brother, ing system developed by Trousdale Chuck, joined the act as a vocalist. to replace all mechanical unifica­ At this writing the brother act has tion and coupler switches as well as played the South Hills Theatre in relays. The miniaturized switching Pittsburgh and the Thomaston Opera board will occupy a small area within House, the latter for the ConVal­ the console. George will do his own Chaps. console decorating and finishing. Tenor Chuck offered such varied fare as "Battle Hymn of the Repub­ lic" and Victor Herbert's "Toyland" while Ron soloed with such thrillers as E. T. Paul's "Ben Hur Chariot Race." Writing in the local press next day, reporter Jean Reid stated, "The results were great." David Reese. No one snoozed .

the California-based organist had Horrible rumors continue to come toes tapping throughout the two­ in about the fate of the 4/23 Wonder hour program. Marches and other Morton removed from Brooklyn lively music , interspersed with a King's Theatre for installation in few ballads , plus Dave's constant New York's Town Hall a few years humor , all combined to produce a back. The Hall went bankrupt and standing ovation at the end. This the organ reverted to the sponsors, was his first eastern tour. New York University. The school put it in storage. So far, so good. Now comes the unbelievable sequel. Mrs. Dolph Gobel, widow of the The storage space had to be relin­ well-known New York organist, quished and a much smaller storage says that her friend, Lenore Feibel is area was leased. According to usually still working for the Riverside Com­ Bob Balfour. His little Wurli doesn't cough any­ reliable sources, the organ parts more. (Bill Lamb Photo) munity Theatre in Vero Beach , were "fitted " into the new space by Florida , where she and her late hus­ Bob Balfour reports that the "big­ cutting the larger pieces (e.g., bass band, Fred , were "angels." She also gest little Wurlitzer," the 2/7 divided pipes , chests, etc.) into more man­ helped to over-subscribe the Scholar­ organ in the Rahway Theatre, Rah­ ageable sizes. One source insists ship Trust Fund at the Indian River way, New Jersey, has suffered its the console was chainsawed into Community College, which was en­ last gasp. No, it's not being removed, seven pieces. If true, one wonders riched by donations from near and but improved. Until recently the why they went to the trouble to re­ far and from Fred Feibel Memorial little Wurli had gone through life duce a fine instrument to junk, es­ Concerts. with insufficient lung power. The 3 pecially when it had commercial hp blower which came with it could value. For example, the Landmarks supply a 2/7 all in one chamber with group which is restoring Syracuse plenty of thrust, but this is a two­ Loew's was interested , needing an Clarence Briggs reports that Tues­ chamber affair and there never was organ to replace the 4/20 Wurlitzer day, January 15, 1980, was another enough reserve to sustain full organ removed from Loew's by the late sad occasion for the theatre organ passages without the regulators chat­ broker Doug Erdman some years buffs in Utah. It marked the final tering. ago. night for the Provo Pipes & Pizza It's all okay now; the 3 hp blower We hope this alleged destruction Restaurant. As the Salt Lake Pipes has been replaced with a 5 hp job. of a fine instrument turns out to be a and Pizza closed its doors last June rumor, but we'd like to know the 23rd, it marks the end of an era in truth. Utah. Mike Ohman and John Ledwon Time was when whole families from L.A. spent two January days in were devoted to taking part in a In what many praised as the best Ogden, Utah. On Tuesday, January vaudeville act , as evidenced by the of the RTOS 1979-80 season so far, 22nd , members of the Beehive Chap­ George M. Cohan and Eddie Foy David Reese captivated 1039 at­ ter Capitol Theatre Organ restora­ families. A remnant of the trend tendees at the Rochester Auditorium tion crew , Gene Breinholt, Clare lives today in "The Rhode Brothers, Theatre on January 11th. No one Briggs , Paul Hansen and John Wood­ Ron and Chuck." Of course we are went to sleep during this program , as mansee assisted Mike, John and

32 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL / MAY 1980 Doug Eddington in removing a 6- Theatre Organ Club of Roswell is rank Wurlitzer organ from the Og­ handling distribution. den 4th Latter Day Saints Ward "It's a most unusual instrument," where it had been in continuous use says Rex. since 1938. Prior to that time it was installed in the Ogden Theatre, Og­ den, Utah, approximately 1922 and Jack Skelly sends us the good news then removed to the White City Ball­ that the interior of the 2673-seat room for a few years before finding a Beacon Theatre on upper Broadway, home in the church. It will now be has been designated as a New York replaced with a 14-rank Wicks. City landmark by the city's Land­ The two restaurant Wurlitzers mark Preservation Commission. The have since been disposed of. body declared that "the dramatic effects of rich ornamental details, including ceiling and wall murals, friezes and sculptures," was expres­ About the time this issue reaches sive of the film business of the late ATOSers, Rex Koury will have re­ 1920's. The theatre for some time leased his latest album. Rex seeks has been used as a performing arts out a variety of organs to record, center, and recently Lee Erwin pre­ e.g., Death Valley Scotty's Welte, sented his "Silent Clowns" show, the 2/7 Wurli in the Rahway (New utilizing the 4/19 Wurlitzer. Jersey) Theatre, the 4/25 Wurli in El Segundo's (Calif.) Old Town Mu­ sic Hall and the 4/3 7 "Dowager Empress" in Wichita's Century II The story of the Eastman Theatre Civic Auditorium. Organ in the October 1979 issue For several years Rex has played brought warm memories to Howard concerts on the 3/14 Hillgreen-Lane and Jan Reagan of Potomac, Mary­ organ in Pierson Auditorium, part of land. Former residents of Rochester, the couple remember hearing the the New Mexico Institute at Roswell. John DeMello. He is fondly remembered. It occurred to Rex that Hillgreen­ 155-rank organ several times. Lane organs are something of a rar­ "The most interesting occasions the Waikiki Theatre to hear Frank ity and that this may be the only one were when Bob Berentson had to Loney do his regular intermissions. now playing in a public auditorium play light classics for the Civic Music We had a nice visit, and I also spent in the U.S.A. He felt that there Association's annual fund drive an evening with Roger Angell and should be an audible record of this dinners. Jan and I, on separate occa­ his wife, whom I have known for brand of instrument. which has both sions, sat on the bench with Bob. several years. Roger had installed a theatrical and concert voices. The The console was at the bottom of the pipe organ in his parents' home pit, amid odors of the lift grease; the before he married. orchestra lift at stage level for the "I also attended one of the Sunday catered dinner, served on the ex­ morning ATOS social hours, and tended stage. The clatter of count­ played the Hawaii Theatre's 4/16 less feet, noise of scraping chairs and Robert Morton in downtown Hono­ tinkle of silverware were most dis­ lulu. This chapter is most fortunate concerting, and hearing the organ to have a large club room in the the­ was a lo-ti experience. Bob had to atre which they can use even when play softly enough so as not to drown the theatre is operating. A Ham­ the chit-chat of the diners, yet loud mond reposes in the room. The en­ enough to hear it way down in the thusiasts meet nearly every Sunday pit. His thorough familiarity with and enjoy the Robert Morton before the beast was vital." the house opens at noon."

~ Dr. John Landon reports on a re­ From Salt Lake City visitor Doc cent trip to Hawaii, his second to the Bebko writes: "Heard organist Rob­ mid-Pacific paradise. Theatre organ ert Cundick and Roy Darly at the activity is still very much alive in Mormon Tabernacle Aeolian-Skin­ America's 50th state. ner. It's a superb instrument. On "The first time I went, I spent Christmas Eve we were at St. Mark's considerable time with the late John Episcopal Cathedral where I found a DeMello, a gentle, kindly person new Holtkamp interesting with its who played the organ with a quiet, strings and brass. But the piece-de­ Rex Koury at the Hillgreen-Lane organ he recorded . The brand is rare. melodious style. This time, I went to resistance was when Larry Bray al-

APRIL / MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 33 lowed me to play his five-manual in a three-week crash course in mod­ Wurlitzer for two hours at the Organ ern harmony with organist Gordon Loft nitery. This instrument has Kibbee. Gordon rated her as an apt luscious tones; rich pedal sounds, student. Then there was that 5-deck, although not overwhelming; the 65-rank monster at the Wurlitzer brass is strident but not harsh; and HQ. Joyce returned to England with it has the largest Chinese Gong east stars in her pipe-happy eyes. of Shanghai. If I could only have this instrument when I cue a silent ~ film! Everything works and is in Philadelphia organist Shirley tune, a credit to owner Larry Bray. Hannum is considering renting her rainmaking abilities to southern California. Each time she gets booked To those "moderns" who insist for a concert in Los Angeles, it rains that the stylings of such veterans as heavily in the usually arid area. Her Jesse Crawford are of little interest first concert for the LA Chapter in nowadays, Terry Charles, curator of the early '70s ended a long drought the 4/23 theatre organ in the Kirk of Lee Erwin.500 shows in a year! (Stufoto) with a week of steady rain, during Dunedin, Dunedin, Florida, has an which Shirley visited a soggy Disney­ answer. On January 10th, 11th and several "rediscovered" Harold Lloyd land. 12th, Terry played his 2½-hour Trib­ shorts, some dating back to the Her recent concert in LA was ac­ ute to Jesse Crawford to packed comedian's "Lonesome Luke" days companied by a 10-day downpour houses. before he donned the horn rims. which cleared just before concert During 1979, Lee presented 500 time, but only briefly. This time the ~ showings within 365 days in eight rain picked up after Shirley left for Lee Erwin reports that the late cities. Any hobbies, Lee? home and many Californians are Ben Hall's "Little Mother" style 150 neck deep in primordial goo. Turn Wurlitzer (1930 vintage) has grown it off, Shirley! to a 2/9 in its present home, New York's Carnegie Hall Cinema. Ranks During February, there was a ~ are Flute, String, Tibia, Style D distinguished pipe organ enthusiast From north of the border, Jim Trumpet, Vox Humana, French from Great Britain in our midst. Lahay informs us that the 6th anni­ Horn, Clarinet, Solo String (down to Back in her Hyde, Cheshire studio versary concert of the Toronto The­ 16' pedal) and a Robert Morton (above her husband, David's music atre Organ Society on February 18th French Trumpet. Organbuilder Don store) Joyce Alldred enjoys a 10-rank included a tribute to the late Kath­ Schwing plans to add a Horn Dia­ playing Compton organ. On week­ leen Stokes, known to the club as pason, Oboe and two strings to com­ ends Joyce plays intermissions on the "our beloved sweetheart of the Cana­ plete the ensemble. Compton pipe organ in the Daven­ dian theatre organ," who departed As for Lee's Kings of Comedy port Theatre in nearby Stockport. for that great solo chamber in the shows, he says Buster Keaton's mov­ Why did she visit the U.S.A. at this sky last December at the age of 85. ies are the most popular, with the time? Partly to visit the Wurlitzer Kathleen rarely missed a Society rarely seen Harry Langdon come­ factory (her husband sells that brand concert, and was honored by ATOS' dies a close second. And he includes of electronic), but mainly to indulge Hall of Fame membership. The fea­ tured organist, Dennis James, played a 15-minute musical tribute to Kath­ leen.

From Connecticut, organist Tom Gnaster tells us that he's been spic­ ing his organ concerts with inter­ ludes on piano when the hall he's playing in has a suitable instrument. He likes those big nine-foot Stein­ ways but has found several with black keys with straight sides rather than beveled, and the black keys thus seem taller. This can become problematic while playing such dis­ play pieces as the Schulz-Evler "Con­ cert Arabesques on the Beautiful Blue Danube," which is Strauss Visitor Joyce Alldred. She went home with stars in her eyes - plus a load of advanced harmony . plus intricate ornamentation, or

34 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL / MAY 1980 in for May 2nd through the 26th; Manhattan Showboat will play from June 6th to September 14th. The Christmas Show will return on Thanksgiving Day, November 27th. The 4/58 Wurlitzer is heard during all performances, played by Tim Stella and David Messineo, using both consoles.

Paul Haggard, OKC Chapter, re­ Tom Gnaster. His fingers sometimesitch for the 88. ports that the 4/15 Kilgen installed in the Oklahoma City's Civic Center about 8,000 notes in just over 8 min­ Music Hall is getting plenty of ex­ utes. posure to the public. He recalled Do organ-oriented audiences like that the late U.S. Senator Robert S. the piano interludes? Apparently Kerr had donated generously toward they do; Tom Gnaster let his audi­ the restoration of the Kilgen which ence decide which instrument he had gone to seed since being moved should play on for the encore during to the Center from a local TV sta­ a recent concert for the Keyboard tion's studios. Concert Club at Laguna Hills, Cali­ It was in fine shape for the 1979 fornia. The show of hands was for Christmas party of the Kerr-McGee NEW the piano and Tom complied, despite Corporation when 3000 employees GADGET those protruding, straight-sided crowded into the auditorium to hear black keys, and not one "clam" radio commentator Paul Harvey and FOR resulted. the Christy Minstrels. The crowd had been "softened" by an hour of ORGANISTS organ music played by talented chap­ Pianists, organists and other in­ ter member Dorothy Hamilton. The strumentalists have long been program closed with an engaging The Radio City Music Hall con­ plagued by the problem of music "White Christmas" with participants tinues to function successfully with albums that won't stay open to the being "snowed on" via the magic of top-notch stage entertainment. Fol­ wanted pages. To try and overcome stage manager Richard Charnay, lowing the return of Snow White and this, it has been customary to who is interested in the ATOS organ the Seven Dwarfs by popular de­ "crack" the spine of the album or concerts presented there, according mand, from January 11th to March bend the pages backwards, resulting to Haggard. 13th, the Easter Show with the Vien­ in damaged books. Yet, in spite of Getting a stage manager on one's na Boys Choir took over on March such drastic measures, pages would side is a mighty advantage. 0 18th. The Rockettes' Spectacular is still insist on flopping back. Presto-HOLD solves the problem. paper booklet, combined from two It holds any music album flat at any original catalogues, one dated 1938. page, no matter how thick the album Churches, municipal auditoria and or how stiff the binding, without BOOKRf Vlf W educational institutions were ad­ mistreating the binding. The vertising targets. beautifully finished walnut base by Lloyd E. Klos There are topics on building a mounts on the music rack of any Kimball pipe organ: console, wind piano or organ with pressure sen­ KIMBALL ORGANS, FROM A supply, action, controls, wiring, sitive tape provided. No tools are TECHNICAL STANDPOINT. Text magnets, pneumatics, pipes, voicing, needed. The notes on the pages are plus 69 photos, numerous sketches testing and purchasing. There is clearly visible through the clear Plex­ and drawings, 70 pages. V estalPress, also a page of endorsements by some iglass spring-activated holder when it Box 97, Vestal, N.Y. 13850. Price: of the country's foremost classical is in vertical position. $6.95 plus 50 cents for shipping. organists of that time. When a new page is wanted, the (New York state residents must add We regret that reference to Kim­ holder is flipped down and back up 7% for New York state sales tax.) ball theatre organs is nonexistent; to vertical after turning the page. the firm was out of that business by The price of Presto-HOLD is THEATRE ORGAN readers are the late thirties. The publication can, $15.95 postpaid, from HGR Co., familiar with the excellent reproduc­ however, offer an education to those Division of Gibson Holders, Inc., tions which Harvey Roehl' s presses whose knowledge is minimal con­ 529 South 7th Street, Minneapolis, have produced through the years. cerning the building of a pipe organ, Minnesota 55415, or see your local His latest is an 8½" x 11" slick- classical or otherwise. 0 music dealer. □

APRIL / MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 35 I

I THE ACOUSTICAL CONSULTANT tho letters Fundamental Properties of Reeds to 1ihe by R. J. Weisenberger editors A reed is basically an air driven rough idea of some of the reasons relaxation oscillator, producing a why certain reeds have their char­ Letters to the Editor con­ fundamental tone plus a high degree acteristic tonalities. cerning all aspectsof the of harmonic development of both Variations in construction of the theatreorgan hobby are en­ even and odd harmonics. The basic tongu e and shallot will have effects couraged.Send them to the waveform at the reed is roughly a primarily on the operating pressure, editor concerned.Unless it's sawtooth wave of low to moderate frequency, efficiency, and the de­ stated clearlyon the letter intensity before it reaches the reso­ velopment of the highest order har­ "not for publication,"the ed­ nator. monics. itors feel free to reproduce The resonator can take on many There is still a lot of room for ad­ it, in wholeor part. forms to produce the desired effect ditional acoustical research along on this basic waveform by presenting these lines, the variables being al­ Address: an almost infinite variety of acousti­ most endless. GeorgeThompson cal loads at various bandwidths to My next article will look briefly at Editor the reed, and greatly contributing to the art of voicing, and the less pre­ P.O.Box 1314 overall efficiency. dictable aspects of pipes. Salinas,Calif. 93902 In general, when speaking of horn type resonators such as those used in Definitions: tubas, trumpets, etc., the strength of Mouth - The speaking end of a Dear Editor: the fundamental is largely deter­ resonator (bell). First of all, I'd like to add to the mined by the length of the horn and Th roat - The end of a resonator accolades your roommate has been the diameter at the mouth. Large connected to the reed block. receiving upon her retirement as mouth horns produce stronger fun­ I sincerely hope that my research membership/circulation manager; damentals than horns having small into organ pipe acoustics has already how fitting the lines that start with mouths. (Note the difference be­ been of help to those involved in the "Well done, good and faithful ser­ tween a tuba and a post horn.) The build ing and restoration of pipe or­ vant" . . . . When she took on the fundamental is strongest in any reso­ gans, and that it may create a re­ job, Vi must have looked at the rec­ nator when the length is tuned to newed interest and increase the de­ ords of her predecessors and the pitch of the reed. sire for greater knowledge in this thought, "What am I doing follow­ The most critical factors to har­ long neglected art. ing acts like those?" Well, Vi did a monic development in horns are I will be glad to answer any tech­ fantastic job, and we are all grateful their throat diameter and the rate of nical questions concerning the ma­ to her. flare. terial covered in my past six articles. My Chief Wife, Jan, and I have Horns with small throat diameters I also hope that my research will enjoyed the articles by Stu Green on followed by rapid rates of flare have create an interest in the pipe organ Hector Olivera, and were especially the most harmonic development. by others in acoustically related thrilled to read about and see pic­ This explains the prominence of high fields to continue further research tures of his earliest days. Our first order harmonics in stops such as along these lines, so that future ATOS Convention was the one in the post horn or brass trumpet. builders of pipe organs will no longer 1972 when Ray Brubacher "un­ Resonators other than horns, such be limited to a purely historical veiled" the Fantastic One, and we as the type used on the vox humana knowledge of their art, but to an up­ have followed his career with great are not even tuned to the funda­ to-date and ever expanding scientific interest ever since. mental frequency of the reed at all, knowledge. As always, Lloyd Klos has done a but to a harmonic itself. The mouth, One of our main goals as ATOS "bang-up" job with his article on the being restricted, makes the resonator members is to promote a greater Eastman Theatre Austin and its behave as a bandpass filter, to imi­ understanding of the pipe organ. We main honcho, Bob Berentsen. Bob tate tonal qualities of the human can do this and more by helping to and his wife, Ruth ("Pinky"), were voice, from which this stop derives shed some light on the shadows of very dear friends of ours. Jan and I its name. the past with the aid of today's tech­ both took voice lessons from Bob, This does not begin to describe nology. As history has been our link and Jan took a few organ lessons the complexity actually involved in with the past, science will be our from him; and, of course, he played the design of reed stops, but gives a hope in the future. D for our wedding.

36 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL/ MAY 1980 It's really too bad that the organ Knightsbridge shopping, and the was positioned so poorly, for it might famous debaters at Hyde Park Cor­ still be in the Eastman and in play­ ner. Each room has a refrigerator able condition today were it better and warming oven for snacks, and located. Anyway, thanks, again, to there are handy stores at Gloucester Lloyd for his research and literary Road tube station (around the cor­ efforts. ner) where one can buy anything Sincerely, reasonably from breakfast fodder to Howard Reagan a quick meal. Food service at the Potomac, MD Penta I've found to be fast, good, Dear Sir: and the prices are not outrageous; In the Pacific Northwest the Puget on a par, I'd say, with your local Sound Chapter extends into Van­ Holiday Inn back home. couver, B.C., Canada. As Canadians By this time forty or so members we travel to Seattle, Washington, to had crowded into the Rawle music meetings and concerts, a matter of room to hear a concert by Len Rawle 300 miles. We would like to express on dad's Wurlitzer. After breathless to the parent body of ATOS our apologies for not having time to pre­ thanks for the warm wonderful feel­ pare (it had been a big day at Yama­ ing extended to the Canadians by ha!) Len was soon very much at the executives and members of Puget home and having a ball. Just before Sound Chapter when we attend intermission he turned over the four meetings. manuals to Stephen Vincent, the re­ It is gratifying to see the effort put cent winner of the young organist forth in keeping the old theatre or­ discovered that there was to be a award. I talked with the lad and his gans alive. We feel that with people regular theatre organ meeting two teacher, John Norris, later that eve­ of the Puget Sound Chapter calibre days later at Wurlitzer Lodge, the ning and found that Stephen hadn't we can only go ahead. With people home of Les and Edith Rawle. "turned on" to theatre pipes until of the pizza parlours behind us, the Would they mind if I ... but the he heard some of the Americans dur­ public can get a chance to hear and ever-gracious Edith made it quite ing the '76 Safari. Before this parti­ see the majestic sound and quality in clear over the phone that they'd be cular concert he had never even the old theatre pipe organs. delighted to have a pre-Convention heard Len Rawle play. That's ironic We in Vancouver would appreci­ visit. Father Kerr met me at the because Len is perhaps the most ate a place in your magazine to Northolt station, and a few minutes "American" of the fine British the­ thank our American neighbours for later I was ushered into the Rawle atre organists. the wonderful feeling between Cana­ kitchen where Edith and her helpers After intermission Len played re­ dians and American ATOS mem­ were preparing refreshments for quests until it was time to watch bers. later in the evening. Douglas Reeve on the te11y from Members, Fortunately there was time to chat Brighton. The excellent BBC docu­ Bert and Doris Miller for a few minutes about the Conven­ mentary was marred only by a power Vancouver, B.C. tion plans. Yes, all of the featured failure which lasted just long enough organists would be British (or at least to break out the candles. After a Dear George: non-Americans). I agreed with Les most satisfying concert, Len insisted Although London (the ATOS Con­ and Edith that Americans should that I hear how much better dad's vention City) is my favorite big city have a chance to hear what they Wurlitzer sounded when the music on this old planet for vacations, I couldn't hear back home. The roster room was empty - so of course I had forgotten until recently just how of featured organists was most im­ missed the last train back to my hospitable English folks can be. pressive. Even more exciting were hotel. It was well worth it! It all started one day in January the locations of many concerts. The When Len and Judith suggested when I ducked into the British Sci­ library at Blenheim Palace has to be that I must hear their Wurlitzer the ence Museum to warm up after a the most beautiful setting in the next evening, I gladly cancelled West morning of juggling camera gear world for an organ concert. There End theatre plans and skipped din­ around the Albert Memorial in were rumors that Harrow would be ner to make the long trek by tube out breezy Hyde Park. The Museum open to the public for the first time to Rickmansworth, arriving just in guard who checked my gear sug­ in history - and for an ATOS con­ time to witness a demonstration of a gested that I was just in time for the cert! new experimental electronic. All was current Music Box demonstration. Edith asked if I thought Ameri­ very top secret and hush-hush, but I Why not? But myinterestinthefabu­ cans would be comfortable at the can say that some Japanese techni­ lous music boxes soon shifted to the London Penta Hotel. Of the very cians had obviously been listening knowledgeable and most articulate large London hotels, the Penta was carefully to some of Len's Wurlitzer guide. The face was familiar. When certainly the best choice. The loca­ pipes with incredible results. the demonstration ended I found tion is ideal for those who may want What can one say about the Len that he was indeed an acquaintance to wander off on their own for a few Rawle Wurlitzer that hasn't already from the '76 Organ Safari. I also hours, handy to the museums, been said? For me it has the most

APRIL/ MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 37 beautifully balanced percussions on any Wurlitzer installation anywhere. If the Rawle living room lacks reverb - and it does - Len has balanced ranks so skillfully that the full organ sound is richly satisfying without any painful hoots or shrieks. Having heard Len play both Rawle Wurlitz­ ers I can only say that each has its unique beauty and integrity, and eHAPTERNOTE~ both are far and away the best home installations I've ever heard. When you go to the Convention in London try to hear at least one of them if you possibly can. I returned to the States convinced Whitmire and Linda Whitmire was that the London ATOS Convention Let us know what's featured. It was an informal meeting would be the event of a lifetime. It happening in YOUR Chapter/ that most thought was the best in will be well worth the little extra ef­ Send Photos and News to: some time. fort on our part. As the year 1980 progresses, mem­ GEORGE THOMPSON Cordially, P.O . BOX 1314 bers are looking forward with great Walter J. Beau pre SALINAS . CALIFORNIA 93902 anticipation to the upcoming spring Kingston, RI concert in April, which will present Deadlines Walt Strony to the people of Ala­ Jan . 1st . for Feb ./ Mar . bama for the first time. Walt has Gentlemen: Mar.1st . for Apr ./ May said he likes to use the pizzicato for In regard to the erroneous infor­ May 1st . for June / July mation printed in the Dairyland July 1st . for Aug ./ Sept . special effects and the crew is dili­ Chapter News in the Dec./Jan. THE­ Sept . 1st . for Oct ./ Nov . gently working to have it in opera­ ATRE ORGAN concerning the Nov . 1st . for Dec ./ Jan . tion before the April concert. This Kimball Theatre Organ Society (of will be the first time the unit has Milwaukee), we would like to set the worked since before 1968. record straight. Aside from the normal mainte­ ALABAMA The Centre (formerly Warner) nance work on "Big Bertha," the Kimball in question is a 3-manual, After a long lapse in reporting, the crew has made several trips to the 28-rank instrument being restored to correspondent is back in business. home of member George Ferguson original condition by a team of dedi­ Last year was one of our best years to assist in the completion of his pipe cated and capable buffs, both pro­ yet, as far as concerts, group activi­ installation. A few more trips and fessional and nonprofessional, for ties and membership are concerned. the organ will be in full operation. eventual installation in the Oriental The Dennis James concert in April The chapter's Slide Spectacular, Landmark Theatre of Milwaukee, and the Tom Helms concert in Octo­ telling about the Alabama Theatre, which originally housed a 3-manual ber were both great successes, par­ the Wurlitzer and the activities of Barton. The Kimball, when install­ ticularly because more and more the chapter, is still in great demand. ed, will be enlarged by two ranks and people are now taking a greater Last month it was presented to the a 32' pedal extension. Also, a new interest in the Alabama Theatre and Teachers' Association and this solid-state relay wi11 be included in its beautiful Wurlitzer organ. month will be presented to the Re­ the rework for expanded versatility. The chapter met at the Alabama tired Teachers' Association. The The Kimba11 Theatre Organ Soci­ Theatre on January 13th to hear program is being revised somewhat ety is an independent organization chapter member Dr. Cecil Prescott this year to bring it up to date and to and has no affiliation with the Dairy­ at "Big Bertha." To make his pro­ replace some of the slides that have land Chapter of ATOS, although gram even more delightful, his daugh­ become worn from much use. The there are several Dairylanders work­ ter, Cecilia, brought her trumpet and chapter is proud of its slide presenta­ ing with us on this project. joined him in several selections. The tion and is always delighted when When the Kimball is complete, combination of organ and trumpet asked to present it. It has proved to we should be happy to provide a full was quite a treat for those who had be the best way to keep the chapter, account to THEATRE ORGAN of never heard Dr. Prescott play before. the beautiful Alabama Theatre and its rebuilding and reinstallation. On February 10th, members the Wurlitzer in the public eye. It An original organ of this magnitude braved a very cold and icy morning works! should hopefully make an outstand­ to enjoy the music of "Big Bertha" CECIL WHITMIRE ing addition to the present concert once again. As has been a custom for circuit. several years, February is open con­ ALOHA Sincerely, sole. The nimble-fingered artistry of The roof has not caved in on the J. Clark Wilson, talented members JoAnn Radue, Aloha Chapter, but for a while mem­ Vice-President KTOS Beatrice Fee, Sam Troutman, Jr. and bers thought it might. Brown Deer, WI D Sr., Bob Rabin, Chris Radue, Cecil Heavy rains and a deteriorating

38 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL/ MAY 1980 roof on the old Hawaii Theatre in new roof, loose plaster has been re­ organ was not available, members Honolulu, which is approaching 60 moved and the structure is safe for were treated to performances re­ years of age and which houses one of patrons once more . In the meantime, corded on several organs in the area, the two remaining theatre pipe or­ chapter members have been busy accompanying several silent come­ gans in Hawaii, caused leaks and maintaining the organ and releather ­ dies. large chunks of plaster started falling ing all the pouch rails. David Reese , JoAnn Harmon, recently, narrowly missing the Rob­ Soon, members hope to start hold ­ Blaine Gale , Mike Ohman and Gay­ ert Morton pipe organ console which ing public concerts once again, lord Carter were the performers. the chapter members are trying to which had to be cancelled when the The organs used were those at the preserve. roof nearly caved in on them. Capitol Theatre, the Organ Loft and For several weeks, the theatre Provo Pipes and Pizza. could only seat patrons under the BEEHIVE After the show in the auditorium, balcony. Whenever chapter mem­ Chapter members met in Febru ­ members and guests were escorted bers met to play the organ, ''hard ary at the Capitol Theatre in Salt through the newly-remodeled the­ hats and a light foot on the low bas s Lake City, Utah. After a short busi­ atre, rehearsal rooms and the more notes" was the recommendation. ness meeting conducted by Chair­ adventuresome were taken to the It is hoped that the theatre will be man Wayne Russell, a report was chambers in the attic. Refreshments designated a National Landmark made as to the status of the organ courtesy of Maxine Russell were and slated for preservation. The the­ restoration project which is still sev­ served in the organ workshop in the atre management has just applied a eral months in the future. As "live" basement. CLARENCE E. BRIGGS

CENTRAL INDIANA The first meeting of the new year was held January 14th at the Para­ mount Music Palace, with approxi­ mately 250 members and guests in attendance. The first half of the program fea­ tured John Ferguson, musical direc­ tor at the Paramount, who gave a presentation of the ins and outs of the fine Wurlitzer. He gave the com­ plete lineage of the instrument , des­ cribing in detail the refinishing of the console, the identification of ranks and rank layouts, all stops and some possible combinations, the

Betty DeRosa, chairman of the Aloha Chapter, displays the recommended headgear for members playing the Robert Morton when the ceiling falls down .

Richard Harger, chief maintenance " honcho" for the Aloha Chapter members busy at work releathering the pouch rails of the old Robert Morton organ they are trying to Aloha Chapter saves the delicate portion of releather­ preserve. (L to R) Mary Chandler , Scott Bosch, Frank Loney, Jim Chandler and Bob Anderson. ing for himself .

APRIL / MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 39 pedalboard and changes and modi­ that it is indeed a great pleasure to our trip to Indianapolis to see the fications during rebuilding and the play it." unusual 42-rank Wurlitzer at the reasons for them. He also described The club plans to attend future Paramount Music Palace. Organ the shutters and also explained the programs sponsored by the Para­ entertainment featured Betsy Rich­ fire protection system. moun t . These include Tom Hazleton ard playing the Lougher's Baldwin The second half of the program on June 8, 1980; Ron Rhode in late Studio II. Betsy presented a reper­ was presented by Kurt Von Shakel, August or early September; and toire of perennial favorites from the whose choice of music was appre­ house organists Donna Parker and 30s and 40s. Open console followed. ciated by all present. He later stated, Bill Vlasak at Christmas time. The The chapter's Worthington Wur­ "This organ is so well-maintained chapter is delighted in being able to litzer project is moving toward a support and receive help from the March 23rd deadline for five opera­ Paramount. tional ranks, with the hopeful timely The February 10th meeting was arrival of some missing pipes. The held at the Wilking Music Com­ long-awaited pipes are being fash­ pany's warehouse in northwest In­ ioned at the organ pipe factory of dianapolis. The meeting was called Bob Shopp in Alliance, Ohio. A tour to order with 96 members and guests through his plant alone is worth the present. After a short business meet­ trip to Alliance. The smelting of zinc ing, the Wilking representative, and lead, the cold roll, the fashion­ Ken Stoops, played several numbers ing of pipes and their voicing are an at an Allen theatre electronic spinet. educational experience. His selections were well-known BOB AND PATTI CLARK standards. Following Mr. Stoops, a DR. JOHN POLSLEY very talented young man from a local Wurl itzer store, Rick Moore, a jazz CHICAGO AREA and theatre organist, played various selections including popular num­ Our delayed holiday social oc­ bers, marches, classics and songs curred on Sunday eve, January 6th, from the 1920s. at Holy Name Cathedral, which is Keep your The chapter is planning bus trips one of Chicago's landmarks. It is in this year for all member participa­ this church that numerous notables THEATRE tion. The first trip will be in April, have appeared throughout the years, and is to include visits to the Roaring most recently -the Pope, for the in­ ORGANS 20's Pizza establishments in Kalama­ door Mass in October, 1979. in good shape! zoo and Lansing, Michigan, as well Fr. Tom Franzman, of Holy as to other area installations. Name, welcomed our CATOE group H.J. HARRELL with a few remarks about the church This durable casebound cover and organ and led into the program will bind one full year's issues of CENTRAL OHIO THEATRE ORGAN . Imprinted in presented by our soloist Thomas gold on black, the binder be ­ On a glorious spring-like day in Harris, organist from the Church of comes a permanent reference January, there was a large turnout of The Atonement (Episcopal). In his volume that protects issues mem bers and guests at the home of excellent program Mr. Harris in­ from damage and keeps them in perfect order . Magazines are Bob and Betsy Richard to hear mem­ cluded some holiday carols with held securely in place and can be ber Mark Williams perform at their CATOE "soloists" giving forth, es­ inserted in only a few seconds . Conn 651. The pipe speakers helped pecially for the TV cameras which A special pocket will enable to create a musical environment were present. you to easily label and identify very close to real theatre pipe organ Among the open console perform­ the year of any volume . sound. Open console followed Mark's ers were Harry Koenig, Charles ORDER YOUR performance with much local talent Sauer, Mark Noller and David Ham­ in evidence. ilton. These chaps brought forth a BINDER TODAY COTOS was honored by a size­ lot of delightful sound from this an­ $5.50 each (including postage) able article in the January 6, 1980, cient instrument and it was exhila­ Six or more only $5.00 each. magazine section of the Columbus rating to see and hear David at the Allow $1.00 extra for overseas orders. Dispatch. The progress of the chap­ console after his bout of illness. ter's Wurlitzer at Worthington High We were flattered to have the TV Make check or money order School was told in word and picture. Channel 2 crew present to film the payable to : ATOS Binder . This kind of exposure in the com­ activities. This crew had been at mun ity proves invaluable to pres­ Leon Berry's home in the afternoon Mall to ... ATOS Binder ent and future program hopes. to get footage on his "Beast In The P.O. Box 1002 Some 27 members and guests were Basement" pipe organ. Leon ex­ Middleburg, Virginia 22117 in attendance when COTOS met in or ... ATOS Binder plained and demonstrated the organ P.O . Box 1314 February at the home of Ed and which was included in the program 2 Salinas, California 93902. Joanne Lougher. During the business On 2, and aired on January 20th. meeting, plans were discussed for The CATOE "soloists" hit the cut-

40 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL / MAY 1980 ting room floor, plus a bit more! The proved was the procurement of color aired portion showed some of the lights and a 6-channel dimmer board. church interior, Harry Koenig at the President Norm Ray turned the console and our soloist Mr. Harris. meeting over to Program Chairman A long shot of the Chicago Theatre Joe Graif, who introduced the artist was also included. Member Joe Duci of the evening , Robert Madoff , or­ Bella gave an interview telling about ganist at Radio City Music Hall. The the part that pipe organs play in our music brought forth from those 15 group and for the public. It was a ranks by this young, very talented marvelous plug for ATOS, CATOE artist was something extra special. and the "King of Instruments." Audience appreciation was loud and The organ is a 3/52 Johnson/ long throughout the program and Wangerin built by a Milwaukee firm encores were demanded. and reworked some years ago by Chapter members wish to ac­ Sauter. knowledge the accommodation and CA TOE plans to be part of the help of Regional Technical School April Film Festival at the Chicago Director Felix Gryczch and his Theatre and on June 15th, Walter associates. Strony will perform for us at St. On May 17th and 18th, Hector Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, Il­ Olivera will preside at the console of linois. Karl Cole at the Thomaston Opera House Marr & Col­ the Thomaston Opera House Marr Our Chicago Week ender '' 80 Re­ ton. & Colton. Information and tickets gional," November 28th through the are available from Concert Tickets , 30th, is well under way with plans to use before many of the numbers. Box 426, Seymour, CT 06483 , or being finalized for this great event. For those not really familiar with the telephone (203) 888-9696. All are Hope to see you then. theatre organ, it had to have made it welcome! ALMER BROSTROM more interesting and understand­ WALLACE F. POWERS able. The evening's program concluded CONN. VALLEY with a tribute to that fine composer , GARDEN STATE It was a case of "cold feet, warm Albert Hay Malotte, who is in the New Year's Day found the work heart" when Karl Cole made his sec­ ATOS Hall of Fame - his best crew celebrating at the Olde Rahwa y ond concert appearance in Thomas­ known composition, "The Lord's Theatre by pulling apart the chrys­ ton for the benefit of the Opera Prayer." oglott. The bars were rebushed and House Restoration Fund on Janu­ JUNE L. GAREN restrung , a magnet replaced , and it ary 19th and 20th. Though our guest rings out beautifully once again. The artist was having some admitted The first meeting of the year, crew had previously tarred the roof difficulty coping with the chill of our which marked the chapter's 19th over the chambers in an effort to New England weather after the balmy anniversary, was held at the Wind­ cure the flooding that occurs with breezes of Florida, he had absolutely ham Regional Technical School in every rainstorm. no problem charming the Thomas­ Willimantic where a fine 3/ 15 Wur­ A new, larger capacity blower was ton audience with his warmhearted litzer occupies a prominent place in installed in the blower room , but an friendliness. From the moment he the auditorium / gymnasium. amount of conductor work was took his place at the Marr & Colton, During the business session the necessary, especially adapting a 12- his intent was clear as he opened with membership approved expediting inch outlet to fit the existing IO-inch "Say It With Music" and "I Got the organ installation at the high pipe from the original outlet. Rhythm" - and we got the message. school in Shelton. Completion of The next item for refurbishing Karl also deserved extra points for this worthy project will make avail­ will be the glock, then the snare giving us a brief explanation of what able a 1000-seat auditorium with a drum and tom tom. As the saying voices and combinations he planned fine Austin pipe organ. Also ap- goes, "A man's work is from sun to

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APRIL / MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 41 The architects and city fathers told the chapter that it could store all its acquired parts for the Robert Mor­ ton in a large storage area under the balcony. After working for days hauling all the things up there and stowing them away, the crew received word that everything had to be cleared out of the area. Several heavy chests, the old console and a myriad of pipes had to be relocated on the double. Everything was hauled down again and now rests in various lend-lease locations all over town. The chapter is moving ahead on the planned enlargement of its Rob­ ert Morton. Steadily and gradually all the parts are being releathered, revoiced, repuffed and reglued. The refinished grand piano, which has Bob Balfour (L) and Bob Reilly tar the roof of the Olde Rahway Theatre. been wired and equipped to be played from the organ, is ready to be shown. sun, the organ maintenance crew's house for our own members, and will Curt Goldhill has worked up the work is never done." be happy to respond to the senders necessary wiring plan to set up the On January 20th, U.S.A.F. Major with events scheduled by G.S.T.O.S. new electronic relays. The original Jack Moelmann held an open house Please call (201) 542-8862, after 6 console will be refinished in ebony for members of Pete Polito's plug-in­ p.m., or write to: Don Plenkers, and will become a slave console when organ club. Pete delivered a full Stony Hill Gardens, Apt. 185B, the new console is completed. At busload, and with the dozen or so Eatontown, NJ 07724. least this is how it is visualized at this cars that showed up, there was a DON PLENKERS time. packed house. Everyone was over­ Chapter representatives have met whelmed by the goodies that Jack GULF COAST with the architects to assure that the has tied onto his Hammond, includ­ organ and its installation is ade­ ing a piano and a winded Wurlitzer Winston Churchill once said, quately considered in the overall toy counter with about a dozen or "Never have so few, done so much, renovation plans of the theatre. more electric toys. for so many." So it is with the Gulf DOROTHY ST AND LEY Chapter membership is on the Coast Chapter. The few are the rise, with a number of younger mem­ chapter members, who are doing so bers who show a good deal of prom­ much for the many people of our KIWI ise. Look for some rising stars! area so that our Robert Morton will It is not because we are "down Work is progressing well on the sing for them again. under" and so far away that there St. Josephs' restoration in North Under the guidance ofB. D. Rhea, has been no news, but it is just that Bergen. A big hand to the crew who a work crew including Walter Smith, 1979 slipped by so rapidly. However, really deserve it. Curt Goldhill, Bob Sidebottom, there has been much activity down We feel there is a need for coord i­ Tom Helms, David Dietrich, Lee here and we were very happy during nation of notices of adjacent chapter Walker and the writer, is diligently the year to welcome several visitors events, and therefore ask that chap­ working on the restoration in the from America. A busy one-day stop­ ters close to New Jersey send us no­ Saenger Theatre in Pensacola, Flori­ over in Auckland by the Safari visi­ tices of concerts and other events. da. The work however, is being done tors was all too short, but we man­ This way we can act as a clearing in phases. aged a visit to the home of Bert

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42 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL / MAY 1980 Standing (L to R) are Claude Newman, artist Bill Tandy, Terry Kleven, crew chief and Tim Patterson. Seated (L to RI are Carl Eilers, John Zetterstrom and Don Johnson, LOLChapterchairman. (Edwin C. Hirschoff Photo) Bill Tandy at Goldie, a3 / 17Wurlitzer. (Edwin C. Hirschoff Photo)

Olsson in Devonport to view and ing- no Victorian Chapter of ATOS. Erie, second vice chairman; Verna play his two-manual organ, and to Meetings are held frequently d ur­ Mae Wilson, secretary; and Alice see the fabulous display of model ing the year, with members enter­ Rab us, treasurer. Oscar Mo gen was trains, all in working order and elec­ taining us in their homes. After busi­ also elected to a three-year term on tronically controlled. Then came a ness comes open console, followed by the board of directors. visit to the Hollywood Cinema where the great New Zealand pastime, tea The theme of the affair was the restoration work is being carried out and refreshments. 20th Anniversary of the chapter, an on a 2/ 8 Wurlitzer, Opus 1475. We At our Christmas gathering , Jack event magnificently symbolized by a were also very pleased to have a visit Granwal, our new chairman made a 2-manual, I-rank cake complete from Tom Norman of California. presentation to Norman Dawe, with tabs and unplayable keys.While Some of our members were fortu­ founder of the Kiwi Chapter and the temptation to do away with the nate to make the trip across the Tas ­ Chairman for the past four years. cake right then and there was great, man to attend the eighth Festival of We look forward to a great year with it was raffled off after the festivities. TOSA, the venue this year being in Jack at the helm, assisted by John Goldie's owner, Claude Newman, Melbourne . Guest artist for this Johnston as vice chairman . Tribute won the bid. (Editor's Note: Goldie event was Lyn Larsen at the four­ must be paid to Mollie Granwal for is a beautifully-restored 3/ 17, late manual Wurlitzer installed at the her untiring efforts and for being model Wurlitzer.) Moorabin Town Hall. Tony Fenelon such a wonderful secretary. About 100 hours of dedicated was joined by John Atwell in concert N. J. DAWE labor by a mostly-volunteer crew and at the Dendy. The program con­ a prodigious amount of pipe organ cluded with a surprise visit from LAND O'LAKES expertise were needed to prepare Lyn - a most memorable experi­ Sunday, November 4th, saw the Goldie for Bill Tandy's December ence for all those lucky enough to election of chapter officers, a con­ concert. have been present. Melbourne is cert by Paul Wesley Bowen, and cele­ The major project was the comple­ exceedingly well blessed with won­ bration of Land O'Lakes 20th Anni­ tion of a new electronic combination derful instruments and organists, versary as a chapter. Officers elected action in time for the concert. How­ more so than many other cities in the are Don Johnson, chairman; Burton ever, the mechanism, which is ship­ world, but there is something miss- Frank, first vice chairman; Michael ped unwired, did not arrive until No-

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APRIL/ MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 43 Well, he may not have "known were delighted to have Walter Beau­ them when," but he played them pre with us. with genuine affection and appro­ Quite apart from the quickening priate style. tempo of the planning for the July ROGER DALZIEL Convention, now at a most exciting stage, we are also planning three "in­ theatre" concert presentations at the LONDON AND 4/16 "Torch" Wurlitzer at the Gau­ SOUTH OF ENGLAND mont State, this spring. Inaugurating the year in which we We already have several eager felt exceptionally privileged to be in­ entries for our third "Young Or­ vited to sponsor and host "Silver ganist" competition in November, Convention 80" was our first chapter while always keeping an eye on the club night at Wurlitzer Lodge pre­ possibility of presenting visiting top sented by our highly-popular and U.S. console stars in concert if we dedicated member Len Rawle. can be given reasonable notice for Obviously well acquainted and planning. always delighted to play his parents' The year 1980 already promises to superb home 3/19 Wurlitzer, Len bring much more than the popular gave us his usual well-structured cliche of "heralding an exciting new and impeccably played programme. decade." Highlighted by the mid­ Alden Miller, ATOS and LOL charter member, cuts the anniversary cake. Alden also published The He included delicate touches of his year convention, and so much more Kinura and other newsletters preceding the forma­ favourites, George Wright and Jesse besides, our chapter will ensure that tion of ATOS. (Edwin C. Hirschoff Photo) Crawford, delightful novelties and it will unquestionably be the most some full-blooded sing-alongs. eventful and rewarding year in the vember 26th, considerably later than Len also introduced our chapter's annals of the British theatre organ anticipated. newest protege to the console, 16- enthusiasts fraternity to date. And Bill Tandy played a Roaring year-old Stephen Vincent of Welling, that is something which really spurs Twenties nostalgia program for 140 Kent , and winner of our second all our efforts to greet and welcome LOL members and guests Sunday, highly-successful Young Theatre more ATO Sers from more parts of December 9th at Cedarhurst. Organist of the Year competition, the world during 1980 than any of The lack of the new combination staged by our chapter at the Gau­ our 49 other partner chapters. action did not phase Bill. He is a mont State Theatre, Kilburn, last musician's musician, self-taught, November. Guided by his tutor, and the tunes poured forth smooth­ John Norris, a most accomplished LOS ANGELES ly, with well-chosen registrations all-around organist, Stephen ac­ Dennis James opened our 1980 that kept his fingers jumping around quitted himself extremely well. concert season at San Gabriel with a the tab rail. Interestingly, this typically plea­ varied program all the way from a Appropriately, there was a sprink­ surable and hospitable club night Laurel and Hardy silent comedy to ling of holiday tunes. But, it was the was also punctuated by a half-hour Tschaikovsky' s magnificent '' Marche nostalgic numbers that set the tone, television programme featuring one Slav." Outstanding was his presen­ and pleasantly surprised everyone of Britain's finest-ever theatre or­ tation of Lee Erwin's beautiful over­ and caused them to wonder. Most of ganists and very good chapter friend, ture music to Valentino's The Eagle, the tunes Bill played were written Douglas Reeve (who is also the cur­ a Henry Murtaugh arrangement of and some were almost forgotten long rent presenter of our well-known "Baby Face," and, in memory of before Bill, who is 25, was born! As BBC national radio programme ATOS founder Richard Simonton, someone in the audience remarked to The Organist Entertains). Invariably "None But the Lonely Heart." His him, during a break, "You weren't able to welcome visiting American or spontaneous standing ovation was even born yet (when these tunes were other foreign guests to these super certainly well deserved. popular).'' evening gatherings, this time we Purely by coincidence, our Febru-

tM4LTER5TRONY Dan Semer "the elite breed of organist that has " ... a show stealer" THEATRE ORGAN brought the theatre organ to a position where it stands as a full blown concert SPRING AND SUMMER instrument." CONCERT DATES AVAILABLE DETROIT THEATER ORGAN CLUB NEWS RECORDING 11 Walter Strony Plays the Chicago Theatre Wurlitzer" C. W. Productions Available at $6.75 Personal Manager: Barbara Foster P.O. Box 736 • Claremont, CA 91711 Mail Address: 5138 E. Monte Vista Road (714) 624-5490 Phoenix, Arizona 85008

44 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL / MAY 1980 planned for April 23rd. LATOS will present its gala premiere perform ­ ance with Lyn Larsen at the console on Friday, May 23rd at 8:30 p.m . RALPH BEAUDRY

MAGNOLIA The chapter is alive and well, just a little quiet for the past few issues, so there is some catching up to do. Our July meeting was held in a most unlikely place, the Carousel House at Highland Park in Meri­ dian. The reason was to discuss the feasibility of MTOS, with the aid of

Dennis James . Shirley Hannum. the city of Meridian, acquiring a band organ to replace the one that ary artist, Shirley Hannum, was lush arrangement of Richard Rod­ was removed from the Merry-Go­ another of Leonard MacClain's out­ gers melodies, some snappy ragtime, Round. As far as we know, Meridian standing students. This was Shirley's a stirring patriotic medley and mod­ has the last remaining public carou­ second appearance for LATOS (her erns by Marvin Hamlisch and Barry sel. This one was manufactured in first was at the Wiltern in 1973 and Manilow, all played in true "golden 1898 and installed at Highland Park we won't wait so long again to bring age" theatre style. in 1914. back such a wonderful console art­ The installation of the world fa­ The August meeting was held at ist!). With a program containing mous Foort-BBC 5/27 Moller is the home of Adam and Vivian Jen­ something for everyone, Shirley scheduled to be completed in March, sen. Frank Evans entertained a very beautifully demonstrated her com­ and the dedication program , spon­ short while on the accordion, and plete mastery of the Wurlitzer with a sored by the City of Pasadena, is Adam Jensen, Frank and Effie

Kathrine Sullivan , 84-years-young, enjoys the carousel at Highland Park in Meridian. Frank Evans at the console of Sam Feltenstein's Lowrey in November. (TAD Photo ) (TAD Photo)

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APRIL / MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 45 Evans entertained at the Hammond. urday evening, December 22nd. Jack Organ Club, where the afternoon's We met at the Temple in Septem­ entertained us at Sam's Lowery. artist at the 4/34 Wurlitzer was ber, to play the Robert Morton. The Jack was passing through Meridian 17-year-old chapter member Tony work that would be necessary to bring on his way to the Gulf Coast. On O'Brien. the instrument up to par for a Shrine Sunday afternoon he played a con­ Artists appearing at the 3/13 Bar­ Ceremony to be held there in Novem­ cert at the Jeff Seale Robert Morton. ton for our Second Sunday event at ber was discussed. Our January meeting was a two­ the Michigan Theatre in Ann Arbor In October we again met at the day affair. It started on December were Rupert Otto in January and Temple for a short business meeting 31, 1979, and ended on January 1, Don Haller in February. and more discussion about work on 1980. The home of Marl and Kitty Our Fourth Sunday series at the the Robert Morton. Cobler was the scene of this gala af­ Royal Oak Theatre's 3/16 Barton Our November 24th meeting was fair. And who should turn up, but featured Grace Joslin in January and started with the election of officers. Jack Moelman, on his way back Paul Kline in February. nor th. A good time was had by all. Sam Feltenstein was elected chair­ DON LOCKWOOD man; Adam Jensen, vice chairman; TOMMY DARSEY Marl Cobler, secretary; and the writ­ er was appointed as reporter. After MOTOR CITY NORTH TEXAS the elections, Frank Evans presented Fr. Jim Miller, whose appearance In January the chapter had an op­ a concert at the Lowery electronic. last fall, with the New McKinney's portunity to promote theatre organ, The December meeting was de­ Cotton Pickers, at the Redford The­ the chapter and the preservation of layed a few weeks in order that all of atre was so enthusiastically received, this musical art form. The Wurlit­ the members could be present for the appeared again with the famous jazz zer in John Beck Hall, now the proud return of Jack Moelmann. Jack had ensemble in January. But, this time it possession of Gil and Sylvia Swift, been in New Jersey, with the Air was at the Royal Oak Theatre, with was televised on KDFW's 4-Country Force, for the past eighteen months. chapter member Fr. Miller making Reporter show. As the cameras We had a fine evening's entertain­ ambitious use of the 3/16 Barton. As panned into various sections of the ment and a Christmas Party on Sat- expected, Fr. Jim and the New installation, Gil Swift explained the McKinney's Cotton Pickers came functions of the different com­ through with another crowd-pleas­ ponents. Commentary included a ing program. Although we rent the historical background on the the­ auditorium for our public shows at atre organ, its origin and the revival the Royal Oak, we do own the organ. of interest through ATOS activities. Our public offering on February Gene Powell, at the console, demon­ 2nd was back at the Redford Theatre strated the organ and its potential. (where we own not only the organ, The February meeting was held at but the building and a couple of Organ World in Garland, Texas. parking lots). The artist was Gary The chapter is very proud of the fact Reseigh, who plays regularly at the that 1979 Chairman Richard Nich­ Roaring Twenties Pizza establish­ ols, besides doing a fine job of guid­ ment in Grand Rapids. In addition to ing the chapter, was designated Gary's superb performance at the "Engineer of the Year" by Rockwell 3/10 Barton, the evening's entertain­ International. (Editor's Note: See ment also featured popular stylings article elsewhere in this issue.) by The Singing Dolls, a vocal trio, Treasurer Bob McGillivray re­ backed up by a two-man electronic ported that the chapter is in good percussion section. financial shape, but is still interested On February 10th, members were in developing an adequate fund for

Sam Feltenstein, chairman of the Magnolia Chapter. invited by Ed Corey to attend a pri­ the renovation and installation of the (TAD Photo) vate party at the Detroit Theater Wonder Morton. Gene Powell told

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46 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL / MAY 1980 McKee, secretary. and the Dallas group has been work­ Dale Flanery and Gene Powell ing on various other phases of the discussed progress on the Organ restoration. World theatre organ installation, JOE KOSKI thanking Dick Cooper and Homer Pettigrew for their efforts in adding OREGON ranks, swell shutters and other im­ On January 20th we were guests of provements. Gene was then steered Mr. and Mrs. Bob Rickett to hear into the organist's seat at the con­ Rob York at their 3/18 Wurlitzer. sole where he presented a fine pro­ Although a very young man, Rob gram. He invited Dale up to the has been playing professionally for console of a Conn which had been 10 years. He is organist for St. John placed beside the pipe organ con­ the Apostle Church in Oregon City sole, and the resulting duets were and is on the playing staff at Uncle Outgoing Chairman Richard Nichols (R) presents enjoyed by all. Milt's Pizza in Vancouver. He is also 1980 Chairman Gene Powell with the gavel. Work on the Wonder Morton is associated with Collins and Erwin, (Koski Photo) progressing, with some slowdown representing Rodgers Organs. due to bad weather. The Fort Worth Rob's fine concerts opened with a group has been working on releath­ rousing "Swanee," and was fol­ ering, while Past Chairman Richard lowed by a wide range of old and new Nichols has been planning a solid­ numbers. state, computer-type switching relay The organ originated in the Castle to replace the old relay installation, Theatre in Vancouver. Now in the

Gene Powell at the console (center) of his "Organ World Special" in duet with Dale Flannery at the elec­ tronic. (Koski Photo)

about the proceeds from the sale of a Schoeber kit donated to the chapter by a friend, as well as a Conn 652. do­ nated to the club by Mr. Sullivan, specifically to be sold to raise funds for the Loew's Jersey Wonder Mor­ ton project. The entire instrument is valued at about $23,000, and the chapter is open for prospective bids on this fine Conn. The following officers were elected: Gene Powell, chairman; Dale Flan­ ery. first vice chairman; Grace Lar­ ner, second vice chairperson; Bob Rob York played Bob Rickett's 3/18 Wurlitzer at the January meeting of the Oregon Chapter . McGillivray, treasurer; and Lorena (Claude V. Neuffer Photo)

DAVJID HAMillTON ENGLISH THEATRE AND RECORDING ORGANIST KARL WARNER MANAGEMENT 6842 E. VIRGINIA AVENUE 1560 N. Sandburg Terrace. Apt. 3108 SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA 85257 Chicago. Illinois 60610 (602) 946-6892 Telephone: (J 12) 944-3833 Featured at Organ Stop Pizza - 2250 W. Southern, Mesa, Arizona

APRIL / MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 47 Rickett home, it has been enlarged to Hal started his career playing totally different programs. 18 ranks, with extensive Tibia mu­ piano in the Navy, then went into the Recently, some members were tations even on the solo manual. The home organ field, and is now com­ privileged to hear, in a concert spon­ three chambers are located on the manding the mighty organs around sored by McKee Organ Company of second floor and sound down into the states. Originally from the Bay Tacoma, a newer artist, Phillip Kev­ the large living room through grills Area, he is well-known to those who erin, who is a college student at in the ceiling. A picture of the con­ have been at Asilomar Home Organ Gresheim , Oregon, He is studying sole was featured on the cover of the Festivals , and has played at several jazz improvisation and orchestral Summer 1963 issue of the THEATRE pizza parlors. arranging with Jonas Nordwall, and ORGAN Magazine. It has also been The Bellevue Pizza and Pipes has a fantastic stage presence. He used as a model for large custom organ is the 3/ 17 Wurlitzer from the was the winner of a National Ya­ maha contest and went to Japan for electronic organs. Academy of Music in New York City. the finals. Special mention should be made It is in its third year of operation about our host Bob Rickett. Bob is here , where owners, and members , Vancouver, B.C., members en­ the pioneer of the theatre organ re­ Jack and Betty Laffaw are very gen­ joyed the Vancouver Symphony vival in the Pacific Northwest. Long erous in allowing the chapter to meet Orchestra in a recital, with Maurice before the organization of ATOS, and concertize. Andre on the trumpet, and Alfred his efforts generated many enthu­ Mitterhofer at the organ. The audi­ siasts, who later installed organs Officers for the new year are: ence reaction and interest was ap­ themselves. Much of the widespread Thelma V. Barclay, chairman; Gen­ preciable. enjoyment of these instruments is ny Whitting, secretary; Bill Brown­ due to this man. ing, treasurer. With these officers Canadian member Doris Miller, On February 22nd, we had a large and a program committee consisting who used to play for silent films in turnout at the home of Chairman of Dick Schrum, Norm Evans and Vancouver, has been feature ·d in an Terry Robson for what was intended Merv Vaught, members look for­ article about the 1927 Vancouver primarily to be a social function. ward to an exciting year. Orpheum Theatre organ, a 3/ 13 However, with many members play­ Another big event enjoyed by Wurlitzer. She plays it occasionally, ing organ and piano, and profession­ members was the 25th Anniversary but for the most part the organ is al singing by David Donnell, this also of the Greater Seattle Organ Guild. silent, and is played only when the turned out to be a most enjoyable On hand were Sandy and Mary Bal­ evening of music. Our scrapbook of com , who are known to many pipe historic photos and events was on organ makers, repairmen and in­ hand and proved to be of great inter­ stallers. Mahon Tullis, Eddie Zoll­ est, especially to newer members. man and Pliny Allen presented three BUD ABEL

PUGET SOUND Chapter members came from Vancouver, B.C., to the north, Van­ couver, Washington, to the south, and from east of the mountains to hear Hal Randall put on a concert that crowded the Pizza and Pipes in Bellevue at the February meeting. From the opening strains through the patriotic finale, Hal kept the ( L to R) Mahon Tullis, Sandy Balcom, Eddie Zoelman audience on its toes with a delightful Sr. and Pliny Allen at the 25th Anniversary of the program. Greater Seattle Organ Guild. Hal Randall takes a well-deserved bow.

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48 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL / MAY 1980 On April 17th, we are pleased to present Walter Strony in a program of silent film and concert selections on the Fargo Theatre's mighty Wur­ litzer. The local chapter of the AGO is hosting a reception following. SONIA CARLSON

SAN DIEGO The chapter began its 1980 activi­ ties on January 5th with Del Castillo in concert playing the chapter's Wurlitzer which is located in the California Theatre. Preceding the The Fargo Theatre's Wurlitzer can be freely moved Lance Johnson reconnects the console on stage at Charlie Chaplain classic film The about the stage until the new hydraulic lift arrives. the Fargo Theatre. (S. Carlson Photo) Gold Rush, Del Castillo presented a (S. Carlson Photo) wide spectrum of organ arrange­ maintenance crew comes to tune it. men will be on the scene for that in­ ments, concluding with a unique Plans are now being formulated stallation. arrangement of "The Parade of the for the 1981 Convention in Seattle. In March, to celebrate our 15 years Wooden Soldiers." See you in Seattle in '81. as a chapter, we decided to have a Approximately sixty members THELMA R. SMITH leisurely dinner at the Treetop Res­ attended the February membership taurant and forego a regular business meeting at the new home of Wayne RED RIVER meeting. and Cheryl Seppala. A special treat Early one Saturday morning in January, a group of able-bodied chapter members met at the Fargo Theatre to dismantle our lift. Two men from Iowa, representing the Cedar Rapids Chapter, had arrived the evening before and were ready to take their newly-purchased lift out. Without much trouble, we moved our 3-manual console onto the stage, setting it on a special dolly. Piece by piece, the lift mechanism was re­ moved from the orchestra pit, with the only complaints being greasy hands. Even on the stage, the console has plenty of slack in the cable, so it can be freely moved about. When not be­ ing used, it sits between the main stage curtain and the movie screen. It's pulled to center stage for movie intermissions, temporarily. Our new hydraulic lift is due to arrive in the Replica of the San Diego Chapter-owned Wurlitzer. This well-done creation has space and slot in top for use as a spring, when another crew of muscle suggestion box. Pictured are Joe Forand and Carroll Cunningham.

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APRIL / MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 49 was the organ and piano duets per­ The Wurlitzer pipes portion of formed by Wayne and Cheryl. the February conclave was per­ A model of the chapter's Wurlit­ formed ably by chapter member zer console has been crafted by Joe Gustin, who lives in the Sierra members Joe Forand and Carroll foothills community of Paradise. An Cunningham. It is a very close repli­ English teacher by profession, Joe ca of the original with the addition sendyour classifies himself as a "hobby" play­ of a slot in the top, for members change er, but showed that even hobby play­ of address ers can put together good, enter­ to use as a suggestion box. to ... The chapter's organ crew is at taining performances, when given work refinishing and refurbishing the resources of a theatre pipe organ. the three-manual console that has Lee Prater The chapter is being forced to been donated to the chapter by Mr. ATOS Membership delay a teen-age theatre organ talent and Mrs. Douglas Maxwell of San Office scholarship search, and show, due to P.O.Box45 ~ Mateo. When the necessary work is Falls Church, repairs to the access ramps of the completed, this console will replace Virginia 22046 building at Cal Expo. This show is to the present two-manual keydesk. be similar to LATOS's "Stars of Chapter activities and concerts Tomorrow," with judges choosing up during the summer months will be to seven finalists from taped audi­ stepped up to take advantage of the High winds of up to 60 miles per tions at the Cal Expo Wurlitzer, increased availability of the Cali­ hour and one of the heaviest rain­ each of whom will receive a $100 fornia Theatre while the "Old Globe" falls ever to hit during the usually scholarship, and perform in a final, Players are on summer leave. moderate winters of Sacramento, live show for parents, friends and the COULTER CUNNINGHAM put a damper on the turnout for our public. The scholarships are from JANE DAPOLITO February 17th program, with only the Clyde Derby Memorial Fund. about 65 brave souls risking the The late Clyde Derby, a founding weather. The event was at Cal Expo member of Sierra Chapter, was for SIERRA (the site of the California State Fair) twelve years organist at the 4/16 Sierra Chapter started off the in the 260-seat Golden Bear Play­ Morton that was installed in the Carl 1980s with the kind of event that house where resides Sierra Chapter's Greer Inn, just outside Sacramento. ATOS members will be eagerly anti­ own 2/7 Wurlitzer. As part of its The final show was to be held in cipating many times in this new effort to spread the interest in pipes late June, but now is delayed until at decade: a Dennis James concert. to our "plug-in" friends, the chapter least September. The prime mover On January 27th, Dennis played a teamed up with Fleming Music Co., behind this project, Gary Konas, is concert, open to the public, at the the local Rodgers dealer, to present determined that the talent search 4/22 Wurlitzer in the auditorium of a pipes and electronic program. and show will happen, even if de­ Grant Union High School. As this Featured at the Rodgers Trio was layed until next year. was the instrument that George Muriel Daniels, a lady with a long RANDY WARWICK Wright helped design and install string of symphony orchestra and during the late thirties as a student church credits in the Stockton and at the school, Dennis acknowledged San Francisco areas. Most of Mur­ that this Wurlitzer had long been iel's program was light classics in­ SOONER STATE on his "must play" list. Impressed by cluding a descriptive piece of her Sooner State has done it again; this instrument's ability for subtle, own composition reflecting the we've moved another pipe organ! distant sounds not usually a part of beauty of the Sierra mountains near This one is a dream-come-true Christ­ most theatre organs' capabilities her home of Big Trees. She also mas miracle - and hardly believable (effectiveness of swell boxes not­ played "Turkey In The Straw" on even yet. withstanding), Dennis delivered an a real violin and accompanied with Faced with the prospect of moving absolutely top notch performance both feet on the pedals of the Rod­ their 2/6 mostly-Wurlitzer organ filled with registration variety. gers. from their home in Forsyth, Mis-

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50 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL / MAY 1980 souri, to their new home in Spring­ erously brought some pipes to use field, Clayton and Corinne Brink­ for examples. meyer made the reluctant decision to Theatre Organ February found us at the home of sell it instead. And they wanted it to Want Ads John and Charlene Roberts for Nos­ go to someone in Tulsa. GET RESULTS talgia Night. John played tapes of Try One Arrangements were made for the our 3/ IO Robert Morton, recorded Pipe Packer's Platoon to gather the before we removed it from the Amer­ first weekend after New Year's, be­ ican Christian College. In addition fore the winter snows set in. Three consisted of Phil Judkins, Bob and we heard music from two of Tulsa's Smiths - Lee, Dorothy, and num­ Betty Weddle, Bob Busby, Harry now-demolished downtown theatres: ber-one-son Stephen, drove to For­ Rasmussen, Bill Roberts and our the 4/16 Robert Morton from the syth on Friday to get started wrap­ daughter Laura. Ritz Theatre, and the 2/9 Wurlitzer ping pipes. The rest of the crew, in­ We now have a one-organ garage, from the Orpheum. There was much cluding Bruce and Martha Wilson, wall-to-wall console in the living remembering of the "good old days," Hervey Barbour, Phil Judkins and room, and one bedroom filled with especially of the big Wurlitzer in Bob and Betty Weddle, arrived early pipes and left-overs. The toy counter Tulsa's Coliseum. The organ could Saturday morning. Clayton had al­ is stashed in the last available space be heard for blocks, and was the in­ ready unsoldered most of the wiring, in the new storage building in the spiration for Phil Judkins' interest in so our main task was to take the parts back yard. As soon as the weather theatre pipe organ. The Coliseum out and load the truck. warms up, we'll get busy on the in­ was destroyed by fire about twenty As this is the fourth pipe organ stallation. years ago. we've moved this year, we're pretty Bill Roberts hosted our annual DOROTHY SMITH much old hands at the job. Snow on business meeting at his piano store. the ground and cold weather were ig­ All of our current officers were elec­ nored as we removed what had to be ted to serve another year: Dorothy SOUTH FLORIDA thousands of screws. We carted out Smith, chairman; Lee Smith, first One of the chapter's most talented pipes, chests, regulators, xylophone, vice chairman; Harry Rasmussen, musicians , entertainer Karl Cole, glockenspiel, toy counter, and miles second vice chairman; Bob Weddle, was featured artist at the might y of duct work. Even the relay, switch treasurer; and Betty Weddle, secre­ Andre Hall Wurlitzer for the club 's stack, and blower were loaded with­ tary. February meeting. Members who out too much trouble. Projects accomplished during the had not heard Karl in a club pro­ The garage pipe chamber was past year were listed by the chair­ gram for several years showed their nearly empty when we had our first man. Four organs have been moved: appreciation and enthusiasm by accident in all of our "moves." La­ two of them are installed and playing; demanding four encores. den with two small Tibia pipes, the work on the Weddle's Robert Mor­ Karl made a special tribute from writer tripped on a Diapason pipe on ton is progressing; and a long-time the console to long-time THEATRE the floor and smacked her nose on debt was paid. Our chapter-owned ORGAN Magazine publisher Betty the Ti bias! Although we finally de­ 3/10 Robert Morton is still in stor­ Mason. While her welcome to Miami cided it wasn't broken (the nose, that age, but several possible installation was warm, the weather was not. is - the pipes were all right, thank locations seem very promising. Fu­ Near record lows kept the audience goodness!), I could only sit in the liv­ ture projects include rewriting our of over 100 wrapped in their coats. ing room with cold compresses on chapter by-laws and expanding our The temperature, which would nor­ my face and watch as the console was newsletter. mally have been in the 60s, was dismantled and moved out the front Our first technical session of the instead hovering in the low 40s that door. The Weddles later decorated year was hosted by Bill Roberts in night. This caused havoc with the me with a ''Purple Heart with Nose January. Phil Judkins ably pre­ organ, but the audience seemed Clusters" for my wounds. sented an excellent explanation of undaunted by the pitch discrepan­ We arrived in Tulsa early Sunday reed pipes: their construction , oper­ cies between the flutes , reed s, piano afternoon and immediately began to ation, voicing, tuning and mainte­ and other tuned percussions. Iron­ round up the unloading crew, which nance. Guest Kenneth Knepper gen- ically, "tuned " percussions can 't

Magical Moments in Music

Chad Weirick United States Pipe Organ Company CONCERTS 121 N. 18th Street , • Theatre • Classical • Silent Film Phila ., Pa 19103, 215-563-2227 • Contemporary • Sing Alongs R ebui ldinA speciali, ts in Pneumatics . R eservoirs, 420 Sunrise Lane • Rockford, Illinois 61107 Swe ll S hade Actions, Tremu lants, Consoles , and Phone(815)398-1788 R elays. No job too sma ll and on ly the finest Member : Land Of Lin coln Theatr e Organ S ociety ma teria ls are u. ed. Call or 1Prite for.fob quotations .

APRIL/ MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 51 really be tuned, and it was so cold Adele Ibert Howard, former or­ We understand the theatre will that organ owner Bob Andre and his ganist at the Liberty Theatre irt soon be painted by St. Hedwig's volunteer club member crew were Beaumont, Texas, and elsewhere, Parish. The Ohio Theatre is their unable to get the cold pipes up to the died February 14th. culture center as well as the home of same pitch as the percussions. Andre Thanks to a grant by the South­ TA TOS and our wonderful, nearly­ Hall, like many South Florida homes, east Texas Arts Council, the chapter completed organ. has no central heat. It just doesn't plans to present Jim Connors in a ANN MOXLEY get that cold that often. However, free public concert at the 3/8 Robert Karl covered over any problems Morton in the Jefferson Theatre in VALLEY OF THE SUN masterfully, selecting combinations March. Jim is a staff organist at Pipe While parts of the country were of voices which sounded more than Organ Pizza in Houston. contending with freezing tempera­ pleasing. tures, rain and snow, the chapter In addition to his delightful pro­ started its new year with a January gram of organ music, Karl also TOLEDO AREA potluck social held at Phoenix Col­ proved his versatility by providing lege in an almost spring-like atmos­ On January 7th through January the crowd with several vocals. He has phere. The munching was followed 27th, ATOS members in Toledo sharpened his singing skills through by a program on the 2/9 Wurlitzer were busily-engaged in what was many years of nightclub work in the chapter has been restoring. Ar­ termed" An Orga-thon" at the Ohio South Florida. tists for the day were members of Theatre. This was an all-out work Other than cold pipes, the 4/15 the restoration crew. Mary Peterson session daily from 12:30 until 10 Wurlitzer had no problems, nor did was recognized for all of the help she p.m. Chairman Art Howard and the artist or audience at this excel­ gave the chapter last year. Though Restoration Chairman Dave Ring lent program. not an ATOS member at the time, led us through the various stages of Mary put in countless hours in res­ restoration. Workers came in and toration, hospitality and publicity. SOUTHEAST TEXAS out depending on their available Our February social was a demon­ time. Some of the ladies, and one Several gifts have been received by stration of an Associated Organ the chapter in memory of our found­ gent, furnished, prepared and served Builders electronic instrument at evening meals. These same persons er, Al Sacker. St. Thomas Lutheran Church in helped with the restoration so it Phoenix. Though built to AGO made for a very busy and rewarding standards, it can be voiced as a the­ three weeks. It was all very educa­ atre organ. Chapter member Don tional learning how to disassemble, clean and regasket chests. We also washed pipes and chests which had been stored for years. Those with technical knowledge worked in the lower chamber. Sev­ eral hundred pipes found their new home and it's really looking great. We still have awhile to go, but a giant step was most certainly made in Jan­ uary. Our Wednesday night work sessions are still held. Whenever the lad ies are needed, they come run­ ning, for most work sessions now on­ ly include the men, because of the na­ ture of the work now being done. Of course, we ladies are most anxious to Jim Conners. ( George R. Hackmeyer Photo J be a part of all this! Mike Ohman at the Phoenix College Wurlitzer.

GEORGE In PRESENTING ... 12alph 12inastad WRIGHT CDncert Theatre Organist

FOR CONCERT INFORMATION AND AVAILABILITY CONTACT: Concert Dates Available J. NELSON MANAGEMENT 900 ANDERSEN DRIVE SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA 94901 21 FRANK TERRACE (415) 457-2055 WHIPPANY, N .J . 07981

52 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL/ MAY 1980 David Brewer at his 3/16 "Marr & Barlitzer." The console was originally a 2 manual. Tony O'Brien at the Detroit Theater Organ Club 's 4/34 Wurlitzer . The Mayan coach- (Ed Corey Photo) work matched the decor of its original home , Detroit 's Fisher Theatre . (Ed Corey Photo} WOLVERINE Watson played several selections, Theater was a great success as over then others participated in open What better way to spend a Sun­ 200 guests joined to hear 17-year-old console. day afternoon than with a housefull Tony O'Brien display his talents at The first chapter concert of the of good friends and good music the mighty 4/ 34 Wurlitzer. year was held February 24th at Phoe­ played on a fine instrument? This is Tony played a varied program nix College. Californian Mike Oh­ just what the Wolverines did as we which ranged from the classics to man managed to cross the flooded enjoyed the fine hospitality of David ragtime. He has a well-disciplined Agua Fria River, and played a most Brewer and his mother for our Janu­ technique and a keen ear for regis­ appealing and varied concert. Some ary meeting. tration, both of which were evident of his song titles characterized the The 3/ 16 "Marr & Barlitzer" throughout the program. weather conditions in California was in fine form, as always. and We are indeed fortunate to have and Arizona. Members greatly en­ many took a turn at the console. the opportunity of hearing a young joyed Mike's concert, and look for­ We thank the Brewers for so gen­ musician who may well one day be a ward to seeing him again on future erously opening their home to us. major artist in the growing field of trips to California. Our February meeting at the De­ theatre organ. MADELINE LiVOLSKI troit Theater Organ Club's Senate ED COREY 0

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APRIL / MAY 1980 THEATRE ORGAN 53 CLASSIFIED ADS

FOR SALE FOR SALE Rates: 20¢ per word

Deadlines: 2/7 Moller, Bourdon at 16', Kinematic 850 ctm 3/ 10 Barton theatre organ, originally from Mil­ Jan . 10 for Feb./Mar . @ 9". New tremolo and switching. Sacrifice waukee National Theatre, now in Chicago Mar . 10 for Apr./May at best offer over $1,000. Howard Barnes, 394 area, professionally renovated, crated, ready May 1 0 for June/ July Mill St ., Brooklyn, Michigan 49230. Phone: to install. Refinished deluxe console. Dia­ July 10 for Aug./Sept. (517) 592-8037. phonic Diapason 16, Tibia 16, Tuba 16, Flute Sept. 1 0 for Oct./Nov. 16, Clarinet, Vox, Kinura, Horn Diapason, Nov . 10forDec./Jan . 2/7 Wurlitzer with added Wurlitzer clarinet - VDO and Celeste. Xylophone, Glockenspiel, Send Copy To: complete. Mint condition. Playing in resi­ Marimba, Chrysoglott, Chimes, percussions ATOS Advertising dence. Ridley C. Ward, 5309 Hidden Harbor and sound effects. Seen by appointment. 2231 North Burling St. Road, Sarasota, Florida 33581. Phone: (813) Sacrificed for $14,000 US firm. Phone: (613) Chicago, Illinois, 60614 349-2459 or (813) 922-3063. 544-1991, evenings. NOTE: The first ten words of each ad are Peterson Digital Pipe Organ Player System, MISCELLANEOUS FREE to members! complete with player cassette deck. 240-bit capacity, tested, ready to install with com­ Personalized study of theatre organ, (theory, TakeAdvantage of thisPrivilege! plete instructions. $2,950. R. L. Baker, 1271 harmony, registration) by cassette tape with North Terre Drive, Libertyville, Illinois 60048. active concert artist. Write or call Rosa Rio, Phone: (312) 367-7996. 130 Mill Street, Huntington, Connecticut FOR SALE 06484, (203) 929-1652. Everythings Coming "England is Great in the Summ er" up Rosa, stereo LP 4/26 organ, $6.50 post­ Yamaha E5, Full Keyboard Organ, Roland SH paid . 2000 Synthesizer, Roland RE 201 Tape Echo/ Wurlitzer, Style 235NP (3/10) - Complete, Reverb. All in near new condition - $4,500. releathered, excellent playing condition, re­ (212) 538-2749 or weekends (518) 672-7440. moved to storage. Make reasonable offer, as is where is. San Diego Pipe Organ Company, Schober theatre organ. Reverbatape, plus all 4610 Santa Fe St., San Diego, CA 92109. options, less amplifier and speaker. Mint con­ Phone: (714) 270-5082. Keep in dition . Save $1,000 over kit prices. Asking $3,500. R. G. Oschmann, RD 3, Whitehouse 3/14 Wurlitzer pipe organ - complete unit touch with Station, N.J . 08889. (201) 534-4886. but prefer to sell parts. Includes complete Wurlitzer Pere. and Toy Counter, 2 complete the British Four Wurlitzer tremolos and one drum and ranks of Tibias, all color reeds and all available thunder pedal unit. For information, call or accessories. Call or write for specs/price list. Theatre write: Carlo Annibale, 87 Lowell Rd., Ken­ S. J. Cevasco, 620 Calaveras Ct., Martinez, Organ more, N.Y. 14217, (716) 874-6104. CA 94553, (415) 228-4025 or (415) 676-3114. Scene!

Subscribe to The Journal of the Cinema Organ Society, a quarterly publication ATOS-OVC presents the dreamy featuring and relaxi-ng sounds of LEE photos, history, stoplists, ERWIN at the Emery Theatre's biographies and mighty WurliTzer Pipe Organ. technical articles . . . (This is a collector's special.) Plus montly newletters TO ORDER: Send check or of the latest theatre organ money order for $7.95 plus news, events , and $1.00 handling & shipping. record reviews . (Ohio residents add 36 ¢ sales tax per album.) Send $10.00 or four pounds ster ­ ling for membership in The Cin­ SEND ORDER TO: ema Organ Society. Includes a ATOS-OVC Emery Theatre-C subscription to the Journal and 12 monthly newsletters . 1112 Walnut Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45210 Mr. L. Hudson The Cinema Organ Society This album was inspired by WL W' 5 22 , Oakwo o d Clos e Chase Road , Southgate "MOON RIVER" radio program London, England Nl 4 4JY

54 THEATRE ORGAN APRIL / MAY 1980 MISCELLANEOUS WANTED WANTED

Now available, Kimball style engraving, Kim­ Theatre organ 2or3 manual 10/15 ranks Wur­ Kilgen Saxophone Rank. John Waller, 806 ball magnet gaskets. SASE for information. litzer, Moller, Morton, Kimball, Barton. For Birdsong, Baytown, Texas 77521. G. Simanski, 3658 W. Wrightwood, Chicago, donation or modest price for Baptist church. IL 60647. Contact: Rev. Mickey Proctor. (305) 431-2458 Blower needed for Kingston Theatre Organ or Write to: 9250 Sterling Road, W. Holly­ Society's 21-rank Kimball, at least 15 hp and Western Reserve Chapter is having Open wood, Florida. 18" static WP. Please phone (613) 544-1991 House, July 20. All ATOS members are cor­ soon. dially invited to visit and hear our 3/ 15 A three or four manual Wurlitzer console Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ at Grays Ar­ for Scotland's Theatre Organ Society. Re­ Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Chrysoglott, Xylo­ mory, 1234 Bolivar Road, Cleveland, Ohio. ply with prices and details to: Cyril Woods, phone, Traps Relay, Wurlitzer only. Contact Starting at 1 :00 P. M . until ? For further infor­ 11, Glen Grove - East Kilbride G75 OBG P. W. Parker, P.O. Box 6267, Portsmouth, mation call (216) 226-3883. Scotland. Virginia 23703.

RECORDS

David Hamilton, San Gabriel Civic Auditorium Wurlitzer, Deroy Vol. 92 full stereo. Nine selections beautifully executed include Romance, Alone, The Impossible Dream, My Prayer, My Hero. $6.75 postpaid from ex­ clusive US Distributor, Stanley C. Garniss, 35 PRESENTS Union Street, North Easton, Mass. 02356.

Digital (PCM) recording - Audiophile limited Chieago Weekender edition. Warren Lubich, organist plays: Cap'ns REGIONAL '80 Galleys, Pizza & Pipes Restaurant, Redwood City, CA . 4/23 Wurlitzer, The Avenue Theatre Friday, Saturday and Sunday Organ, San Francisco, CA. 3/15 Wurlitzer and November 28, 29 and 30, 1980 the Daniel C. Jackling, 4/56 Aeolian/Kilgen Headquarters: BISMARCK HOTEL reproducing pipe organ, Woodside, CA. with the sound spectacular of new realism. Selec­ tions include favorite standards such as: EVENTS "Chattanooga ChooChoo," "Sonny Boy" and light classics such as Beethoven's "Ode Chicago Theatre - 4/29 Wurlitzer to Spring" and Strauss' "Also Sprach Zara­ Oriental Theatre - 4/20 Wurlitzer thustra." Order your copy now. Regular Chicago Stadium - 6/62 Barton $16.95 retail. Your special $14.95 postpaid, First Class Mail. California residents add 6% Maine North - 3/10 Wurlitzer Sales Tax. Sonic Arts Corp., 665 Harrison St ., St. Mary's of the Lake - 4/22 Wurlitzer San Francisco, CA 94107. Visa or Master­ charge, call (415) 957-9470. Registration for all events 875.00 Includes Banquet & transportation Collectors - Hi-Fi series George Wright En­ cores at the Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ. Early registration before Oet. 15, 1980 - 865.00 Send $8.00 each postpaid to Art Lopez, 6656 Cleomoore Avenue, Canoga Park, California Registration: CATOE P.O. Box 25, Glenwood, IL 60425 91307. Send Hotel Reservations dlreet to Blsmarek Dessa Byrd stereo records. Collector's items. Piano Melodies and Organ and Piano Melo­ CATOE AMERICAN THEATRE ORGAN SOCIETY dies Old and New - $6.00 each postpaid. REGIONAL CONVENTION - NOV. 28 - 30, 1980 Make checks payable to "CIC-ATOS." Send SINGLE ROOMS ...... 824 .00 to: Ed Morris, 10315 E. 42nd Street, Indianap­ DOUBLE ROOMS (Doubl e Bed) ...... 830.00 DOUBLE ROOMS (Twin Beds) ...... 830 .00 olis, Indiana 46236. .IL SUITES (Parlor and One Bedroom) ...... 860.00 & Up LARGER SUITES AVAILABLE ...... (Rates on Requ est) Rave reviews internationally. Your album per­ A.M. sonally autographed. There is only One Billy Randolph 01 lo Soll!! DateArriving: ______Hour P.M. Ch,cogo 0060 I Na/le. $7.00 postpaid. Billy Nalle Music, Suite I oo•• Air Cond11•oned 2205, 400 West Central Avenue, Wichita, - Date Departure: ______VISA' Kansas 67203. Name ______

Address ______WANTED City ______State ______~EF.llc:AN One set Wurlitzer shutters and action 7 ½' by EXP-F.IESS Your reservation will be held until 6:00 P.M . Master Charge, Visa or American Express card holders can guarantee late arrival using their -Telephone 8 ½' frame. David C. Cooper, 6596 1-85Court account number by telephone or written authority . A $20.00 check or 312-236-0123 N.E., Norcross, GA 30093. (404) 449-8448. money order also assures a reservation for late arrival.

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