TheatreOrgan Bombarde

JOURNAL of the AMERICAN THEATRE ORGAN ENTHUSIASTS

Volume 11 Number 3 June 1969

--·"'" ~ ~Mi---~---....~ ..... ~ Wurlitzer Theatre Organ

The modern Theatre Console Organ that combines the grandeur of resterday with the electronic wizardry of today. Command performance! Wurlitzer combines the classic Horseshoe Design of the immortal Mighty Wurlitzer with the exclusive Total Tone electronic circuitry of today. Knowledge and craftsmanship from the Mighty Wurlitzer Era have produced authentic console dimensions in this magnificent new theatre organ. It stands apart, in an instru­ ment of its size, from all imitative theatre organ • Dual system of tone generation • Authentic Mighty Wurlitzer Horseshoe Design designs. To achieve its big, rich and electrifying • Authentic voicing of theatrical Tibia and tohe, Wurlitzer harmonically "photographed" Kinura originating on the Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ voices of the Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ to • Four families of organ tone serve as a standard. The resultant voices are au­ • Two 61-note keyboards • 25 -note pedal keyboard with two 16 ' and thentic individually, and when combined they two 8 ' pedal voices augmented by Sustain blend into a rich ensemble of magnificent dimen­ • Multi -Matic Percussion ® with Ssh-Boom ®, Sustain , Repeat , Attack, Pizzicato , and sion. Then, to crown the accomplishment, we Bongo Percussion incorporated the famous Wurlitzer Multi-Matic • Silicon transistors for minimum maintenance Percussion ® section with exclusive Ssh-Boom ® • Reverb, Slide, Chimes , and Solo controls • Electronic Vibrato (4 settings) that requires no special playing techniques, • Exclusive 2 speed Spectra-Tone ® Sound Pizzi ca to Touch that was found only on larger pipe in Motion • Two -channel solid state amplifiers, 70 watts organs, Chimes and Slide Control ... and dozens total distributed output of other features that no other organ can offer. • 8 speakers (two rotating) • Theatre furniture styling in walnut or See ... hear ... play this magnificent organ today. antique white and gold URLI ZER means Music to millions pianos • organs • electronic pianos • guitars • stereos • band instruments. DeKalb, Illinois 60115 THE COVER PHOTO This 3-10 Barton with a rare waterfall con­ TheatreOrgan sole was installed in the Paramount Theatre in Newport News, Va. in 1931. Purchased by Woody Wise in 1968, it was increased to eleven ranks and is now installed in the BombardeVirginia Theatre in Alexandria. Story on Page 5. Volume 11, Number 3 Photo by Ray Brubacher

June, 1969 In This Issue A.T.O .E. National Membership is $7.00 per cal­ endar year , which includes a subscription to Editorial - Al Mason ...... 3 THEATRE ORGAN BOMBARDE, the official pub­ An Acre of Seats ...... 4 lication of the American Threatre Organ Enthu­ The Barton in the Virginia Theatre ...... 5 siasts. Single copies: Make check or $1 .25 . George Wright Returns to Rochester ...... 7 money order payable to A.T .O .E., and mail to A Wurli Goes to College ...... 8 P. 0 . Box 2329, Livonia, Michigan 48150. Repairing and Rewinding Wurlitzer Magnets ...... 10 OVERSEAS Membership: $8.00. The Ashley Miller Story ...... 12 ALL MATERIAL FOR PUBLICATION Del Castillo Concert at the Wiltern 14 EXCEPT ADVERTISING SHOULD BE Chicago: Circa 1926 . 15 SENT TO A .T.O.E. PUBLICATIONS Pipe Dreams, Chicago, U.S.A ...... 16 P. O . BOX 2329, LIVONIA, MICHIGAN 48150 The Sound of Music ...... 19 Billy Nolle at Longwood Gardens ...... 19 ADVERTISING ADDRESS: Dewey Cagle, 3291 Welcome to the Hoosier ...... 20 Guido Street, Oakland, California 94602. Lee Erwin Captivates Rochester .... 21 * * * Gaylord Carter Presides at San Diego 22 The Fabulous 'Beer Can' Organ 24 A.T.O.E. National Officers Closing Chord 25 Albert T. Mason, President North Texas Hosts Sooner State 27 Richard F. Kline, Jr., Vice President Nuggets from the Golden Days 29 Betty Mason, National Secretary Vox Pops ...... 30 Dorothy MacClain, Secretary-Treasurer Hollywood Cavalcade ...... 34 For the Records 34 A.T.O.E. National Board of Directors Disc Squeals ...... 36 Lee Erwin Book Review .. .. 36 W. "Tiny" James Chap:er News ...... 37 Frederick J. Kruse Letters to the Editor 40 Classified Ads Ben M. Hall 43 Dorothy J. MacClain Phil Olson Allen W. Rossiter EDITORIAL Erwin A. Young, Jr . Next month we are headed for our annual convention as the main feature of Richard H. Schrum, Honorary the theatre organ year. This is a good time to think of what the N ational is - the A.T.O.E. Honorary Members few people who try to 'tie together' the entire country as there is strength in num­ 1959 - Jesse Crawford bers - whether it is chapters or isolated members who express their love for and 1960 - Farny Wurlitzer interest in theatre organ; the sponsoring of the convention hosted by a chapter with 1961 - Mel Doner the cooperation of the Theatre Organ-Bombarde and an allowance of 25c per 1962 - Leonard MacClain current member, and the devoted workers who gather the news , organize it and 1963 - Eddie Dunstedter print it. 1964 - Reginald Foort This is the time to say that we do need an increase in dues as many things 1965 - Dan Barton have had to slide for lack of money. We must expect the cost of paper will be going 1966 -W. "Tiny" James up and of course the printing will have to follow. The post office is talking of 1967 - Erwin A. Young, Jr. raising mail costs and that will really hurt. 1968 - Richard C. Simonton There have been malicious rumors of large spending by officials. First of all, EDITORIAL STAFF there isn't any money and the only official that has any expenses paid is the president Editor - George Thompson and very little of that. Postage, telephone , printing , and the election costs all come Associate Editors - Ray Brubacher out of dues the same as any organization. We get two dollars worth out of every Lloyd Klos dollar since the labor is free. We need and should have a regular official reporter Peg Nielsen from every chapter at the same price . Editor-Emeritus - W. "Stu" Green Our organization has been a success because it has filled a need. We do require Publica t ions Director - Don Lockwood some changes to bring our By-Laws in line with the progress we have made. Our Advertis ing Manager - Dewey Cagle founders planned well, we have grown accordingly, but time has opened up more Circula t ion Manager - Vi Thompson opportunities that were not apparent when we were founded and we should consider THEATRE ORGAN BOMBARDE (title registered changing to an educational and charitable status if the internal revenue will admit U. S. Palent Off ice) is published bi-monthly by the National ATOE in this category as well as some chapters that have alread y been the American Theatre Organ Enthusiasts , Inc ., grant ed this change. a non -profit organiza t ion, Albert T. Mason, Maybe we need a special fun group also. Any ideas? Let the cards and President . All rights reserved. Entire contents letters come. copyr ighted 1969 by A .T.O .E., Inc., Office of publication is P.O. Box 2329 , Livonia, Michigan 48150. Printed by Detroit Master Craft, Livonia. M ichigan 48150.

POSTMASTER: Second Class postage paid at Livonia, Michigan . IF UNDELIVERABLE, send - Al Mason , President form 3579 to A.T.O.E. Circulation Department, Box 1314, Salinas, California 9390 1.

3 theatre organ bombarde By Bill Peterson - Number 15 in a series THE PARADISE THEATRE - CHICAGO John Eberson designed many theatres in the so called atmospheric style, but none were any more beautiful than the 3606 seat Paradise in Chicago. This house was built in 1928 and had in this writer's opinion, the most classic exterior of any theatre ever bui It. It looked like it may have been moved from Paris with its mansard roof and fine detailing. Inside, the house was strictly Spanish with its magnificent sculpture by Lorado Taft. The Paradise was demolished in 1956. The organ was a 5-21 built by Wurlitzer, and after removal from the theatre it found its way to Los Angeles where it was used by George Wright on many of the records he made for Hi Fi Records. Bill Brown of Phoenix now owns the organ.

;une 1969 4 THE SECOND GOLDEN AGE OF THEATREORGAN THEGRANDE BARTON PIPE ORGAN IN THEVIRGINIA THEATRE

Story by Ray Brubacher Photos by Ray Brubacher and Richard C. Sullivan In 1931 the Bartola Musical Instru­ an organ installation in this theatre was would go up into the ceiling of the con­ ment Company of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, a distinct possibility. It remained to find sole room to allow the entire console built and shipped what was to be its an organ suitable to the needs of the to roll out in full view of the theatre final theatre pipe organ, to the Para­ eleven hundred seat house. audience. The blower was placed in a mount Theatre in Newport News, Vir­ In the Spring of 1968 while pursuing room in back of the stage separated by ginia. This instrument a three manual several leads on available organs it was a thick brick wall so that it could not ten rank installation was installed in learned that the 3-10 Barton in the be heard in the theatre. two chambers, one on each side of the Paramount Theatre in Newport News, At this time it was also decided that stage. The console, one of the rare about 180 miles south of Alexandria, the organ's pedal bass range should be Bartons with a waterfall desjgn was in­ was for sale. However, before any ne­ extended to give a more powerful low stalled on a Barton lift which did not gotiations could be made with the Para­ end when the occasion called for it so require the usual deep orchestra pit to mount, someone had to be found who two sixteen foot pedal ranks, a tuba house the console when it was not in would take charge of the removal and mirabilis and a gross flute were secured use. Through the years the organ was the installation of the instrument should from what was remaining of the Moller used on a fairly regular basis but after it be purchased. That person was soon installation in the Palace Theatre in the second world war it was rarely found in a young man by the name of Washington, D. C. These ranks consist­ heard. Sometime within the last ten Paul G. White who then at the age of ing of twenty four pipes each were years there was an attempt made to do seventeen had already had two installa­ erected immediately behind the movie some restoration work on the instru­ tions to his credit. With a director se­ screen at stage left. ment, but until the spring of 1968 the cured, the Potomac Valley Chapter The relay stacks were placed in posi­ organ sat dormant as if awaiting a stepped in to lend its support with tion at the far left of the stage and will miracle to happen and last year one did enough manpower to handle whatever be enclosed in a room when installa­ happen, one which its instigators are situation would arise. tion is completed. Upon graduation still not quite sure just how it did occur. The organ was purchased and re­ from high school Paul went to work The Virginia Theatre located on First moval began at once. The most difficult full time on the rebuilding and reno- Street, just off of the George Washing­ removal maneuver was the taking out ton Memorial Parkway in Alexandria, of the blower and relay located on the Virginia, was built in the late forties third story of the theatre building. These as a motion picture house, but with a had to be removed with the aid of a fairly deep stage and two dressing crane crew, possibly one of the reasons rooms. Its designers left a sizeable space why no one had ever attempted removal behind the walls on each side of the before. proscenium as if intended for an organ In the meantime, the theatre's archi­ installation however small it might have tect and engineering staff were called in to be. to make the necessary changes in the The Potomac Valley Chapter of new home of the organ. This involved A.T.O.E. was formed in 1960 and one the construction of a large chamber out of its first members was Woodrow W. of an unused storage room just off of Wise Jr., then the manager of the Vir­ stage right, the preparation of two pipe ginia. Woody as he is better known, chambers on the right of the stage, and first discussed the remote possibility of one on the left above the console. It an organ installation in the theatre with was decided that the console would roll the author some years ago and at that out from an alcove at stage left onto a time it was decided that within reason, large platform and that a moving door

5 theatre organ bombarde Soldering windline can be fun! George Marvin Lautzenheiser {left) and Paul White Johnson hai. his doubts. at work on part of the console cable.

Bob St. John and Gil White operate on a static Woody Wise, ass't. general manager of Alexandria Amusement Corp., asked ATOE President regulator while Hank Poole wires the relay. Al Mason to speak at the invitational performance. vation of all component parts. Each While all of this work was in prog­ stage to present his most recent film "A chest was taken apart and checked and ress, the console was taken completely Grand Tour of Eastern Europe." Fu­ completely rewired. All leather every­ apart and was releathered. Since this in­ ture attractions will include Jim Boyce where was examined and any that was strument did not possess any couplers, in a silent film feature and concert on found faulty was replaced. it was decided to add a sub and super May 18th, and on May 25th, Ray Bru­ The call for volunteer help went out octave coupler to the great and solo bacher will present THE MARK OF and thus began a program of literally manual, an accompaniment super coup­ ZORRO with Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. thousands of hours of manpower given ler to that manual, and a great to pedal The installation of this instrument in to restore and reinstall the organ. Work 8 foot coupler and a pedal octave coup­ one of the most beautiful motion pic­ crews assembled at the theatre on a ler to that division. New stop tablets ture showcases in this part of the coun­ regular Friday night basis from the were made to look like the originals, try is truly a dream come true for time the theatre closed until well after and the console was redone in the theatre organ enthusiasts. As it now sunup the following morning. In the ornate gold gilt typical of many Bar­ stands, Virginia is the only state in the final months of installation, it was de­ tons. A new Howard seat was ordered union to now have five theatre pipe cided to work both Saturdays and Sun­ to supplement the standard bench which organs in theatres being played on a days from 7 a.m. to matinee time in the was rebuilt just in case of a special regular basis. They are the Virginia in afternoon. preference. Alexandria, the Byrd in Richmond, the By this time, Post Horn fever had April 16th of this year saw the organ Mosque in Richmond, the Loews in taken its full effect on the powers that presented to the public for the first Richmond, and the American in Roan­ be and it was decided that the eleventh time in a special program featuring oke. It is indeed fitting that a vote of full rank on the organ would be this Jimmy Boyce at the organ for a pops sincere appreciation be extended to the brass stop. A Dennison Post Horn concert and silent film feature. On April following people for their devotion which had originally been on a Barton 30th, the organ was presented on a above and beyond the call of duty in organ was purchased and room was grander scale with Boyce at the con­ making the Virginia Theatre Barton in­ found in the already very crowded solo sole and the noted traveler and cinema­ stallation the pride of the area. The chamber to install it. Since the main tographer Andre de la V arre was on Virginia Theatre Organ Crew consists and solo pipe rooms were not big of the following members: Paul G. enough to accommodate the wood dia­ White, Henry "Bank" Poole, George phone, the bourdon, and the diapason Johnson, Paul Johnson, Bill Alexander, extension, these were housed in the re­ Barry Washington, Bob St. John, Mar­ converted store room on the lower level vin Lautzenheiser, Erwin Young, Gil of stage right. The complete percussion White, Charles Affelder, Ray Bru­ division with traps was also installed in bacher, Tommy Landrum, Sherman this chamber but very close to the swell Hjort, Robert Wise, Dave Snyder, shades so that the sound would be Woody Wise, Sr., and Ralph Rodda, transmitted directly into the auditorium. staff member of the Alexandria Amuse­ A beautiful ornamental grillwork ex­ ment Corporation. tending from floor to ceiling was in­ A special note of appreciation is ex­ stalled on both sides of the stage and tended to Mr. Harmon Martin, general the console alcove door was covered manager of Alexandria Amusement with the same pattern of grillwork to Exposed pipework at stage rear. Tuba Corporation for his interest and enthu­ match the chambers. mirabilis and gross flute. siasm for the entire project. june 1969 6 GEORGEWRIGHT RETURNSTO ROCHESTER by Lloyd E. Klos It is a common axiom in the Flower City that a musician does not appear in concert in consecutive years, with notable exceptions of Roger Williams or Fred Waring. To do so only invites succeedingly smaller audiences. How­ ever , in the case of George Wright, who appeared at the Auditorium Theatre 4-22 Wurlitzer on April 19, the audi­ ence almost filled the house, in spite of his appearance here only eleven months ago. What's more, he was competing with the Fred Waring audience which almost filled the Eastman Theatre up the street. George rode the console up into the spotlight with the sprightly Vincent Youmans' "Hallelujah!" with plenty of brass. Doing his own introdudion of numbers, spiced with the inimitable Wright humor, he stated that he had been swimming in California the previ­ ous day in SO-degree temperature, but on arising in his Rochester hotel room, looked outside at a thin mantle of snow. This disparity of weather was The Woody Wise organ, a rare Barton waterfall console. The flick of a switch and if disappears reflected in "April Showers" and "Let info the wall recess on a specially designed track. It Snow", the latter dedicated to his SECOND TOUCH STOPS ON BACKRAIL old crony from his radio days on the SPECIFICATIONFORTHE PEDAL 9 on great with cancel NBC "Prudential Show," Rochesterian Bass Drum 5 on solo with cancel VIRGINIATHEATRE BARTON PIPE ORGAN Cymbol 3 on pedal with concel Eddie Dunn. *indicates addition Kettle Drum 9 toe pistons for special PEDALORGAN GREAT Crash Cymbal effects such as horse Although we couldn't see any evi­ 32' Acoustic Bass* 16' Diaphone ACCOMPANIMENT hoofs, bird call, bells, dence of perspiration on cool George, 16' Bourdon 8' Tuba etc. 16' Tuba Mirabilis* 16' Post Horn T.C. * 8' Clarinet pedal for sforzondo he said he wanted to get out of his 16' Diaphone 16' Ophicleide 8' Diaphonic Diapason pedal for grond "wet tuxedo". Second half began with 16' Grossflute* 16' Contre Viole T.C. 8' Xylophone crash effects 16' Tibia Clause T.C. 8' Chimes swell pedal for main his rendition of a 6/8 rollicker from an 16' Bourdon 16' Vox Humana T.C. Triangle swell pedal for solo 16' Oph icleide 8' Diaphonic Diapason GREAT register crescendo early Marx Brothers movie, "Cosi­ 8' Diaphonic Diapason 8' Flute 16' Ophicleide pedol 8' Tibia Clause 8' Clarinet Spencer orgoblo with Cosa." The artist, now dressed in white 8' Flute 8' Post Horn* 8' Tibia Clause motor rewound to suit, black turtle-neck sweater and 8' Tibia Clause 8' Tuba TREMULANTS deliver 10 h.p. 8' Vox Humano 8' Tuba Main Pressures: Main organ boots, did a thoroughly moving "Smoke 8' Orchestral Oboe Solo 8' Clarinet on ten inches 8' Kinura Tuba Gets In Your Eyes". With help from 8' Cello 8' Clorinet Tibia Tibia and Post Horn on fifteen inches the audience, he did several variations 4' Octave 8' Violin Vox Humona Bass Drum 8' Viol in Celeste PISTONS(manual) Vox Humana on eight on organist Lloyd del Castillo's "How Cymbal 4' Octave 9 on accomp with cancel inches. 4' Tibia Piccolo Dry I Am" with tunes which include Kettle Drum ANALYSIS OF RANKS Crash Cymbol 4' Flute 4' Octave Celeste Tibia Clause 85 pipes Orchestral Oboe 61 pipes it, such as "Skaters Waltz", "How High Pedal to Pedal 4'* 61 pipes Great to Pedal 8'* 4' Clarion Tuba 85 pipes Kinura the Moon", "Man On a Flying Trap­ 4' Viole Tuba Mirabilis 24 pipes Grossflute 24 pipes 2' Fifteenth Diaphone 85 pipes Post Horn 61 pipes eze", "La Paloma", "Home on the ACCOMPANIMENT 2 2/ 3' Tibia Twelfth Flute 97 pipes Vox Humana 61 pipes 61 pipes Range", and "High Noon." More than 16' Bourdon 2 2/ 3' Flute Twelfth Violin 85 pipes Clarinet 16' Contre Viole T.C. 2' Tibia Piccolo Violin Celeste 73 pipes variations, it seemed the theme was 16' Vox Humana T.C. l 3/ 5' Tierce DISPOSITION OF RANKS OF PIPES AND Great to Great 16'* used to bridge the songs. 8' Diaphonic Diopason PERCUSSIONS IN CHAMBER 8' Flute Great to Great 4'* After recognition of Eddie Dunn, 8' Tibia Clause 8' Harp Chrysoglott SOLO CHAMBER- left side of stage above console 8' Vox Humana 8' Xylophone Tuba Horn (including 16' extension ) who was in the audience, he wound up 8' Clarinet 4' Glockenspiel Tibia Clause 8' Orchestral Oboe 4' Orchestra Bells English Post Horn with the regular program with "Amer­ 8' Tuba 8' Chimes Kinura ican Bolero", a number quite closely 8' Kinura SOLO Vox Humana 8' Violin 16' Diaphone MAIN CHAMBER- right side of stage upper level paralleling Ravel's "Bolero" with its 8' Violin Celeste 16' Ophicleide Diaphonic Diapason thematic repetition, increasing intensity 4' Octave 8' Diaphonic Diapason Concert Flute 4' Flute 8' Tuba Violin and volume. A standing ovation by the 4' Tibia Piccolo 8' Orchestral Oboe Violin Celeste 4' Vox Humana 8' Post Horn* Clarinet appreciative audience, some of whom 4' Viole 8' Tuba Orchestral Oboe 4' Octave Celeste 8' Tibia Clouse PEDAL EXTENSIONAND PERCUSSIONCHAMBER came from Michigan, Ohio, Massachu­ 2 2/ 3' Flute Twelfth 8' Kinura right side of stoge lower level setts and Canada, was rewarded by "I'll 2' Piccolo 4' Octave 16' Diaphone (wood) low twelve pipes of diopason 8' Harp Chrysoglott 4' Piccolo 16' Bourdon (wood) low twelve pipes of flute unit See You Again" and "Good Night, Snare Drum 4' Clarion 8' Diapason (metal) low twelve pipes of 8 foot stop Sweetheart". Tambourine 8' Xylophone Chimes, Glockenspiel, Chrysoglott, and Xylophone Castinets 4' Glockenspiel plus toy counter. It was an evening well invested, and Chinese Block 4' Orchestra Bells EXPOSEDPIPEWORK AT STAGE REAR LEFT OF PIC­ Tom tom 8' Cathedral Chimes TURE SCREEN this reviewer hopes it will be an annual Accomp Octave 4'* Solo to Solo 16'* 16' Tuba Mirabilis (unmitered) 24 pipes event. Solo to Accomp 8'* Solo to Solo 4'* 16' Grossflute (open wood) 12 pipes

7 theatre organ bombard& Vincennes University in Vincennes, Meanwhile, as work progressed, the Indiana is probably the first Junior citizenry became curious and rumors College in the United States to have started. Some were negative. A few a Wurlitzer Theatre pipe organ installed people in Vincennes called the project on its campus. Here, in a historical, old "Ertel's Folly" and doubted that the city of 20,000 people, a three manual, organ would ever play. ten rank Wurlitzer has found a per­ Finally in December, 1965, the time manent home and a real love affair with Dr. Beckes was hesitant at first but after arrived when the chests and ducting the University administration, faculty, experiencing Dick's enthusiasm for the were in. No pipes in place yet because students and the community. The credit organ he agreed to ask the Board of the dirt had to be blown from the pipe for the "Wurli's" purchase must go Trustees for approval to buy the in­ holes first. The switch was thrown for to Richard (Dick) Ertel, a Professor strument. Dick had acquired some the first time and the damndest sound of Music at Vincennes University. Dick theatre organ tapes which he handed to imaginable burst forth. It was as if a is a professional organist and is well Dr. Beckes to help convince the board. hurricane had struck; there were so known in the mid-West (having played The members were convinced; Dick many air leaks that back to soldering organ and piano for WGN-TV and got his Wurlitzer. went the crew. Then, a bit of luck; Mr. radio in Chicago while he was in the It was in late June when Bernie Glenn Underhill, a professional pipe U. S. Army). He is now director of the Sampson, a maintenance department organ installer, offered to help for a few Music Department at Vincennes Uni­ employee, and Dick started to Michigan days in order to speed progress. It versity. for the organ. After two days of pack­ seems Glenn loved the theatre organ The idea of installing a theatre pipe ing pipes, loading relays, console and himself and was anxious to see the organ in the Robert E. Green Audi­ blower, they realized that they could Wurli get a proper and speedy installa­ torium on the University campus oc­ not possibly get the complete instru­ tion. That was when Terry Parr joined curred to Dick on almost the first day ment on the truck they had brought. the crew and things moved more he began teaching at the University. So, after two more trips and three quickly. Dick knew he must first find an organ truckloads, plus the wonderful help and In the spring of 1966 the organ and then convince the University offi­ hospitality of the owner and his wife, was partly operative, and with so much cials that this would be a sensible and the organ was headed for its new home. skepticism about the instrument ramp­ proper kind of instrument for the audi­ It was at this point that Dick enlisted ant, Dick decided to give the Wurli a torium which is used for convocations, the help of four others to help with chance to prove itself. The occasion concerts, dramas, dances, dinners, reli­ installation: George Smith ( a classical was a "capping" ceremony for the gious programs, as well as rehearsal organist and druggist), Paul Struck nursing program with a reception held hall for band camps, testing and many ( radio announcer), Bill Luttrell and immediately afterward. After playing other diverse functions. Only a theatre Terry Parr (students). All were theatre for the ceremony on a well known organ could possibly satisfy these varied organ lovers and gave many nights of make of electronic, Dick moved to the needs and he hoped to find a Wurlitzer. their time for over a year helping Dick back of the auditorium where the Wurli In the May 1965 issue of "The Dia­ in the installation of the instrument. was installed and the big moment was pason" Dick saw a Wurlitzer advertised Without their help, and especially that at hand. Dick says it was as though for sale. He knew that if the price was of Mr. Smith, the organ would have right this could be the instrument for had a much longer period of silence -, the school. It was a three manual, ten before its beautiful sounds could be rank organ in a private home in Birm­ heard. ingham, Michigan. The owner, James As soon as the pipe chambers were Widdis, was selling the organ to make completed the crew began installing the room for a larger instrument which he monster, having more than their share had purchased for installation in his of cut fingers, sore back and skinned new home. Dick knew he would have knuckles that go with the installation to act quickly so he called the owner. of massive parts such as blowers, pipe racks and chests - not to mention the A PUMPHOUSE NO MORE - The home of the The price seemed right so he went im­ Wurlitzer was once a city water department mediately to see Dr. Beckes, president console. Paul Stuck was the only one pump station. It's now among the 'halls of ivy', of the University, and told him of his of the crew that had any experience an acoustically good university auditorium where hope: a pipe organ for the auditorium. with pipe organ installations. a theatre organ sounds. april 1969 8 UP THE RAMP! This is how the regulators, switch THE CONSOLE - The 3-manuals make this 10 ranker something special. Wurlitzer normally started stacks and relays, tremulants, and chests were with 3-manual consoles on 11 rank organs. Note the exquisite finish. hoisted up to the chambers. .,,pprr~",, u , ' ~--• ,/, (Left) The Chrysoglott Harp. Some Pedal Tibia pipes are at the left and behind the Harp can be seen folded Ophicleide which be­ comes the Tuba (above Harp) at 8' C. Above is one of three fluores­ cent lights which pro­ vide plenty of illumina­ tion for chamber work.

(Right) Dick Ertel (left) and George Smith ex­ amine Vox Humana pipes. Note the folded­ over (mitered) String pipes above. That one was to beat low ceilings in a home installation. the Wurli knew that now was the time instrument. A set of English Post Horn We do not want to overlook the edu­ to prove itself, for with only five ranks pipes, built to Wurlitzer specifications, cational value of the organ. Dick feels going, and none of the percussions play­ has been ordered from the Durst Organ a good musician is one who has the ing, it sounded beautiful. No sticking Supply Co. and will be playing when ability to play all types of music well. keys, no ciphers - just beautiful sounds. this story hits print. And it is hoped This is why he first requires students to After just one tune the Wurli had sold gain thorough training in Bach and the that a set of Oboe Horn Pipes can be itself to the administration, students and other classics plus a reasonable under­ purchased, thus making it a 12-rank the guests. An interest which has grown standing of theory and arranging. Then continuously started then and there. organ. they are given the opportunity to study The theatre pipe organ has helped to After a standing ovation following the interpretative or theatre type of bring recognition to a small but live­ the dedication concert, students and music. wire music department, and it started members of the newly formed Vin­ with the organ's first performance. cennes Theatre Organ Club asked Dick So goes the story of a Wurlitzer Since then, the organ has created fan­ to record an album on the Mighty Wur­ originally installed in New York (exact tastic interest. on the part of high school litzer. This he has agreed to do but location unknown), a group of devoted and college students. Almost every stu­ wants to wait until the new pipes are in theatre organ enthusiasts, and a Music dent or community function held in and adjusted. We feel that Dick Ertel Department in Vincennes, Indiana, the auditorium brings a request for will become one of the best-loved and which has shown the way for other col­ Dick to play the organ. best-known theatre organists anywhere leges throughout the country to have The organ is now completely installed but don't take our word for it. Listen theatre organs installed on their cam­ although Dick says he will never stop to his album. When completed, it will puses. working to improve and enlarge the be advertised in this magazine. Specifications appear on page 40.

9 theatre organ bombarde TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT Repairingand Rewinding WurlitzerMagnets by Ben Levy

PART 2 solder. Use a small soldering iron with Fig. 4. Suggested way of securing lead-in wires. In Part 1 we learned how to pre­ a fine point; if you don't have one you in the same direction. Twist them to­ pare magnets for rewinding if they can make one out of any iron by wrap­ gether once or twice at this point , if are "dead." In Part 2, Mr. Levy ping a piece of solid copper wire around the tip and letting the end stick out a desired, not too tightly or you might explains how to repair magnets create a short circuit. A void all strain which aren't quite "dead," how to little, using the wire end to solder with . Leave the iron on its stand and take on the fine wire while coiling the lead-in measure coil resistance , reconnect wires and while pulling the turns tight. broken windings, and insure cor­ the work over to it. Tuck the soldered ends down between the coils with a This is one of the more ticklish parts of rect polarity. Then he explains how the operation. See Fig. 4. to set up for rewinding coils which toothpick. Take the magnetic bridge you re­ require it. Cut a couple of 8" pieces of new in­ sulated lead-in wire, for which purpose moved initially and force it back onto Now you should measure the elec­ discarded lengths of organ cable come the pole pieces, by squeezing it on in trical resistance of each coil. Use a in handy. Strip Vs" of the cotton insu­ a vise or by tapping it on with a screw­ cheap ohmmeter ( also called a volt­ lation from one end of each and ½ " driver and hammer. Now you are ready ohm-milliammeter or multimeter), if from the other , and tin both ends with to test the finished product. you have or can borrow one. If you solder. The shorter ends will be soldered Check the resistance with the ohm­ can't borrow one, they are available to the magnet coil ends and the longer meter. It should measure about 180 from radio-electronic supply houses ones will be ready to solder onto the ohms or the value of two 90 ohm coils such as Allied Electronics Corporation, wire ends in the organ chests. in series. This is really all the testing 100 North Western Avenue, Chicago, Take one of these and wind it three you need to do, but just for fun you or wherever TV test equipment is sold times around the protruding end of the can now check to see that you really in your area. Get the 1000-ohms-per­ paper coil form of one of the coils, have a "horseshoe" magnet. An ordi­ volt variety if possible; they're cheaper with the bare end close to the fine wire nary magnetic compass such as a boy­ and better suited to this work. that it will be soldered to. The winding scout compass or a carpenter 's stud Dip a toothpick end in enameled wire direction must be such that the long finder is required. Lay the magnet on stripper ("Strip-X" is one brand) and end extends between the magnet poles, its side and place the compass near the coat the tips of the four coil ends care­ as in the original arrangement. Holding Bakelite end. The needle of the compass fully to remove the enamel insulation. it firm with a finger , use a toothpick to will be attracted toward the iron pole Wait a few minutes and wipe it off with wind the fine wire around the tip of the pieces. Move the compass a little until tissue. Now test the resistance of each lead-in wire and solder. If there isn't the needle points strongly toward one coil with the ohmmeter. A pair of small enough fine wire available for this , or the other of the two poles. Now con­ "alligator" clips are handy to use in simply lay them together and solder. nect your ohmmeter to the magnet, thus conjunction with the instrument in Repeat with the other wire and the sec­ energizing it. If the direction of current order to hold onto the ends of the fine ond coil end. See Fig. 3. flow happens to be such that the pole wire. The coils should measure about piece toward which the compass is 90 ohms each. If a coil measures open­ pointing is of the same magnetic polar­ circuited ( no indication), look for vis­ ity as that of the near end of the com­ ible coil damage on the outside of the pass, the needle will swing over and coil, unwind a turn or two at the break, point toward the other pole piece (like strip the wires, twist together and solder. polarities repel each other). If the If you can't find the break, don't waste polarity the magnet acquires by the pas­ too much time. Work the coil, core and sage of current is opposite to the above , all, off the pole piece and throw it away the compass needle will not change posi­ or remove the wire and save the coil tion but will be more strongly attracted form for rewinding, if you wish. Soda (unlike poles attract). In this event re­ straws can also be used for coil forms. verse the ohmmeter connections and the If a coil measures considerably less needle will move over. This little dem­ than 90 ohms, there is a short circuit onstration shows that when current between layers. Sometimes you can cure flows through the magnet windings one this by moving some of the wires at the pole end becomes a north magnetic pole Fig. 3. Reconnedion of coils and new lead-in and the other a south pole. This is the top of the coil around a bit; if you wires. can't find the cause, remove the coil condition which assures the most pow­ and rewind. It rarely occurs. Take each lead-in wire and make one erful attraction between the magnet and Assuming both coils check out OK, or more turns around the adjacent pole the soft iron armature when the magnet you are ready to reconnect them. Twist piece for security, making sure the ends is energized. Which pole is which polar­ the two outside coil ends together and finally extend from between the poles, ity doesn't matter; just so they are ·dif-

june 1969 10 ferent. This point is worth harping on ent gauge wire would also differ in the Mount three or four porcelain lamp because it is possible to connect the two same direction, the coil resistances sockets on a board, wire them in paral­ coils so they form a bar magnet rather would differ by considerably more than lel with each other, and wire the sockets than a horseshoe magnet, resulting in a 25%. The number of turns per coil, as a group in series with the motor to much weaker magnet. If you connect and thus the magnetic strength of the the AC line, as shown in Figure 5. the coils exactly as shown, however, magnet, and the inductance of the mag­ With this arrangement, the motor will this error is not possible. net, would also differ. Inductance is an receive no power unless one or more See that the connection between the important factor affecting the amount lamps are screwed into the sockets. The coils is still tucked safely between the of contact arcing developed when the more lamps and the higher the wattage coils and that the lead-in wires are neat magnet is in use. Since so many factors of the lamps, the more pull. I found and firm and not straining the fine are affected by a change in wire size, that 250 watts of lamps in series with wires, dip the magnet end in a can of it probably pays to be conservative and the ½-horsepower radial-arm-saw motor brushing lacquer and hang upside down stick to the original size, which will en­ seemed to provide just the right amount to dry. The lacquer cements everything sure that the rewound magnet or coil of tension. The tension measured to be securely in place. Use hooks made by will be electrically identical to the orig­ 56 grams, or a little less than two unfolding paper clips. inal, whether or not this happens to be ounces. This value is approximate, of All this description makes the pro­ the ideal combination. In this matter I course, and can be varied somewhat. cess sound complicated and difficult, but have not conducted experiments, being Too low a value makes for loose coils it takes only about ten minutes to re­ willing to take Mr. Hope-Jones' word that tend to unravel at the ends, and pair a magnet this way, after the alcohol for it. His designs were, in general, too large a tension causes the wire to bath, and a day for the lacquer to dry. pretty well thought out. be forced between turns of the under­ Save up your dead magnets until you If there is a secret for making coil­ lying layer of the coil and makes wind­ have a dozen or so and do them in winding easy, it is in providing a means ing the coil difficult. batches. for keeping the wire under constant, A variable-ratio transformer ("Var­ I considered using one of the modern­ proper tension. If you have this, every­ iac"), if you have one, provides a more day coil dips instead of lacquer, but thing else is easy. The best such device precise and elegant control of motor decided against it. Most of them are is an electric torque motor. Almost any torque than the relatively crude lamp not removable after once hardening, fractional-horsepower motor should do, resistance scheme does. and make getting into the coils again but it should have good, smooth bear­ Mount the spool of wire on the motor impossible, should this ever be neces­ ings and not employ a starting device shaft. If the shaft is long enough, per­ sary. which puts any drag on the rotation, haps you can simply wind it with tape To help find those hard-to-locate such as some "split-phase" motors em­ until it is large enough to be a good breaks in the outer layer of the coil, ploy. A motor employing a condenser fit, but make sure it doesn't wobble. It's attach your ohmmeter to one coil end for starting and not making use of an better to make an adapter of wood or and a needle or a razor blade to the internal centrifugal switch is probably metal that will be a "push fit" over the other lead of the ohmmeter. Then poke best; the one I use is a ½-horsepower motor shaft and inside the wire spool. along the outer layer until the meter radial-arm-saw motor. It will be used It doesn't have to be very tight, but the reading disappears. Now you have only to keep tension on the supply reel, resulting arrangement should allow the localiz:d the break, and a careful exam­ and will be operating only on a very spool to turn concentrically. The spool ination at this level of the coil will low voltage. must be mounted so that the motor will enable you to find it. Sometimes acid­ try to puJl the wire back onto the spool core solder was used to connect the as it is drawn off during winding. Set magnet to the organ, and a spot of the motor on the workbench a foot or acid has faJlen on the coil, eating the so from the front edge where you wiJl wires in two at this point. Use the be doing your winding, so that the wire needle to pry up the ends of the wire can be pulled off the spool toward you. when you have found the break, so If you use a radial-arm-saw motor, you can unwind a turn and solder. shove it back to the end of its track and lock it there, using the saw bench Any coils which cannot easily be as a workbench. repaired using the above procedure For a winding machine, I use an should be removed from the pole piece ordinary small "egg beater" hand driJl and a new coil substituted. Use either Fig. 5. Schematic drawing of coil winding set up. clamped in a vise so that the crank can the original coil form after stripping the LEGEND referring to the numbered parts show­ be turned with one hand while the wire wire from it or use a soda straw of ing on Figure 5. is guided with the other. This setup suitable inside and outside diameter. 1. Torque motor used to supply proper tension allows you to turn fast or slowly, stop, to wire. or reverse if desired, very easily. To me Buy a pound of No. 3 7 gauge enam­ 2. Wire supply reel mounted on motor shaft. eled magnet wire. Copper prices are 3. Lamp sockets in series with line for adjust­ at least, this little tool is much more sky-high and wire is very hard to get, ment of tension. desirable than a motor-driven device but it can be obtained if you keep after 4. Coil form on which coil is being wound. such as a lathe, which is considerably 5. Chuck of hand-cranked drill with which wind­ less under the operator's control. With it. Since it's so hard to get, you might ing is done. as well get the right size. Even-num­ 6. Approximate point at which finger is placed the tension motor controlling the supply bered sizes are more easily found than to guide the wire while winding. Angle reel, no matter how fast or slowly you the odd ones, but No. 36 is too large shown in the wire is illustrative of the turn the crank, or even reverse to cor­ amount of defledion of the wire required to rect a flaw, the wire will be under con­ and No. 38 is too small, if you want to insure a smooth winding. duplicate the Wurlitzer coils. There is a 7. Caution! Observe that the wire supply reel stant tension, the spool supplying or 25 % difference in electrical resistance and the coil form are on the left-hand ends rewinding the wire as required. per foot between consecutive wire sizes, of the motor shaft and the "egg-beater" coil In the concluding installment, winder. This insures correct winding direc­ Mr. Levy will cover the rewind­ and since the number of feet of wire tion! Do it this way even if you are left. per coil you would wind with a differ- handed! ing procedure in detail.

11 theatre organ bombarde The Ashley Miller Story

Photos from the Klos Collection by Lloyd E. Klos type to waste time on the 10-day voy­ age, he made the acquaintance of the Rarely does this biographer find an ship's wireless operator, "Sparks" and organist who will spend several hours became adept at Morse Code. On the being interviewed - especially one ship's radio, he first heard an English whose schedule is so crushingly busy. theatre organ, and while in London, However, in Ashley Miller, one finds a wrote to Reginald Foort, who was gentleman whose major criterion is broadcasting over the BBC on the 4- helpfulness to his fellow man. We had manual Compton at St. George's Hall been dogging Ashley for over a year, (afterward destroyed in the London At New York's St. Moritz Hotel. Ashley played and when the opportunity presented it­ here evenings while working daytime shift at the blitz). At St. George's, Foort gave him Music Hall in 1953. self on the day following his October the opportunity to play the organ. In 1968 concert in Rochester, he con­ 1965 at the Music Trade Show in Chi­ ground, eventually attaining the rank sented to spend time with the writer cago, Ashley had the opportunity to of Chief Warrant Officer. Sent to Truax in reviewing his career. mention this to Reggie and thank him Field outside Madison, Wisconsin in Ashley B. Miller was born in Brook­ again for his kindness. late 1943, he led the 16th AAF Band. lyn of parents who were in show busi­ He returned to the States to attend While there, Ashley had the oppor­ ness. This, plus the gift of a toy piano the J ulliard Graduate School, having tunity to practice on a Barton organ at the tender age of three, instilled in been awarded a 3-year fellowship in in a Madison theatre which re-kindled him an early leaning toward music. conducting under the renowned Albert his latent organ talent. A big event in When he was four, the family moved Stoessel. In his off-school time, he Madison was a benefit premiere of to Leonia, New Jersey, and at the age played at the IBM Exhibit at the New Irving Berlin's film "This Is the Army," of six, he began piano study under York World's Fair on a Hammond starring Ronald Reagan, Joan Leslie Olive Lichtenberg. When seven, he concert model. In 1939 and 1940, he and Alan Hale, with the 16th AAF heard his first organ, a 2-manual Austin, played over WBNX in the Bronx on Band kicking off that War Bond Drive in church. About the same time, a a 3-7 Kimball, serving as staff organist in front of the theatre, led by Warrant movie theatre was built only a short on several daytime shows and as pianist Officer Miller. distance from his home, and Ashley with the station's orchestra. It was dur­ In 1945, he was stationed at Lub­ watched a 2-5 Kimball being installed. ing this time that his composition bock Field, Texas, and was responsible When it was ready, one of the installers "Rhapsody For Strings" was published for the 636th AAF Band which en­ asked "Want to try it, kid?" Although by BMI and premiered by Alfred Wal­ gaged in some war bond tours. said in a jesting manner, Ashley was lenstein and the WOR Symphonette. He was honorably discharged from over the pit rail in a second and played Ashley also gave concert recitals on the AAF in 1946, and promptly wrote his first theatre organ. He was hooked! WQXR, and again, after the war when to Dick Leibert, Chief Organist at Radio When the silents gave way to the he became organist for the Ethical Cul­ City Music Hall, to audition for the talkies, this little beauty was stilled, and ture Society of New York. position of Associate Organist. Ashley's the theatre closed, but Ashley kept On October 15, 1941, Private Ash­ mother, whose stage and radio name thinking of that organ. Later, the ley Miller entered the Army at Camp was Ethel Browning, had known Lei­ theatre reopened under new manage­ Upton, Long Island. In the fall of 1942, bert in the pre-war years, and this ment, and he persuaded the manager he was sent to Fort Myer, Virginia be­ didn't hurt the chances of the young to let him practice in return for play­ cause of his excellent musical back- musician who was bidding for the post. ing the Saturday kiddie matinees. Ashley first appeared before an adult audience when he was nine, having convinced the manager of the theatre in Englewood, New Jersey he could play the 3-manual Welte-Mignon. Hearing radio broadcasts featuring Ann Leaf, Fred Feibel and Dick Leibert solidified his organ interest. In 1933, he was urged to study piano with Bruce Simonds in New York. Les­ sons were $25 an hour, he recalls, though he was on a partial scholarship. He was attending high school in 1934, when he won a full scholarship in clas­ sical ·organ, theory and composition for study under Gaston Dethier at the Julliard School of Music for four years. In 1938, he embarked for a summer Chief Warrant Officer Ashley Miller conduding the 16th AAF Band in August 1944 for the premiere of study under Tobias Matthay, the last of "This Is The Army", outside the Capitol Theatre in Madison, Wisconsin. He was stationed at Truax piano student of Franz Liszt. Not the Field at this time.

june 1969 12 years. Club dates on electronics, occa­ sional subs at the Music Hall, concerts at Carnegie Hall and Town Hall with leading symphony orchestras, recording sessions for Columbia and Command Records involving the Music Hall and New York Paramount organs, TV dates for background music - you name it, Ashley's done it. He is a great favorite of A TOE audiences, having played be­ fore them on the Wurli-Morton in the San Francisco Orpheum Theatre, the Kimball in the Los Angeles Wiltern Theatre, the Wurlitzers in Dunedin, , . Florida, Detroit and Rochester; and the . -"'~, . ' ._.•• ., ...... - .! .... - - ...ti.. , .. ·-•~ ...... - Capitol Theatre Moller in Rome, N. Y. I ... ~•,.4"'J•~-"f He continues as organist at the Ethical -:";...,,:~ ,..- Culture Society in New York, after a brief leave of absence in 1960. Ashley plays lor Easter Dawn Service lor the Protestant Council at the Music Hall in 1961. His published arrangements for organ He was summoned for an audition on As if this weren't enough, he played have further enhanced his reputation the studio 3-14 Wurlitzer. More than pop-style breaks on the left console as an imaginative creator, and he used a bit nervous, he played "miserably", before dashing - while the newsreel one from his "Continental Favorites" in his words, but regardless, Dick Lei­ was on - to the right console for the folio, playing it note for note on his bert told him to report to play house feature spot. limited edition album recorded for the closings for a week. He was then named In 1953, he had an engagement at Detroit Theater Organ Club. In 1965, Associate Organist whose job was to New York's St. Moritz Hotel, playing he played on the Jack Paar show, serv­ play on the staff's days off, as well as nightly on a Hammond, in addition to ing a dual role as assistant conductor house closings. This fitted in with his his daytime chores at the Music Hall. for Jose Melis. More recently, he be­ schedule of attending daytime classes This fellow has never been idle! At this came organist for the CBS soap opera at Julliard under the G.I. Bill so as to time, his first recordings on the Music "Search For Tomorrow", beginning in earn his long-coveted degrees. Hall organ were pressed. New record­ January 1969. At the same time, he was app()inted ing techniques enabled engineers to He says: "The Theatre Organ means organist for the Ethical Culture Society capture the dynamic range of the "King different things to different people. To of New York. He had auditioned for of Instruments", and the Columbia many, it is the old Jesse Crawford style this post bef"re the war, and was urged terhnicians, plus the Miller artistry, or the newer George Wright sound. To through periodic letters while in the turned out sheer masterpieces which me, it is all that plus Billy Nalle and service to accept this position upon are collectors' items today. (They may Johnny Seng. Theatre Organ style is a discharge. In 1949, he was graduated shortly be re-issued). medium of total expression and not from Julliard, and also passed the tests In January 1956, the desire to do limited to the old." for the Associate Degree of the Ameri­ other things musically, and to do free­ Thus has been the fantastically suc­ can Guild of Organists. lance work, caused him to leave the Ashley, due to a very busy schedule, cessful career of Ashley B. Miller. Music Hall. He began an engagement There shouldn't be one theatre organ had missed a couple closings at the at the New York Park-Sheraton Hotel enthusiast who has not heard this fine Music Hall, and was dismissed. How­ that year on a Hammond, and in the musician, either through his recordings, ever, Raymond Paige, up 'm becoming 1958-59 season, he formed his own or in person. Extremely critical of his Musical Director at the Hall in 1950, trio - organ, guitar and drums. performances, greatly modest, and a hired him as day man, and he became From that time forward, this little gentleman of polished character, that a staff organist. Shortly thereafter, Dick giant of the console has had a busy ten is Ashley Miller, the organists' organist. Leibert took a leave of absence, and Paige, heartily in favor of the organ's being used in conjunction with the or­ chestra as well as a solo instrument for breaks between shows, decided to fea­ ture Ashley in a special, if not unique, overture. Paige believed Bach could be sucess­ fully presented to Music Hall audiences , and in a Bach Overture , Ashley was the single soloist in an orchestrated version of the famous "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor." For six weeks, seven days a week, and four shows daily, the celebrated 58-rank Wurlitzer sounded off in a manner few have ever been privileged to hear . (Ashley found especial use for the 12 ranks of mix­ Ashley Miller confers with Associate Organist Ray Bohr at the Music Hall in the fall of 1950, shortly tures on this unusual theatre organ). after Ashley was appointed as regular day organist.

13 theatr~ organ bombarde A BOMBARDE Concert Review themes - "Morning", "Ase's Death", "Anitra's Dance" and "Hall of the Mountain King" - were put through the ringer in fast, rhythmic stanzas, liberally interspersed with syncopated CORN,HUMOR, ATOPFLIGHT MUSICAL PERFORMANCE riffs. The slight whirring sound heard as the applause died down might have been echoes of Grieg spinning in his MARKDEL CASTILLO CONCERT FORL.A. CHAPTER sarcophagus, with the shade of Spike by Elmer Fubb, Hollywood Jones turning the crank. But if Del's halo was somewhat tar­ nished after that skilled slice of musical Anyone who has laughed over the rise" medley. The last, "When Day is mayhem, he made it all good with what outrageous definitions in organist Lloyd Done," was dedicated to the memory of followed, a charming bit of froth by del Castillo's "Alphabetical Primer of President Eisenhower, and it was a Rudolph Friml, "Chansonette" (later Organ Stops" would anticipate that any beauty. integrated into "Donkey Serenade") concert played by the veteran theatre The next group on the printed pro­ and then a round of gorgeous Gersh­ organist would be different. Billing him­ gram was headed, "Exotic, Lush and win, including a generous hunk of self as "the world's oldest living theatre Just Plain Sexy." For this group Del "Rhapsody in Blue", and all of "Some­ organist," Lloyd brought up the LA had selected a Hollywood-style oriental body Loves Me", "Strike Up the Band" Wiltern theatre 4-37 Kimball console to caper worthy of "the turban" - "Japa­ and "Of Thee I Sing." the accompaniment of a snore-wracked nese Sunset," a hangover from silent The final title was something of a "Oh How I Hate to Get Up in the movie epics starring "Sojin", Anna May colossal production. Called "Scrambled Morning." When the spotlight hit him, Wong arid Sessue Hayakawa. Next, a Overture," it consisted of recognizable the "snooze" theme was amplified by wild, fast, loud and rhythmic "Swamp themes from such orchestral or operatic his attire - an oldfashioned nightshirt Fire," replete with rowdy Serpentine potboilers as "Poet and Peasant," and cap. While acknowledging his ap­ eructations. Then Del did a beautiful "Aida", "Faust", "Light Cavalry" and plause he shed the outward attire, strip­ job on tunes borrowed from Borodin "William Tell," all expertly assembled ping down to a snappy gray business under the title, "Kismet selections." The with appropriate harmonic imbrication, suit. He complained that the nightie closer in the group was a violent "Bac­ into an overture to end all overtures, and cap made him look too much like chanale" from that long-ago version of and it is characteristic of the man that a member of the Ku Klux Klan, and "Hair" known as "Samson and De­ he played his overture as the last item handed the garments to a stunning doll lilah." It made "Swamp Fire" seem like on his program - without even bother­ who materialized from backstage. ( she a lullabye. ing to retitle it "finale." Del won his battle with the clock but turned out to be his granddaughter!) Throughout the program, Del was there was no time for an encore. So Her exit music was a Kimball'd wolf fighting the clock; he had scheduled too he obliged by turning up in the lobby to whistle. That was the intro to Del's many tunes and the house had to be greet all his well-wishers and autograph 1969 concert for the LA chapter of cleared early. That also limited his records. ATOE, played on March 30th, starting humor, but didn't cap it entirely. at 9:30 A.M., which may help explain Del's exanimate spirit. The opener for the post-intermission session was a bright "Washington Post" during which the lobby lingerers marched to their seats. The program ballyhooed this group as "Rhythmic, Exuberant and Uptight." The latter never materialized but the first two adjectives were well-justified by "Fasci­ natin' Rhythm" and Kern's "Wal tz in Swingtime." Del played his own "Cuckoo Clock" which turned out to be charmingly-assembled "tick-tock" music with the inevitable loosening of DEL AND EDDIE - The veteran organists 'talk spring tension followed by "winding" it over' in the lobby after the concert. ( the wood block). Del closed the sec­ In the lobby, as Lloyd exchanged DEL AT THE KIMBALL- A pixie from the tion with a fine reading of Lecuona's 'Golden Era'. moody "Malaguena." small talk with scores of fans, a quiet, heavyset man with horn-rimmed glasses Del went into "Lazy" slumped over The notes on the program ( which edged up to him and told him "Young the manuals, and "Lazy" degenerated had an unmistakable Del Castillo aura) man, I predict a great future for you as into a rumble of "snores" played on the claimed that the organist's theatre mu­ an organist - if you practice daily, live lower register of one of the Kimball's sic beginnings date back to "The Birth a clean life, save your money, lay off Voxes. But Del "came to" in time to of a Nation" - the D. W. Griffith booze ...... " Lloyd was looking the take a bow for his musical "sloom version we hasten to add, not the other way but that last word caught his session". Continuing the "Matutinal, George Washington super epic. He's ear and he turned to his "adviser" - Diurnal and Doggone Sleepy" theme not that ancient, despite his billing. and did a double-take. " ...... Eddie which headed the group, he hauled off Little did his listeners know that Dunstedter!" Eddie had come in quietly and played a generous portion of von "Peter Gink" would be a burlesque of to hear his old colleague's concert, a Suppe's "Morning, Noon and Night in Edvard Grieg's immortal "Peer Gynt" signal honor because Eddie is not Vienna," "Night and Day" and a "sun- suite - but it was. Each of the beloved known for attendance at concerts:

june 1969 14 But the most descriptive evaluation steel-rimmed spectacles, Del's No. 1 of the concert came from a tall man booster, former elevator jockey Dinny dressed in a deep blue uniform with Timmins, stated in a flat New England brass buttons. Peering over flattened drawl , "Thet Del Casteelio is shure a ELECTIONRESULTS FORTHE funny comeediun - and he plays thet big music box purty good, too. Yup, 1969-70NATIONAL BOARD it's almost as good as listnen' to Laurens Whelk." OFDIRECTORS When Lloyd del Castillo comes to town for a concert, armed with his GAYLORD CARTER oversize repertoire and nightshirt, get set for an evening of fun and enter­ W. "TlNY" JAMES tainment interspersed with expertly per­ formed music in many styles. He's ALLEN ROSSITER living proof that console veterans still RICHARD SIMONTON have something of value to say to all DINNY of us.

Mr. Harry Edward Freund, head of the Music Research Bureau of Chicago, one of the most powerful musical in­ munity presentation by a great many The following item on Chicago or­ fluences towards better music in ganist , Henri A. Keates , was found in of his contemporaries. Chicago, recently wrote him concerning the November 1926 issue of Jacobs As he says without exaggeration , the work, which shows the appreciation "The stage of experiment or innovation Orchestral Magazine by Lloyd E. Klos: of the musically big men of the town: In the constellation of organ stars, is past; it is now an institution of the "My Dear Mr. Keates: I take much Oriental and one which the public none shine with more brilliance than pleasure in heartily congratulating you demands." Mr. Hutter, of the famous Henri A. Keates, the nationally famous on the great success of your Com­ Chicago Choral Society, tersely re­ concert organist who has recently come munity Sings at the Oriental Theatre. marked of his work, "The Chicago to Chicago from the Pacific Coast. "If I may be permitted to make a Choral Society has quite a time to get Mr. Keates, who played for six years suggestion, it is that you are afforded its 100 members to sing in rhythm . and for Jensen and Von Herberg at the a splendid opportunity to raise the level these are musicians, or presumably so, Liberty Theatre in Portland, Oregon of the class of music which is now but Keates gets the whole audience ( one of the three houses which made placed on the screen. With every good singing, many of whom have apparently architectural, musical and other artistic wish for the progress of fine work you no music in them at all." history in the business), originally came are doing. Sincerely yours, Music Re­ to McVickers last fall. The opening of His wife, who is his secretary, search Bureau (signed) Harry Edmund the magnificent Oriental in the Masonic showed numerous letters from organists Freund." Building, inevitably carried both him throughout the country requesting the So much cognizance of the import­ and Paul Ash, his orchestral partner, privilege of using his special slide ver­ ance of this comment was taken that into the new, exotic palace, where both sions and novelties; also quite a little the biggest newspapers published it are enjoying unparalleled success. of the usual fan mail to which all big and I felt that Melody readers would Out west, Mr. Keates did practically name people fall heir. And, right now, like authentic proof as to the interest nothing but concert organ work and the . while we talk about Mrs. Keates; she of the intellectual musical world in this writer recalls, with pleasure , many of seems the impressario, he the artist, and artist. his concerts which did much to elevate a wonderful team they make. "She Keates looks the part of the musi­ the standard of music in the theatres. writes most of the lyrics for my slides," cian. He has quite bushy , wavy hair, It is certainly axiomatic that the musical he proudly and affectionately told me. reminding one much of Percy Grain­ taste and standard of the movie audi­ "She's the biggest reason for my suc­ ger. There is little of the so-called ences are in inverse proportion to the cess." artistic affection about him . He is size of the cities, and good music, no Last week , Mr. Keates took three en­ simply Keates and easily accessible to matter how well rendered , as solo or cores on a certain act he was using and everyone. In fact, too much so, I some­ concert numbers except the Sunday practically stopped the show with the times think. During the half hour inter­ morning recitals held at the Chicago ovation he received. He is very en­ view I had with him , a total stranger Theatre, which cater exclusively to the thusiastic about the success not from called and asked for a photograph, intelligentsia , usually fail to satisfy a selfish delight, or satisfaction that he which was given , then , mind you , had audiences. has pleased his audiences, but because to be autographed; a salesman trying This would have proven an unsolv­ he feels he can use this success to to sell an ad in some vaudeville period­ able dilemma to most organists. To Mr. elevat ::!their taste. "I'm working to get ical, a whistler who wanted to work in Keates, with his versatility, it was easy . them so that they will finally sing an act; a man who dropped into make He tried the community idea which , opera. Last Christmas, during the holi­ the usual weather observations and take while not original, lent itself happily days, I had them singing such sacred up time; a woman admirer who gush­ to his magnetic personality. Coupled songs as "Holy Night ," "Come All Ye ingly had to tell "Dear Mr . Keates" with the personality angle , Keates Faithful ," and so forth , and they en­ how "very wonderful" he was, and so studied out special slide arrangements joyed it. And there is a ring of sincerity forth. But the biggest pest was met which add ed just that peculiar flavor in his voice which the ethical artist likes with a hearty smile, the stranger got of individualism which put them over to hear when he glowingly paints a his photo autographed , the whistler and which resulted in the plagiarism future for this great branch of musical got a job, and so forth. Such is Henri and imitation of this style of com- endeavor. A. Keates.

15 theatre organ bombarde CHICAGO'S RADIO THEATREPi/PE ORGANS

by L. R. Clarke

The WENR 3-13 Wurlitzer in Studio A.

The phenomenal success of the silent movies and the organist in the pit was one reason why in the early days of radio most stations considered organ music of prime import­ ance in their daily schedule. Almost from the very beginning of radio, any new station looked for facilities to broadcast organ music. There was keen competition for the increasing demand of theatre organs, and most manufacturers maintained studios which were used for organ sales and instructit:ms and broadcasting. These organs were often used by radio stations who eventually acquired their own. From a 1922 survey, only 20,000 radio sets existed in the Dea.rt;; Fossfer, organist for "Amos and Chicago area; and a Chicago Tribune survey in 1924 indi­ AndyP from 1931-1942. Theme originated cated more than 100,000 sets were in use. By 1925, there from-~tudio A after NBC purchased WENR. were some forty stations broadcasting in this area; also, 20 _grOlJpswere still waiting for a license. The stations were growing . fast, and by 1930 the survivors were relatively few. Of thesK, most are with us today. studios From early hours to midnight, many stations scheduled their share of organ music: "Al Carney at the wonder Kil­ gen Organ," an early hour request program where a listener could hear his name over the air if his request was played; popular- melodies from ''The Rialto" in Joliet on the 4-22 Barton before the first feature; Irma Glen recalls playing 32 shows a week, mostly 15-minute programs. We also bad broadcasts from various theatres while the silent movie was viewed by theatre patrons. It was a popular feature~ At first, the change in mood had a strange effect on the movie patrons; but, when tfiey realized they were now "on the air/'they enjoyed the 15- to 60-minute interlude. In the late 20's, WBBM had a direct line to the Chicago Theatre with which it was able to pick up "Jesse Crawford at the Organ." Arsene Siegel well remembered the time he was playing from a prepared score - the Lead sheet - to a silent movie and knew the composer was in the theatre. When the time for broadcasting arrived, Arsene changed to the music scheduled. The composer, running down the aisle, demanded to know what Arsene thought he was doing. Other broadcasts: Herbert Foote from the Marine Dining Irma Glen played up to 32 shows a week Room in the Edgewater Beach Hotel; Moody Bible Institute as organist for WENR and WMAQ. ( Station WMBI) dinner hour programs, not necessarily somber church music but religious, nevertheless, and pre­ sented with such an interesting flair which made listening a pleasure.

1969 16 Al Melgard at the second Barton that was installed in the WBBM studios. Sunday was the day for the Singing Canaries. Wilson Doty at the 3-9 This replaced the smaller Barton moved from the Stewart Warner Building. Wurlitzer which replaced the Barton at left.

It seems we always had "Amos & small Barton. Doty convinced manage­ After Eddie Hause, Milton Charles Andy"; Jesse Crawford usually fol­ ment that it could use a better organ. joined WBBM in 1936. He was quite lowed. At the close of day, we could With the aid of his good friend and surprised that the organ was the same pick up Mary Elizabeth Hicks from the organ technician, Art Templer, he lo­ instrument on which he taught in the Paramount in Nashville when "You cated a 3-9 Wurlitzer which they pur­ Gunn School of Music. This organ, and the Night and the Music" always chased and installed for $5,000. Pre­ prior to being moved to WBBM, gave ushered in this talented musician. Moon viously, this organ had been used in experience to many Gunn students who River came over WLW with Lee Erwin the Gunn School of Music. The Barton played extemporaneous programs for at the studio Wurlitzer. His theme, Organ Company removed the Barton WMAQ's noon broadcasters. This was "Caprice Viennois," was a suitable end­ and promptly sold it. Meantime, while a customary practice; students were ing for a day's listening. the Wurlitzer was being installed at glad to get the experience, and the In 1924, WGN took over station WBBM, daily programs were "picked radio station was pleased to get the WDAP "atop the Drake Hotel." Of the up" from one of the many organ free entertainment. studios at the Chicago Musical College. various programs it acquired, one was Many remember the Sunday pro­ These studios were complete with a the Barton Organ program, originating grams of the Singing Canaries. This movie screen. Here many a theatre from the Barton Studio in the Mailers was usually the job of the Sunday organ music student got his start play­ Bldg., with Ralph Emerson as the fea­ relief organist. WBBM had the 3-Vees ing to the silent flicker. tured organist. program; and, soon after, WGN moved Radio pipe organs played a very into its new studios on North Michigan Like many other stations, WGN soon important part in the daily life of sta­ Ave., adjacent to the Tribune Tower, purchased its own organ . . . a 2-7 tion activities. Sometimes they per­ from which the "Hartz Mountain" pro­ Wurlitzer which was originally con­ formed the impossible. For example, gram was aired. sidered a backup (or support) to the one day Norm Sherr, a well-known Goldkette band, a very popular pro­ pianist on WBBM returned from a visit The new and larger facility of WGN gram at that time. Larry Larsen was in Missouri with several ga11ons of boot­ costing $600,000 "was built adventur­ the first WGN staff organist. He was leg corn whiskey. Remembering stories ously in the middle of the great de­ followed by Len Salvo, who remained how whiskey aging was accelerated by pression." for 13 years. the constant movement of a long ocean For the new studios, W. W. Kimball voyage, Sherr and Wilson Doty tied In 1925, in another radio station Co. sold WGN management on a new several jugs to the top of the tremolo. ( now headquartered in the Stewart pipe organ. WGN listened to its organ­ Every time the organ was used, the Warner Bldg. on West Diversey) we ist, Len Salvo, who definitely was whiskey got a good shaking. It is diffi­ find an installation of two grand pianos opposed to the idea. A happy solution cult to say if it helped; regardless, it is and a Barton organ. "WBBM" was just resulted. The present pipes were to said, "It was darned good whiskey!" a bunch of letters according to Ralph remain and Kimball was to add three The theatre organist had many faith­ Atlas, one of the owners. Others be­ new ranks; namely, Open Diapason, ful fans, and it was not unusual for the lieved it stood for "World's Best Broad­ E'."'glish Horn and Trumpet, also a Harp organist to see familiar faces in the first casting Medium." Celeste and a Vibraharp. The new con­ rows probably paying more attention to sole would be 3-manual, and the organ WBBM continued to grow and soon him than the movie on the screen. This would be installed in its own studio. moved to the Wrigley Bldg., complete fact became evident when the "Maro The new studio, with its high ceiling, with the same Barton organ. B?tween Oil" company sponsored a 15-minute had exceptionally good acoustics. The the Stewart Warner Bldg. and the Wrig­ program on WBBM. The owner, "a little console was of Korina wood, and a ley Bldg., WBBM used facilities in the old lady," had been a great fan of turquoise drape hung from ceiling to Kimball Bldg. where any number of Eddie Hause in the days of silent floor behind it. The grillwork matched Kimballs were available. Al Melgard movies, Eddie was her idol - all other the console. Although rather plain, it dedicated the organ in the Stewart organists were amateurs according to was in very good taste and a most Warner Bldg. and in the Wrigley Bldg. her - and she insisted that he be hired attractive studio. He remained in the Wrigley Bldg. stu­ to play the theme. Usually, the sponsor dios until 19 31 when he went to the cared little who played the theme, but A second console was also furnished Chicago Stadium where he is playing Eddie Hause became staff organist for by Kimball. This was finished in ebony the organ in 1969. WBBM. It was cheaper for WBBM to and installed on stage in Studio 1 . . . Organist Wilson Doty took over at hire him as staff organist than to pay the WGN Radio Theatre. Use of the WBBM and developed a dislike for the him for the one show. second console was extremely limited.

17 theatre organ bombarde The theatre audience could not hear required that he must be in the studio By 1946, several changes had taken the organ. Only the radio listener could ready to fill in on a second's notice. place at WGN. Len Salvo had moved hear the organ music mixed with the This was especially true during a na­ west for greener pastures and Preston orchestra by the control room. Strange tional hookup. Sellers became staff organist. Harold as it may seem, the organist also heard One fall Sunday , the relief organist Turner , WGN staff pianist, well known it the same way. He was required to was Gabe Wellner. He had played for for his superb style, was in the Navy at wear earphones and heard the organ the canaries in the morning; they did the time . Returning in 1945 as staff only after the control room blended it not feel much like singing, and he knew pianist, he was offered the position of with the orchestra. The time delay was he would hear about it. That afternoqn, staff organist a year later which he was too great; and this procedure was a football game was being broadcast eagerly accepted. He is still the staff very shortly discontinued. The console from the West Coast, and he was com­ organist today. was removed and returned to the Kim­ pelled to sit at the console, or at least The remodeling of the WGN station ball factory where it was placed in a be in the actual studio, during the entire in 1947 necessitated the organ's move crate. It would be interesting to know game. Gabe Wellner was at the con­ to Studio 6B in the Tribune Tower. where it is today. Fortunately, it was sole, fighting boredom playing a few Here, complete with its own echo sold before the big fire. notes here and there and, as usual, eat­ chamber, it remained in first-class con­ One day, Mr. W. W. Kimball de­ ing his share of chocolate-covered nuts dition. To match the decor of the new cided to stop manufacturing pipe organs from a large bag next to him on the studio, the top and sides of the console and issued orders to remove and burn organ bench. With a gesture of com­ were finished in ebony. The fact that all consoles on hand. These plus many plete disgust, the quick sweep of his it was installed in a general purpose associated parts were moved outside to right hand removed all of the music studio found it seldom used. an open area. They had quite a bonfire from the rack. No sooner had he made One of the first televised organ pro­ that Saturday morning. Monday morn­ this move and as the many sheets grams originated here and featured ing the plant for~man expressed great floated to the studio floor, the "On the Leon Berry at the console. While displeasure, saying that the neighbors Air" lighf turned red. Startling as it camera technicians were in the cham­ could have made good use of the wood was, it said only one thing "You are ber, they attempted to show the TV for kindling. So ended the Kimball era on Coast to Coast." audience the working parts and where of organ manufacturing. the various sounds originate. Prior to the use of transcriptions, Immediately, Gabe swung into a Also during this time, Chicago area etc., on radio, we usually found a relief march suitable for the occasion. He had listeners were enjoying the programs organist on duty Sundays. Although he played only a few bars when his mem­ from another radio station, namely might be required to play brief pro­ ory began to play tricks, and he sud­ WENR. The "Garden Studio" on the grams, his name was seldom mentioned. denly realized that he needed the music 32nd floor of the Strauss Bldg., on As usual, Sunday was the day for the which by now had settled to the studio South Michigan Avenue, was equipped Canaries. To the accompaniment of floor. Desperately, he mouthed the with a 3-manual Wurlitzer. With the suitable organ music, the airwaves were word "RED" to indicate that he needed completion of the new Civic Opera filled with the song of happy, healthy the red copy on the floor. While it was Bldg., WENR moved to new studios on Hartz Mountain-fed canaries. If they found and placed on the organ in a the 42nd floor. An unusually large did not chirp , it became a personal matter of a few seconds, it seemed like studio, ideal for a pipe organ installa­ insult to the organist whose job it was a lifetime . Meanwhile , a few strange tion, was equipped with a new 3-13 to play that day. The Sunday relief job bars had been added to a well-known was usually a thankless one. It was march. (Continued on Page 21)

The WGN Kimball console in the original organ studio, Studio 3, adjacent Harold Turner at the WGN Kimball in Studio 8 in the Tribune Tower. The to the Tribune Tower. Three Kimball ranks were added to the station's console was refinished in ebony when the organ was moved from Studio 3 original 7 rank Wurlitzer. in 1947.

june 1969 18 1. With regard to technique, can the organist play the music he has chosen THE SOUND OF MUSIC or has he taken on more than he can by John Muri handle? Palm smears, incessant flap­ pings of the swell-shades, and finger "There is a kind of musical lunacy in which things just happen but runs not clearly played are generally cover-ups for insufficient practice at do not go together . .. rambling on but never saying anything ... " the keyboard. 2. How is the rhythm? Is it even or It is interesting to study the various great local success on radio station erratic? If it varies, is it done for customs of musical programming and WHT, playing little other than old and an intelligent purpose? Or is it too performance as applied by our concert­ new popular tunes. He played only a mechanical? playing members. Some artists of pres­ few novelty numbers. He gave the 3. Are the dynamics meaningful, or tige think that a sequence of pop tunes musically-untrained general public what are there sudden alternations of loud is sufficient, and they give programs it wanted to hear ( through telephone and soft without meaning, connection that are half impromptu and half request programs every day for one or emotional content? routine re-playings of their favorite hour at noon) and made enough money 4. Is the registration interesting, va­ medleys. Others believe in giving a by 1929 to build a large Wurlitzer ried, and pleasing? Are stops used well prolonged display of technique, with organ studio, using one of the consoles together? Ordinarily one does not use fast and loud playing being their spe­ out of the Chicago Theatre. Albert the kinura in chord-handfuls as an cialty; they have their followers. Others Hay Malotte, who followed W. Reming­ accompaniment to a one-finger tibia believe in mixing classics with popular ton Welch and Carney at McVickers, solo, although I have heard it done. material. Others believe in styling every­ maintained a high musical standard Too much use of bells, xylophone, and thing they do; they put their own marks and was able to sell it successfully be­ traps is an aggravation to the ears. The upon a piece of music, sometimes very cause of his playing ability, coupled test is always: does the music sound well and sometimes badly. This variety with a superior singing voice and a good? If it is ugly, there has to be a of approach helps to keep things inter­ handsome appearance. His ability as reason for its being that way. Other­ esting, as long as whatever is being a composer was a strong asset; he would wise, the organist is floundering or done is well-done. often play his own compositions with can't hear what he is producing. When he was an organist at the such success that it was said that all There is a kind of musical lunacy Chicago Theatre in 1925, Arthur the other top organists in Chicago were in which things just happen but do not Gutow was reported in a local news­ shaking in their shoes with fear and go together - a succession of fast and paper as saying that his wish was to envy! His arrangement of "The Lord's slow, loud and soft, rambling on but make "legitimate" music enjoyable to Prayer" remains in the standard reper­ never saying anything; all one gets is the listener who had not been educated tory today. momentary kicks of sound. Such ar­ in music. His 11 a.m. recitals in that Who was right? All of them were rangements can be impressive on rare theatre included operatic transcriptions right. Each chose for himself the and inspired occasions, but people and light classics. As a student of audience he wished to please. Today's quickly tire of them. Every piece in Arthur Dunham ( who was organist at theatre organ concert player makes the a good program says something to the the Chicago Methodist Temple and same kind of choice, and those of us listener. If it's too long, he gets bored. teacher of Jess Crawford, Harold Tur­ who audition and review their programs If it's too complicated or avant-garde ner, and yours truly among others) he are forced to ask ourselves: are there he gets confused. If it's too soft he goes learned to play the finest organ litera­ any standards that we can apply to all to sleep. If it's too loud he squirms or ture and to arrange orchestral music these players or must we judge each walks out. Every player on every pro­ for the organ according to high musical solely on the level on which he chooses gram, no matter how humble or insig­ standards. Al Carney, who was assistant to perform? I think there are standards nificant (or, for that matter, how great organist at McVickers Theatre in the that all of us who play for others must and incomparable) he may conceive twenties, had other ideas. He believed observe or suffer in lost prestige and himself to be, needs to keep these in playing what the great masses of the acclaim. A few of them can be sug­ points in mind if he wants to be invited people enjoyed, and he went on to gested in the form of questions. for return engagements.

BILLY NALLE AT LONGWOOD GARDENS to an audience of over six hundred who ment built by the Aeolian Organ Com­ had assembled early in the evening be­ by Ray Brubacher pany in 1929-30 consisting of 10,010 cause they knew that they were going Longwood Gardens located in Ken­ pipes including five 32 foot pedal ranks. to hear something very special, and not nett Square in the eastern part of Penn­ The organ was rebuilt by the Moller just another recital laden with the usual sylvania has become world renowned company in 1957, but was not totally repertoire. for its acres of beautifully landscaped altered. A new console having four The artist for the evening was Billy gardens and the huge conservatories manuals and 250 couplers and stops re­ Nalle, long a favorite of theatre organ which house thousands of species of placed the old console. There are 364 fans for his presentations at the great plants and flowers and are open to percussion tones, 70 combination pis­ theatre organs all over the United tourists throughout the year. The late tons, and a nine foot Weber concert States. However, this evening it was Pierre S. duPont built the estate and grand piano in one chamber. Wind is Billy Nalle on a more formal note, a added to the main conservatory a large supplied from a 60, a 10, and a 2 h.p. concert organist on a truly great con­ ballroom. Behind one entire side of this blower. Wind pressures vary from eight cert organ. room there was constructed an organ inches for the string organ, to 30 inches The program was to be all-impro­ chamber sixty-three feet wide, twenty­ for the Tuba Mirabilis. visational, something that not many three feet deep and forty feet high. Into On Wednesday evening, April 30th, this chamber went a mammoth instru- a concert was given on this instrument (Continued on Page 28)

19 theatre organ bombarde WELCOMETO THE HOOSIER by Bart Morton

Photos Courtesy Whiting Times-Graphic Dick's technique is precision, but his Even after two hours of almost con­ playing could not be considered me­ tinuous music, the audience was still chanical; he projects so much of his intact, which speaks well for Dick own feeling into it. Smith. When he finished there was ap­ The program was well-planned and plause. His listeners wanted more. included something for everyone, old For a spectacular encore, Dick played favorites such as "Back Horne in In­ "Sabre Dance." diana, "April Showers," "Back in Your THE ORGAN Own Back Yard," and Dick's special arrangement of "Nola ." The instrument is only a small frac­ There was a new sound in the Chi­ tion of the ultimate installation. Eleven cago area on March 26. Making this Something for the teens was next as ranks now play from a 3-manual con­ sound was the dynamic young organist, Dick rocked into "Hey Jude" and "In sole. The pipework will shortly be an Dick Smith. The place: The Hoosier The Mood." Next, a salute to the armed Echo Division added to the original Auditorium in Whiting, Indiana. forces with a group of military marches Uptown Wurlitzer. The 11-ranker con­ The program featured the Hoosier's closing with a walloping "Stars and sists of a Style D Wurlitzer from the recently installed 3-11 Wurlitzer pipe Stripes Forever." Crown Theatre on Chicago's northside organ. This is the vanguard of the More favorites accented the second plus some additions from other Wur­ former Chicago's Uptown theatre 4-28 half. Among them were "Gentle on My litzer organs. It will be used as an in­ Wurlitzer which is currently being in­ Mind," "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" and terim organ until completion of the stalled in the auditorium by one of the a case of the blues with "St. Louis installation of the big organ on the theatre's owners, manager Robert F. Blues," with accents on the colored theatre's large, deep stage. Montgomery. The 3-manual console lighting. Some special requests included Echo Organ Stop Analysis plays the 11-rank echo division installed "In a Persian Market," "Song of India," Concert Flute across the back of the auditorium bal­ Summer Samba" and the "Bossanova." cony in the former mezzanine section. Tibia Clausa I The program, appropriately entitled The frosting on the musical cake was Tibia Clausa II "Welcome to the Hoosier," opened with a group of favorites and novelty num­ Violin a rousing rendition of "This Could Be bers: "Begin the Beguine," "Doll Open Diapason the Start of Something Big," followed Dance," "Jamaican Rhumba," "Tijuana Style D Trumpet by MC Paul Lewis's introduction of the Taxi" and "Canadian Sunset." The last Clarinet organist. Next was the "Lord's Prayer." number gave the lighting equipment an Vox Humana As Dick played "Ramona," "Blue opportunity to do a slow fade to a blue Post Horn Tango'' and "Somewhere My Love," the evening hue. Kinura Hoosier demonstrated its' ability as a The program closed with "The Im­ Saxophone concert setting; the stage and prosce­ possible Dream" which may be an apt The installation work is being com­ nium lighting changed constantly to re­ description of the Hoosier theatre pro­ pleted by Bob Montgomery and Bea flect the mood of the music , transform­ ject. This selection began with a soft Lankow, aided by friends and theatre ing the theatre into one gigantic color c6mbination of organ stops and sub­ employees; among these is the Hoosier's organ. dued stage lighting. Both increased to­ Chief of Service, Joseph Estep and The beat picked up for the next por­ gether to a great crescendo of sound TOB's own former sea-going corres­ tion of the program for a couple of old and light which brought the program pondent, Jon C. Habermaas, who is favorite "rags": "Tiger" and "12th to a breath-taking finish. In all, he currently stationed at the Great Lakes Street." played 38 selections. Na val Training Center.

A GOOD HOUSE - A well-filled theatre, a warmly appreciative audience and the artistry of a young man with enthusiasm and musicianship, these DICK SMITH plays the temporary 3-manual console. 8illed by fhe fhealre added up to an enjoyable evening for all concerned. Note the swell shut­ as "the most accomplished and versatile organist of our time", the youthful ters installed behind the three center balcony arches. They mark the organist easily holds the interest of his listeners. location of the 11 ranks currently speaking . june 1969 20 THE THEATRE other not-so-fortunate first run Chicago motion picture house on weekends and Located in Whiting, Indiana just a houses, the new Hoosier Auditorium features special musical programs on a few miles south of Chicago, it is easily Theatre opened in August of 1967. The monthly basis. -Bart Morton, Chicago accessible from the Chicago area. The grand opening was complemented with house closed several years ago when a live pipe organ music, played on the fire destroyed the Cinemascope screen small Kimball originally installed in and some of the stage rigging. the theatre. It was destined to make way for a Originally seating 1000, the capacity parking lot when the present owners has been reduced slightly to facilitate purchased it for the future home of the the installation of the Echo Organ and Uptown Wurlitzer. A feverish period to extend the apron of the main stage. of remodeling ensued as the damaged The theatre is currently operating as a stage was repaired, a new cinemascope screen installed and a complete face­ lifting afforded the water-damaged foyer The author, Bart Morton, is the ( caused by burst water pipes during a originator-assembler of the many­ previous winter) . parented "BarMorKimbLitzer" in­ stalled in his home in Zion, Illi­ THE ULTIMATE - The 4-Deck console from the Resplendent with sparkling crystal Chicago Uptown theatre will eventually control chandeliers, a tinkling fountain and new nois, and is active in local organ its original 28 ranks plus the current Echo Divi­ carpeting, as well as yards and yards of activities. sion. The console will be on display for the Persian velour drapes rescued from benefit of visiting ATOE Conventioneers in July . PIPE DREAMS LEEERWIN CAPTIVATES Pickford film "My Best Girl," which (Continued from page 18) he had composed, the organist played Wurlitzer. WENR shared its wave­ ROCHESTER a medley of six songs. Three of these length with WLS, and usually started will be published. broadcasting at 6:00 P.M., as WLS, by Lloyd E. Klos The last time Lee Erwin had been to Rochester was in 1950, when with "The Prairie Farmer Station," left the Abe Burrows and Janette Davis, he air. In time, many well-known programs One of the nicest fellows in the busi­ took part in the 25-year celebration of were to originate from these studios. ness, the "Moon River Man", Lee Er­ station WHEC. This reporter found a Across the river, we find WMAQ win, did the honors for the Rochester picture of Lee and Janette playing in the Daily News Bldg. One day , two Theatre Organ Society on its Wurlitzer, musical spoons, which he presented to gentlemen named "Sam & Henry" ap­ March 13. The former star of the Ar­ the organist. Eddie Baker joined us proached WMAQ management and thur Godfrey show (22 years), tootled backstage at intermission, and the mem­ offered their talents for $25,000 per his little Volvo to the Flower City and ories of the old days were flying thick year. Sam & Henry were well known made a hit with two audiences. On the apd fast between the two organists. over WGN, but left WGN for what morning prior to his concert, he was Second half began with three num­ they hoped would be a step in the right interviewed on the Eddie Meath TV bers from "Porgy. and Bess", plus the direction. They had tried to interest the show, telling of his experiences and talking about the growing theatre organ lilting showtune, "Someone to Watch Chicago Tribune in running a comic Over Me." Irving Berlin was repre­ strip entitled, naturally, "Sam & hobby. sented by "Always" and "Remember", Lee began his concert with music he Henry." They also wanted WGN to and then came five numbers featured sponsor phonograph records of their has composed for the Rudolph Valen­ tino film, "The Eagle." Having played by the Beatles. Lee explained that if various skits for public sale. Neither "one strips away the guitar and drum for the silents in their waning years, WGN nor the Tribune would have any sounds, these pieces are very fine melo­ Lee then did a medley of "Sounds of part of it, and they parted company. dies." How right he was! Especially the Silents" which included "Sleepy The names "Sam & Henry" belonged "When I'm Sixty-Four" and "Being Ti'11e Gal", "When Day Is Done" and to WGN and could not be used else­ for the Benefit of Mr. Kite." where. "One Alone", the latter built into an astounding climax. Terrific! As_is the custom with all artists per­ The names "Amos & Andy" were formmg here, they greet their audiences born on the elevator going up · to the Next came Kreisler's "Caprice Vien­ in the front lobby after the show and WMAQ studios. They were not hired nois", a superb concert treatment, fol­ it was here that Lee promised to ~ork immediately; but, as we all know, they lowed by the arrangement which •Lee with this reviewer in preparation of his were eventually and "Amos & Andy" used when at WL W on the "Moon biography for this magazine. were to become household words. River" Show. He explained that this A theme song was required , and number was the theme, and in order many were considered. It was Joe Gal­ to enable the De Vore Sisters trio to licchio who selected "The Perfect sing it, the key had to be dropped from Song. " His trio accompanied "Amos & B Major to F Major. Andy" from the very start. This was "Cabaret" and "The Apple Tree" the order of the day until NBC pur­ were next, and effectively intertwined chased WMAQ and WENR. Almost at was the familiar clarinet wail of the once, the theme was transferred to the "Rhapsody in Blue" opening. Counter organ, this being the WENR 3-13 Wur­ melodies were used throughout the pro­ litzer in the Civic Opera Bldg. studio. gram , attesting to Lee's superb early Dean Fossler was the organist from the musical education. Next, the audience start with "The Perfect Song" and he was asked to imagine a simple silent -Photo by Tom Lockwood continued through 1942. movie plot, with a "Boy-Meets-Girl" (Concluded in August Issue) theme. Using background music for the lee Erwin at The Auditorium Theatre Wurlitzer.

21 theatre organ bombarde GaylordCarter Presides atSan Diego MortonOrgan Rededication Show by Bert Brouillon

San Diego - More than 18 months SD's many plug-in clubs, handbills dis­ of restoration work on the Robert Mor­ tributed to music stores, an interview ton organ in the Fox theatre here on radio with Gaylord Carter, a few came to fruition on this March 25th small box ads in newspapers and several as the fully restored 4-manual, 31-rank published news items involving the or­ instrument was re-introduced to the gan and organist chosen for the kickoff Sample: ( Girl to Zorro) "They say public in a gala concert duo which concert. Yet, when the show started, the you ride as though you were part of attracted an audience of mostly San 2400-seat house was more than half your horse." Diegans but also visitors from as far full. How does the reconstituted organ as San Francisco, Los Angeles and one The performance was a familiar one sound? It has that mellowness typical man from Olympia, Washington . There to those who follow the fortunes of the of Robert Mortons, fast response and were two performances, a matinee and Flickerfingers" boys, Jim Day and the tonal balance is good. The only an evening show. Gaylord Carter. Their shows consist of criticism we could make is probably The idea of a theatre organ concert a surefire combination of vintage film relative to the installation; even at cre­ is something new in this day and age classics, topflight musicianship and high scendo volume, the instrument is never to citizens of this southern-most Cali­ entertainment value. The film selected loud enough for its 31 ranks. That fornia metropolis, and judging from the was an excellent print of the 1920 amount of pipework should insure reception afforded the organ and organ­ Douglas Fairbanks starrer, "Mark of thunderous crescendos. The lack of ad­ ist, the situation looks encouraging. Zorro." This swashbuckler has been ditional volume, needed to climax As all who read this magazine are discussed in these pages a number of descriptive music or cap solos, might aware , the organ was overhauled, re­ times so we will not describe its content. be traced to deep chambers, with pipe­ paired and improved by a group known However , this time the musical ac­ work well to the rear. That condition as "the seven". They decided to limit companiment seemed better than ever. is repairable and the addition of the their numbers to seven because "organi­ Gaylord played it with the close cue­ sharp Trumpet (unenclosed) should zation is less complex that way." ing he is noted for, especially when help considerably. milking comic situations. Reasons for the added impact of the music score might be attributed to the instrument. This reviewer has seen the same show accompanied on smaller pipe organs and also on plug-ins. Each time Gaylord put his "all" into his presentation (he can't work any other way) but there was something extra this time. Possibly it was the great range of possibilities inherent in the - Roy Robinson Photo restored Morton for the presentation of Gaylord Carter outlines his plan of action to five all kinds of film and solo music. of the "seven" before the evening performance: Of course some of the laughs came "No matter where you're standing in the audi ­ in the wrong places; the corny sub­ torium, wave and take a bow when I call your Early arrivals line up at the box office as the titles offered an unscheduled source of name". Left to right are Wayne Guthrie, C. R. traditional searchlight sweeps the marquee. The merriment. "Bob" Lewis, Carter, Bob Wright, Bob Risks and silk-hatted doorman stands at the curb ready for Archie Ellsworth, five of the "guys who fixed the 'carriage trade'. the organ." The enlightened Fox Manager , Bill But we are ahead of our story. A re­ Mauch , and the enthusiastic owner of dedication calls for a few remarks by the house Philip L. Gildred Sr., are an official or dignitary . The "seven" "right up there" with the "seven" in produced no less than a judge, fresh their enthusiasm for the organ , and from court. Judge Earl B. Gilliam, an the response to tonight's performance exceptionally youthful-appearing magis­ was important to them as well as to the trate, hopped into the orchestra pit to seven. present Gaylord with a rare coin to They decided early to make it a gala commemorate the occasion. How Gay­ occasion, complete with sky-searching lord managed to refrain from making lights, uniformed doorman and mini­ - Roy Robinson Photo the obvious remark as the judge ap­ skirted usherettes ( the miniskirts being proached may never be explained. Manager Bill Mauch and Fox Theatre owner of the '20s variety). For this first con­ Philip l.. Gildred Sr. are jubilant over success of Then Gaylord demonstrated the cert, promotion was light, as the "sev­ attendance and enthusiasm at pipe organ con­ awakened giant with some novelties en" felt their collective way on a limited cert marking restorati on of the th eatre's long- from his entertaining bag of tricks. He budget. There were announcements to silent instrument. took his audience on a brief "trip june 1969 22 through the organ" with tunes he has sheet and rubbing his hands together. choruses of "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp" recorded, "Westward Ho!" "Diane" and It had been a long time since he had and "Pack Up Your Troubles" as his classic "hurry" - the "Big Chase." seen the theatre so fu]l on a Tuesday though sing-alongs had never gone out Then came a Victor Herbert medley evening. Hovering around him were the of style. and a minor classic by Ravel. All were "miniskirt misses," teenagers moonlight­ It was a most successful show. After­ enthusiastically received by the audi­ ing, and somewhat bewildered by all the wards the "seven" gathered in the back ence and there was much beating of fuss over a long-dead musical instru­ of the theatre to discuss the evening's palms plus a standing ovation for Car­ ment they had never heard nor seen events. While the matinee had drawn ter after the film presentation. until tonight. But no matter; their leggy only a few hundred customers, the charm added much zest to the occasion. evening show had done well. Total Since we wrote about their tri­ Back in the auditorium, Gaylord had attendance passed the 1700 mark. The umph over the usual things which been joined by "Koko," veteran film theatre had more than covered ex­ tend to scuttle a pipe organ, the animator Max Fleischer's agile little penses and there was reason to rejoice. "seven" have been busy making clown, who sprang out of the inkwell In addition, the organ had behaved improvements. A faulty design to conduct a sing-along and set Gay­ flawlessly. Not one cipher had marred had the very limited "Orchestra" lord's tempo with his famed "bouncing the presentation. The future looks manual installed where the ac­ ball." The audience roared through bright. - Bert Brouillon companiment manual should be, as the bottom manual. CATOE TO PRODUCE FILM ON This arrangement was clumsy for an organist used to playing DOWNER'S GROVE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT accompaniment on the bottom Mr. Jeff Zych has volunteered his services and equipment to produce manual, so one weekend "Sev­ a film on the story of the retrieval of the 3-10 Wurlitzer from a theatre eneers" Don Snowden and Bob in Ohio and its reinstallation here in Downer's Grove High School North . Lewis shuffled the manuals to the The organ is a gift of the Glen Alden Corporation. normal order. From the bottom The film will have a general rather than a technical approach. It will they are now , Great , Swell, Orch­ cover the complete restoration of a theatre pipe organ from beginning to estra and Echo . Another story is end and will be produced dramatically with an artistic approach. There the effort to get a lift going under will be a minimum of narration, thus permitting the sound of the organ the console . And the addition of a to monopolize the sound track. Visually, the organ and its mechanics offer newly-built , just-arrived trumpet. many unique compositional elements for photographing. The film will run Later! approximately thirty minutes , depending upon the involvement of the project. Out in the lobby , theatre manager CATOE will supply the materials for the project and feels the film Bill Mauch was examining the tally will appeal to other chapters as well.

Molar Productions - who brought you Lyn Larsen and George Wright, invites you to

"MEET HELEN DELL"

The scintillating performer at the 1968 ATOE National Convention The sparkling new artist at the 1968 Home Organ Festival playing the Kearns/Carson 3-26 Wurlitzer "A happy combination of a great artist and a magnificent instrument" - Stu Green Eight rhythmic, beautiful songs: Hard Hearted Hannah - Love Locked Out - I'm Thru With Love - Dainty Miss - Angel Eyes - Personality - One Morning in May plus This exceptional artist creates fresh new sounds on the Hammond: Little White Lies - Sunny - Gitanerias - How High the Moon

Stereo only $5.00, postpaid Send check or money order to: MALAR PRODUCTIONS, Box 3304, Glendale, California 91201.

23 theatre organ bombarde Now the organist could practice his BOMBARDENostalgia selections for the morrow and the organ committee members need never know that a lowly beer can was making THE FABULOUS it possible. The incident got Art Stopes to think­ ing about beer cans and organs. Per­ 'BEER CAN' ORGAN haps these beer cans had special quali­ ties which merited further investigation. Story by Stu Green Photo Copying by Bill Lamb He wondered how the plated ferrous metal from which they are stamped Art Stopes has led a colorful life, But if one were to ask Art about the would compare with pipe metal tonally. by any man's standards, and especially adventure which stands out in bold Tone from beer cans? You've gotta be those of organ enthusiasts. His entire relief as the most memorable, he'll an­ out of your skull, Art Stopes! life, since the age of 15 has been domi­ swer without hesitation, "my beer can The idea not only persisted but de­ nated by pipe organs - and he's still organ!" veloped. Soon Art knew that he was going strong. The year was 1942 and Art was in­ going to build some sort of a wind­ Art got his "baptism of fire" when stalling an organ in a Philadelphia church. It had to be ready for a dedi­ blown instrument, and the music would he was apprenticed to the Aeolian come from beer cans! Organ Co., in Garwood, New Jersey, cation concert the next day and time Being a craftsman, Art Stopes first just after his 15th birthday. He was was running short. Finally it was all set prepared drawings. He decided that the with Aeolian for two years, observing except for one bass 8-foot Open Dia­ instrument should be self-contained but and absorbing the many skills required pason display pipe which remained to portable. His final design had it in. two in organ building. Then he joined the be put in its place on the front case­ pieces which, when assembled, com­ New York division of the Rudolph ·work chest. · prised the instrument. When apart, the Wurlitzer Company, a firm rich with Art jostled the long, slim pipe into two sections would fit into two padded installation contracts in the New York position and noted with dismay that it crates for transportation. But we are area, and between 1925 and 1928 Art was too long; it failed to clear the ceil­ ahead of our story. worked on so many Wurlitzer organ in­ ing. Looking closer, Art noticed that stallations that the years are recalled as there was something wrong with the He started assembling parts - beer one long pipe-happy blur of organ parts pipe; it had been made too long for its cans! Remember, that the war years and being assembled in lofts smelling of new pitch. Meanwhile the organist and early post-war years were not eras with plaster and seasoned wood. members of the organ committee were plentiful supplies of beer cans. But, getting impatient. No time to do it somehow, Art managed to accrue a good scientifically, thought Art, I'll just use supply - with many labels. When asked rule of thumb and saw it off here. if he also consumed the contents of all Trouble was, the excision included the cans he acquired, Art is mute. But the tuning roll near the end of the open ask him why he selected beer cans and pipe, leaving no way to tune it. His he'll reply, "Who would want to eat guess proved correct; he had cut in the over 200 cans of tomatoes just to build right place. But how was he going to a tin can organ?" tune it? It needed length, enough to The horsetrading that goes on with­ allow lowering the pitch down to a out surcease among pipe organ enthu­ "zero beat" with other pipes of the same siasts brought in many of the "tradi­ pitch. tional parts he needed, a 61-note No possibility of mitering the pipe manual from a junked organ, a 1 Y2x2- with a piece of the part removed; it foot regulator, a tiny Estey "egg beater" was a display pipe which had to fit the tremulant, a small blower for 115 vac casework. Then he remembered seeing operation - and still more beer cans. a quart beer can in a vacant lot down the street. A beer can? Well, why not? The most important decision had to No one would ever know. He rescued do with the choice of pipework. How Art Stopes today - still a pixie. the can from the ignominy of being many ranks could he cram into the super-melodeon he had designed? The Came "Vitaphone" - Poof! drained and deserted on a city street and put it where it provides, to this day, area available for pipes wouldn't With theatre organs no longer in de­ a h~althy assist to the organ in singing stretch, so Art decided on one super mand, Art went to work for Estey in praises of the Lord. With the top re­ rank - a "Vox Tincanna" as one wag New York as an installer, tonal finisher moved, the can was positioned inside described it at the time. and maintenance man. Then the big ad­ the pipe, open end down, just below the venture - installation of the 4-55 rank An organ with only one rank? Would sawed-off pipe end. There was air pas­ anyone listen to an organ with only behemoth in the Atlantic City Audi­ sage around it, after it had been sus­ torium, truly the world's largest organ. one rank? There was evidence that they pended inside the pipe by securing it would. Even in those days, American Between 1930 and 1934, Art Stopes with lengths of soldered wire, so· it concert organists were trying to out­ was on the Midmer-Losh Organ Com­ might be said Art gave the pipe the shout one another in praise of the pany's payroll and most of that time he "Haskell*" treatment. revived "Cro-Magnon" instruments with spent as a member of the crew which which the ancients had to be satisfied installed, finished and maintained the *Inventor of a method of getting the effect because there wasn't anything better - of added length to an open pipe by insert­ huge beast in that famed New Jersey the :•~hiffy" Portative, which very early convention hall. And so it was, and ing a smaller pipe (suspended with clear­ ance all around) inside it. The smaller musicians powered with a blacksmith's still is - pipe organs all his life. pipe was capped at the top. bellows!

;une 1969 24 Then there was the calliope - free­ As the pipework started to take standing, unenclosed octaves of whistles shape, the builder considered unifica­ which charmed grandpa at the 1906 tion. What pitches should he include to Chenango County fair, if he wasn't get the most variety from his one rank? closer than a half mile . These "steam­ With the limited air supply available ers" were so loud that their lack of from the lightweight blower, a "Tenor tonal variety was never noticed. But C" 16' manual unification, bringing in that was so long ago. Wasn't there a the lower octave of larger pipes, could more modern example of a successful leave the little organ gasping for breath. one-stop organ. Why sure there was - But he could unify upwards with no the new-fangled electric organ they trouble because of the diminishing wind played on the radio for the "Ma Per­ supply demands as pitches ascend. kins" show and "John's Other Wife ." Again, he thought of how much variety Why that clock company had made a that very popular brand of electric fortune from an organ-like instrument organ obtained through borrowed mu­ which pumped out flute sounds no mat­ tation stops. He finally came up with ter which voice was switched on. That the following specifications: settled it; a one-stop organ it would be! Pedal The big project was fabricating the Belch 8' pipes. Space available didn't allow for Urp Schlitzer 4' Manual from 8' C to mid. 8 large or heavy pipes, so Art selected THE FABULOUS 'VOX TINCANNA' - Self-con­ Maltenhopzhorn 8' tained, it came apart just above the spigot/stops the slight "scale 46" Violin Diapason Blatzfloete 4' as a model. But first every beer can Quartz 21/3' for shipment in two large cases. The keg/bench had to be made "topless" and "bottom­ Pintadena 2' was wired to give the departing organist a less." The remaining cylinder was then Manual from mid. C upward (5 octaves) somewhat thirsty coda (see text). Buschvarian Bourdon 8' rolled to the size required for the par­ Guzzelina 5 1/3' The bottom octave Stopped Flute ticular diameter of the pipe being Bunghohfloete 4' was the most massive pipework on the fabricated. Depending on length, pipes Schaumbier Sackbut 22/3' instrument and provided a solid pedal required up to ten beer cans carefully Foamette 2' bass at 8' and 4'. The one tremulant Schlitzflute Tierce ] 3/s' joined by solder. In all, Art Stopes Viol d' Falstaff l' affected all the pipework, which ex­ Uno Rankett ½' tended for two octaves beyond top C These voices were controlled by at the high end of the manual. This, as spigot handles above the manuals. De­ any unification buff knows , was to spite the fancy stop names , the sound accommodate the 4' and higher unifi­ was all Violin Diapason, with a slight cations up where there weren't any hiccup instead of chiff. Only the pitch 8' keys to play them. was different. Art spent three years of spare time Art Stopes faced another problem assembling his instrument, 1943 through which his mechanical virtuosity solved 1946. Once his oddball organ had easily. Being a self-taught musician , Art been assembled, voiced , and the "bugs" knows all his tunes in the Key of C. removed , Art Stopes found represen­ So many times he had been embarassed tatives of the entertainment and news­ when he sat down at the keyboard to paper worlds banging on his door. accompany a singer only to learn that There followed an article in the Phila­ made 73 open-topped , precisely scaled the singer had to have it in something delphia "Inquirer " which described the pipes from beer cans , the larger ones like D flat. A deceptively simple switch­ amazing musical instrument. Personal consuming up to 8 hours each to make. ing system between the manual key appearances offers started to roll in The largest "can" pipe sounded Tenor contacts and the unification switches and Art soon found himself in "show C and can be seen in the exact center solved that problem. It was operated by biz" - weddings, picnics , bar mitzvahs of the display pipes. The project con­ a "transposition lever" just above the - any place where Art could plug his sumed 270 beer cans. That accounts manual which moved the key action to wheezer into 115 volts ac. for a lot of beer , too! line up at any of 12 positions. This The "beer can organ" was written The photograph also shows a set of device allowed Art to play in any of up in such unrelated magazines as pedals, a total of twelve. For this the 12 keys by a flick of the wrist - Etude and Popular Mechanics during octave, Art faced a problem. The thin instant musicianship! 1946, while Art was playing engage­ walls of a beer can are not suitable for What about a chamber? After con­ ments in lodge halls, ballrooms , clubs, handling bass tones. He remembered sidering the merits of expression versus school auditorium·s and commercial the high-priced sets of pipes made of the weight and bulk of a swell box, Art theatres. Perhaps the "sudser's" crown­ paper-thin metal with which clever decided to "go for baroque" and leave ing mom ents were achieved during a European pipemakers love to "stick" his picturesque pipework unenclosed. coast-to-c oast CBS broadcast when Art gullible American organ committees, Anyway, it would have been a shame to and his tuned cans performed "Roll Out pipes which shake, rattle and go "off hide his "pop art" pipe decoration from the Barre l" on "Hobby Lobby." speech," until reinforcing metal bands public scrutiny. But all of this show biz jazz was are clamped around each node on the The action chosen was electro­ a sideline for Art. By trade he was now lower-pitched ones. Art decided to play pneumatic, same as any standard an aviation layout mechanic. Yet, the it safe and used an octave of wooden theatre organ. Art built the chest to earlier year s spent in the world of pipe Stopped Flute pipes (8' C to Tenor C) mount the pipes compactly in the best orga ns had left their mark and doing for the bottom octave on the manual possible display pattern. His low volt­ a stin t at a club with his two huge cases and the pedal octave. age de power came from a rectifier. of whi~tles fascinated Art for several

25 t heatre organ bombarde years and provided a much-needed out­ electronics in Tulsa. By then he was let from the humdrum of everyday liv­ deeply in debt and tried "moonlighting" ing. In fact, the beer can organ enjoyed in an attempt to catch up. It proved a life of more than ten years, on and C!Clo~tngC!Cborb too much for him and a breakdown off. landed him in the hospital for several During the same period Art did a JAMES ALLEN ORCUTT months. Shortly after his release, he stint with the Austin Organ Company Jim Orcutt knew he had to play told the BOMBARDE only three weeks as assistant sales and service rep in Vir­ organ by the time he was 15, after before his death, he married a long­ ginia, a job which saw him doing con­ hearing the 3-11 Kimball in the Em­ time friend, a gal he had known for siderable maintenance and installation press theatre, Anchorage, Alaska, where many years. There was a brief session work. Between 1953 and 1959 he did the Orcutt family was then living. Jim as a dance band pianist and Jim re­ the same for the Wicks Organ Com­ later came south and gravitated to Chi­ turned to Hollywood, "this time to pany, first in Virginia and later in cago where he played plug-ins in cock­ Florida where he lives now. While he tail bars for 10 years. There was also a was thus engaged Art Stopes was hon­ four year period as pianist with a dance ored by the American Academy of band which took him to "just about Organ with a Charter Membership in every town in the mid-west with a the organization and a Certificate of population of at least 20,000" said Jim. Merit "for services rendered the com­ He is best remembered as the organist munity through organ music." No refer­ who won the audition held to select an ence to Art's beer can organ was made organist for the Cathedral of the Chris­ stay." But he didn't stay. He dropped by representatives of the Academy tian Crusade, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Jim's from sight and even at the bar where when they conferred these honors, but home town (see the August 1967 he was supposed to start playing a plug­ we'll wager there were a few chuckles THEATRE ORGAN BOMBARDE). in they didn't know what had become of among the dignitaries who knew. Jim was first on the list and played the him. He had been offered a playing job In recent years Art became interested ten-rank Robert Morton theatre organ in Butte, Montana, and was probably in electronics and took a correspond­ installed in the church's broadcast audi­ on his way there when he was taken ence course which won him diplomas, torium so appealingly that the selection ill. We received word from his mother first in radio and television engineer­ of Jim by the music committee was that he had passed away in Warm ing and later in TV servicing. Now he's made without their hearing the others Springs, Montana, after a very short ill­ taken up "do-it-yourself" aviation and on the list. But Jim was the nervous ness. He was 36. Interment was at is building a "Volmer Jensen 22," a type. He just couldn't stay put. A year Coweta, Oklahoma, near the Orcutt 2-place amphibian plane, a new twist after his appointment in Tulsa, he family home. Ironically, his first pipe which came about when he joined the showed up in Hollywood, playing a platter for Concert Recording is in re­ Experimental Aircraft Association. Art Hammond in a rather sleazy bar. That lease. Stopes is the kind of guy who always didn't last long because Jim decided to FRANK D. ROGERS seeks new challenges, yet never forgets return to Tulsa and resume his church Born in Helena, Montana in May the old ones - like the beer can organ. organ work and also take a job selling 1888, Frank Rogers came to the West What finally became of it? Coast in the early days of the century. In 1906 he started his lifelong love af­ Alas, the beer can organ is no more! fair with the pipe organ by getting a When Art tired of his "show biz" side­ job at the Marshall Bennett Organ Co. line he found himself accepting fewer (Spokane) as an apprentice during sum­ and fewer engagements. The beer can mer vacations. It was a very necessary organ's final gasp in public was heard step; he needed the money to pay tui­ during a performance at the Florida tion for his last two years at Whitman theatre, Jacksonville, in the early '50s. College in Walla Walla. He graduated After that, the two large packing crates in 1908, with honors in both piano and were stored in Richmond, Va., where, organ. The theatre organ age was al­ after a few years of inactivity, the in­ ready making faint rumbles; the first strument was scrapped. Thus ends the use of an organ to accompany films saga of the beer can organ. which Frank recalled was at the Mike Yet, in retrospect, Art Stopes looks Gore theatre at 3rd and Main in Los back on the years of barnstorming with Angeles. It was a small Estey roll his "refugee from a brewery" as the player located behind the box office so most colorful of a varied career. And the cashier could change the rolls. That no one who ever sat down to play the was in 1906. beer can organ would ever forget what Upon his graduation from college, he took place when he got up from the started doing organ maintenance work padded beer keg which served as a for Bennett in Spokane. One of his stool; even though no hands were near assignments was a 7-rank Estey in the the manual, the organ would bid Klemmer Theatre, often played by a "adieu" with a chorus of "How Dry I GALLONS OF THE GOLDEN FLUID are repre­ quiet young lad named Jesse Crawford. Am." Art had wired a switch into the sented by Art's handiwork. Tops of the bottom­ Then he moved south and got a job keg stool which activated a motor­ octave wooden Bass Flute pipes can be seen with the Robert Morton Co. in Van behind the inspired facade of onetime "empties". driven cam programmed to play the Wind pressure: 4". Controls for the "instant N uys, California which covered the tune when the player left the stool. transposer" are directly above Art's left hand. span 1913 to 1918, and completed Somewhere he had heard the old No, the "M.C." doesn't stand for Marr & Colton, Frank's education in the mechanics of vaudeville motto, "Leave 'em laughing!" this time. organ building. Then he met a man

june 1969 26 who had been one of the Hope-Jones shoestring budget. One of them was "originals" at Elmira, N. Y. - the Stu Green who later became an editor legendary James H. Nuttall. A lifelong of sorts. Frank helped him remove an friendship sprung up and Frank joined 8-rank Morton from a beach town Nuttall in the latter's organ installation theatre in the mid-'50's and move it to and maintenance business , an arrange­ storage, a project which came to naught ment which lasted through the rest of other than exposing Stu to the vast store the "golden era" and well into the next of theatre organ knowledge and infor­ decade. Early in the '20s Nuttall took mation Frank carried about in his head. on another former employee of the Even in retirement, his services as an Robert Morton factory, Lee Haggart, organ expert were in demand. When it who learned the fine points of organ was decided to sell the LA Metropolitan / building from Nuttall and acquired a Paramount style 285 (4-34) organ piece­ solid appreciation of Frank Rogers' mu­ meal in the early '60s, Frank was hired sicianship; when installation work was by the owner to supervise the dismem­ slack, Frank doubled as a theatre or­ berment and put price tags on the - Photo Copy by Bill Lamb ganist, playing vacation and fill work treasures which came out of those for the Venice Amusement Co., on a FRANK D. ROGERS is shown here as he super­ chambers. It was a bittersweet job for string of Wurlitzer styles B, 185 and vised the piecemeal removal of the style 285 Frank because he had installed the 210 in the chain's beach town theatres. Wurlitzer from the Metropolitan/Paramount the­ Wurlitzer when the Metropolitan He often subbed for such remembered atre in Los Angeles in 1961. Ironically, he was opened in the late '20s. in the crew which installed the organ in the organists as Jamie Erickson , Mel Ogden mid-20's. He died on Sept. 20, 1968, at the age and in Los Angeles for Eddie Horton of 80 while living with his daughter at the 5-33 Morton in the Kinema (later work to keep him going, right up to and son-in-law at Paradise, California. Criterion) theatre. the time of his retirement a few years He was often described as "the grand Frank Rogers never left the organ ago. Even then he always had time to old man of the theatre organ." Frank business. He always managed to find help an enthusiast struggling to set up Rogers earned that title many times enough maintenance and installation a few ranks of home-based pipes on a over. NORTHTEXAS HOSTS SOONERSTATE Sooner State Chapter members posed by bus. John Beck from North Texas is at left. ''HEY - LET'S HAVE A PARTY!" , two red stripes on each side. How's us on the local sites while Charles someone suggested as we neared the about them patriotic color arrange­ Evans drove ahead and served as a first birthday of the Sooner State Chap­ ments, friends? guide for our bus driver, Buddy Evans. ter. So what could be more natural for Excitement and anticipation showed Our first stop was at the home of the a party-hungry group of ATOErs than through the sleepy eyes of our members E. M. Johnsons. Their home was de­ to have an 'organ crawl' visit to another as they arrived at the Harvey Young signed to house the organ and we were chapter. Our chairman , Ron Willfong , Airport in Tulsa at 6: 30 a.m. on March given a complete tour of the spe­ sent a hasty post to Charles Evans of 29th, where our treasurer, Joe Crutch­ cially designed installation. Mr. Johnson the North Texas Chapter and they kept field, more or less runs the joint. We briefed us on the history of the instru­ the postman busy for some five to six took our coffee pot, a case or two of ment then asked Charles Evans to dem­ weeks delivering plans back and forth mixer - er I mean soda pop , boarded onstrate the organ. The members were for our visit. In spite of our short time the bus quickly and went scurrying then invited to try the instrument - a allotted and the many installations to down the highway toward 'Big D' right 3-10 Wurlitzer, Special Opus 2110. This visit, they did a tremendous job of or­ on schedule. Stopping at Atoka for 1930 vintage came from a church in ganizing our trip. breakfast , we viewed the wonderful Corpus Christi and had no percussions Ron Willfong had made two 'grand­ collection of antique nickelodions in the other than the chrysoglott and chimes slam' devices so that the world at large bus station concession room. Almost and none have ever been added. could identify us on our visit. First every type of antique coin operated The second installation was at the there were the two four by ten foot piano , organ, orchestra, accordion and home of Charles Evans who has the banners attached to either side of the violin is here - you name it, get your beautiful "Moon River" organ, a 3-12 bus in red, white and blue reading nickel out and you'll hear it. Wurlitzer from the WL W studios in AMERICAN THEATRE ORGAN We arrived at the Baker Hotel in Cincinnati. He favored us with some of ENTHUSIASTS; and secondly special Dallas shortly after noon. Checking in the music heard on that program and white sweatshirts with ATOE silk­ was very fast thanks to the advance ar­ during that era. Again, our members screened on the front in blue and rangements made by Bob Weddle. John were invited to play the instrument and Sooner State Chapter on the back with Beck rode on the bus with and briefed were so impressed with everything, we

27 theatre organ bombarde got a bit too far behind schedule on our of the North Texas Chapter had joined crawl. us during the evening. It was nearly The North Texas Chapter was We took a 'drive-by' with a quick midnight when we said good bye to a delighted to host the Sooner 'look-see' at John Beck's home where remarkable young man and fine tech­ State Chapter. During their all we saw a newly poured concrete floor nician, Rodney Yarbrough. too brief stay, they listened to and some pre-fab vaulted ceiling arches. The end of a perfect day and a good and viewed five Dallas area resi­ This should be quite an impressive m­ night's sleep to prepare for the next dence organ installations ( Dallas stallation when completed. day - well almost a perfect day. It area because our membership seems that on this particular week-end , spreads over five counties). We our hotel was beseiged with countless were sorry that the time limit of numbers of young people attending the their trip prevented the Sooner Young Democrats Convention. I do State Chapter from hearing , hope in passing , that the friends of among others, the Wurlitz~r Pub­ Charlie and Delores FINALLY found lix # 1 in the Palace Theatre. them. The last time they went down One of the biggest surprises was the hall yelling their names at top vol­ the impressive amount of talent ume level was about 4:30 a.m. Now I per capita displayed by the Okla­ know the real meaning of the generation homa folks. It was truly astonish­ ing to see and hear the way in Chambers at Dale Flannery's home - note glass gap. I'm too damned old for this all shutters. night foolishness! which any one of them could Mr. and Mrs. Dale Flannery in Gar­ Up the next morning bright and walk up to a strange organ and land were our third hosts. Dale showed early - well early anyway, we had a produce beautiful and often un­ us his truly delightful 3-15 Wicks thea­ hasty side of beef for a "light" break­ usual registrations with excep­ tre organ with a horseshoe console fast before we met our genial host , Jerry tional competence. Although they from a St. Louis Baptist Church. Traps Bacon, assistant manager of the Capri are a relatively young chapter, and other percussions came from a Theatre in downtown Dallas. Jerry has they are coming on strong. Cadiz, Ohio theatre. The shutters are done a fine job of repairing and main­ Such a marvelous, cram-packed made of heavy glass and the toy counter taining this beautiful Wurlitzer 23 5. A day and a half. The Sooner State and percussions are positioned up front jam session with members from both Chapter will be welcomed back to and shown to excellent advantage with chapters was followed by Jerry pulling Dallas at any time. colored lights playing on them. What to out all the stops and giving out with a -John Beck watch - the percussion goodies chat­ thunderous and rousing march to wind tering away or the organist. The instal­ up the session. We made a fast pass at lation was completed in just three the hotel, checked out, boarded the bus BILLY NALLE months to be ready for our visit. We and headed for our luncheon where we (Continued from Page 19) were both impressed and delighted. were the guests of the North Texas organists dare attempt to any degree Stop number four was at the home of Chapter. Like I said, this Texas hospi­ because improvisation is a separate art Rodney Yarbrough in Celina, a home tality is something else. form in music, and must be studied. that is so musical it 'sings' a welcome as Our final installation of the week-end It is not the routine variations on you approach the front porch. Rodney, was the home of Mark and Nola Ken­ chords we hear church organists play­ technical advisor for the North Texas ning in Richardson. We had a brief ing on Sundays, but rather something Chapter, had his mother put a player tour of their self-designed, and for a which takes years of practice and ex­ roll on the beautiful little 2-4 Robert large part, self-constructed spanish style perience to do well. It is an under­ Morton that was given to him by his home which houses the giant 4-17 Rob­ statement to say that Billy Nalle does friends in the chapter in 1967. Then the ert Morton formerly installed in the this well. In short, he is a genius while Sooner State Chapter bunch put two of Ritz Theatre in Tulsa. Mark is a pro­ being at the same time a sensitive hu­ their professionals to work entertaining, fessional musician and teacher and I'd man being whose interest is to make Ray Elmore at the organ and Joe venture to say, one of the best musi­ any audience an integral part of his Crutchfield at the player grand piano. cians in this part of the country. We program, to make them feel that they As they tired , others helped to keep the sincerely hope that you both enjoy pos­ belong in his music. little Morton going including Phil Jud­ session of the instrument through the This reviewer not only notes the kins, Charlene Roberts, Dennis Minear years as much as we enjoyed hearing feeling for the music that Billy Nalle and Joanna Weaver. Several members you play it. imparts, but also an exquisite taste in It was late afternoon when we registration that permits just so much NAT'L CONVENTION boarded our homeward bound bus, re­ at any one time to do the job in the JULY 3-7 luctant to leave but most grateful to all most successful manner. Only twice did the fine and generous people in the we hear the full organ and just then North Texas Chapter. In large glowing for brief moments because the power of letters may we say, A BIG HEARTY more than one-hundred and sixty ranks THANKS TO YOU, OUR NEIGH­ can be overwhelming in the confines of BORING NORTH TEXAS CHAP­ the ballroom. Judging by the enthusi­ TER. We're looking forward to return­ asm of the audience, we can surmise ing your hospitality. that Billy will be back at Longwood A suggestion to all chapters who have and we hope that day will be very soon. not been on an organ crawl. Call your For information of tourists wishing neighboring chapter, pick yourselves a to hear the Longwood organ, it is week-end and go find out what won­ played by its resident organist Clarence derful people you have in your near-by Snyder every Sunday afternoon from 3 chapters. to 5 p.m. Admission is free of charge - Photos and Story by Joe Crutchfield for all concerts.

june 1969 28 and West End theatres, recently has GOLD DUST Name-dropping the been doing substitute work in the Chicago theatre organists: May 1918; Brighton, Douglas, Evanston, Howard, CA RMENZA VON DE LEZZ, star Hoyborn, Hyde Park, Michigan, Pas­ organist for Wurlitzer, has returned to time and Regent theatres. the Chicago office after a Boston en­ Feb. 1923 (D) FRANK VAN DU­ gagement ... Nov. 1918, FRANCIS SEN is operator of the "School For ROBERTS is head of the organ depart­ Theatre Organists," located in Kimball ment of the Chicago School of Popular Hall. More than 50 of his students are Music . . . Jan. 1923, D. KENNETH playing in Chicago theatres. WIDENOR at the Roosevelt; Associate organist is HELEN ANDERSON (later Mar. 1923 (D) Balaban & Katz ran Mrs. Jesse Crawford) ... Mar. 1923, ads in the newspapers last month, call­ EDWARD EIGENSCHENK at the 3- ing attention to their organs and organ­ manual Kimball in the Woodlawn while ists, and the high quality of music they HELEN SEARLES plays the 3-manual offer in the Central Park. Chicago, Moller in the Portage Park . . . July Riviera, Roosevelt, and Tivoli theatres. 1923, GERTRUDE BAILY at the In 1922, 18 million patrons attended. Michigan; EDWARD BENEDICT at B & K attributing this, in part, to their the Capitol ... Oct. 1923, NORMA Prospected by Lloyd E. Klos bdief that "Music in its finest form is HEUER at the Star . . . Jan. 1924, an element of popularity. Thousands With Chicago the host for the Mrs. CANE at the Harding ... Feb. come from miles around for the inspi­ ATOE's Eleventh Annual Convention, 1924, HAROLD M. ANDERSON at ration and mental recreation it ( organ Jason and I salute the Windy City with the Chatham; MERLE J. ISAAC at music) affords." choice material taken from American the Wilson ... Apr. 1924, EDWARD Organist (AO), Diapason (D), Jacobs Apr. 1923 (D) HAZEL HIRSH of FITCH at the Stratford ... Nov. 1924, (J) and Melody (M). the State Lake Theatre, played a spring GERTRUDE BAILEY at Orchestra program at Kimball Hall on April 21. Hall Theatre . . .Dec. 1924, THEO­ Sept. 1915 (D) The Wurlitzer Co. Many letters were received on the cali­ DORE CAMPBELL at the Prairie ... has been awarded the contract for one bre of the performance as well as the Jan. 1925, EDWARD HOUSE at the of the largest theatre organs in the orchestral quality of some numbers. Riviera ... Nov. 1925, HENRI A. country for the Covent Garden Theatre KEATES at McVicker's ... Feb. 1926, in Chicago. It will contain all the latest Dec. 1923 (AO) Eugene Stinson, RAYMOND C. GRINS at the Wallace improvements such as second, pizzicato writing in the Chicago Daily Journal, ... Mar. 1926, CLAUDE P. BALL at and sforzando touches. Console will says: "JESSE CRAWFORD's playing the 3-manual Kimball in the Iris . . . have 4 manuals. Pipes will be in 5 is distinctly aimed at giving the listener Apr. 1926, C. V. REAVLEY at the chambers, with an echo organ placed a good time, whatever the music he Barton in the Windsor Park . . . Aug. in the balcony area. Wind pressure will plays. He is never at a loss for a register 1926, HENRI A. KEA TES at the 4- be from 6 to 25 inches. of peculiar color. His imagination in rnanual Wurlitzer in the new Balaban May 1919 (M) AXEL W. CHRIS­ the bizarre and startling in tone and & Katz Oriental. Console is in red lac­ TENSEN has begun a 17-week engage­ quality is tireless." quer with oriental figures emblazoned ment at the Cort Theatre, playing the Mar. 1924 (D) The Wurlitzer Co. is on it . . . Sep. 1926, MIL TON CHAR­ Wurlitzer Hope-Jones orchestral organ. adding a second console to the Chicago LES at the Chicago; HENRY FRAN­ CIS PARKS at the Hollywood ... Oct. Aug. 1920 ( D) Chicago Theatre Theatre organ. The theatre will engage 1926, CLAUDE BALL teaching in the Organists went on strike July 5. They a second organist to star with JESSE Kimball Bldg; EDWARD FITCH demand a 75% increase in pay, re­ CRAWFORD, and performances will opened the new Colony Theatre and is jecting an offer by the theatre mana ­ be given by the two organists simul­ well-liked on the South Side . .. Nov. gers of 50%. A similar walkout was taneously. Helen Anderson is being considered for the second console spot. 1926, RUTH GORMAN FARLEY at averted in New York by an agree­ the deluxe south side Capitol and also ment providing for a 5 % increase. May 1924 (D) Things are humming broadcasting over WGN and WLIB. in Chicago. Mr. & Mrs. JESSE CRAW­ Her teacher is AMBROSE LARSEN; Oct. 1920 (J) The 2460-seat Stratford FORD recently introduced duets on the ARSENE F. SIEGEL recently ap­ Theatre, one of the city's newest, will twin-consoled Wurlitzer at the Chicago peared as soloist at the Sunday noon have a 40-piece symphony orchestra, a Theatre and were given a basket of Grand Organ recital at the Chicago jazz orchestra, and a Moller pipe organ flowers at their first performance. MIL­ Theatre. On the same bill were Eddie which it is claimed, will be the largest TON CHARLES at the Tivoli, features Cantor and Clara Bow plugging Zieg­ in Chicago. his new song "Hula Lou." W. REM­ feld's "Kid Boots;" ESTHER HILBERT Apr. 1921 (J) The new Roosevelt INGTON WELCH broadcasts over associate organist at the Terminal; Theatre opened on April 23. Playing KYM on the McVicker's Theatre Wur­ KENNETH CUTLER in the Michigan; a daily program on the Kimball organ litzer. EDWARD FITCH broadcasts on HENRY HENKINS, Academy; WILL­ is EDWARD FITCH. the new Stratford Theatre Kimball over IAM HENNEBRY, Orpheum; HARRY Jan. 1922 (J) Sunday afternoon con­ WTAS, and LEO TERRY , author of WEINER, Chateau ; ALVINA MI­ certs are being given at the Drake 9 songs, broadcasts from the new Tiffin CHALS, Buckingham; AGNES Mc­ Hotel. David Rosensweet is conductor Theatre. MORROW, Clermont. of the orchestra and FREDERICK Dec. 1925 (J) A feature of Chicago's If we can find quarters for Jason. MEINKEN is organist. new Ambassador Theatre is the revolv­ we'll see you in the lartd of Capone Dec. 1922 (D) HERBERT F. ing pipe organ console lift. Colored and Daley in July. So long, sourdoughs! SPRAGUE, who played two years in lights play upon . the instrument while Chicago's Elentee , Pantheon, Senate it is in motion. - Lloyd and Jason

29 theatre organ bombarde isms are so realistic that during one per­ After seven years in storage, the for­ formance when he "broke loose" and mer Oakland (Calif.) Fox 3-14 Wur­ ran into the audience to sling a con­ litzer was ready to play in the Shingle­ federate over his shoulder, a horrified town, California, home of its purcha -ser, lad, taking the whole bit seriously, stood John Leininger, who reports that it was up and planted a haymaker on the in very good shape despite the long "ape's" jaw - knocking Jargo cold. The storage period. The only releathering brave lad got a "hand" says Harry, but that had to be done was in the console , it sure scotched Jargo's performance. and about thirty magnets were replaced * * * after being rewound. There remains In Rahway, New Jersey, Rahway only the piano to get going, and then a theatre manager Bob Balfour was hav­ rededication concert. Who'll do the ing a problem early this year - not honors? Naturally , Tiny James, the or­ enough organists to keep his well-kept ganist long associated with the instru­ Wurlitzer audible at all intermissions, ment when it was in the theatre, and reports Eric Zeliff. He once had seven the only one to record it commercially. New Yark C hapterites rotating at the * * * console but early this year he was down Paul Mickelson, an organist you'll be Readers are encouraged to submit inter­ to four - Tim Hoag, Roy Sharp, Eric reading about and hearing from ( via esting sidelights on the organ hobby (ex­ Zeliff and Jinny Vanore. But the faith­ clusive of chapter news items), material the new "Reader's Digest" record re­ ful four were not always available and lease) , was off to Australia and New they believe will be of general interest Bob knows only the "Paramount News" about local organ adivities and installa­ Zealand on a concert tour in March theme from memory. Rather than sub­ with a return date set for June. Remi­ tions and the people who work at the ject his paying customers to 15 minutes hobby_ We know "there's VOX POPS in niscing about his experiences while of that, Bob was increasingly forced to them there chapters" and it only requires playing the "Digest" sides, he says, "I a 5c postcard to get it to The BOMBARDE, resort to records - which brought beefs certainly enjoyed doing the record on Box 5013 Bendix Station, North Holly­ from those patrons accustomed to hear­ the Wanamaker organ, and also on the wood, Calif. 91605. ing the organ. How to enlarge his circle organ in St. John the Divine. But that of competent organist-enthusiasts was Wanamaker instrument! It was quite a the manager's problem as we went to Colonel Harry Jenkins, our genial challenge. I could almost write a book press. on it." guide through the "Silent Movie Music" * * * * f ea tu res, was having the time of his life Rochester, N. Y. has a "new" theatre * * last month doing the type of "close organ. Although it's a Rodgers 3-manual Recently, "Old Prospector", Lloyd E. cueing" that is so dear to the heart of electronic, the installation has created Klos and RTOS photographer, Tom a former film accompanist. In effect, much local interest through stories pub­ Lockwood, looking for organ memora­ Colonel Harry ran off to join the circus lished in the daily press. bilia searched the abandoned Cameo - The DeWayne Bros. Circus touring The alumni association of Charlotte Theatre in Rochester, N. Y., in the West Coast towns and villages, not the High School worked for months to raise hope that all or part of the original big cities. Harry's job was to perform the $7,000 necessary for the organ's 2 manual Kohl organ could be found. the duties of a circus band, using an purchase and installation. But the chambers were bare. Enroute ancient but well-amplified Hammond. On March 28, former movie organist, to the basement , a rotting step gave It's a complete 2-ring circus, presented Margaret Culp Morrow, accompanied way, and the total result was a bruised under a real "big top" tent. Harry says several silent comedies and a set of song leg, a hurt dorsal region (Lloyd's), and that it's like old times, following ( and slides. The audience, mainly teenagers no trace of the organ. sometimes leading) two hours of jug­ and parents, was most enthusiastic, and * * * glers, a trained dog act, aerialists, rope plans are being discussed for a feature­ Paul Fleming, who wa& deeply in­ artists, trampoliners, clowns, an ele­ length silent film presentation. volved in the relocation of ,he Syracuse phant act and "J argo" the ape imper­ * * * (N. Y.) Keith's 3-11 Wurlitzer, reports sonator, whose appearance and manner- The 3-19 Wurlitzer from the RKO­ that he has latched onto a 2-4 Link Al/Je-e theatre in Cincinnati has been re­ which he intends to refurbish and in­ moved to its new home, Emery Audi­ stall in the Empire State Musical In­ torium at the Ohio College of Applied strument Museum on the State Fair Science. The Ohio Valley Chapter is Grounds there. Paul is employed in directing the removal and restoration Missouri , but hopes to be back to Syra­ efforts under the supervision of Herbert cuse before too long. Two organs in Wattle and Bob Ridgeway. Emery Audi­ one building would be quite an accom­ torium has two balconies and seats plishment for this enthusiast and his 2200 people. devoted associates. * * * Former Ohio Valley Chapter Chair­ * * * man Ed Wuest has been relocated from How do you install a 4-25 Wurlitzer the Cincinnati area to Galion, Ohio. In console on a lift without digging a pit the process of the big move Ed's 2-5 into the ground to bury screw drives or Wurlitzer pipe organ had to go. Gary hydraulics? Ohio Valley Chapterite Stan Shipe of Athens, Ohio, is the proud new Todd solved the problem for his Shady owner and he plans to install it in his Nook restaurant installation by using new home now under construction in the front chain lift section from a fork­ Colonel Jenkins and friend. Playing for the Akron, Ohio, in a 30' by 40' basement lift truck. Enormous lifting capacity and circus wasn't unlike cueing silent movies. music room. no wasted space. Neat , huh?

june 1969 30 On March 1, the University of Wash­ The big theatres are being demolished In Kansas City, Ken Wright read our ington Board of Regents announced that at an ever-quickening pace. Some are April VOX POP about Bill Wright (no it had approved the sale of the 4-18 being "twinned" (the balcony closed off relation) and the nostalgia started: "I Wurlitzer organ in the Fifth Avenue to make a second theatre) such as the used to work with Bill way back, at the Theatre in Seattle to William H. Breuer Oriental in Chicago and the Saenger in old Midland theatre in Hutchinson, of Palo Alto, California. This created a New Orleans (long a "twin"). Although Kansas. He was No. 1 organist and I stir on the part of Seattle Theatre Organ this process of "cell division" leaves the was No. 2 in this silent movie house - enthusiasts, led by ATOE's former house drastically altered, it's more de­ and guess what we played - a 3-manual, president, Dick Schrum. Dick stated sirable than a session with the steel ball. 13-rank Austin! Someone, in an attempt that the Puget Sound Chapter had a It isn't happening only here in "business to give it a theatrical sound, had added contract with Fox-Evergreen Theatres first" USA; word has been received that a set of bells, a Xylophone and a loud to restore the organ, and the chapter both the Regent (4-19 Wurlitzer) and Kinura. But it still was Austin - all was not given the opportunity to bid ·on Plaza (2-12 Wurlitzer) in Melbourne, over the place." Ken is still thrilled by the instrument. Spokesman for the Re­ Australia, are going dark, leaving two the encouraging sale of a recently re­ gents said that it was not necessary for instruments in fair shape up for grabs. leased record he taped 20 years ago on bids to be asked for disposal of the in­ * * * the WKY (Kansas City) studio Ki/gen. strument, valued at $10,000 by C. M. But from Canada via Britain (from * * * Balcom, who has maintained the organ the Cinema Organ Society's Newsletter) In Cincinnati, ATOEr Jack Doll , Jr., for several years. Breuer, who operates comes an encouraging word from Terry will have to bid his Wicks/ Casavant the pipe organ-equipped "Captain's Harvey; the Orpheum theatre in Van­ pipe installation ( 3 manual-12 ranks) Galley" restaurant at Santa Clara, Cali­ couver has dropped immediate plans for goodbye for a couple of years while he fornia , has removed the instrument, it "twinning" and the style 235 Wurlitzer serves Uncle Sam. Jack who is a pro­ is now in storage in Palo Alto, Calif. will not be removed , after all. But fessional organist played the night club * * * there's another obstacle. Terry added circuit regularly in the Cincinnati area No less than four 4-manual Wur­ that the Orpheum management is ne­ before the military departure. The base­ litzers are awaiting installation in homes gotiating with the AFM local for re­ ment pipe installation will not hunger or beaneries in the Bay Area, reports moval of a virtual ban on use of the for attention in his absence; Jack Doll, this mag's ad manager, Dewey Cagle. instrument; it can be played only by a Sr., is a topnotch pro with the Baldwin "Mr. Pizza Joynt ," Carsten Henning­ union member after 11 other musicians , Company in Cincinnati. sen, still has the 4-20 extracted from including a leader, have been hired, in­ * * * Loew 's State in Syracuse, N. Y., stashed, sists the local. That ruling , harking back From Sherrard, Illinois, pro organ waiting for just the right location for a to the early days of "talkies" when tech Dave Junchen, taking note of a second "Joynt." Steve Restivo already theatres were firing pit orchestras with last issue VOX POP about his many has himself a 3-15 but his dad has the discouraging regularity, has been relaxed installations, has the following to add 4-20 from the Oakland Paramount in by most AFM locals , which are glad about the Stan Todd Wurlitzer he's in­ limbo. And Doug Erdman sold his 4-20 to see organs back in use in theatres. stalling in the Shady Nook restaurant console to a Mr. Samul , who will use it * * * near Cincinnati. The instrument , a 3-16 to control about 20 ranks of pipework From Olean, New York, Doc Bebko Wurlitzer (one of the WLW radio or­ he has acquired for his Bay Area home. (Eddie Baker) made his annual Easter gans), is to be equipped with a com­ And Bill Breuer has the 4-18 from the pilgrimage to his old haunt, Radio City pletely solid state relay developed by Seattle 5th A venue theatre to make a Music Hall, and reports that Jack Ward Peterson Electro-Music (Tuners). Dave home for - somewhere. made the 4-58 Wurlitzer sound superb. believes this to be the first application * * * "Both consoles were exposed , with the of the solid state relay system to a large And should any of the gentlemen right one playing. Organ is magnificent listed above decide to throw in the unit organ , although the device is now in tone, especially the pedals", says the on the market and is being used by sponge, there's a ready market for his former Music Hall organist. instrument; still another man is frantic­ several builders of church organs, * * * Aeolian-Skinner, for one. In place of ally seeking a four-decker to put into The RKO Palace 3-16 Wurlitzer in yet another Bay Area pizzery. What the bulky, clicking relay racks are small Columbus is moving from its old home modules with circuit boards bearing hath Carsten wrought? on West Broad Street to its new home * * * electronic parts. All modules are the Then there's the organist with a on East Broad Street, the Center of plug-in variety for easy service. Dave Science and Industry. The organ will popular Latin dance band who is seek­ lists some of the advantages: ing a large instrument to install in a ultimately be re-installed in a proper setting reminiscent of the Roberson Cul­ 1. It is compact in comparison with San Diego theatre, for an operation conventional relays. similar to San Francisco's A venue tural Center in Binghamton, New York, with its Link organ. The Palace Wur­ 2. It has no moving parts to wear out, theatre and its policy of frequent silent and, considering the well-established movies with pipe organ accompaniment. litzer was unusual in that it was in­ stalled with a single "Echo" division reliability of solid state, there is very * Central Ohio* Chapter * members Car- consisting of one solo scale Vox Hu­ little which can go wrong with it. los Parker, Jr., and Tom K. Hamilton mana, available at 16', 8' and 4', in a 3. It will operate any number of unifi­ are proud of their new possession, the chamber over the proscenium arch cations and couplers from only one 4-19 Robert Morton organ from the which spoke through a grill in the dome contact for each manual key. Loew's Ohio theatre in Columbus. Un­ of the auditorium. The rest of the organ 4. The modular plug-in design makes til the fate of the theatre is settled the was rather conventional 260 style with future expansion of ranks compara­ two plan to leave the organ installed in a Piano, brass Saxophone, brass Trum­ tively simple; just plug in additional the 3000-seat flagship of the Loew's pet, and a console with 5 expression modules. circuit in Columbus and continue to pedals. The Palace Wurlitzer was in­ 5. The solid state relay is compatible play and record the great sound of the stalled in 1927 and in recent years was with existing organ relays, so that an organ, which was heard on the Concert extensively rebuilt by William and Jim instrument with conventional relays Recording disc, "The Mighty Morton," Hunt and Robert Ridgeway with help may be expanded via the solid state featuring Roger Garrett. of Central Ohio Chapter members. route.

31 theatre organ bombarde So far as we know, there are fewer disarmed them with "Sure-go ahead." In Miami, George Gerhart read the than 10 organs existing with all solid Now we have evidence of a well-con­ VOX POP (Dec. '68) about the pur­ state relays, all of them "straight" cealed "good Samaritan" side to the chase of a 3-deck Kohl console, orig­ instruments. We would venture to state Johnson psyche. We learned that he inally from Rochester, N. Y. by a "Mr. that Dave is in on the start of some­ sends gratis pressings and tapes of Sudre" of Miami. It all stacked up thing good. his best organ releases to Rod Yar­ except for the name. That console had * * * brough, the Texas organ builder, who to be the one Bob Andre of Coral In Lafayette, La., teenage organist became totally immobilized in an auto Gables brought down from Massachu­ Lew Williams wandered into a music crash. Time hangs heavy for Rod and setts, so he put us straight. Exit Sudre, store and noticed a man with a familiar Bill's thoughtfulness not only keeps enter Andre - with a 12-ranker at face fingering a harpsichord. It was Rod's interest high but also his morale. home now due for a larger console and Guy Lombardo. Lew struck up a con­ Bill will probably be furious with us possibly 4 manuals. versation with the visiting celebrity for leaking his well-kept secret. * * * and as always, where Lew is concerned * * * Eddie Dunstedter probably wondered the subject turned to the organs. He ATOEer Sylvan Ketterman, Muncie, if he was being pursued by a Stu asked Lombardo if he had ever known Indiana Conn dealer, built his first Green-like banshee. He heard a youth­ Crawford. The reply was something small pipe organ at the age of 12, ful voice in the rear of the Carl Greer like this: "Jesse? Sure, we were often which marks the start of more than Inn ( Sacramento, Calif.), call out on the same bill at the (New York) 40 years of pipe enthusiasm. He now "Chlo-eee!" just after he had finished Paramount, Jesse and his wife, Helen. builds model steam calliopes in minia­ his famous "Deep Purple," during a Boy, Helen was some organist, too. She ture. recent engagement at the Morton­ played jazz, y'know. But Jesse - you * * * equipped beanery. Eddie gave out with couldn't top him. Nice guy too." Lom­ The "organ in a pizza palace" idea his entire conception of the old swamp­ bardo continued about organs "In the seems to be catching on also in the Los juice ballad just as recorded on his '30's we made a record of orchestra Angeles area. First it was "Monk's "Pipes & Power" disc. Then he turned and organ with a Charles ... yes, Mil­ Musical Pizza" in Covina with its 2-7 around and said "All right, Stu - where ton Charles ... 'When the Organ Play­ Wurli and now plans have been an­ are you?" Instead teenager organist ed at Twilight' for Columbia. That nounced for a similar eatery in the San Gary Konas stepped forward to thank record turned out to be one of our Fernando Valley, north of Hollywood. Eddie for his blockbusting musical biggest hits." Okay, Guy! The instrument is a Wurlitzer style 215 search for "Little Eva of the Ever­ * * * ( 2-10), long in storage but originally glades." It was Gary's first encounter Organist Frank Lanterman is the from a Beverly Hills movie house. The with the living Dunstedter and he was owner of the former San Francisco Fox location is already under lease and somewhat speechless. Eddie observed 4-36 Wurlitzer which he is installing at installation is progressing with veteran that Gary had a couple of things in considerable expense in his La Canada, organ man Buster Rosser at the solder­ common with the portly TOB editor, Calif. home. Frank is also an Assembly­ ing iron. Harvey Heck was recruited to ". . . a passion for 'Chloe' and a ten­ man in the California Legislature at releather chests for all 10 ranks. The dency to 'clam up' the first time we Sacramento, where one of his jobs is project was undertaken by organ enthu­ met." as overseer of the taxpayer's dollar. As siast-business man Ed Waters, who * * * guardian of the public purse he talks hopes to open during the summer. A Delaware Valley Chapterite (who tough and plays the tightwad when * * * prefers anonymity) suggests that, at other legislators seek state funds to fin­ The Detroit Theater Organ Club intervals of about four years ATOE ance pet projects. Conversely, he lav­ monthly "News" now features a full­ publish a "Quadrennial Book" similar ishes his own money on his mighty page photo of a well-known organist in to those priceless high school year Wurlitzer. The bachelor-lawyer mel­ each issue. Initial pix of Don Miller books we all relish. It would contain lows when he speaks of the organ. He with Billy Nalle, and Ray Bohr in a photos of each chapter's elected officials told an LA Herald-Examiner reporter, later issue, were top quality. (perhaps in a group), and, as far as "I have an appreciation of the dollar * * * practical, group photos of chapter mem­ when it applies to everything but my In Sacramento, Calif., Major H. A. bers. It would state ATOE objectives pipe organ - it's my one indulgence." Sommer, is readying a series of articles, and review accomplishments, list organ Frank was a prominent theatre or­ plus a partial installation list, on the "transplants" during the four-year ganist in the '20s and '30s but he's much-neglected Kilgen theatre organ. period, summarize trends in the hobby found far greater security among his * * * and generally paint a more leisurely satisfied constitutents. They have been We trust that Dr. Mel Doner, and thoughtful picture of the hobby re-electing him without surcease for 18 ATOE's first publications editor, is en­ than the task of publishing a bimonthly years. joying his new job as a biology pro­ magazine permits. Purchase would be * * * fessor at Winona (Minn.) State College. by reservation in advance, to insure We keep finding out things about Just don't try that "birds and bees" recouping publication costs. The writer Bill Johnson, the moving force behind stuff on today's kids, Doc! feels that such a publication "would give a tremendous shot in the arm to Concert Recording and its "Organ of * * * the Month Club," little tidbits which In reply to an inquiry, the console the already great pride one has in being tell us much about the mettle of the which controlled the late Truman a member of ATOE ." man. For example the RCA legal eagles Welch's 2-12 Wurlitzer-Smith home in­ * * * are still talking about the ease ( they stallation in Downey, Calif., was or­ Another member wants to know why used the word "grace") with which he iginally installed in Grauman 's Million this mag is called THEATRE ORGAN excepted Billy N alle from his Concert Dollar theatre in Los Angeles. It was BOMBARDE; the title often puzzles Records contract to do a one-shot the pipework, chests, etc. which came newcomers to the organization . Well, Readers Digest album . They had ex­ from the Arlington theatre, Arlington, Dorothy, once upon a time ATOE pub­ pected the usual bared fangs and Bill Calif., not the console . lished two magazines , THEATRE" OR-

june 1969 32 GAN and BOMBARDE. They were tions material from a guy who really The Tower scheduled Gaylord Carter quite different in content and approach. knows the (musical) score? accompanying a silent movie for June THEATRE ORGAN (originally TIBIA) * * * 10. The Empire State Theatre and has always been the official journal - In Sacramento, Calif., "our man" in Musical Instrument Museum celebrated straight - factual - serious - reliable that area, Major H. A. Sommers, the 75th anniversary of the birth of the and slick. Then came BOMBARDE (on assembled a Xylophone (from parts of movies April 27th with a showing of rough paper) which saw the humorous several) for Dave Schutt's 3-14 Robert the Douglas Fairbanks "Arabian Nights" side of the hobby, took pokes at human Morton in San Jose. And Dale Men­ adventure, "The Thief of Bagdad," with, foibles encountered within the TO denhall was looking forward to the naturally, Carleton A. James doing the world, published biographies of organ­ arrival of the 3-manual console from cueing at the 3-11 ex-Keith's Wurlitzer. ists illustrated with outrageous cartoons Loew's Theatre in St. Louis, which he Admission free to ESTMIM members and generally lived up to the claim that purchased through the St. Louis chapter. and only $1.00 to non-members. And it was "the only theatre organ publica­ * * * we trust that attendance was such at tion with a sense of humor." But run­ Farther north, in San Francisco, the the Detroit Theater Organ Club's May ning two magazines got too expensive. Avenue Theatre noted, with some relief, 24th Ann Leaf concert that reviewer Rather than call for a dues increase, that business was picking up, which Ben Levy this time didn't find it neces­ the Board of Directors decided to com­ means life insurance for the 3-14 Wur­ sary to invite dubbers who missed it bine the best elements of both publica­ litzer. During April (on Fridays), the to butt their noggins against a stone tions. Thus THEATRE ORGAN BOM­ A venue ran the Douglas Fairbanks wall - as he suggested last year when BARDE - two for the price of one. starrer, "Robin Hood" with Van Welch attendance was a bit off. And on June * * * doing the accompaniment, plus a special 7th, DTOC was enriched by both a The Theatre Organ Society of Aus­ concert by youthful Stan Toyama; a morning workshop and an evening con­ tralia, New South Wales division, silent documentary gathered from many cert by the one and only Don Baker, opened its 1969 season on Feb. 19 with sources by Martin Kearns, entitled made possible by the enlightened atti­ a concert on its own Wurlitzer in the "Hollywood of the '20s" with Bob tude his employer, the Conn Organ Marrickville Town Hall, played by vet­ Vaughn at the organ; a presentation of Co., takes toward pipes and the TO eran console artist Reubert Hayes. On the Harry Langdon silent comedy, hobby. March 30, it was a concert played by "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp," with Bob * * * Denis Palmistra on the John Clancy Vaughn doing the cueing, plus a concert The "underground" press has at last residence Wurlitzer in Wentworthville. by former New York Roxy organist discovered the theatre organ hobby. In During March, American Don Kingston George Robinson. On the final Friday Los Angeles a May edition of the was playing the plug-in concert circuit, in April it was a concert by Gene Gay­ hippie-rebel-oriented weekly "Advo­ plugging Conn organs, writes "TOSA nor and a presentation of the early cate," in an article obviously written News" editor Frank Ellis. Garbo film, "Joyless Street" (better by someone close to the hobby, ex­ The "TOSA News" for February known as "Street of Sorrows"). Gene plained ATOE with amazing restraint runs a cartoon showing BOMBARDE is a newcomer to the Avenue staff but and no four-letter words, although it editor Stu Green crying huge tears, is a real oldtimer in the TO hobby. couldn't resist alluding to sexually­ while standing next to a teacup in * * * oriented symbols it says are inherent in certain physical aspects of organ pipes. which a violent storm is raging. It's From England, Editor Ian Suther­ The article refiected a measure of ad­ Stu's "confession" for the crime of mis­ land's "COS Newsletter" issues a plea miration in the way we do our thing. quoting a TOSA News item about the from Ken Butterfield for greater sup­ Peace, brothers! number of theatre organs in Australian port of the nationwide petition being theatres, an error which touched off a circulated among British enthusiasts * * * wave of claims, counterclaims, catcalls with the aim of forcing the BBC to put Sorry to hear of the dissolution of and innuendo among those who seem cancelled TO programs back on broad­ the Valley of the Sun ATOE chapter. always ready to throw a damper on a cast schedules. In the same issue of the A large factor was the loss of the 3-13 fun hobby. "It's all my fault!" cries the Cinema Organ Society's Newsletter, Meisel and Sullivan-Wurlitzer organ in sketch of Stu, thus getting TOSA News James Ward Stuchlik, sparker of the the Phoenix Paramount Theatre, long a off the hook. He might have added, campaign, states that over 3000 had meeting place of the chapter. When "And a pox on the spoilers." signed (by March) and that the goal was Paramount sold the theatre to Neder­ * * * 100,000 signatures. Interest appears to lander (of Detroit), the new owners While going through Atlanta, Billy be picking up; even (get this!) Ham­ decided to remodel it immediately as a Nalle stopped to catch Lee Erwin's mond Organ Clubs have offered to sign legit house but less the organ, which presentation of his original score, and circulate the petitions. was put up for quick sale. It was pur­ accompanying Valentino's "The Eagle" * * * chased by a young couple, Allen and at the Atlanta Fox 4-43 Moller. It was The chapters and clubs have put on Vicki Tury, members of the defunct the first time N alle had heard Erwin some stunning shows since our last chapter, and is now in storage. The accompany a film and what he saw and issue. The New York Chapter sched­ Tury's hope to place it in a suitable heard really turned on his "southern uled veteran silent film cuer Larry public building when one can be found enthusiasm." Billy states, "Erwin played Leverenz for its May 18 concert at the and the necessary arrangements made. the finest accompaniment ever I've Beacon Theatre with its 4-19 Wurlitzer. heard to a silent film. It was done with He also studied with famed radio complete professionalism, a first class organist Ralph Waldo Emerson (the CHICAGO - CHICAGO presentation all the way. Guys like Lee son of the poet). The same issue of and Gaylord (Carter) should have the NY Chapter's Newsletter announced That Toddl'ing Town classes, or some means of showing fel­ a theatre-sponsored concert at the Chicago - Chicago low aspirants how it's done." Lee, why Tower Theatre in Upper Darby (near We'll SHOW you around don't you send Billy $2.00? Where else Philadelphia) where Bob Lent and crew July 3-7 can you get such glowing public rela- keep the 3-17 Wurlitzer in top shape.

33 theatre organ bombarde FOR 25 years Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science members have ignored Miss Gish. All of them should be ashamed. She is without an Oscar. No actress has ever reflected greater honor. dignity, respect and love of the motion picture industry . • YOU may write Vilma Banky and Rod LaRocque at 719 Foothill Road , Beverly Hills, California 90210 . • THE magic of the name Rudolph Directed by Valentino grows more enchanting. A Lyle W. Nash new musical movie about his life is planned for the 1970 season. Jules Styne, composer of "Funny Girl" and The Bombarde reviews recordings for of­ WHO IS WHERE ... Mildred Davis other musical hits, will create the film. ficial ATOE publications. Manufacturers, ( Mrs. Harold Lloyd) is mending after Incidentally, Rudy wore long sideburns distributors or individuals sponsoring or a long hospital stay. Harold told re­ 4 7 years ago and was widely imitated merchandising theatre pipe organ records porters at the Oscar Award show that by the younger folks for his daring are encouraged to send pressings to the she was coming along well ... Florence style. Bombarde, Box 5013, Bendix Station, Gilbert lives in the Los Angeles area No. Hoffywood, Calif. 91605. Be sure to • include purchasing information, if applic­ but is shy at meeting the press ... Our QUESTION: "How many times was able. report on Charlotte Henry is not veri­ Stan Laurel married?" Probably eight. fied but she was last reported living in His second wife was also his fourth the San Diego area . . . Tom Gallery, and sixth marriage partner according to once married to ZaSu Pitts, now a 1969 court case records. sports consultant lives in the San Fer­ "ETHOS"-Arnold Loxam at the Leeds nando Valley . . . Billie Burke is in a • MORE than a few film greats en- (Britain) 3-19 Wurlitzer, CR-0039, Southern California rest home . . . joyed working in serials. Recent re­ stereo, available by mail at $4.50 post­ Valentino's brother, Alberto, lives at search shows that James Cruze, Kath­ paid from Concert Recording, Box 531, 1444 N. Orange Drive, Los Angeles, lyn Williams, Marguerite Snow, Olive Lynwood, Calif. 90262. Als0 available 90028 . . . Constance Talmadge says Thomas, Henry B. Walthall, Jack Holt, in 7½ ips 4-track stereo tape at $5.95. she may make Southern California her Earle Foxe, Gertrude Olmstead and home again after 20 years in the East. Arnold Loxam is a name long asso­ Anna Mae Wong appeared in the Satur­ ciated with theatre organ activities in day afternoon thrillers which turned • England but to the best of our knowl­ JOAN Crawford radiated beauty in millions of boys and girls into devout edge this is his first solo recording ap­ her gorgeous gown at the 41 st Academy film fans. A wards and looked every inch a movie • pearance on this side of the pond. This queen. The bleacher fans gave her big­ recording is rich in entertainment value, MASTER film producer D. W. Grif­ gest ovation of the night. especially in the rhythm area, and does fith said wishfully, in 1924: "There will much toward establishing Loxam among • never be speaking (sound) pictures. We the British console "toppers." QUESTION: ''A TV program MC do not want now and we never shall reported one motion picture had played wdnt the human voice with our films. However, the variety offered in this to 2 billion people and 95% of them Our 'close-ups' ... I invented them. recording, due to the grouping of simi­ had seen it free. Can this be true?" It is a mechanical trick, and is of little lar material, isn't apparent until the Most likely the reference was to the credit to anyone." ballad treatment of the seventh selec­ silent classic "King of Kings," created • tion. Until "Mighty Lak a Rose" one by Cecil B. DeMille in 1927. A Los IN 1956 Cecil B. DeMille declared: gets the impression that Loxam is tied Angeles minister, who has spent 15 "Rudolph Schildkraut was ... perhaps to a 4-to-the-bar "quickstep" style. It's years researching KOK, says it is shown the finest character actor ever to appear a good "swingband" recreation, with almost every hour of the day and night in motion pictures. imaginative "rides" but six in a row is somewhere on earth by missionaries too much. But "Rose" is lone in tempo and film scholars. • WOULD you be interested in a new rubato with lots of expression. This is • magazine dedicated to the vanishing followed by 4½ minutes of Strauss LILLIAN Gish, surely the most en­ motion picture theatre? Marquee is such waltzes to which Loxam applies a cor­ during, distinguished and worthy film a magazine and is filled with pictures rect Viennese lilt, and then he tackles great of all time, writes a gentle, heart and articles on every phase of movie a gypsy medley with good effect. For warming biography titled "The Movies, palace lore. Details are available from "Grandfather's Clock" its back to the Mr. Griffith and Me." To read this is to the Marquee editor, Box 4445, Wash­ "big band" tempo to close side one. to be ref re shed with all that goodness ington , D. C., 20017. which once was a Hollywood export. The organ has a genuine Wurlitzer Miss Gish tells the fascinating story of sound although it's usually full com­ early motion picture history with love , CHICAGO binations with solo stops used sparingly. admiration and deep respect for her For solos, Loxam is partial to the f el/ow artists and especially for D. W. Clarion. Recording emphasizes the "big Griffith. Must reading fo r every film Chi -ca- go . Chi -ca- go hall " perspective but with plenty of f an. "presence." june 1969 34 Side 2 opens with a brief but rocking (in the major). "Valley of the Dolls" is But there's another side to this young "Woodchoppers' Ball," closing with the a fine ballad arrangement of the multi­ man; his No. 1 calling is not music but downward palm smear and cymbal rhythm movie theme which is marred the ministry. So this time it's Reverend crash which marks several of the by the intrusion of an extraneous mid­ John Landon playing in the service of rhythm numbers. scale tone which may be either an off­ the Boss. John is equally adept playing "Audrey" features fine Tibia work, speech pipe or the result of a cable 10 hymns and two classical standards while "Cumbanchero" and "Cumana" "run." It's just loud enough to distract. on the Reuter as he was playing pops. show off some well-voiced reeds. A beautiful set of Tibias carries much But he plays his hymns straight, with Surf effect and Strings introduce a of "Love Is Blue" with occasional com­ no theatrical effects. The organ is the Tibia'd "Harbor Lights" (the organ has ments from the Posthorn. Sharp brass Reuter in the Chapel at Northwestern a well-regulated Tibia) which is afforded asks about "The Way to San Jose" University in Evanston, Illinois - ex­ emphasis from the pizzicato reeds. "The while an up-beat "Windy" gives the cept for one rhythmic hymn, "Ring the Nearness of You" also enjoys fine Tibia "clackers" a workout. "Sunny" gets a Bells of Heaven," which is played on a work with some pecks on the Glock. solid rock treatment, with the Brass Conn theatre-type plug-in. The playing Loxam covers up a clinker during the carrying the main load against a heavy is clean and the phrasing good. The first bars of a jazzy "Twelfth Street pedal. Interesting variations. A gor­ Reuter doesn't provide too much regis­ Rag" with finesse and gives "Wedding geous chorus of Strings is heard in al­ tration variety, but then it's not an or­ of the Painted Doll" lots of 1929 most Handel-like solemnity under a chestral organ. The technical side of the crunch. He closes with 47 seconds of Tibia'd single-line melody when said recording rates special kudos for the his radio theme, "Sorrento." strings aren't carrying the "ball" during perspective in the miking and the han­ It's a spirited performance with per­ "A Whiter Shade of Pale." The melody dling of various sound levels with mini­ haps a bit too much four-to-the-bar. on the Clarion, played against the same mum distortion. The pressing, from the Frank Hare's jacket notes about the pattern, is almost Purcell-like. "Up, Up low distortion standpoint, is the best of artist, instrument and theatre are ex­ and Away" has us ballooning to an any record reviewed in this issue and pansive and informative, although no appealing treatment with single-tap the surface is smooth and quiet, possibly explanation of the album title is offered. Glock pointing up the melody. The because of the lower than usual level of The photo of the artist on the jacket is same effect is heard during that tear­ modulation. Some of the selections: most unflattering, but the music is good. jerker, "Honey," which Jeff plays with Ivory Palaces, And Can it Be, The Lost all pathos of the Bobby Goldsboro Chord, Whispering Hope, Beautiful Isle * * * vocal - including the chorus of "an­ of Somewhere, Hallelujah Chorus and a THE YOUNG SOUND, Jeff Barker gels," impersonated by Vox and Tibia. rousing reading of The Church's One plays the Peter Schable 4-23 Robert Also heard are "Young Girl," "There's Foundation. Morgan organ, Stereo, Concert Record­ a Kind of Hush," "Going Out of My * * ing No. CR-0038. Same ordering pro­ Head," "Los Altos Train," and "When FIRST CLASS CONFIRMED, Johnny cedure as for the previous album. I'm Sixty-four," all played in various Kemm at the Lowrey Theatre Organ, Deciding what to play is always a rock beats in good taste and with great CR-E035, stereo, available by mail rough decision for an organist planning sensitivity. If there is any criticism in $4.50 postpaid from Concert Record­ a recording. The pull of the old stand­ Jeff's handling of the material, it can ing, Box 531, Lynwood, Calif. 90262. ards of the T.O. era is strong, and the be reduced to possible over-use of the Veteran organist Johnny Kemm ex­ record company P & R man usually Posthorn (in combination) to carry plores the facilities of Lowrey's most favors recent show tunes and current melody. Even so, it's easier to listen to theatrical instrument with standards "pretty music." Rarely does a pipe re­ than a 200-watt guitar. The Schable such as Love For Sale, Our Director cording planner seek new directions. studio organ (originally in Loew's Va­ march, Muskrat Ramble, Always and It's to Jeff Barker's credit that he kicked lencia, Jamaica, Long Island) is simply Sugar Blues. Kemm's playing is precise. over the traces and selected a set of gorgeous and it has been recorded well. He makes full use of all the gadgets current and recent teen pops. The re­ However, our review pressing was bad­ available on a plug-in which is loaded sults are not only interesting, they're ly warped and pocked with clicks and with them. often fascinating. At other times, the pops. * * * organ points up the weaknesses in the ALSO OF INTEREST EASTLAND THEATRE PRESENTS new "pops"-mainly too much repeti­ BILL WRIGHT AT THE CONN tion. Yet, many in the "old guard" will SACRED PIPE ORGAN MELODIES, ORGAN, (no label) No. 30475. For find the kids' music, when divorced further information drop a card to Bill from association with "wild dog" gui­ John Landon at the 3-30 Reuter Organ, LPS-194-01, compatible stereo, avail­ Wright, Eastland Theatre, Workman tar, page boy haircuts, 200-watt "fuzz and Citrus Streets, West Covina, Calif. able by mail postpaid $3.98. (Make out tone" amplifiers, and unmusical vocal­ Recently we mentioned in a VOX ists, not too hard for "squares" to listen check to John W. Landon) RECORDS, POP that Bill Wright had been playing to and enjoy. Box 432 Marion College, Marion, In­ continuously in theatres since the early Full credit for this unwitting aid diana 46982. '20s, come Vitaphone or Cinerama. The toward bridging the "generation gap" We know of no more devoted theatre remark evoked considerable interest; a must go to young immigrant from organ enthusiast than John Landon, guy at it that long without pause has Britain Jeff Barker. He's fully compe­ who plays intermissions on the 3-7 Page just got to be quite a theatre organist­ tent at the 4-deck Morton, and provides organ in the Paramount in Anderson, and has he made any records? Yes, some choice registration on which to but on a good quality plug-in, the Indiana, a combination which became float his array of mostly rhythm tunes. same one he plays during intermissions There are 14 selections. We'll hit some available on a record released a few at West Covina's Eastland Theatre. He highlights. seasons back entitled "John Landon at plays over 20 tunes on this record, "Some Velvet Morning" is a conver­ the Paramount Theatre Pipe Organ." pops, standards and favorites, includ­ sation between stark up-tempo brass We recall reviewing John's treatment of ing the almost forgotten "Wedding of (in the minor) and Tibias in slow ¾ 19 standards with considerable pleasure. the Painted Doll."

35 theatre organ bombarde play all the music requested, but he ords in Glendale, Calif., he's playing selected the most oft-requested tunes, concerts in churches, revival meet­ those providing the most variety. For ings and generally wherever Christians example there's his finger-bustin' "Holi­ gather in a spirit of worship. As we day for Strings" arrangement which went to press, Paul was doing his thing "noodles" around an already greased­ in Australia. lightning melody, "On a Clear Day" He has been known to show up at and "Can't Take My Eyes off You" theatre organ jam sessions in the LA for the young set, some "Kismet" selec­ area and offer a couple of lilting pops John Warfel, of Amherst Records, tions (loaded with second touch counter which give no inkling of the serious side writes to express his appreciation of our melodies) for the show tune buffs, of his nature. Paul Mickelson is a dedi­ review of Amherst's release of "Bill "Porgy and Bess" selections for the cated man who has found a way to Dalton at the Console" (of Loew's Ohio Gershwin-folk opera fans, the "Girl spread the good word without saying theatre Robert Morton organ in Colum­ from Ipanema" for those who like a thing; he lets his music do it for him. bus). John feels our reviewer "captured way-south of the border music, a majes­ the very essence of the album." Which tic "Pilgrims' Chorus" (which Eddie will boost the morals of said reviewer, plays lefthanded except for the counter­ who is usually under critical fire for frippery) and his famous radio theme, failing to be rough enough on platters "Open Your Eyes." r:Bool1vfview he reviews. This being a hobby club and many of the releasers of (often one­ Molly Malcolmson Gustin, Tonality. shot) discs being members who may A question is sure Philosophical Library, New York, have life savings invested in the platters, to arise with the is­ 1969. 100 Pages. $5.95 reviews generally are tempered to em­ suance of the new phasize the plus side of most record­ Readers Digest An appreciation of this new book ings. We prefer to give an average disc records. Three of requires some understanding of the a "light once over" evaluation rather the organists pre­ physics, psychology, and philosophy of than discourage a small company (or sented - Dick Lei­ musical tone-production. The author's individual) that just might come up later be rt, Billy N alle thesis is based on the idea that any tone Paul Mickelson with a masterwork. But we pulled no and Richard Purvis takes on its meaning or function from punches with the Dalton platter. It is - are well known in the concert and the context in which it appears; a tone every bit as good in retrospect as our pop organ fields; but who is Paul functions according to its position rela­ man claimed in the Dec. 1968 issue. Mickelson? He must be an able musi­ tive to other tones. Tonality is depend­ Mr. Warfel had one correction: the tune cian to be entrusted with the St. John ent upon the number of relationships was "Scratch my Bach" (not "Back," as the Divine and Wanamaker organ por­ between tones that can be detected by we had it), an organ interpretation of tions of the four-pronged release - but the hearer. Believing that greater di­ Peter Nero's piano arrangement of Jo­ who is he? versity is possible in tonal than in hann's famous "Toccata and Fugue." True, Paul Mickelson isn't as well atonal music, the author maintains that . . . When asked how he happened to known as the other three in the concert departure from the seven-tone set for select teen music for his "Young Sound" a scale including five additional chro­ recording (reviewed in this issue), Jeff and T.O. circuits, but in the sacred music field his name looms large. Paul, matic tones "was possibly the worst Barker states, "If the organ is to have in his 30's, is president of Supreme bargain in history" because it eliminated a future it will be through the very relationships and functions of tone latest music, rather than with forty­ Recordings, a producer of words and music which promote the Christian rather than expanding them. She holds year-old material which appeals to a that Western music since the late nine­ handful of organ nuts - and I am one ethic. The current Supreme catalogue lists 'over 140 recordings of organ, or­ teenth century has become increasingly of those. Maybe I have stars in my eyes atonal. but consider what would happen to the chestra, vocalists, evangelists, carillons, The book is difficult reading for those organ world if an organist became the quartets and bands, offering gospel mu­ knowing no musical theory. It is cer­ next Herb Alpert." Jeff is looking sic, hymns, inspirational tunes - even tainly not a book for the beginner, but ahead, not backward. Wouldn't it be sermons. On an amazing number of it discusses fascinating little items. Did something if that next Herb Alpert jackets, Paul is credited as performer you know that a half-tone could be turned out to be Jeff Barker! ... Just (organ, piano), accompanist, arranger or the mere mention of an upcoming Dun­ orchestra conductor. The label passes divided into one hundred segments stedter release in the April issue started over the heavier liturgical music in called cents, and that an error of 80 the inquiries piling up, more than we favor of what might be termed "folksy" cents in tone-production ( relative to an can possibly answer. So perhaps these religious music, the shirtsleeves ap­ ideal tuning) can be passed unnoticed replies will help in a general way. 1) proach. by a musical audience? One may play The record will be available by mail Like Loren Whitney, Paul has served four-fifths of a half-tone off-pitch and (stereo only) from the Carl Greer Inn as organist for the Billy Graham "cru­ not be detected! The book runs exactly Sacramento, Calif., and the date of re~ sades," an association which ran for one hundred pages and seems high­ lease will be announced in this and seven years. priced, but one has to pay more when potential customers are few. Organists 1similar publications. 2) It is being Best of all, Paul is an accomplished pressed under Eddie's own "E.D." label. player in the theatre organ style. Many ~ho love to play far-out chords, par­ 3) The tentative price has been set at of his recordings on pipe organ present ticularly those who haven't studied the $6.00. 4) The title will be "Eddie Dun­ hymns and inspirational music with full theory of atonality, will have their stedter Plays Requests." In reply to the theatre organ registration, some played curiosity stimulated to further study of question "what kind of tunes were re­ on the former NBC Hollywood studio the science and mystery of music, if quested?", the answer is "a little bit of organ which Paul now owns. When he they peruse this little volume. everything." Of course Eddie couldn't isn't tending the store at Supreme Rec- -John Muri

i un e 1969 36 EASTERNMASS. a kinura from the Ritz Theatre in Mil­ The chapter has signed a ten year waukee, a Kimball oboe and trumpet lease with the Dedham, Mass. Shopping from a theatre in St. Louis, Mo." J udg­ Mall to install the club's Wurlitzer. The ing from verbal enthusiasm it would organ was moved from storage in Wal­ seem one of the greatest joys in Ed's tham to the Mall for rebuilding before life was receiving a bushel basket of installation in new chambers in the screws from Al Schmitz. Ed said he Grand Concourse of the mall. Complete upended the whole basket on the floor details will be furnished later in the and whatever he was looking for was there! year as work progresses. There are new Dedicating the organ was Clyde Ol­ ••••••• ••••••• organ chambers being built and the son. We are accustomed to appreciating contract calls for the organ to be play­ Clyde's ability at the console but if Ed ing no later than six months from now ~-~a...._w threw in some surprises with the instal­ so we and they will have Christmas Ill Ill lation - Clyde threw in some during his music on the New Mighty Wurlitzer. concert. He began by introducing the •CHAPTERNEWS• - Richard W. Frizzell stops on the organ. Clyde's concert was mostly the oldies - beginning with "Me KAW VALLEY and My Shadow", "My Man", etc. CHICAGO AREA The March meeting of the Kaw Val­ When Clyde introduced the Clarinet - ley Organ Club A.T.O.E. Lawrence, it was carried in by the prettiest Clari­ CATOE's April Social was held Kansas was held March 23rd, 1969 at netist ever - Ed's daughter Mary Lou. April 19th at the Pickwick Theatre in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Junius Un­ Many of us heard Clyde in the role of Park Ridge. A short business meeting derwood. accompanist for the first time and he was held to elect a treasurer to serve After a short business meeting enter­ and Mary Lou both proved a big talent. for the remainder of the unexpired term tainment was furnished by the mem­ Together they played Sound of Music of Barney King who resigned due to bers. Piano and organ duets of popular and Edelweiss. A few sniffles overheard lack of time for performing the time tunes were beautifully played by Mrs. had no relation to the Minnesota cli­ consuming duties of a treasurer. Mr. Lawrence Bee and Mr. Jerry Jennings mate. Full of surprises, Clyde demon­ Jack Smith was elected to succeed Bar­ and were enthusiastically received by Sigmund Romberg show tunes and was ney King as treasurer of CATOE. The the group. Other members playing fa­ Are Smiles". Nicely done except that business completed , Bill Benedict intro­ miliar melodies on the organ were Mrs. when Clyde stopped playing, the piano duced the artist for the day. Martin Chapman and Mr. Luther Cor­ didn't. He shouted for it to stop - Larry Roou, organist at Martinetti's telyou, which added much to our enjoy­ never did learn if Al Schmitz at the Restaurant in Crystal Lake , Illinois, was ment and entertainment for the after­ player piano in the Chamber couldn't the featured artist at the Pickwick 's noon. hear Clyde or was just having too much 3-11 Wurlitzer. A native of Wilmington , -Lucille Underwood fun. Clyde ended his concert with some Illinois, Larry attended Vandercook strated the piano with the tune "There College of Music and has done grad­ LAND O' LAKES followed by a host of chapter organists uate work in sacred music at Illinois We're sure striking pay dirt. Detroit's - Elaine Franklin, Bob Arndt, Ed Wesleyan University. He is director of loss of Bill Peck and California's loss of Borowiec and ....our new member - a music in the Methodist Church. He has Ted Kucij and family are our gain. At very competent young man at the con­ been featured organist at the Rialto our March meeting at the home of Ed sole, Tim Kucij, plus many others. Theatre and Mansion Restaurant in and Doris Borowiec in Bloomington, Joliet and is a member of CATOE. - Irene Blegen Minn. , we met these new members for Larry is a very polished and talented the first time plus having the premiere LOS ANGELES performer and can truly be called a of Ed 's 2M7R Marr & Colton, Barton Chapter activities are continuing at a 'musician 's musician '. He was note­ & Wurlitzer. Hectic work on the organ high pace. On March 30, members en­ perfect and together with beautiful preceded our meeting - Ed had hoped joyed a fine concert by Lloyd del Cas­ registrations , expressions of emotion in to have more ranks playing - but time tillo on the Wiltern Kimball. Over 500 his music gave his audience a real treat. and circumstances did not permit. As it persons attended to hear Del demon­ This young fellow is great and we sin­ was, Ed has a mighty sweet two strate "how it was" when the theatre cerely hope he can be worked into our chamber installation and interviewing pipe organ was truly the king of instru­ convention program. Larr y did say if him was a comic delight! I question ments. That afternoon's jam session was any members journey up to Martin­ whether this will meet with approval of also very successful, with many amateur etti's , please make yourself known to all ATOEnthusiasts, BUT: Quotes are and professional members tackling the him. Ed 's - "I have the Marr & Colton con­ 4-61 Morton in the Elks Building. Just A special thanks to Mrs. Helen Near sole and relays from the Lagoon Thea­ prior to these activities a number of and Mrs. Pat Lewis for their efforts in tre in Minneapolis - the pipes and members traveled south to San Diego serving refreshments after the concert. chests went to Al Schmitz. Added to on March 25 to hear LA ATOE Hon­ It gave everyone a chance to socialize this are four ranks of Barton chests orary member Gaylord Carter present a and discuss our favorite subject - pipe and pipes from the Rex Theatre in concert and movie accompaniment on organs. Ironwood , Michigan - the console and the newly restored San Diego Fox Mor­ A special thanks also to the crew relays went to George Hardenbergh. In ton. These were some of Gaylord's most who came in Friday night to install a addition, I have a five rank Wurlitzer loyal fans, who would drive 250 miles rank of brass trumpets and do the final from the Riviera Theatre in Chicago, roundtrip on a week night. The April tuning. Fred Kruse , Tom Watson and chests , some of the pipes and some of 13 "Pizza 'n Pipes Party" at Monk's their crew are to be complimented on a the percussion - Glock, Xylophone and Musical Pizza in Covina proved to be beautiful restoration job. toy counter. A Wurlitzer diaphone, very popular. Members heard 15 differ­ -Karol and Ken Shirey marimba harp from still another organ, ent organists on the 2-7 Wurlitzer while

37 theatre organ bombarde MID AMERICA "Moon River" and "Stranger in Para­ dise" won the approval of Don's audi­ The damage to the Coleman Theatre ence. in Miami, Oklahoma caused by rain leaks in the chamber means more work Local WBEN-FM radio personality for the chapter. However, the manage­ Ed Tucholka appeared on stage at in­ ment has enjoyed the organ so much termission and told us a little about Mr. they are installing a new roof so there Baker's career in music. Following this would not be a repetition of such inci­ was our usual sing-along and silent dents. Wish other theatres would do movie, after which we heard Don per­ likewise. form "Blue Tango" and "Jalousie" in extraordinary renditions. POP ART - A pair of enormous resonators forms The 4-24 Barton belonging to Bob an interesting composition as they are lifted Foley is almost ready to play. A second He complimented all the fine people from the roof of the Albee theatre in Brooklyn enroute to San Gabriel, California for reinstaf­ 4 manual slave console, two Hammond who keep this Wurlitzer in excellent fation in that city's civic auditorium by members and two Steinway grands should make playing condition, and he said, "This of the LA Chapter. this the most musical room in any baby played 100 percent." Wichita home. quaffing beer and munching Pizza. The The artist received a standing ovation "member playing plan" on the Elk's The April meeting was held at the upon completion of the last number. Building 4-61 Morton is continuing un­ home of Wayne and Olive Parker. Vic­ Afterwards, he told your reporter, "The der the able coordination of Bob and tor Rork of Wichita was elected chair­ people here are just fantastic, just won­ Ruth Stratton. The organ is being main­ man succeeding Tom Cusick. Kenneth derful." We think Don Baker is just tained in top shape by maintenance Price elected as vice-chairman was the great, too, so - hurry back, Don! It's chairman Dick Stoney and his crew. only other change. been a most enjoyable concert. The Wiltern 4-37 Kimball console is being refinished under the direction of -by Shirley Cole maintenance chairman Ross Farmer. The Wurlitzer installation in the San NORTHERN CALIFORNIA Gabriel Civic Auditorium is progressing in fine style. Project coordinator Neal On a fine Sunday afternoon, April Kissel reports that the console elevator 13, Nor Cal Chapter members and pit excavation has been completed, and guests gathered at the Pizza Joynt in a new jack screw for the elevator has Hayward to hear guest artist Bill Lang­ been machined. The console will travel ford ( alias Eddie Glockenspiel) at the a total distance of 15 feet. A general console of the Joynt's 3-13 Wurlitzer. membership business meeting was held Bill is not only an outstanding organist on May 2 to discuss chapter affairs and - Photo by Tom Cusick but a fine comedian as well and his activities, and to formulate recom­ appropriate anecdotes between numbers mended changes for the National ATOE Wayne and Olive Parker share pipe organ kept the audience in stitches. "Just be­ By-Laws and uniform Chapter Charter restoration as one phase in the fives of the two cause this is an organ they think I Agreements. Another joint American busiest retired people we know. should know Bach! Well, played by ear Guild of Organists (AGO)/ LA ATOE that's pretty hard to copy!" Speaking organ crawl is scheduled for May 24. The Parker organ is a 2-3 with per­ We are to hear four concerts by four cussions from the Strand Theatre in of Bach, one of Langford's most pop­ organists on four different instruments. Clearwater, Kansas. Wayne had made a ular novelty tunes is a piece described A tour through the chambers of an 81 feature length movie showing all the as the "Grace Cathedral arrangement rank Casavant is to be included. This steps of assembly from building racks of Winchester Cathedral." This at­ second AGO/ ATOE event was sched­ to putting pipes in place. tention getting number alternates be­ uled due to the success of the previous tween untrem'd passages of "busted Shown in great detail were steps taken Bach" and other equally grotesque two joint activities. On May 25 AM Bill in wiring, building junction boards, Thomson is to play for us on the Wil­ machinations and never fails to bring switches, woodworking, finishing and down the house! tern Kimball with a jam session sched­ winding. The film, made over a period uled for the afternoon on the Elks 4-61 of about a year, is really unique. A very The recent addition of two Wurlitzer Morton. -Ray Bonner interesting item was a machine Wayne ranks (Brass Trumpet and Brass Sax) had built to wax cotton covered wire. has further enhanced the organ's tonal resources. Several unwary guests were visibly shaken by the unenclosed ( ! ) NIAGARA FRONTIER 16' Tibia offset from San Francisco's It was standing room only at the famed but too soon forgotten California Riviera Theatre on March 6, 1969 when Theatre 3~-5-32 Wurlitzer. The meeting internationally-known Don Baker per­ adjourned after members Van Welsh formed a pipe organ concert. Tiny James, Bill Taylor, Fred Clap~ A rousing intro, "I Love a Parade," and Dave Sauer each played a couple got the evening off to a smooth start. of numbers on the gold and white Mr. Baker demonstrated various stops Wurli. A tip of the hat and a long toot Neal Kissel removes the last of the Vox pipes and sounds to his packed audience. on the steam whistle to staff organist from their chest in the Albee theatre to pack Bill Langford and Pizza Joynt owner them for the long journey to a new home in "Bluesette" and "Exodus" were beau­ Carsten Henningsen for a most memor­ California. Neal is in charge of the detail tifully presented. He gave a Latin beat readying the 3-15 Wurlitzer for installation in to "More" and made it very pretty and able afternoon. the San Gabriel civic auditorium. unusual with tambourines and glock . - Bob ·Schmalz june 1969 38 of Leow's, for permission to use the theatre, to the artists who performed, and to all those who drove long dis­ tances even in the inclement weather to lend their support and appreciation. The style E 2-7 Wurlitzer in the State Theatre, Monument and Chester Streets, Baltimore, was removed from the theatre the weekend of February 14th. We are pleased to report that chapter member Roy Wagner of Glen Arm, Maryland, purchased the instru­ ment with a planned installation in his Jonas Nordwall - Oriental Theatre Dennis Hedberg - Oriental Theatre residence. This was the last remaining theatre organ in the Baltimore area in OREGON cate the newly restored console control­ playing condition, having been kept in ling the 3-13 Wurlitzer there. After in­ Our second spring concert was held good condition throughout its years of troductory remarks by chairman Woody dormancy by Charles McClellan. Mem­ at the Oriental Theatre in Portland and Wise, the program was turned over to was a dual performance by Dennis Hed­ ber Richard Myers has promised us a Nick Pit the man responsible for the full story on its removal. berg and Jonas Nordwall. Since Dennis magnificent state of the console ~nd renovated, revoiced and maintained the organ. Nick spoke briefly about the Job - Ray Brubacher organ, he was a natural to open the that was done with the help of a few show. Jonas, one of our finest young dedicated organ buffs, and then intro­ ROCKY MOUNTAIN organists, concluded the program. They duced Eddie Weaver who was returning both varied the music from classic to The Rocky Mountain Chapter met to Loew's console for the first time in recently at the Mobile Home Recreation contemporary with a most dazzling per­ over five years. Eddie having served as formance. In spite of his flair for Hall with chapter members Frank and organist of Loew's for twenty-seven Margaret Biery. Some ten members contemporary stylings, Jonas' classical years until his transfer to the Byrd training was clearly demonstrated. The and their friends were treated to an Theatre, presented a star studded pro­ entertaining evening of old theatre and entire program was most enjoyable to gram proving that he had not forgotten his reviewer. show tunes. Frank Biery told about his how to evoke all the magnificence out first acquaintance with organs (particu­ The Oriental is one of the finer in­ of this instrument. His final part of the struments on the west coast - a 3-13 larly Hammond) in Bismark, North program consisted of a medley of tunes Dakota many years ago. He joined a Wurlitzer. The pipes have been re­ he played throughout the years he was voiced as the pressures were raised to Lyceum group, so popular in those at this theatre organ. days, and hauled two Hammond organs 35 in. to make the organ more audible Eddie then introduced Ray Brubach­ under the balcony. over 400,000 miles in 13 years. He er to the console. Though minor diffi­ demonstrated for his audience his "Wur­ There is also an organ in the Para­ culties at the theatre had prevented him mount while the following Oregon litzer side-man", a rhythm instrument from rehearsing any part of his pro- which he uses as accompaniment to his chapter members either have completed . gram beforehand, Ray put the organ or are working on the installations as renditions of old favorites. through quite a test ranging from a listed. After his program, Mrs. Biery showed symphonic fantasy on Old Man River, several old time song slides as he ac­ Ed Maas Eugene 3-6 Wurlitzer to the Purvis Toccata Festiva. companied the audience in a lively Howard Vellum Portland 4-49 Wurlitzer The final artist for the morning was sing-a-long. - Edith W. Maddy Ted Marks Portland 3-18 Kimball & Patti Germain, a resident of Richmond 3-8 Wurlitzer and a truly fine theatre organist who we Bob Burke Portland 3-11 Wurlitzer Paul Turchan Portland 2-9 Wurlitzer wish we all had the opportunity to hear SOUTH FLORIDA Bob Rickett Portland 3-18 Wurlitzer more often. She opened her program South Florida's meeting of March Dick Chase Corvallis 3-14 Morton / with a beautifully played medley of 16th was held on a Sunday afternoon Wurlitzer tunes from the King and I. Her pro­ at the residence of John DeMiller in Dave Markworth Portland 3-11 Wurlitzer oram included Moonlight in Vermont West Palm Beach. John's instrument is Dick Pitts Newport 4-14 Woods dedicated to her former teacher, the installed in an out-building and is rather Gerald Duffy Portland 2-9 Aeolian/? late Leonard MacCiain, and it was very unique as listeners may sit upon t?e Gordon Potter Portland 2-5 Wicks evident that much of his polish and lawn while enjoying their favorite Don Tittenberg Portland 2-7 Wurlitzer feeling for music was found in her Dick Raupach Portland 4-9 Morton music. This organ was originally in­ playing. She closed her program with a stalled in the Fox Theatre, Hackensack, The Oregon Chapter is proud of ~he~e stirring rendition of Finlandia. New Jersey as a 3-11 Wurlitzer and was installations and the pipe organs still m One of the high points of the entire removed by the current owner who en­ public places in our area. Their pres~r­ program was not in the music that ~as larged it to 16 ranks. An upright piano vation is of prime interest to us as with performed, but ra~her th~ pres_entatlon is also attached now and shortly before all ATOE members. _ Gerald Duffy by Eddie Weaver to Nick Pitt of a this meeting another gem was added certificate of meritorious achievement . . . an accordion. Yes, it is positioned POTOMAC VALLEY and service to ATOE for his restora­ outside the chamber wall between the February found Richmond and vicin­ tion of the Loew's organ. After closing two sets of swell shades, an exposed ity under-going a prolonged spell of remarks by the chairman, Nick Pitt rank (?). It's winded, and when the tab rough winter weather. Nevertheless, closed the meeting with several selec­ is flipped at the console the accordion over one hundred members and guests tions he plays for theatre audiences on spreads apart ready to play ~rom . the were on hand at Loew's Theatre, 6th weekends. Our sincere appreciation is solo manual. An unique and mgemous and Grace Streets, Richmond, to dedi- extended to Mr. George Peters, manager rig to say the least and, we might add,

39 theatre organ bombarde - ♦ - it works and sounds perfect. We were happy to welcome at this meeting a ~ visiting ATOE'er from Cleveland, Ohio, ~ ...... ~ Mr. Chuck Galloway, who just hap­ pened to make the proper contacts and discovered that a chapter actually did ~ I exist in Florida. TTT~;rTTT . We were deeply saddened at the pass­ ing of our charter member Clark Fiers, Letters to the Editor concerning all a veteran theatre organist of the highest aspects of the theatre organ hobby calibre. Many pages have been written are encouraged. Send them to the relating his career which started during the golden days of theatre organ and past thirty years. His innumerable editor concerned. Unless it's stated quite naturally he offered much encour­ friends everywhere shall miss him clearly on the letter rrnot for pub­ agement when chapter interests was greatly. He died April 8th, 1969. lication," the editors feel free to man if est in Miami, his home for the -G. W. Gerhart reproduce it, in whole or part. VINCENNES UNIVERSITY 3-10 WURLITZER STOPLIST Address: P. 0. Box 2329 Livonia, Michigan 4815 0 PEDAL, 10 Stopkeys GREAT, 29 Stopkeys 8' Post Horn 16' Ophicleide 16' Ophicleide 4' Clarinet To: Theatre Organ Bombarde Editor 16' Tibia 16' Bass (Horn Diapason) 4' Piccolo (Tibia) 16' Bourdon 16' Tibia Chimes Subject: The big Move at the Oriental 8' Tuba 16' Viol (TC) Xylophone 8' Horn Diapason Glockenspiel (for the February 20 "Farewell to the 8' Tuba Oriental" Show) 8' Tibia ta• Horn Diapason Pedal, 1st and 2nd Touch 8' Clarinet 8' Tibia tBass Drum *8' Cello (and Post Horn) ta• Clarinet t Kettle Drum Dear Sir: 8' Flute 8' Kinura tcrash Cymbal Much has been said about our Orien­ 4' Octave (Horn Diapason) 8' String (Post Horn) t cymbals ACCOMPANIMENT, 25 Stopkeys ta• Viol and String tal Show, but let me tell you the story 16' Viol (TC) ta• String Celeste Accompaniment, 2nd Touch behind the show. I'm still not sure how 16' Vox (TC) ta• Flute 8' Tuba we pulled so many things together in 8' Tuba ta' Vox 8' Horn Diapason 8' Horn Diapason so short a time - it was our CATOE 4' Clarion (Tuba) 8' Clarinet teamwork that put it over. 8' Tibia 4' Octave (Horn Diapason) tchimes 8' Clarinet 4' Piccolo (Tibia) Xylophone A few dedicated organ buffs lilc.e 8' Kinura 4' Viol tTriangle myself had been working on the organ **8' String (now English 4' String Celeste for some months (we didn 't know it had Post Horn) 4' Flute Great, 2nd Touch 8' Viol (and String) 21/3 Twelfth (Flute) 16' Ophicleide been reported unrepairable) when I re­ 8' Celeste 2' Fifteenth (String) 8' Tibia ceived a phone call from the theatre 8' Flute 2' Piccolo (Flute) 8' Clarinet owner that the theatre was to be piggy­ 8' Vox 3 1 /s Tierce (Flute) Tremulants backed starting in about two months 4' Piccolo (Tibia) Chimes Main 4' Viol Marimba hence. He was sympathetic in saying Solo 4' String Celeste Xylophone that our work was appreciated, but we Vox 4' Flute Glockenspiel might as well stop. Not knowing what Tibia 4' Vox tchrysoglott and Wood Harp 21/3 Twelfth (Flute) additional problems would confront us, Pistons 2' Piccolo (Flute) SOLO, 13 Stopkeys we asked CA TOE if they would be Chrysoglott & Wood Harp 16' Ophicleide Pedal - 3 interested in putting on a "Farewell (wired together) 16' Tibia Accompaniment - 10 Performance" instantly. They had no tsnare Drum 8' Tuba Great - 10 tTambourine 8' Horn Diapason Solo - 6 sooner said "yes," when the theatre t castanets 8' Tibia 7 Toe Studs management called saying that the t Tom-Tom 8' Clarinet 2 Swell Pedals screen and curtain were to be moved t chinese Block 8' Kinura Crescendo Pedal forward - directly over the console, *Cello and Post Horn wired together. forever hiding it and the lift. **The String stopkey now controls the Post Horn addition . The String has been wired to the Viol This meant that we had to move the Stopkey which now controls both string voices . "TC" indicates that the lowest note for the stop plays at tenor C, one octave above the lowest console off the lift at once or give up C on the manual. the use of the organ. With the complete t Located in great chamber . roster of CA TOE members in my pos­ session, I began my desperate search for strong men who could lift the huge monster. Fourteen l;>rave men volun­ ENGLAND teered one cold January midnight, and we made the move without disconnect­ Keep abreast of the theatre organ hobby in England through the 'Journal of the ing the cable. We did this by cutting a slit in a tile wall which allowed us Cinema Organ Society,' four issues (or equivalent) annually plus monthly news­ sufficient cable slack. letters. Current organ events in the British Isles, history, photos, stoplists, com­ Everything was fine until someone noticed that the console couldn't be mentaries, technical articles, organists ' biographies, news from overseas, record seen from about one half of the bal­ reviews, and more. $5.00 (£1. 15s. Od.) yearly. Send money order to Herbert cony. What to do? We built a platform Quaddy, 23 Davenport Rd., Catford, S.E. 6, England. for the console which was not high enough. So we added on to it to finally make it about 34 inches from the june 1969 40 ground and added some stairs. At this Dear Stu, point it was about 5 weeks from show I was surprised to read your review time, and the console wasn't even play­ (TOB, Dec. '68) of Ken Wright's Kil­ ing. Pressure was low, many leaks gen record saying it wasn't too needed repairing, the motor commuta­ theatrical because of lack of tibia. I tor had to be under cut, chests had to have heard some tapes of this organ be opened, secondaries and primaries before ., and this didn't jive with my repaired. memory. I was going to order the Some tremulants had to be rebuilt , record anyway, as I liked what I heard some had to be moved to work prop­ of Ken Wright before, and was sur­ erly; many swell shade motors and prised at what I heard. Your review brakes required replacement; regulators was accurate. There certainly was no had to be patched. Not one percussion tibia on it. I'm wondering if perhaps or traps would sound because of a bad the tibia wasn't playing when this water leak in the percussion chamber recording was made , or if by some some years before. Even the console Console in place. chance Ken just didn't use it. He cer­ was not in good shape. Many tablet tainly used it in some other recordings , contacts were broken and needed re­ and it is as good a theatre organ tibia placement. The expression pedal con­ as you will hear. This organ also has tacts and pedal contacts required ad­ a marvelous vox, which is almost never justment. There were no console lights heard on this particular recording, - these were added. The console top either. Kay McAbee has a recording of cover and front panels were broken. the last broadcast Ken made on the After the console was cleaned , it was organ before it was removed from WKY to the Municipal Auditorium in Oklahoma City in 1952. It is pure theatre organ with, as _you say, par­ ticularly outstanding reeds. You might be interested in a rank-list: 8' Diapason, Work crews who devoted their spare time to 16' tibia , 16' flute, 8' post horn , 8' 'f accomplish monumental task. ,+. trumpet , 16' tuba, 8' French horn , 8' orchestral oboe , 8' clarinet , 8' kinura , 8' vox, 16' solo string , 8' viol, 8' viol celeste , marimba, xylophone , glock , chrysoglott , and a separate vibraharp , plus chimes. The original installation had a toy counter but it was lost dur­ Under the lift. ing the reinstallation. Dave Junchen Junchen Pipe Organ Service Sherrard , Illinois (Perhaps Ken Wright can clue us re­ painted and redecorated in its original garding the apparently silent Tibia and oriental style. Vox. Ed.) Things finally fell into place about a week before the show, yet last minute adjustments on percussions and traps lasted right up to curtain time. This little restoration project was done along with programming, publicity, flyers, mailouts , tickets, etc. We did manage to get on two major television stations CATOE crew prepares to move Oriental console . in our spare time , and the newspapers gave us impressive publicity too. When I look back on it all, it really doesn't seem humanly possible for us GET THE GUYS to work it out like we did - it was done only because it was a labor of TO VOCALIZE love. I only hope you find this infor­ WITH NATIONAL'S DANDY mation interesting enough to print, be­ "SING-ALONG SONG SLIDES"! cause the gallant fellows who often Send for free catalog of all-time hit songs stayed up all night really deserve some available in slide form for as low as SOc recognition for their devotion and a tune! Need a projector? let us know ... persistence. we'll save you real dough! · Yours truly, NATIONALSONG SLIDE SERVICE INC. Bill Rieger 42W. 48th St. NewYork, N. Y. 10036 Console on the move. Secretary

41 theatre organ bombarde To the Editor: installed inside the chests with the I read with interest your recent article "Let's get things straight Down Under," only thing showing on the outside the and regretted the fact that things were left not quite straight in that Brisbane and screw type adjustment on the disk Sydney were the only areas covered. Australia had some very fine installations, travel. The organ contained such stops outside these cities, and to complete the picture as far as larger instruments are as Muted Horn, Tuba, Tibia, Vox concerned, the following should be added: Humana, Kinura, Oboe, Violin, Celeste, Viola, Doppel Flute, and Flute. They No. Model Size Original Location Present Location also labeled certain octaves a Bass Flute Melbourne 1730 F 2-12 Plaza Theatre TOSA (SA) Division and Baritone. The pipe chambers were (under repair) under the stage because no provisions 637 260 3-15 TOSA (Vic) Division Capitol Theatre were made in the theatre for the organ. (Dendy Theatre) I would appreciate any information 1987 270 4-21 State Theatre Moorabbin Town Hall you can give me. (Melbourne) Thanks, 2009 4 manual 4-21 Regent Theatre Destroyed by fire (1945) Bill Oberg Adelaide 1896 260 3-15 Regent Theatre St. Peters College Milan, Tenn. (special) Assembly Hall Perth 1728 F 2-11 Metro Theatre Metro Theatre Dear Mr. Editor, Regent Theatre, Are there any records which would 1902 260 3-15 Ambassador Melbourne, indicate when and where an organ was Theatre (Enlarged to 4-19) first used in a motion picture house to All of the above are Wurlitzers. accompany a silent film? I think that Yours sincerely, it has been established that Robert Wes L. Johnson Hope-Jones' efforts were not toward South Australia development of an instrument suitable for motion picture accompaniments but Dear Sir: exciting when there is nothing in it to rather toward revolutionizing the field excite the reader. It is time that the of concert instruments, as indicated A few comments on the February phrase "to be long remembered" were by his installation of a pioneer unit TOB ... laid to rest, and vigorously edited out concert organ in the Ocean Grove With respect to the letters page, first. of every piece of copy in which it Auditorium and a larger one in the Concerning the objection to Martha appears - along with "a most fitting Denver Auditorium. So far as I can Lake. The magazine is dull enough as it close" and "whose music and engaging find out, the emphasis wasn't on instru­ is; to delete the one or two light touches personality have endeared him" ments for theatres until after Wurlitzer would make it downright deadly. More Heraus mit dem CLICHE! took over the Hope-Jones developments and better pictures of Martha, please. in 1910. Therefore, could 1910 be Sincerely, On the long letter concerning Jesse considered the year of the theatre Crawford. Over the past few years I John S. Carroll organ's ''birth"? have had my say on this subject, but I Edmund Franchek have a few more words to add. Mr. Gentlemen: Palatka, Florida Widenour was correct in calling Jesse's I have just removed what was left of (The answer depends on your defini­ portamento (not glissando) an assault the organ in the Warner Theatre, Mem­ tion of a theatre organ. The year 1910 on musical taste. The portamento, or phis, Tennessee. The console, blower, might be the one in which it was de­ slide from one melody note to another, and most of the pipes had already been cided to design instruments specifically is a device for the violin - it comes removed as is the case with so many for motion picture accompaniment, but naturally there to slide down the string organs. I did get the 16' Tuba and 16' the demand arose because of the success to the next note. On a keyboard instru­ Tibia which should add quite a bit of of "straight" organs being used to ac­ ment it is hopelessly out of place. Even pedal to the organ I already have. I company films, before and after 1910. on a violin, it is considered bad mu­ am at a loss as to the make of organ As inadequate for the purpose as they sicianship to use the portamento unless that was installed at the Warner. I may have been, their successful use in the composer specifically demands it in am hoping maybe you can give me this early day nickelodeons paved the way the written music. information. When the theatre opened for instruments designed to better meet In Mr. Crawford's case, the porta­ in 1919 no provisions were made for an the need. We don't know of any mento was nothing more than a "trade­ organ and the management tells me that records, other than what is stamped in mark" gimmick - akin to Joe Pen­ they think the organ was installed the memories of organ-oriented pion­ ner's "Wanna buy a duck?" As for around 1921. At that time the theatre eers. Among these was the late Frank Mr. Beardsley's remark that the world was named Pantages and sometime D. Rogers who installed many a West­ of music was changing, and leaving Mr. later was changed to Warner. The Coast Morton and Wurlitzer. Frank Widenor behind - I can only say that organ was divided into Main and Solo. once told us that the earliest recollec­ when music loses sight of good taste­ The Solo chamber contained a six rank tion he had of a pipe organ being used I will stay behind with good taste. manual chest while the main chamber in a house showing films was the Mike As for the current TOB, I think it contained a regular unit chest. Almost Gore Theatre at 3rd and Main in Los is the worst, dullest, most uninteresting every part of the organ is marked Opus Angeles. A small residence Estey was issue yet. 90 percent of it is devoted to #5945. The chests look very much like installed directly behind the cashier's the usual gushy reviews of concerts those pictured in TOB October, 1968, box (and beneath the improvised pro­ gone by, liberally punctuated with ex­ The San Diego Fox Morton. The Xylo­ jection booth) of the converted store, so clamation points - the device of the phone action is identical to that pic­ the cashier could change rolls between writer trying to make something appear tured on page 5. The magnets were all ticket sales. The year was 1906. Ed.) june 1969 42 Theatre Organ Bombarde Attention: Editor Dear Sir: - CLASSIFIED ADS - In reference to your Dec. '68 issue, reportings of the Delaware Valley FOR SALE - Mint condition. Special WANTED TO BUY - Echo Organ or Chapter meeting, held jointly with the Model F 2-8 WURLITZER. Complete chests and pipes suitable for same. Must New York Chapter, Surf City Hotel, cable. Piano and Crescendo added. Re­ include strings. Contact H. E. COOPER, moved from Rockland Theatre, Nyack, 770 James Street, Apt. 1501, Syracuse, Surf City, N. Y., be advised that for N. Y. and installed in specially designed N. Y. 13203. the past 3 years I have been organist music room by an outstanding PROFES­ of Surf City Hotel, being responsible SIONAL ORGAN BUILDER. Pipe cham­ FOR SALE - Wurlitzer Theatre Organ. Has 3 manuals, 14 ranks. In Excellent for the entertainment, 6 nights per bers and installation duplicates theatre in­ stallation. Easy removal. Pipe trays in­ Condition! All goodies, including fiery week from 9 p.m. to closing as the cluded. An excellent value at $5000. FIRM. Post Horn. For further information con­ enclosed ads will testify. Come and play it! Call RAYMOND L. tact DICK CHASE, 3613 Chintimini, The fact that ATOE is generally HART, 1-617-433-6689 or write Box 184, Corvallis, Oregon 97330 or phone (503) 753-4664. unaware of this might be due to the Pepperell, Mass. fact that the members are usually there FOR SALE - Electric Solenoid relay FOR SALE-LOWREY THEATRE OR- capable of three manuals and over sixty only for the annual "bash" a week or GAN, largest and best all electronic, switches, mounted and completely wired. so after Labor Day and I, of course, only one year old. Original cost $3995. 4-rank Gottfried main chest and 2-manual to meet my teaching, church and en­ Sell for only $2395. Write for photograph Gottfried Console. Write or phone and full specifications. Perfect condition. tertainment commitments in Virginia, GRAFTON PIANO AND ORGAN CO., ELLSWORTH 0. JOHNSON, West 611 1501 Lehigh St., Allentown, Penna. 18103. leave the day after Labor Day. Our First St., Spokane, Wash. 99204. Phones: (215) 797-7755. entertainment and general atmosphere 509-747-5432 and 509-624-7978. at the hotel is aimed at appealing to FOR SALE - Theatre organ parts. Due EN JOY CLASSIC SILENT FILMS in to the fact that I have found a complete the family and couple trade which also your home. You supply organ music theatre pipe organ, I am selling off the would be a factor. or we send free music tapes. Free details. parts I collected. Wurlitzer Console, cus­ However, as a professional organist BAILEY STUDIO, Box 232-0, Mount tomized 3 manual, double bolster, modi­ of many years standing in the N. Y. Clemens, Michigan 48043. fied from a style 210, 145 stop tablets, photograph available. Price $750. 4-rank area including 2 full years as full-time FOR SALE- Marr & Colton Relay and Wurlitzer chest $350. 6-rank Wurlitzer organist performing (with Microphone) Switch-stack, for 2-5 plus traps. $100 chest $450. 14-note offset chest for above at N. Y. Paramount and another 5 crated. 49-note harp single-stroke action $50. 7-note offset chest for above $40. years on call for special events, I feel $100 crated. Tibia plena 16' - 44 pipes 8-foot Wurlitzer Tuba, 61 pipes $200. 8-foot Wurlitzer Vox Humana, 61 pipes entitled to a correction. - A real rafter-shaker - make an offer. RICHARD WARBURTON, 17043 - 8th $175. 8-foot Wurlitzer Orchestral Oboe Thank you, NE, Seattle, Washington 98155. TC, 49 pipes $200. 8-foot Barton Tibia, Bill Floyd 73 pipes, a very beautiful set $300. Barton Vox Humana, 61 pipes $150. Kimball 2106 Staples Mill Rd. FOR SALE-Wurlitzer 2-8 removed from Oboe Horn, 8-foot, 4-foot, 73 pipes $250. Richmond, Va. 23230 theatre; now in storage. Complete $2950. Kimball 16-foot Night Horn (Tibia Minor) ( EDITOR'S NOTE: Please accept our (315) 458-5447 Syracuse, N. Y. with chests, 80 pipes $250. Kimball Kinura apologies, Bill.) with unit chest $225. Kimball unit chest FOR SALE - $1.00 per copy MANY $150. Two Kimball reservoirs $40 each. BACK ISSUES OF KINURA, T. 0. 16-foot Morton Flute with 16-foot octave Dear Mr. President: JOURNAL, BOMBARDE, TIBIA and chest, 97 pipes, 10" wind $250. 8-foot Thought that I would add a few other T.0. periodicals. Cash and carry. No Dulciana, 61 pipes, 10" wind $150. 8-foot notes with the check for my 1969 dues. list. When going through the Twin Cities to Morton Diapason, 73 pipes, 10" wind I have just returned from my tour of TO Convention, phone and stop in and $150. ELLSWORTH JOHNSON, W 611 look carton of publications over. ALDEN First Ave., Spokane, Washington 99204. Turkey - the only member there so MILLER, 3212 - 34th Avenue South, Min­ (509) 747-5432 and (509) 624-7978 eve­ far as I have been able to determine. neapolis, Minnesota 55406. Also have 78- nings. After searching high and low for a pipe rpm organ records $1.00 each. organ in the country I discovered that FOR SALE - Kinetic blower, 1 ½ HP, FOR SALE - WURLITZER THEATRE 850 cu. ft./min. at 5 inches, split phase. they do have one. It is located at Rob­ PIPE ORGAN ALBUM-Century Long Used only three months. $75.00. DR. erts College, Istanbul. I wasn't able to Play "Souvenir of Niagara Falls" as adver­ HAROLD W. WOOD, 195 W. Cleveland examine the instrument so no telling tised in October Theatre Organ Bombarde. Park Drive, Spartanburg, South Carolina just what it is or what state of repair Original musical description of Falls, plus 29303. 6 popular standard favorites. Jacket is it is in. full-color aerial view of Niagara, suitable FOR SALE - Several electric Player I returned home, San Francisco, for for framing. Mono or Stereo, $5.25 post­ Pianos, ideal for connecting to pipe paid. Composer, organist, recitalist CARL­ organs. Write for free brochure and a long enough time to get out to "Ye Old photographs . ELLSWORTH JOHNSON, Pizza Joint," in San Leandro to hear TON FINCH, 266 Sweeney, North Tona­ wanda, New York 14120. ATOE member. W. 611 First, Spokane, Wash. 99204. Bill Langford. A few days later when Limited number of records still available. Phone 509 - 747-5432. taking a few friends there I discovered WANTED - Bench and music rack for that Lyn Larsen was sitting in for Bill ORGAN OWNERS, BUILDERS and Wurlitzer 185 console. ED RANEY, for a few days. GREAT! GREAT! TECHNICIANS. We sell new and used 6211 Temple Hill Drive, Los Angeles, GREAT! consoles, electronic kits, manuals, pedals, Calif. 90028. Tel.: HO 9-9181. Since I've been assigned to Texas speakers, reverbs and percussions. Buy direct and save. Write for catalog. NEW­ FOR SALE BOOKS: Hope Jones Unit for the next 6 months I guess that I'll PORT ORGANS, 300 West Coast High­ Orchestra, $3.95. Wurlitzer Unit Organs, have to be content with my plug-in. way, Suite D, Newport Beach, California $4.50; Wurlitzer Fact Book, $2.00; Whit­ worth: Cinema and Theatre Organs, Why knows, I might even make it to 92660. $15.00; Williams: European Organ, $20.00; this year's convention. Keep up the Wurlitzer Church Organs, $2.00; Audsley good work. ORGAN and REPRODUCER PIANO ART of Organ Building, $15.00; Norman: Yours truly, Enthusiasts tapes exchanged and Club Organ Today, $7.50; Sears: Reed Organ, News. ARNIE THORSON, 1519½ Como $2.00. THE ORGAN LITERATURE Captain John A. Peters Avenue S.E., Minneapolis, Minnesota FOUNDATION, 45 Norfolk Road, Brain­ Goodfellow AFB, Texas 55414. tree, Mass. 02184.

43 theatre organ bombarde 'Gee,Dad, 1.,, s a ... _Rodgers?'

The world's largest electronic theatre organ is now under construction at the Rodgers Organ Company. More details on this magnificent instrument will be released at a later date. Meanwhile, write for information on what else Rodgers is doing in the theatre organ world . tR__~ORGAN COMPANY 1303 N.E. 25th Avenue Hillsboro, Oregon 971_23