~Our-Nal of the An1er-Ican Theatr-E O..-Aan ~Ociety the Greats' One
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r=ox ~our-nal of the An1er-ican Theatr-e o..-aan ~ociety The greats' one. THEWURLITZER ELECTRONICPIANO.The one electronic piano chosen by so many all-time greats. The overwhelming choice of talented musicians like Richard Carpenter, A&M record ing artist Pete Jolly, Pete Fountain's pianist Godfrey Hirsch, Mel Torme, Ario Guthrie, David Clayton-Thomas, Marian McPartland, Paul Revere and , the Raiders. What makes the Wurlitzer Electronic Piano the greats' one? The unusua I effects that come from built-in vibrato and volume control. Portability. And, most important, that dependable Wurlitzer sound. It's something you can share with these all-time greats. Simply visit your Wurlitzer dealer and ask for the greats' one. WuRLilzEil the music people cover photo ... Atlanta's Fabulous Fox Theatre on Peachtree Street may be doomed. The story of the SA VE THE FOX cam Journal of the American Theatre Organ Society paign begins on page 5. Volume 16, No. 5 October, 1974 ATOS National Membership is $10.00 per calendar year , which includes a subscription to TH EATR E in this issue ... ORGAN , the official publication of the American Theatre Organ Society . Single copies $1.25. Make Features check or money order payable to ATOS , and mail to P.O. Box 1314, Salinas, California 93901. 5 Save The Fox ...................... John Clark McCall, Jr. Editorial Address 9 Century II. .................................. Billy Nalle THEATRE ORGAN P.O . Box 1314 11 Hope-Jones Organ Rebuilt . ............ Harvey K. Elsaesser Salinas , California 93901 Advertising Address 20 Salute to Ray Bohr ATOS Advertising 21 Marr& Colton Symphonic Registrator ........... Lloyd E. Klos 2231 North Burling Street Chicago , Illinois 60614 29 Zamecnik, Forgotten Composer Office of the President DR . PAUL M . ABERNETHY of Silent Era ............................... Randy Sauls Box 2480 Burlington , North Carolina 27215 33 Organ Transplant Telephone (919) 584 -8651 34 Respect for Music ............................ John Muri National Headquarters ATOS 43 Treasure Hunt ............................ Esther Higgins P.O . Box 1 002 Middleburg , Virginia 22117 Telephone (703) 554 -8321 Departments National Officers Paul M . Abernethy , President Russ Evans , Vice President 12 Vox Pops 41 Hollywood Cavalcade Jean Lautzenheiser , Secretary 28 Book Review 42 Nuggets from the Golden Days Erwin Young , Treasurer National Board of Directors 32 Dinny's Colyum 44 Chapter Notes W. " Tiny" James Allen R. Miller Jean Lautzenheiser William Rieger 35 For the Records 54 Classified Ads Richard C. Simonton Duane Searle 39 Letters to the Editor Judd Walton Robert Van Camp Erwin A . Young , Past President Curator Barry Simmons P.O . Box 1021 Elon College , North Carolina 27244 president~s messaae ... Past Presidents According to prediction, ATOS continues to grow at an Richard Simonton Feb . 1 955 - Oct . 1958 Judd Walton Oct . 1958 - July 1961 accelerated pace. Since convention time, our society has Tiny James July 1961 - July 1964 gained 150 new members and we are in final stages of Carl Norvell July 1964 - July 1966 Richard Schrum July 1966 - July 1968 chartering another chapter in our society. At this Al Mason July 1968 - July 1970 writing, two more chapters are in the early stages of Stillman Rice July 1970 - July 1972 Erwin A . Young July 1972 - July 1974 becoming a reality. A Honorary Members few words are in order to inform all members of 1959-JesseCrawford 1967-Erwin A. Young the change that has come about in transaction of all 1960-Farny Wurlitzer 1968-R ichard C. Simonton business and policy affairs of the ATOS. Since becoming 1961-Mel Doner 1969-Judd Walton a California Non Profit Corp., we were advised by the 1962-Leonard MacClain 1970-Bill Lamb 1963-Eddie Dunstedter 1971-Georgeand Vi Thompson legal counsel to adopt a new set of by laws which would 1964-Reginald Foort 1972-Stu Green be consistent with our status as a non profit corporation. 1965-Dan Barton 1973-AI and Betty Mason Under our former by laws, we did business as a 1966-W. "Tiny" James 1974-Lloyd Klos federation of clubs. After much planning, our new by EDITORIAL STAFF Editor - George Thompson laws were voted on and approved at the 1973 Con Associate Editors - Lloyd E. Klos , Peg Nielsen vention in Portland. Editor-Emeritus - W . "Stu " Green Photographer - Bill Lamb The board of directors is now directly and solely Publisher - Betty Mason responsible for all business affairs and new policies Editorial Assistant - Don Lockwood Advertising Manager - Len Clarke which affect ATOS. Any criticism, suggestions or ideas Circulation Manager - Vi Thompson that any member or chapter has regarding national policies, should be directed to the directors or officers. I THEATRE ORGAN (title registered U.S . Patent Office) is published bi-monthly by the American can assure you that the board of directors and your Theatre Organ Society, Inc., a non -profit organi officers are listening and sincerely want your views zation, Dr. Paul M . Abernethy, President . All rights reserved . Entire contents copyrighted 1974 by concerning anything that affects our common interest - ATOS , Inc., Office of publication is P.O. Box 2329. namely - theatre organs. Livonia , Michigan 48150 Keep up the good work. POSTMASTER: Second Class postage paid at Livonia, Michigan . IF UNDELIVERABLE , send form 3579 to ATOS Circulation Department, Box 1314, Salinas, California 93901. TOS OCTOBER, 1974 THEATRE ORGAN S/LIBRARY3 The MoreYou Want, The MoreYou'll Want The New YamahaElOR. Upper Preset Tones Touch Wah Wah, (Chimes, Accordion, Piano, and Attack Wah Wah. Harpsichord, Vibraphone, Hawaiian Guitar). Percu sive 4: 22/2:Length. Repeat Speed. Fourteen Auto Rhythms Touch Vibrato with Synchro Start. and Automatic Vibrato. Sustain (Upper and Pedal). Percussion - Cymbal and Brush. Solo Damper. 26 Click-Stop Tone Levers. Glide- for Slide Trombone, Hawaiian Guitar, etc. Sound-in-Motion Tremolo, Chorus. Preset Pistons and Cancel. Flute Split. Foot Effect Switch. 25 Key Radial Arch Detachable Pedalboard. The New YamahaElOR. 4 THEATRE ORGAN OCTOBER, 1974 ATOS MEMBERS MAKE A COMMITMENT by John Clark McCall, Jr. The Fox Theatre, home of the 4/42 Moller organ restored by ATOS mem bers in 1963, has been offered for sale together with surrounding parcels of real estate by its owners, Mosque, Inc. ( comprised of ABC Theatres, Storey Theatres, and Georgia Theatres). Pub lic know ledge of negotiations by Mosque, Inc., with Southern Bell Tele phone Co. involving the Fox parcel became known in late June, 1974. Implications of the deal revealed that Southern Bell would buy the real estate cleared of the 74,000 sq. ft. Fox structure, built in 1929 by the Y araab Temple of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine and originally leased by movie magnate William Fox, to boast another super-Fox in his chain of palaces from San Francisco to Brooklyn. Bell officials are eyeing the prop erty for the site of a new admin istrative office building. Immediately following the an nouncement of the Fox's impending demolition, concerned Atlanta citizens began groundwork for a "SA VE THE FOX" campaign which has culminated in the formation of Atlanta Land marks, Inc., a non-profit organization designed to spearhead the protection OCTOBER, 1974 of all important Atlanta structures and sites, with the Fox Theatre high on the city's current priority list. Much of the organization can be attributed to two members of Atlanta Landmarks' Board of Directors, Joe Patten and Bob Van Camp, both ATOS members. In fact, many ATOS members are actively involved in the "SA VE THE FOX" movement ... from the volunteer cleaning of the theatre's brass and floors and conducting Sunday morning tours of the house, to circulating petitions (numbering over 100,000 individual names and addresses at this writing). A public hearing held at the theatre by Georgia Senator Floyd Hudgins, Frank Beckum, professor of architecture, Ga . Tech., narrates an on-screen tour of the Fox . (Robert Foreman Photo) chairman of the Georgia Senate's Tourism Committee, drew over 2,500 Other events at the hearing in Frank Beckum. interested citizens to the 3,934-seat cluded the airing of views by citizens, The ATLANTA JOURNAL ac house on July 29. The program, co numerous endorsements - including claimed the hearing as probably "the ordinated by Joe Patten, featured Bob an open letter to Atlanta by actress best-attended hearing ever held by that Van Camp at the Moller organ, both in Helen Hayes (entertainer Mitzi Gaynor or any other legislative committee." a concert spot, and as background and Mrs. Martin Luther King, Jr. fol The first concrete financial backing accompanist (spotlighting the song, lowed with statements days after for saving the Fox, or rather, for for Patten's That's Entertainment) the hearing), and an on-screen pic testing its feasibility to remain, has on-stage demonstration of the Fox's torial tour of the theatre narrated emerged from the State of Georgia, vast staging capabilities. by Ga. Tech Univeristy Professor Department of Human Resources, in Do-t ti e Wh it c omb ( Tommy Ford Pho to/ the amount of $11,000. The funds will ground music for television-aired the center of community concern. be used to underwrite a professional editorial cartoons. The city of Atlanta The Southeastern Chapter , in the economic feasibility and reuse survey could once boast of over eight organs midst of the movement to save the which, hopefully, will convince busi in theatres. The Fox is the sole sur Atlanta Fox Theatre , has experienced nessmen - in white and black figures vivor of Atlanta's movie palace era of an eventful summer. - the financial advantages, the com the 20's and 30's. It has survived The Fox was the scene for over 300 munity need and the versatility of the because in its conception , the fa ATOS members and guests at the unique Atlanta Fox.