···••11••-· PARTI
Story & Photos by Gary Konas
The decade of the 1920s was a we'll touch upon several issues in created excitement and stimulated golden one, both for silent movies volving the pizza/pipes situation in business. Eventually the two part and for theatre pipe organs. Thou general. For simplicity we'll use the ners decided that they would each sands of organs were installed during word "pizza" while acknowledging take sole ownership of one location. that time to provide musical accom the fact that 10% of the restaurants Henningsen took Ye Olde Pizza paniment for the movies. Today, with pipe organs are not pizza par Joynt in San Lorenzo, an East Bay over half a century later, most of the lors at all. community south of Oakland. theatres have been razed for parking We pause to look briefly at the lots and other important new struc San Lorenzo, California: career of George Wright, whose tures, and any surviving organs have Where It All Began presence has been felt in nearly all had to look for new homes. Around Back in the dark ages of the areas of the modern theatre organ sixty of them (plus several others 1950s before there were pizza/ world. By 1960, George had released broken up for parts) now reside in pipes restaurants, there were pizza over a dozen albums under the Hi-Fi restaurants, mostly pizza parlors, parlors that provided other types of label. The popularity of these al from Alaska to Florida. Here they musical entertainment, for example bums helped to kindle renewed inter provide nightly entertainment for a "Straw Hat" type of rinky-tink est in the theatre pipe organ. Further customers much as they did when piano and banjo act. Two such evidence of this interest was the fact they were new. places in the San Francisco Bay area that thousands of people were turn In Part I of this article we'll trace were owned by a man named Carsten ing out to attend George's midnight the history of the first pipe organ Henningsen, along with a business concerts at the San Francisco Fox equipped pizza parlor. Next we'll partner. Fred Finn, who in 1966 be Theatre. In addition, the home (elec talk about several of the places that came nationally known along with tronic) organ market was beginning have sprung up in the West since his wife by starring in the TV variety to blossom at this time. These events then. In Part II we'll cover the places series Mickie Finn's, played in one of did not go unnoticed by Henningsen, located east of the Rockies. Then them. This live entertainment who began to consider the possibility
Bill Langford can take much credit for the Pizza Joynt's continued success . The con sole from San Francisco's Warfield Theatre. The Joynt is a relatively small structure .
_ ...•-. of putting an organ into his Pizza sports a couple of interesting addi Let's start our journey across the Joynt. tions, namely a Tangley brass Bay from YOP J, where Bill Breuer All that remained was to find the calliope and a French celeste accor started the first "chain" of pizza/ right organ. After some shopping dion, along with a grand piano. pipe houses. From the first "Cap'ns around, an acquaintance of Henn After seventeen years, though, no Galley Pizza & Pipes" in Santa ingsen 's named Bob Denny, found a change has been made in the organ Clara, opened in 1968, the number 2/9 Wurlitzer, originally from the ist. It's still Bill Langford, an experi grew to seven as three more were State Theatre in Fresno, Calif. After enced entertainer with many stage opened in the Bay Area and three in it was purchased, the problem be shows and broadcasts under his belt. the state of Washington. The Cali came how to install it in the existing fornia quartet was sold this year, but YOP J. The building was not overly Beyond San Lorenzo no major changes are anticipated. large to begin with, and now a cham A lot of mozzarella has melted The organ now in the Santa Clara ber had to be built. This was done, since those early days, and much has Cap'ns Galley is a straight stoprail with no more room than necessary been done to make the pizza/pipes twelve ranker that's had an interest being given up to the chamber. The experience more entertaining and in ing history. It started out in the organ was installed in 1962, with formative for the listener. Win Wurlitzer showroom in New York Denny doing most of the work, and dowed chambers to make pipes, City in 1929. Ten years later it was re it was ready to start making music to often colorfully lighted, visible have installed as the official organ of the eat by. long been de rigueur. Today, glass New York World's Fair. After a few The historic first night was July shutters with superior sound control years in storage it went to the Long 25th, 1962, and Dave Quinlan was qualities are being developed to fur Beach, Calif., Municipal Auditori the organist. Dave stayed on for fif ther enhance visibility. Solid-state um, where it stayed until finding a teen months, after which time he left relays and/ or combination actions new home in this pizza parlor. in favor of a job closer to home. are being added to many organs to A few miles south, in Campbell, Finally it is time to introduce the give greater flexibility and dependa lives one of the truly famous theatre final protagonist of this story. The bility. One new invention that could organs: Buddy Cole's 3/26 Wurli year was 1963, and Bill Langford have far-reaching effects is the auto Morton. After Buddy's death in had recently come to the Bay Area matic rhythm unit now being in 1964 the organ was moved to the east from Phoenix. A local ATOS (then stalled on some organs. This device, coast and was subjected to poor stor A TOE) group asked Langford to which plays various rhythm patterns age conditions. In 1970 Bill Breuer play a Sunday morning concert for using the organ's drums and traps, rescued it, had it refurbished, and in them at the California Theatre in has the potential to make pipe organ stalled it in Campbell. In its present Santa Rosa which had a 2/7 Wurlit music more entertaining, provided setting it sounds different than it did zer. Since he had a job that kept him it's used wisely and skillfully. when Buddy was coaxing those won playing until 2 a.m., he didn't think We'll tour the West now, going derfully breathy sounds from it, but he could play a morning concert so from Phoenix to Fairbanks to look it's good to know that the instrument far from home. He suggested they at several of the more interesting in still exists. might find an available organ closer stallations. A word in advance to Now, going north on Highway to home. The program was moved to those who plan to visit any pipe 101, past Palo Alto, we exit at Red the Pizza Joynt. After hearing Lang equipped restaurant. As a general wood City to find yet another Cap'ns ford play, Henningsen asked him to rule you '11 find the organ is played Galley. The organ here is considered become the regular YOP J organist. nightly from around 6 to 10 p.m., by many, including some pros, to be After a little coaxing Bill accepted. and until 11 or later on Fridays and the finest to be found in any food es Soon the organ was expanded. A Saturdays. The information given tablishment. At 26 ranks it's far three-manual console from San below is subject to change, so if you from the largest, but its sound Francisco's Warfield Theatre was re want to hear a particular organist on possesses both beauty and power. stored and installed, along with four a certain night, it would be wise to The original 4/18 Wurlitzer nucleus more ranks of pipes. The organ now phone beforehand. came from the opulent Fifth Avenue Theatre in Seattle. much larger (capacity 400, high ceil Bfg Top Pizza in the Sacramento Continuing north towards San ing, two-level seating), with tables suburb of Carmichael. The organ Francisco, Cap'ns Galley No. 4 is in and chairs instead of picnic benches. that Fats Waller used to play on the the Serramonte shopping center in The organ now has a solid state re air late at night for WL W radio in Daly City. The building is the largest lay. Other prominent additions in Cincinnati has been considerably ex of the four. Seating is on two levels: a clude an ebony grand piano and ani panded to reach its present 3/ 18 lower level near the console and mated dancing puppets. Organists at (soon to be 22) status. In addition a chambers for those who want to be the present time are Rick De Rose new "computer" combination ac closer to the music, and an upper and Harvey Blanchard in Martinez, tion now being installed gives head level, for those who want to look with Ken Simmons and Aura Ed organist-technician Dave Moreno down on the console and be farther wards in Concord. and associate organist Jim Brown removed from the sound of the 3/22 A 75-mile drive northeast to Sac twice as many pistons to work with. Wurlitzer. ramento brings us to Arden Pizza & "One never knows, do one?" as Fats Back to the East Bay now. "Pizza Pipes. This is the home of a Wurlit put it. Junction" is a real find, if you can zer that is a combination of two or About sixty miles south of Big find it. We leave freeways behind at gans. The two came from Chicago's Top, in Stockton, is the Pizza Ma Lafayette and take a country road to Tiffin Theatre and the Strand in chine. Here is a smaller organ, a 2/10 a little town called Rheem. Here we Madison, Wisc. They were joined by Wurlitzer originally installed in San find a place with a unique interior de the Replica Record Co. of Des Francisco's Lyceum Theatre in 1921. signed by the daughter of owner Plaines, Ill., who used the resulting Head organist Don Wallin tells us Jerry Whaley. It's a real split-level 4/20 for recording purposes. After that the organ is now equipped with affair: kitchen and some seating spending time in Doc Lawson's an electronic traps player, one of the downstairs, the organ, console and home in Montreal, it was finally first in California to feature this new all, and some seating around the bought by Bob Breuer (brother of invention. A second Pizza Machine, perimeter upstairs. Bill), who brought it to its present a little farther south in Modesto, fea The 3/9 Wurlitzer (Opus 394) was home in 1972. tures a 2/9 Wurlitzer. installed in 1921 in the Warwick The Playing this organ is an unusual Going all the way down to the San atre in Kansas City. From 1935-1974 experience, mainly because almost Fernando Valley, we locate the Great the organ was owned at various times none of the reeds are directly avail American Wind Machine in Reseda. by radio station WHIO in Dayton, a able on the Great manual. They must As of this writing "GA WM" is the Catholic church in Cincinnati, and be coupled down from the Orches lone remaining pizza / pipes restau Junchen-Collins Organ Corp., be tral or Solo. One nice feature, rant to serve the eight million person fore ending up at Pizza Junction. though, is a second set of (Barton) Los Angele s area. The organ is played only on week percussions and toy counter under Although the operation began ends, by Don Reynolds on Fridays expression. This is good for concert under different ownership in 1968, and Saturdays, and Harvey Blan playing when greater subtlety is de Mike Ohman has expanded the orig chard on Sundays. sired than can be coaxed from the ex inal 2/10 Wurlitzer installation, the Not too far from Rheem, the two posed bangers. organ being from the Beverly Thea locations of Bella Roma Pizza pro The organists here are Stu Boyer tre in Beverly Hills. Besides adding vide a study in contrasts. Both have and Emil Martin. In addition, a sec seven ranks of pipes and an elec medium-sized Wurlitzers: 3/16 at ond Pizza & Pipes is located in Fres tronic string bass, Mike had a beauti Martinez, and 3/18 at Concord. no. It has recently been covered in ful new white three-manual console However, the settings are quite dif depth (THEATRE ORGAN, June built, and had it filled with such ferent. Martinez is an intimate, low 1980), so we won't add anything modern goodies as digital relays and ceiling affair, with the console within here. combination action, along with mag arm's length reach of people at the "Fats" might not recognize it to netic stop actions and pistons. The closest tables. One feels personal day, but there it is - the "Moon result of all this was heard at the 1979 contact with the organist. Concord is River'' Wurlitzer now residing at the ATOS convention, and it was a hit. There are not many Robert Morton organs in western eating places. Fairbanks, . : ...... - Alaska, has one.
Since then, George Wright has entertaining dining experience. cloned and put in every pizza parlor played a sold out concert on the The 400-mile drive through the with an organ. 3/17. desert to get to Phoenix is a bore, but Organ Stop #2 opened in 1975 in Mike, Dan Bellomy and Candi a great reward awaits: Organ Stop Mesa. The building was really Carley each play two nights a week, Pizza. Owner Bill Brown buys excel designed with the organ in mind: a and the organ rests on Monday. lent organs (he has a warehouse full lobby for taking food orders to After losing several unsuccessful of them), puts them in well-designed lessen noise, theatre-style sloping pizza/pipe operations the San Diego buildings, gets the best available floor, a console lift and surrounding area now has a new Organ Power young organists to play, and serves curtain for dramatic openings, etc. Pizza to serve them. Owner/ organist the best pizza to round out the exper The organ itself is a white console Tommy Stark has turned a former ience. It even seems as though the beauty, a 3/25 Wurlitzer from the Lemon Grove theatre into a pasta customers are better informed, mak Denver Fox. Ron Rhode is another palace prepared to receive the 4/28 ing fewer trite requests. one of the best of the current crop of Wurlitzer from Chicago's Uptown The first-built (in 1972) is in young organists, and the sophistica Theatre. As of February, 1981, Phoenix. A 3/14 Wurlitzer from tion of crowds that come to listen Tommy was playing a Lowrey elec Grauman's Hollywood Egyptian and eat pasta are incredible. tronic, assisted by Maddie German Theatre was installed and brought up Up and coming Lew Williams is on drums, while the Wurlitzer was to 4-manuals and 29 ranks. One of Associate Organist at Organ Stops being restored. Eventually the organ the ranks is a Trompette-en-Cha #1 and #2. Betty Gould, a true will be 4/33, including exposed 16' made located over the kitchen which, ''veteran of the console,'' plays at Posthorn and 32' pipes. All this, along with the Serpent (sort of an lunchtime on weekends in Mesa. along with antique furniture from enraged Posthorn), is used for some Organ Stop #3 has recently opened the Uptown in the lobby/ordering great effects by head organist Walter in Tucson. Jim Conners, formerly of area, should combine to make an Strony. We wish that Walt could be Pipe Organ Pizza in Houston, is the
The Mesa " Organ Stop " console came from the Denver Fox. Lew Williams is on the ...... bench. "" , M .-1-.··.";\...
~-. ,, -~ •""" I ' \ •, J. --
---~ ------::------latest addition to Brown's staff of crackercrust, ketchup-sauce pizzas, Bellevue. fine organists. but never in the most successful Our Western journey ends just The scene shifts now to the Pacific places. People won't come back south of the Arctic Circle at Steak & Northwest. Another of the finest in regularly for the music if the food is Pipes Restaurant in Fairbanks, stallations in the U.S. is the Organ indifferent. In summary, the Organ Alaska. This is the home of a 3/9 Grinder in Portland. Many details Grinder manages to be popular by Robert Morton. The organ began as about this huge installation can be professionalism rather than by a 2/6 in a Kansas City theatre. While found in a recent THEATRE OR reaching for the lowest common de still in the theatre a third manual was GAN article (February 1980), but nominator of popular taste . added at the expense of the second we'd like to offer our opinion of why A little farther north, in Washing touches . In a unique move the cur the Organ Grinder is such a success ton, are three more Pizza & Pipes lo rent management plans to go back to ful operation. We see three factors: cations, in Tacoma, Seattle , and a completely restored two-manual 1) The head organists, Jonas Nord Bellevue. All three feature now 3/17 Kimball console, and several Skinner wall and Paul Quarino, both fully Wurlitzers with white and gold con ranks are being added. During the deserve the title. They play copious soles. They were originally installed week Glenn Cooper plays, with Jim amounts of expertly-played music. in the Fort Wayne, Indiana Para Eales taking over on weekends. They also know how to use the new mount, the Salem, Mass., Para automatic rhythm device effectively. mount, and the New York Academy 2) The format is quite formal - no of Music Theatres, respectively. What Next? requests, no kids running around, no Each place has a different building We've come to the end of the road chat between organist and audience design and chamber configuration. for now. A table listing addresses - yet everyone, young and old, The organists at Tacoma are Sherrie and phone numbers of all the places seems to enjoy it very much. We wish Mael, Andy Crow, and veteran Jane we know of follows, along with a list more places, especially new ones not McKee Johnson. Former ATOS of references for those desiring more having an established clientele, President Dick Schrum, Bob White, information on some of the places would try this format. 3) The pizza is Greg Smith, and Gary Christianson we've visited. Next installment: the very good. We've had several share playing duties at Seattle and Midwest and East. □
WHERE THE PIZZA ORGANS ARE LN THE WEST PART/
California
) e 0/
Outside of California
Organ Stop # I ...... 5330 N. Sc\ cnth St.. Phocni\, AZ 850 14 Pizza & Pipe s # I ...... l00 N. 85th, Seatt le, WA 98 103 4/2 9 Wu rlitzer (602) 263-07 16 3/ 17 Wur litzer (206) 782-0360 OrganStop #2 ...... 2250 W .Southcrn \C . , lcsa,Al..85202 Pizza & Pipes #2 ...... S. 19th & l\1ildrcd \,\' ., Tacoma, WA 98406 3/25 Wu rlit1er (602) 834-5325 3/ I 7 W url itler (206) 565-3848 Organ Grinder Piu:a ...... 50 15 Sl· 82nc.1, Port lane.I, O R 97266 Pizza & Pipe s #3 ...... 550 I 12th E, Belle\ uc, W A 98004 4/ 4 1 W url il/cr 3/ 17 \\ 'urlitzer (206)453- 1444 lJndcMilt' s ...... 24 I 0Grand Bhd., a ncou\ ·cr, W A Steak & Pipl''i Restaurant . ... . 124 . Turner St .. l·airba n l-.-.,A K 9970 1 3/ 18 Wurl i11er (206 ) 695-6895 3/ 9 Robert I\ 1orto11 (907)456 -259 1
34 THEATRE ORGAN JUNE / JULY 1981