certs is the delightful Regal at Henley-on Thames, the rowing mecca. Here the cinema was built in 1937 without an organ, but a 3/7 CClllNllE~'11lA(OllR~London. The last gem got of the most famous of all theatre organists, there is to be a Reginald Dixon Memorial buried and forgotten under the Bingo callers Reginald Dixon. No other organist received Fund and people are talking of erecting a sta rostrum when the cinema went over to Bingo. such press coverage and TV and radio trib tue and coming up with other ideas. As one A Scottish friend of mine, Charles Davidson, utes. The top daily papers, the Times and Dai can imagine, EMI, Mr. Dixon's recording a commercial radio producer, purchased the ly Telegraph, reported his passing on their company, swiftly stepped in and brought out little gem and stored it. front pages. The world famous Tower Ball one double LP album made up from his final He also managed to rescue another unique room in Blackpool was packed to its limits on LP recorded at the Tower in 1970 and one of "wee" gem, the 2/4 Ingram from the subur Sunday 14 July at the memorial concert, his first after he left the Tower made on the ban Astoria cinema Costorphine in Edin which showed the esteem in which he was BBC theatre organ, and a week or so later an burgh , Scotland's beautiful capital. This little held. Arnold Loxam played prior to the actu othe r LP appeared on another of their labels old dear was broadcast very regularly on the al concert; he is one of the regular team of made from items taken from the mid-and BBC Radio in the golden era and was said to players. There was a sherry reception for in later-1950s after he switched from 78s to 45 be the smallest theatre organ heard on radio. I vited guests and dignitaries. Nigel Ogden rpm records. Both are welcome items and are have played it and can say it was delightful. compered the proceedings. Robin Richmond happily reasonably priced discs. Bob Barratt, After being stored and no home found for it, played, all agreed superbly, and recalled Mr. Dixon's A & R man, has a great many Charles bought it and also couldn't find a many personal memories of Reg. Peter Ash more items for the future. place for it and his 3/6 Rutt and his 2/7 Wur man presented a slide and audio tribute to Mr. Another "great," Sidney Torch, was hon litzer from the Rex Stratford, London. Now Dixon; few were better placed to do this as oured by receiving the "MBE" for services to happily, he has loaned them permanently to Ashman wrote the best selling biography of the BBC Radio for conducting and arranging St. Albans Organ Museum in Hertfordshire Dixon a few years ago. To the right of the for the BBC Concert Orchestra. Only theatre in the famous cathedral and Roman city, so stage a commemorative plaque was unveiled organ fans know him for the organ, as to most alongside the Wurlitzer they own from the by Reg Dixon's two daughters who were pres people here he is a name for conducting and Granada Edmonton, once played by Don ent with their families. It has a coloured photo arranging on radio. His old "mount," the Baker, we can all enjoy the rare specimens of of Reg. Also playing was the principal organ Gaumont State Kilburn 4/16 Wurlitzer, is theatre organ building. ist of the Tower team, young Phil Kelsall. having its large console overhauled and re Meanwhile, the largest Wurlitzer installed A special booklet was published by the Cin built in Northampton by John Bowen, the ex in Europe, the 4/21 270 Special of the former ema Organ Society, written by Tony Bernard cellent organ builder who maintains the fabu Trocadero Cinema London, made famous by lous organs in Turner's Musical Merry-Go Quentin Maclean and the pride of the Lon Round at Northampton, England. Nigel don area of the Cinema Organ Society, is The Reginald Dixon memorial plaque at the Tower Ball Turner, the owner, told me this good news. about to appear with its new relay system room, Blackpool. (John Sharp photo) Rank-Odeon, our third largest cinema chain, which will improve the action of this most own the State Kilburn but have kept it closed beautifully voiced organ. Another smaller but for a few years. The vast cinema, capable of excellent Wurlitzer, Opus 2116, was installed seating just over 4000, doesn't pay, they say. in the vast New Victoria Cinema Bradford in The console is to be moved back to the State Yorkshire in 1930. After being poorly in and the building is to be altered for other uses stalled in a club in the northeast of England, it and we hope the organ will come into its own has now found a beautiful new home of its again. We all miss it. How much access the or own. Few theatre organs can boast this. gan fans will get may pose a problem, Nigel The NETOA (North East Theatre Organ told me. Let's hope it all works out. The State Association) has installed it after a painstak has architectural "listing," which means in ing rebuild in a converted chapel at Howden theory it can't be pulled down, at least with Le-Wear in County Durham in northeast out a major political row. England. The chapel has been rebuilt as a lux Another cinema also called the State at ury cinema, complete with stage and slide ef Grays in Essex, a real late-style gem dating fects and projection equipped. It is set to be from 1938 and housing its fiery splendid 3/6& one of our top concert venues, without doubt. Melotone Compton has also shut down. A The largest cinema circuit here is ABC (As new owner bought it and then the local autho sociated British Cinemas, to you) and they rity slapped a preservation order on the build employed well over 200 theatre organists in ing and the owner closed the cinema down. the golden era, many top names. Gradually Sadly, the fans are denied use of the Compton all their organs went when the cinemas were for organ concerts. twinned and tripled to make complexes. One Another venue very popular for organ con- organ remained, the very beautiful 3/8 & THEATRE ORGAN NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1985 The unusual console of the 4/16 Wurlitzer of the Gaumont State Kilburn, made famous by Phil Kelsall at the Tower Ballroom Wurlitzer during the Dixon Memorial Concert. Sidney Torch. (John Sharp photo) (John Sharp photo)
Melotone Compton in the ABC Royal at Ply cester Square. It was removed to make way along with their arch rival ABC, were respon mouth in Devon. It was nationally known for for a vast 70mm screen when they put on My sible for installing more organs than any other its thousands of radio broadcasts by Dudley Fair Lady and Warner Brothers donated the circuits in Europe. So fans of the rapidly van Savage, a household name on radio. Now, organ to a teacher training college chapel in ishing "Super Cinemas" have something of unbelievably, ABC are installing a Compton Canterbury, Kent. They sold it to Mark Bur which to look forward. in their splendid ABC Savoy Northampton. gess. We are all simply agog over here with The house was tripled, two minis in the stalls this news. Could it lead to more ABC man (ground floor rear) but that leaves the cham agers getting their way and putting organs bers and old stage still intact and so the man back into those vacated chambers? ager, Ken Porter, an avid organ fan he told The Warner console was quite beautiful. It me, wanted to see those chambers filled with was circular and the console came up back organ again. The original organ, a 3/7 & wards and then turned round for the solo, Read about the ATOS-sponsored Melotone Compton, was removed many most delightful. The builder who installed it Tour to Australia and New Zea in the chapel in Canterbury chopped this years ago, but happily before long those land on page 28 of this issue. chambers will ring to the sound of another "one off" rarity up to make it a two-manual! Then check the New Member Compton. Another friend of mine, Mark He also threw out the wooden Tibia and traps Burgess, owned a couple of theatre organs and that lovely Melotone unit. Well, you Contest on page 29 so that you and like his friend Charles Davidson, can't win all of them. can get in on this trip with your couldn't find anywhere to put them, so he has A circuit that didn't go in much for organs expenses paid. come to an arrangement with ABC to lease was Odeon. They had a very strong style of ar them. chitecture and decor, and soon lovers of the Richard "Dave" Pawlyn, the well-known ''Odeon Style'' will be able to moon over their On holiday recently I sampled two of the organ builder of Aylesbury, is installing parts lost and bulldozed favourites as Mercia Publi three most famous commercially successful of these two Comptons in the ABC North cations are bringing out a tome showing all of theatre organ installations in Europe, the ampton. One of the Comptons was designed the cinemas constructed by Oscar Deutsch, Cushing organ museum in Thursford in Nor by Harold Ramsay for the Union Circuit's the founder of Odeon. Now it's all part of folk and Turner's Merry-Go-Round at North Ritz Cinema in Cleethorpes, an East Mid Rank Organisation, along with the former ampton, both equipped with fabulous 3/19 lands seaside resort. It was a 3/7 & Melotone. Gaumont Circuit. "BAL 4" model Wurlitzers, as many of you The other is the famous 3/ 10 & Melotone Mercia Cinema Society now tells me that know. Thursford's organ came from the Compton that was built in 1938 for the world they are happily going to follow this with a Paramount Leeds in Yorkshire and North famous Warner Theatre in London's Lei- book on Gaumont-British Cinemas, who, ampton's from Paramount Newcastle-on Tyne. Nicholas Martin is resident at North The original console of the Compton organ in the Warner Theatre Leicester Square London. (/anpix photo) ampton and plays daily. They have recently put in the new Christie Transmission relay system. At Thursford George Cushing showed me the video equipment for display ing the resident organist's talent to the vast daily crowds. Robert Wolfe plays there. He is about to leave as I write this column for seven dates, including Detroit Senate 13 October, Riviera Tonawanda 16 October, Rochester and Casa Loma, and finally Shea's Buffalo on 3 November. Robert's latest LP "Say It With Music," made on Cushing's Thursford 3/ 19 of course, is excellent. It was recorded at a "live" concert, the record producer being none othe'r than Bob Barratt of EMI and Reg Dixon fame. Where I came in! Have a Happy Christ mas, all of you. Wonder if Father Christmas will leave a Wurlitzer in your stocking? □ 33
