By Mac Murrill With three theatre organs still in spectacular novelty solo at intermis• active use, Richmond, Virginia, has sion time, and accompaniment for the laid claim to the title; "Theatre Organ between-re~ l community sings. This Capital of America". In support, Rich­ was the era when Jesse Crawford and mond organ enthusiasts point to the Ann Leaf were national idols. In Rich­ following: Eddie Weaver, who for nearly mond a dozen crgans were p:mring forth three decades was in the live organ throbbing, spine-tingling music at the spot at Richmond's Loew's Theater; old Bluebird, Isis, Bijou, Lyric, the Byrd Theatre Wurlitzer, revived National, Colonial, and Strand, as well three years ago, featured Harold War­ as at the newer Brookland, Capitol, ner nightly at the console until his re­ Mosque, Loew's and Byrd theatres • cent death; and the famous Mosque Even the Tantilla Garden Ballroom had Wurlitzer, like the ixevious two, is its own pipe organ for between-dance kept in first-class condition, and is interludes. played for many of the public functions Then all of this was changed. With held there. the introduction of talking pictures in In addition, a dozen recordings on 1928, the expensive organs and or­ Richmond theatre organs have been ganists were no longer needed, and made in recent years by Reginald F oort, theatre organs throughout the country Dick Leibert, Ann Leaf, and others. gradually fell silent. Today it is diffi­ What are the fortunate circumstances cult to find a city with a theatre ccgan which have led to all of chis theatre or­ playing. Even in New York, only one, Foort at the 3/17 Mosque Wurlitzer, Richmond. gan activity in a world of talking at the Radio City Music Hall, is still Weaver at the 4/17 Byrd Wurlitzer, Richmond. pictures and Cinemascope screens ? regularly featured. Let us go back to the silent movie But in Richmond the glcrious organ days in Richmond. The mighty theatre music was not forgotten. Although many REGINALD FOORT pipe organ, an instrwnent of almost of the organs here vanished during the EDDIE WEAVER unlimited musical resources, was at Dark Ages ( 1928-1952), and others 11 One of the all-time greats" of the in the radio popular icy poll conducted its peak of popularity in this enter­ went into a more sedate e,:istence - Edward J. Weaver, a genial fellow mond, playing luncheon and fashion show music, in nearby Miller and Rhoads organ world, "Reggie" Foort, was the by the London llifu Express. circula­ tainment wcrld of over thirty years ago. such as the fine Brookland Theatre with a ready smile and a quick wit, department store tea room ( 21 years), top European concert and recording or­ tion 4 million, winning out over all Every movie house at that time boasted Wurlitzer now in the Broad Street Meth­ was born in Catasaqua, Pa, in 1908. and on his daily morning radio show ganist for 25 years, bef cre he moved other entertainers, actors and orches­ of its "giant organ", used to provide odist Church - fortunately, due to far­ He learned piano from his mother and over WRNL ( 10 years). His technique to America in 1951. Since coming to tras. And as the most poµilar organist the mood-music and sound-effects fer sighted managers and some talented later studied violin for five years, At this country, this B~itish-botn artist the Eastman School of Music in Ro­ is flaw less, sprightly• and imaginative, of England and Europe, he opened 43 the silent "flickers", as well as a ( Turn to page 10) has not only made outstanding classi­ new theatres, played over 2,000 radio chester, N. Y.. Eddie mastered the whether he is playing Chopin er Cha­ cal recordings of the great organ in the and TV ixograms in twelve different church and concert organ, but when cha. He has a bubbling personality and Boston Symphony Hall, put with his countries, to which he piloted his own someone offered him $100 to learn to a keen sense of humor, and his w.it Delow: Warner at the 4/17 Oyrd Wurlitzer, Richmond. popular organ records rmde at the Acea plane, and somehow also found time to play a theatre organ to accompany si­ and originality have always shown up Temple Mosque Wurlitzer in Richmond, make more records than any a:her or­ lent pictures in a Rochester movie in his steady production of new and in­ Va., he started the current revival of ganist on the Continent - over 200. house, his career was determined. teresting organ novelties - which must theatre organ music in America. Perhaps the most spectacular under­ i\.fter playing in various theatres in have been quite a trick to keep turning A man of remarkable energy, IXe­ taking of Foort's career was his 25-ton New York and in Florida, he went to out after more than 20 years at the cision, and imagination, Foort is one "traveling organ". After several years New llaven in 1926 where he was a same stand. (For these, as well as of those rare organists equally at home at B .B.C., he resigned to tour the star attraction for ten years. Eddie his original parodies of popular songs, with Bach or ccrock". Educated at vaudeville theatres of Great Britain learned some of his organ tricks from Eddie credits his wife and his daughter, Rugby and the Royal College c:i Music with a S-manual 27-rank specially de­ Henry Murtagh in Buffalo and from Jesse Joan, an English teacher, with assis­ in London, he received the coveted de­ signed and constructed Moller Theatre Crawford and his wife in New Haven. tance). gree of Fellow of the Royal College of Organ. To transport the console, the Even today Eddie can give out with a One of Eddie's spectacular organ Organists ( F .R .C.O.) at the age of 17. 2,000 pipes, and the many electrical "Crawfor,ie:se" glissando which is interludes, which run from three to After five years in the · Royal Navy and mechanical units, Foore used five close to Jesse's best. nine minutes in length following the during World War I, and several years 30-foot long 13-foot high trucks, and The author first met Eddie while a song-slide "community sing", features of serious piano study 'under a pupil of carried with him a staff of 14 organ stuJent in New Haven and recalls the Eddie playing three tunes at once: Leschetizky, Foore be$an his meteoric builders, electricians, stage riggers, many pleasant moments spent listening "There's a Long, Long TrailA-Wind­ career as a theatre organist in 1925. His etc., to reassemble the giant instru­ to his organ numbers at the Paramount, ing" with his right hand, "Keep the activities from that moment on were ment in each theatre. and later dancing to his 15-piece band, Home Fires Burning" with the left, characterized by ccfirsts". When the advent of World War II which Eddie directed from the Hammond, and ccJust a Song at Twilight" on the pedals. ( If you think it's easy, just Foore, in 1926, was the first or­ ended this project, the organ was sold at the Hotel Taft. It was a delightful try in on your own Wurlitzer!) For ganist in Europe to broadcast on, as to B .B .C ., and F oort undertook a surprise, then, on returning toRichmond, well as the first to make a recording of, rigorous schedule of giving five re­ to find that Eddie had preceded him another novelty, Eddie plays the a Wurlitzer theatre organ. When the citals a week, each in a different town here by a few months. That was in ccMinute Waltz" in a minute, racing British Broadcasting Company set up or city, in churches and concert halls 1937, and Eddie Weaver, "Weaver of against a clockhand rcojected on the screen. His imitation of various types its organ department in 1937, Foort throughout Great Britain. He main­ Songs", was a main feature at Rich - of organs and organists from church to was chosen over hundreds of appli­ tained this pace for ten years before mond 's Loew"s Theatre from that tiroe steam calliope and from Jesse Craw­ cants as its staff organist. With his coming to America on Christmas Day until very u ·ce ntly. ford to Ethe 1 Smith is most realistic, own theme song, "Keep Smiling", his 1951, to join an organ venture in Suf­ It is not difficult to understand Ed­ die's long popularity in his three jabs: while his famous horn-pipe dance ( dan­ friendly chit-chat, and his superb artis­ folk, Va. cing out the tune on the pedals) and try, Foort so endeared himself to the Shortly after his arrival from Eng- at Loew's Wurlitzer ( three to four shows daily fee 24 years), at the Ham- ( Turn to page 10) British public that he was named first ( Turn to page 10) 8 THE CONSOLESARE UP IN RICHMOND! REGINALDFOORT (Cont.) ( continued) land, F oort was asked by Emory Cook to make a theatre organ recording for and dedicated individuals, Richmond's discoqtinued (a World War II casualty), the high fidelity "Sounds of Our Times" three largest organs at the Loew's, the theatre manager, Robert Coulter, series. The search for a theatre organ Byrd, and Mosque survived the chang­ jealously guarded his fine instrument in good playing condition ended happily ing times, and have been thrilling a against rats, children, and time; so when Reggie was introduced to the new genera t ion of audiences with their that today, thanks to his wise policy, Mosque Wurlitzer by Harold Warner, mighty sounds.