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"Resurrection" Since About 1930, Theatre Organ En­ Organs

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THE SAN FRANCISCO PARAMOUNT THEATRES WURLITZER 285 SPECIAL, AND ITS "Resurrection" Since about 1930, theatre organ en­ organs. Every true crgan fan shook ¥s thusiasts have become used to hearing head and scratched another organ from about the death of some famous theatre his list of re-constructable instruments. organ. Relentlessly, one by one, these The same old story - a wonderful, ex­ magnificent instruments have departed pensive, mighty theatre organ, neglected, the contemporary scene without fanfare cannibalized, and permanently out of and without any apparent concern ex­ use. cept for the saddening void left in the But for once, all enthusiasts can take memories of those who understand the down the crepe, because the mighty San •·1 ~ wonderful music produced by them. Francisco Paramount WurliTzer speaks The Paramount Theatre, San Francis­ again with all its grandeur. Many people During the current restoration, the Mor - co, was opened in 1921 as the Granada are responsible for this resurrection, ton Tibia has been replaced by a Solo scale and contained a gorgeous WurliTzer, and it is hoped that all of them will re­ WurliTzer Tibia Clausa. A further note of Style 285, 4/33. The story of this organ ceive the plaudits deserved. interest at this time is that there are no is typical of hundreds of others in that The great WurliTzer organ in the Para­ dead magnets in the entire organ, nor it was in daily use during the era of mount Theatre in San Francisco is were there any at the time the restora­ silent movies, being played by many housed in six large chambers which tion work began in October, 1960. This famous West Coast organists, all of tower on both sides and above the most certainly speaks well for the old whom claimed it to be a particularly good proscenium arch. On the lower left side, pot metal magnets. organ to play - with nice lush tibias facing the stage, is the Main Organ; When the organ was turned on for the and reeds that really spoke out into an directly above it is the Foundation Or­ first time in October of '60, it did noth­ ideal auditorium acoustically. Then gan and from a level above the F ounda­ ing but cipher loudly. This was caused came synchronized films - the movies tion, the 32-foot Pedal Diaphones tower by the effect of a steam pipe bursting in talked and the decline of the theatre or­ straight upwards. The beautiful Echo a section that passes through the relay gan began. Organ is located above the center of room. All of the leather gaskets were For a while, the Paramount 285 fur­ the proscenium and speaks through a treated with neatsfoot oil and, when the nished intermission music, helped with specially constructed metal lath and relays were put back, they all operated an occasional stage show, and finally plaster acoustical horn which carries perfectly. the console was lowered into the pit the sound out and down through a dia­ The pump on the console lift was com­ and, for all intents and purposes, the mond shaped oi:ening towards the cen­ pletely wcxked over and now operates like usefulness of this great organ was ter of the auditorium ceiling. Three new. finished. chambers are located on the right side There are two blowers which are As time went on, the pit was floored of the arch. The lower is the Solo Or­ coupled, in tandem, to the main wind over - trapping the organ forever, Mean­ gan. Above it is the Percussion Divi­ trunks. One is driven by a 25 H.P. D.C. while, another theatre owned by the sion and above that is the Brass Organ. motor and supplies 3300 cpm at 15 in­ same circuit was leased to a church and The piano is located at the far right end ches. The other is powered by a 10 H.P. the organ in that theatre was to be used. of the pit. D.C. motor and supplies 1500 cpm at However, it was in bad shape, had many Some changes from the organ's origi­ 25 inches. There are two generators ( one pipes missing, and all manner of things nal specification were made ·in 1929 of which is a stand-by) belt driven from needed replacement. with the additicn of a Solo scale Tibia Clausa the two motor shafts. It might by in ­ Where to get these needed pipes and by Robert Mct"ton. Some Horn Diapason and teresting to note that all air is original­ parts? The answer, of course, was from Harmonic Flute Tabs were altered to ly taken in through the 25 H.P. blower the Paramount. This was done, and play this Tibia and the Solo to Great and that the air supply for the 10 H.P. spelled the death knell, for certain, of Coupler was changed to become a Great blower is taken from the wind line lead­ one of the West Coast's finest theatre Sub-Octave. ing out of the big blower. 4 theatre organ gan playia, proved that he haa great talent, lots of imagination, and la a TheConcert TheArtist good 1tudent. Proof of this was his - cueing of a two-reel silent comedy. This By Jim Mc:'MIllan was not fust • musical background but a cueing job with appropriate music and The May 5 concert re-introducing the This portion was run without any well-timed soW1d effects which sounded mighty Paramount organ in San Francis­ sound background. Only the stirring of like an ccold pro" of the silent-movie co was an exhibition of astute showman­ the audienc·e, seeing this re-creation of era. ship on the part of Mr. Earl Long, 4 0 years ago, could be heard. As the Tom Hazelton was raised on Calif ­ Managing Director of the 2650-seat end title faded out, a spotlight was fo­ ornia's beautiful Monterey Peninsula in Paramount Theatre, and presented Tom cused on the center of the stage apron the town of Pacific Grove. His early Hazelton as an artist of great talent. and, to the strains of "Granada", the years of musical training iwere occupied The concert began with a forty-year beautiful 4-manual console rose once with the study of the piano before switch ­ old silent film taken at the WurliTzer again from the orchestra pit. ing to the organ. He studied with many factory showing the Paramount organ un­ Mr. Long acted as MC for the musical well-known teachers including his der construction. Included were se­ program. His introduction of each num­ present teacher, Richard Purvis of San quences showing various stages of con­ ber or groups of numbers was brief, but Francisco's Grace Cathedral. struction, the final factory regulation of each included the outstanding stop or His interest in the theatre organ was the instrument, and the 32-foot Diaphones percussion to be featured and its cham­ aroused upon hearing "hi-fi" recordibgs being lowered for shipment. An inter­ ber location. There was much favorable of it. Through association with Ed Stout, esting shot was shown of the ten box comment on this method of presenting he was introduced to the "legendary,, cars leaving the plant for San Francisco the program since it gave everyone a Paramount WurliTzer about the time the with the cars being appropriately la­ good idea of the physical layout of this restoration work on it was about to be­ beled, "The World's largest WurliTzer great organ. gin. He joined forces with Strut and Jim Pipe Organ being shipped to the Grana­ Tom Hazelton's efforts reflected many Tyler and, by wocking with them, was da Theatre, San Francisco, California". hours of practice and good training. Mr. able to put in many hours of playing The final scenes showed the unloading Hazelton is a young gentleman of 18 time on the instrument. It was Tom's of the organ in San Francisco. years. His understanding of theatre or- brilliant playing that convinced Earl Long to invite him to play the concert re-introducing the Fabulous 285 to San MeetEarl W. Long Francisco. Profile Probably the most glamorous days fer who have devoted their lives to the the motion-picture industry were those daily business of this mammoth ~peratio -n. THE PIPE ORGAN SERVICE within the span of years from 1915 It is here that we find Earl W. Long, in COMPANY OF SAN FRANCISCO through 1935, when the careers of Anica the po,ltion of managing the affairs of Stewart, Pola Negri, Anna Q. Nillson, the Paramount theatres in San Francis­ Mac Murray, George Arliss, Viola Dana, co. The layman who for the past twenty­ Charles Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, In 1919, young Long began as an usher five years or so has been exposed to Norma Shearer, Marie Dressler, Rudolph in one of the theatres in his hometown, the sounds of electronic instruments Valentino, Janet Gaynor, Greta GarbQ Brockton, Mass., and within a short would most likely not give a second and a host of others soared to Olympian dme had made up his mind that the thought to the fact that pipe organs still heights. motion picture business was to be his exist, that they are still being built in Within that tightly-woven tapestry are life', ..work. He progressed rapdly and large numbers, and that there is still a the indistinct but multitudinous figures bef a:o too long became assistant mana­ place in the pipe organ field for techni­ of men and women whose task it is to ger of the Brockton Theatre, the leading cians, designers, pipe-makers, voicers, hold together the gigantic structure of hwae of the town, which played vaude­ and tonal designers.
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