Theatre Organ JOURNALOF THEAMERICAN ASSOCIATION of THEATREORGAN ENTHUSIASTS
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r" ATOS .AIIC.mvEs,LI BR/ - · T SPECIAL DOUBLE ISSUE • FALL AND WINTER 1959 - 60 theatre organ JOURNALOF THEAMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF THEATREORGAN ENTHUSIASTS REGINALD DIXON AT THE ORGAN OF THE TOWER BALLROOM see page 10 BRAY- FARNEY • BLACKPOOL • WURLITZER LIST • ·: . • ,· :' : I : .~ A.T.O.E. ANNUAL MEETING HEADLINERS ATTHE LARRY BRAY 5/19 WURLITZER Afternoon Artists LEONARDLEIGH GAYLORDCARTER •; Evening Concert by GUSFARNEY theatre organ JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF THEATRE ORGAN ENTHUSIASTS THEEDITOR NOTES ... chapter that has an available organ and A.T.O.E. As in any other happy family, A TOE President's Column 4 has some problems occasionally. At least, organist. So we get letters from other chapters asking if there is some way in Questions and Answers 15 some of the members express ideas that Chapter Activities 18 indicate their wishes to have A TOE help which ATOE as a national organization could make such programs available to Record Reviews 20 them solve local problem~. Because we Lette.rs 30 individual chapters. are getting more and more letters with The Wur I itzer Li st 22 this theme in them, we feel it may be time The national office of ATOE has no to review a few features of our organiza funds nor function as to providing pro FAMOUS ORGAN tion, its aims and goals. grams. Even when there is a particularly City Theatre • Amsterdam 27 The purposes of ATOE are stated i~ fine local program that is coincidentally our constitution and roughly lie in two near the national headquarters, this is FEATURES similar phases of activity. One of these is purely the result of local chapter activ Bray-Farney Story 5 to publish a magazine; the other and ities and is in no way the result of the Mr. Blackpool 10 really the underlying principle of ATOE national office. Even the report that may Organs of Detroit 16 is to encourage activity in and around the appear in THEATRE ORGAN is a local enjoyment of theatre organs and their chapter activity, reported by one of the ARTICLES music. At the time of its inception it was members of the chapter assigned to cover All Through The Night 13 clear that as a national organization, it it. The thinking of the Board of Direc Tom Grierson 12 would not be possible for ATOE to do tors has been that it was their purpose Trip to Yesteryear 14 much on a local or chapter scale. It did to coordinate and distribute information appear that some means of distributing through the magazine, but each chapter news and general information would be was wholly in command of its own pro EDITOR ...••. Ralph M. 13ell, M.D. very useful. It was clear, too, that no grams and activities. This puts the re Associate Editor . Robert C. Jacobus magazine in existence was in position to sponsibility on an individual basis, which Art Director • •••••..• Bi II Steward do this for us. We, then, were to publish is where it belongs . One can easily under our own. This was to be made up of con stand the attraction in thinking that one STAFF FOR A.T.O.E. tributions from members and chapters, could sit back and wait for a wonderful PRESIDE NT .••••• Judd Wa Iton together with special articles that told program to come automatically; but the Vice President • ...• W. :in~ James more about organs, organists, and some happiness that comes to a chapter is large of the history of theatre organs and their ly the result of the efforts the members THEATRE ORGAN is a quarterly personalities. Some of the information is exert and the satisfaction that comes from pub I ication devoted to the interests of theatre organ enthusiasts, and to purely technical and was aimed at in fruition. publishing of official notes and pro• creasing the understanding of those who ceedings of the American Associa• had no chance to view a dismantled or Then, too, there are only a few mem tion of Theatre Organ Enthusiasts. Al I communications and material gan at first hand. But above all, the pur bers who belong to very active chapters, should be sent to THEATRE ORGAN, poses were to have fun and increase the and there is that large group that is scat P.O. Box 167, Vallejo, California. pleasure associated with our hobby. tered throughout the areas not served Inquires and a II mater i a Is intended immediately by a local chapter. The de for A.T.O.E. should be directed to Because organ music has to be enjoyed the above addrees and wi I I be cor• individually, no matter how many may be cision of the Board to let the local chap rect ly routed to the proper off ice. listenin g to any one moment, there are ters handle their own affairs is largely a marked differences in the thought con recognition of a state of affairs rather THEATRE ORGAN (title registered tents of the various listeners . Even when than a policy. The publication permits U.S. Patent Office) is published by dissemination of information and in that the American Association of Theatre we all agree that the music was thrilling, Organ Enthusiasts, President George each of us brings up his own particular way activities of one chapter come to the D. Walton, Texas Street, Vallejo, image of what the thrilling feature may attention of others-if the activity is re California. All rights reserved. En portray. But in every case, the thrill stems ported! tire contents copyright 1960 by from a particular event, and that means So, as in any happy family we find A. T .O.E ., Incorporated .. that problems can be solved individually . that some particular organist is playing POSTMASTER: If undeliverable aend some particular organ at the time. So our Our success depends not on the presence Form 3547 to THEATRE ORGAN, chapters, which are the units of smaller or absence of a problem but in how we P.O. Box 167, Vallejo, California. listening publics, strive to obtain great undertake to find its solution. For the organists and great organs for them to race is still run by "Ones and ones, and Second Class Permit paid at Vallejo, California. play. This gives apparent advantage to a never by twos and twos.'· 3 THE COLUMN A.T.O.E. membership is now in excess of 600, which assures our budget requirements for the year! This is a true indication of the high level of interest that exists among theatre organ enthusiasts. Furthermore, it encourages your officers to overcome the obstacles that are strewn in the paths of inexperience and thus bring about a smoother operating organization. Aside from these rather academic aspects of the situation, two facts stand out clearly above all others. Members have indicated ~ desire to have information on, first, home installations of theatre pipe organs, and second, articles of a technical nature relating to all makes of theatre organs. In response to this demand, we urge all owners of home-installed theatre organs to prepare descriptions of your installation, complete with details of chamber construction, sizes of rooms into which the organ speaks, specs, and most important of all, pictures of the installation with captions. You do not have to be a writer to do this-just send in a letter. It would be very helpful to have the letter typed, and double spaced. We'll settle for anything, however, so don't let the lack of a typewriter stop you. All material will be considered for publication by our editor, and we sincerely request your immediate response to this plea of the members. This magazine gets its breath of life from material submitted by our readers. We need news items, however short they may be, pictures, descriptions of or gans, (large or small), etc. Its continued operation will depend upon how well you as a member respond to this appeal. We do not have a tremendous backlog A.T.O.E. membership is for the of material at present. A few of the "faithful" have supplied us with the mate fiscal year, January 1 through rial available to date. But we cannot call on them indefinitely to carry the full December 31, and includes a load. The true enjoyment of a hobby is in its sharing-let us all, each and every subscription to THEATRE OR one, share through the only medium we have-THEATRE ORGAN. We'll be GAN, a quarterly publication. waiting to hear from you-just address your letter to "Theatre Organ, P. 0. All persons joining within any Box 167, Vallejo, California. " fiscal year period will receive the Volume issued for that An up to date report indicates that we may just about exceed 700 members period, i.e., 1959 members for 1959. Members joining for the first time, still want to receive all of will receive Volume I, Nos. 1 Volume I of THEATRE ORGAN! In this combined issue, which is Volume through 4. A person joining I, Nos. 3 and 4, we have started publication of the Wurlitzer Installation late in the year will receive List, long sought after by many of our members , and unknown to others . the back issues of the Volume As a companion piece to this series, we will soon start a series of articles on for the year as well as any Wurlitzer Models , prepared for us by Gordon Kibbee who has long been forthcoming issues still to be interested in this theatre organ lore. mailed to complete the series of four. If, however, you do We still have been unable to locate an installation list for Robert Mortons, not wish to receive the current and anyone having such information should notify us of this fact so that we Volume, your dues may be can start work on it.