ATOS MarApr 50-2 H 2/12/08 10:26 AM Page 1 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN THEATRE ORGAN SOCIETY MARCH | APRIL 2008 50THEATRE ORGAN YEARS H E CIR CLE THEATRE , Indian­ Wu~b~E~ apo lis' show place, enjoys a wide UN IT ORGAN repucation for the class of its musi ­ I N T HE cal programs. Among th e first to rea lize the C RC t show mansh ip of sta rring the m usical program THEATRE w it h fearur e film s the management has cash ed Indianapolis, Ind. in lib era ll y on its fo resig ht and enterprise. No thin g but th e Wur lit zer was good enough for th e Circl e's cli enrel e. ---o..,,~ ATOS MarApr 50-2 H 2/12/08 10:28 AM Page 2 OU ot e mat• Beautifulconsoles + impeccable samples + innovative engineering = Walker Itall adds up! Qualityyou can count on. WalkerTheatre Organs• 6610 Crown Lane, Zionsville, PA18092 • phone 610.966.8585 • www.walkertheatreorgan.com ATOS MarApr 50-2 I 76 2/12/08 12:57 PM Page 1 THEATRE ORGAN MARCH | APRIL 2008 Volume 50 | Number 2 FEATURES THEATRE ORGAN Don’t Try This At Home 14 Tape Salvage (Shanahan Collection) Last of the Originals 16 Raising the Tooting Wurlitzer Chicago Theatre Organs 50 22 The Marbro Wurlitzer YEARS Discography Part 2 30 Richard W. “Dick” Leibert Back Home Again 43 2008 Convention in Indianapolis Full Circle 48Return of a Mighty Wurlitzer DEPARTMENTS 4 Vox Humana 5 Headquarters 7 Letters 8 News & Notes 53 For the Records 54 Professional Perspectives 56 Vox Pops On the cover: The Rudolph Wurlitzer Manufacturing Company was justly proud of its installation at the Circle Theatre in Indianapolis, showcased in a 1925 sales catalogue. 58 Chapter News (Weiler Collection) 66 Around the Circuit THEATRE ORGAN (ISSN 0040-5531) is published bimonthly by the American Theatre Organ Society, Inc., 5 Third Street, Suite 724, San Francisco, California 94103-3200. Periodicals Postage 70 Meeting Minutes Paid at San Francisco, California and at additional mailing offices. Annual subscription of $33.00 paid from members’ dues. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THEATRE ORGAN, c/o ATOS Membership Office, P.O. Box 5327, Fullerton, California 92838, [email protected]. 71 Obituary Sell Your Recordings, Books, Videos and other items at the 2008 Annual Convention! ATOS CONVENTION RECORD SHOP AT THE HYATT REGENCY, INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA For more information please contact: Mike Rolfe, Record Shop Coordinator, 317-358-1564, [email protected] MARCH | APRIL 2008 1 ATOS MarApr 50-2 I 76 2/12/08 1:08 PM Page 2 ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ CONCERTS • SILENT FILMS For membership, publication back issues, photo availability, research and museum hours information, contact: THEATRE HISTORICAL CLARKWILS □ N SOCIETY OF AMERICA •CONCERT PRODUCTIONS• 152 N. York St., #200, Elmhurst, IL l 029 AMBROSEAVENUE EASTLIVERPOOL, OHIO 43920 60126-2806 • 630/782-1800 cl ark [email protected] email: [email protected] 330•385•4568 330•385•2210 www.historictheatres.org •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• www. CONCUR• Ul"ITJIUI waltstrony.com OAIWOM• MCDaDIN" P.O . Box 44092 Concert and Recording Artist Racine, WI 53404-7002 Allen Organ Voicing Specialist 262 .639 .8788 (phone) 262.639 .8242 (fax) Meticulous note-by-note voicing by one of America’s most rje@rjeproductions com respected theatre organists and Allen organ experts. presents ... ECHOES OF THE Tom MINNESOTA\ HazE@toll1l CDs are $18 (plus $2 S & Hin USA and $5 for foreign orders) \1 . Pay by check, money order or major credit card payable to: The Historical Recording Company \,_/ Order on our secure server or mail orders to: -t ~, Jack Darr 4451 Pinyon Tree Lane Irvine, CA 92612-2215 2 THEATREORGAN ATOS MarApr 50-2 I 76 2/12/08 1:09 PM Page 3 Journal of the American Theatre Organ Society Library of Congress Catalog Number ML 1T 334 (ISSN 0040-5531) Printed in U.S.A. MARCH | APRIL 2008 Volume 50 | Number 2 THEATRE ORGAN EDITORIAL OFFICE CORPORATE OFFICE HISTORIAN WEB SITE (www.atos.org) 1845 South Michigan Avenue #1905 American Theatre Organ Society, Inc. Tom DeLay Tom Blackwell Chicago, Illinois 60616 5 Third Street, Suite 724 764 Saratoga Way 9717 Dayton Avenue North Voice/Fax 312-842-7475 San Francisco, California 94103 Salinas, California 93906 Seattle, Washington 98103 [email protected] 831-443-5917 206-778-2724 DESIGN & TYPESETTING Fax 831-443-5826 [email protected] PRESIDENT Sleeping Giant Creative [email protected] Ken Double Indianapolis, Indiana P.O. 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SECRETARY Bill Carr 317-356-1240 Bob Evans 11815 North 77th Drive Annual membership in the Fax 317-322-9379 798 Old Warren Road Peoria, Arizona 85345 [email protected] American Theatre Organ Society is Swansea, Massachusetts 02777 623-694-1746 $40.00 per year ($55.00 outside 508-674-0276 AMATEUR THEATRE ORGANIST [email protected] Fax: 508-675-7524 COMPETITION of the U.S.A.), which includes six ORGANIST SCHOLARSHIPS [email protected] TBA Carlton Smith (see above at Acquisitions issues of THEATRE ORGAN. TREASURER ARCHIVE/LIBRARY & Expansions) Make check or money order Paul Van Der Molen Jim Patak PUBLIC RELATIONS payable to ATOS and mail to the 0 N 468 Willow Road Rialto Square Donna Parker (see above at Mentor ATOS Membership Office, P.O. Box Wheaton, Illinois 60187 5 East Van Buren Street, Suite 210 Program) 630-653-4986 Joliet, Illinois 60432 5327, Fullerton, California 92838, Fax 630-653-4987 708-562-8538 PUBLICATIONS REVIEW [email protected]. MasterCard [email protected] [email protected] Doug Powers and VISA are accepted. 3323 Belvoir Boulevard DIRECTORS (current term) ARCHIVAL LIAISON Beachwood, Ohio 44122 Vern Bickel (2008) Jeff Weiler (see above at Journal Single copies of current and back 216-283-8080 Mike Cierski (2008) Advertising) Fax 440-338-5651 issues are available for $6.00 each Jelani Eddington (2010) AROUND THE CIRCUIT [email protected] (please add $3.00 per issue sent Michael Fellenzer (2010) Vern Bickel outside of the U.S.A.). Make check Allen Miller (2010) P.O. 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