had picked up from attending the the­ atre, and which they sang at home. ''The natural talent in my family came from my father's side. My old­ est sister sang beautifully, and my oldest brother 'played' the piano. Though his right hand played the me­ lody, his left hand incorrectly played the harmony, because of a lit cigarette between his first and second fingers. We had a table piano and I wish I had Chicago Organist it today. It was fun playing it. "I played it correctly, and they couldn't believe I could pick out all the popular tunes. One of my sister's compiled by Lloyd E. Klos friends came by one day, and was sur­ (June 1979) prised to hear my playing, not having had a lesson. She suggested taking me over to the Leinster School of Music, Upon the suggestion of John Muri, land, buying ornamental brass from and that's where I got my start in mu­ the writer called Basel Cristo!, former the churches. Eventually, the family sical education. They had contests, as theatre organist and still a very active moved to Dublin where I was born. they did in this country, and I won a musician, in the hope she would share "When a child, I had bronchitis bronze medal in 1909, playing a clas­ the story of her musical career with very badly, but being the youngest, sical number. Had a wonderful teach­ THEATRE ORGAN readers. Russell was treated as a pet, being showered er, Miss McCarran. B. Joseph recorded the interview. His with toys while in bed. One day, I was "About then, my brothers decided wife, Florence, and Edna and Barba­ given a toy piano. I immediately start­ to go to America. The oldest had been ra Sellers share the credit for asking ed to play operatic melodies and show to Africa and had enough of that. pertinent questions. tunes which my sisters and brothers There were five girls and three boys in Russ says, "I can tell you that Flor­ ence and I were deeply impressed with Basel Cristol at the left console in the Chicago Theatre. Photo taken at about 2 a.m. during a rehearsal. Basel as a person - intelligent, of ( Cristo! collection) high principle, gracious. In short, a person anyone would consider it a privilege to know. Our only regret is that we didn't have the opportunity earlier to know her better and enjoy her company. She still enjoys enter­ taining people at Math Igler's Restau­ rant when most people her age would be content to sit at home and medi­ tate." Now to the story. ''My father, Michael Cristo I, and his younger brother, David, had in­ tended to emigrate to England from Lithuania, but they got lost and wound up in Cork, Ireland. My mother remained for a time in Lithua­ nia with a child. "My parents were of the Jewish faith, and as there were practically no Jews in Ireland, they wrote the chief rabbi in London to find a few more Jewish immigrants to make a minion (gathering of ten for prayer). "My father then sent for mother, who didn't want to leave her parents and friends, but he told her that he'd move to Douglas (two blocks outside Cork) if she didn't! So, she embarked for Ireland. My brothers and sisters, save one, were born in Cork. My fa­ ther used to travel throughout Ire- MARCH/ APRIL 1985 the family, and eventually we came to Mo ther used to say, 'If you could play did leave, marrying Roscoe Major the United States around 1912, and in a theatre like this, I wouldn't mind who developed the enormous switch­ settled in Chicago. it.' Originally, I had an idea to go on boards used backstage for lighting all "I learned about the Chicago Mu­ concert tours. the B & K theatres. sical College, and entered on a scho­ "I asked around where one could "The Balabans used to come in and larship. I studied on scholarships al­ learn to play for silent pictures, and see Freddie quite frequently, and they most the entire time there, though I someone suggested I try a little theatre liked what I was doing. They said to had to pay for harmony, ear-training on Clark Street. At this time, I got to him, 'We ought to put her into the and extra courses. A teacher, Muriel know Helen Anderson, the future Central Park.' Freddie replied, 'Oh, Moore, selected me as her student, Mrs. Jesse Crawford. She was playing no you don't! If she has to stay on the and when she left to marry, I cried on a Barton in one of the Clark Street street, she stays here. If you want to the trolley car all the way home. theatres. put her elsewhere, I'll let her go.' I ''Then I studied with Alma Ander­ "Located on West Roosevelt was wound up with the 9-12 morning shift son. This was when Dr. Florenz Zieg­ the 707-seat Circle Theatre, the very at the 1535-seat Roosevelt on North field, Sr. was headmaster. He had a first decent house which Balaban & State, and took the elevated train to gift for detecting talent in a child. Be­ Katz owned. It showed movies, had a the 1943-seat Riviera on North Racine sides my Bachelor of Music degree, I Kimball organ, and featured many for the afternoon shift there. The won the Ziegfeld Diamond Medal song pluggers, including Sophie former house had a Kimball, the lat­ award at commencement exercises Tucker. I was still in McKinley High ter a Wurlitzer. This occurred in the which were held in June 1917 at the School when one Saturday, I went to early '20s; the Tivoli and Chicago had Auditorium Theatre. I played the sec­ the Circle. been built, but not the Uptown. ond and third movements of Men­ "Having patronized the house, I "I progressed very well. Later, I delssohn's G Minor Concerto, ac­ knew who the manager was, an Irish­ had the second shift at the Tivoli companied by 60 members of the Chi­ man, Freddie Cleveland, though I when Milton Charles had the main. cago Symphony Orchestra, conduct­ didn't know him personally. After an When Jesse Crawford left for New ed by Carl Reckzy. usher referred me to him, he kindly York in November 1926, they trans­ "I had gone through all facets of a listened to me. I told him I was study­ ferred Milton to the Chicago, to be musical education at CMC: ear-train­ ing the organ, had no place to prac­ succeeded by Albert Hay Mallotte at ing with Edward C. Moore; harmony tice, and would he allow one to come the Tivoli. I served as his assistant, with a Mrs. Harris; and wound up in and practice? and he was magnificent. What an or­ with study of music forms with Felix ''He looked at me woefully and re­ ganist! An absolute dream. Berof sky, who wrote the program plied, 'Girlie, I have a very fine organ­ "Amusingly, he had his eye on our notes for the Chicago Symphony. I ist here, the organ is taken care of the little chorus girls! They had started studied with Rudolph Reuter for two way it should be, and I wouldn't want with Publix in New York, went to De­ years, and got a medal from him, anything to happen to it.' I told him troit, then to Chicago, and the whole also. of my musical background, that I circuit. One day he said to me, 'Lis­ "I then entered the scholarship would certainly not do any harm to ten, can you play the movie until I get competition but learned that Dr. the instrument, but I had to learn to back? I'll be in for the solo.' I was al­ Ziegfeld was retiring, replaced by play a theatre organ. ready warned: 'Don't you dare play Carl D. Kinsey. Reuter and other top "Being a very kind and considerate for him. It isn't allowed.' So, I told teachers were also leaving. Kinsey had gentleman, evidently he took pity on him I couldn't do it. made us pay $10 to enter the 'free' me and said, 'Girlie, what do you do "But he was tremendous. When I competition, and when I found that on Saturday and Sunday afternoons found out about his putting the Reuter was gone, who would take between five and six-thirty?' When I Lord's Prayer to music, I just me? The people at the office said they replied, 'nothing,' he said, 'I'll pay couldn't believe it! It is such a gor­ did not refund scholarship money, you $1.50 each day to substitute for geous thing - so beautiful. And an­ but my $10 could be used for five les­ the regular organist when she goes to other one which he did, 'Song of the sons. dinner.' Open Road,' was also great. "I applied the fee to organ lessons "I didn't walk home; 'Girlie' flew "I remember we had two units under C. Gordon Wedretz, a very home! then. I worked with Benny Kreuger nice gentleman, who had a four-stop who had his band on stage, playing Kimball in his teaching studio. I don't "I went in and played everything: popular things. Milton Charles know what he taught me, but I loved overtures, mood music, selections, worked with Ulderico Marchelli (who it! It seemed so easy.