In David Bowers “Encyclopedia of Automated Musical Instruments” p. 551 mentions the installation of a Reproduco organ (probably a photoplayer) at the Dixie Theatre, Paris Tennessee. There is no date on that reference, but certainly before 1930.
There is reference to the Princess having a Kimball organ. In David Bowers “Encyclopedia of Automated Musical Instruments” p. 551 is a reference to the installation of a Reproduco organ (probably a photoplayer) at the Princess. There is no date: maybe it preceded the Kimball.
I too found the reference in David Bowers “Encyclopedia of Automated Musical Instruments” p. 551 to the installation of a Reproduco organ at the Princess. There is no date on the list, but the implication is a date earlier than 1930.
David Bowers' book “Encyclopedia of Automated Musical Instruments,” page 551 has a list of installations of Reproduco pipe organs. That list mentions the Howard Theatre, Lebanon, Tennessee. Never heard of the Howard myself. Any thoughts? Wonder if it was a short lived name for this hall?
The organ was a Wurlitzer, style 190 Special, III/8 (sic!) opus 1395, shipped from the Wurlitzer factory in July 1926. It’s something of an oddity: Wurlitzer only built 4 to this design. Does anyone know if it, or any part, still exists?
Wurlitzer’s records show that they shipped a 2-manual, 8 rank pipe organ, Style F, opus 1390 to the Bushwick Theatre in Brooklyn in the summer of 1926. This implies that the Bushwick had started showing movies by that date.
The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company shipped a small pipe organ, their opus 1376, style B, II/4+percussions, to “Rivington Theatre, NY” in the summer of 1926. Since the Ruby is a small theatre, on Rivington Street, and the only theatre of 3 on the street listed on Cinema Treasures as opening in 1926, seems likely that that organ was installed in this theatre. It’s a just a guess though.
Just cross referencing some information, I find a listing that the Washington Theatre, New York (it doesn’t say Brooklyn) got a pipe organ from the Beman Organ Company in 1915. Beman was a very minor organ builder with just a handful of instruments listed around New York and Pennsylvania. The date, name and modest scale certainly seem right for this hall.
As The Grand Theatre, the hall had a small Wurlitzer pipe organ installed in 1926. Wurlitzer’s opus 1374 was a style B special with 2 manuals and 5 ranks of pipes. The top of the console is visible in the photo link posted by Lost Memory.
The Avenue B had a large organ built by M. P. Moller, their opus 1947 with four manuals and 31 ranks. It is interesting that the organ records state “contained many used parts, $5,700.” You gotta laugh, Marcus Loew builds a spectacular new theatre on the site of his childhood home, but let’s see if we can’t save a few dollars on that organ, okay?
I also find reference that Wurlitzer sold a little 2-manual, 3-rank organ to “Avenue B Theatre, New York, NY” in 1926 (opus 1372). Was there another hall with the same name? Maybe this was a lobby organ? Another mystery!
The Athens Theatre briefly had a tiny Wurlitzer pipe organ. Wurlitzer’s records show a Style 105 Special, opus 1371, 2 manuals, 3 ranks, with a curved console was installed in June 1926, but the organ was moved to a theatre in Maryland in September 1927. The theatre’s website says the hall was equipped for sound pictures in 1929 so the short life of the organ there is something of a mystery.
In June 1926, the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company shipped their opus 1356, a Style 109 pipe organ of 2 manuals and 3 ranks plus a piano to the Midland Theatre, Pittsburg Kansas. This is a very small instrument, implying that the Midland was not a big hall.
In June 1926 the Rudolph Wurlitzer company shipped a pipe organ to the Alhambra in San Francisco. It was Wurlitzer’s opus 1364, a style “D,” 2 manuals, 6 ranks in a single chamber: an unusually small organ for a theatre of this size and quality. It was removed around 1960 and supposedly still exists in a private residence.
Wurlitzer records indicate a small organ, II/4, Style BX, their opus 1362 was shipped to the “Rothwell” Theatre in Willow Grove PA on June 12, 1926. That sounds suspiciously like the Grove being referred to by the company name: Rothwell. Or did the Rothwells open a 2nd theatre in Willow Grove? The organ apparently survives in a private residence in Glenside PA.
The Arcada’s pipe organ was built by Marr & Colton, originally 3 manuals and 10 ranks of pipes. Its original console supposedly adorned with flamingos. Early in the organ’s life it was rebuilt and expanded to 16 ranks by the Geneva organ company. The existing Art Deco style console dates from that time. Marr & Colton and Geneva were companies that specialized in building pipe organs for theatres but they are not remembered as being the top tier in that category (as for example, Wurlitzer, Kimball, Robert Morton). In short, a Marr & Colton was a lot cheaper than a Wurlitzer. It’s interesting that the owners of the Aracada, obviously building to high standards, choose an organ which was a definite nod to “economy.”
Advertisement in the Knoxville Journal Tribune July 17, 1914.
5¢ REX THEATRE 5¢ TODAY “Lucile Love, the Girl of Mystery” In 2 Parts —– Featuring Francis Ford and Grace Cunard.
Reliance —– 2 parts
“Blue Pete’s Escape”
A Forceful Drama with a Moral.
Keystone Comedy “Love and Salt Water” The Worlds Oldest living Things One of the Funniest Keystone Comedies Yet Produced.
THE NEW “PHOTOPLAYER”
Arthur H. Graves, Expert Demonstrator in Charge.
This most modern of musical instruments must be heard to be understood. It is not the mechanical music box you have heard at other places, but produces music thoroughly in harmony with the play at all times, sad, sentimental, tragic, patriotic or popular airs.
Really nicely produced 8 minute video about the organ, but with several good images of the auditorium’s interior. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbOEkXnNnB8
Notice on the photo above, the feature film is “Stool Pigeon.” According to imdb.com that feature was released October 25, 1928: we can assume this photo was taken sometime around shortly after that date. Stool Pigeon was a silent. Wonder what sort of accompaniment was provided. I have not found a record of an organ installed here.
According to the website http://barton.theatreorgans.com/ the Capitol opened with a 3 manual, 38 rank Hillgreen – Lane pipe organ. It seems very odd that a theatre of this quality should have had an organ from a distinctly second (if not third) tier organ builder. If the website is correct and the original cost was only $8000, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the chandeliers in the theatre didn’t cost more than the organ.
According to David Junchen’s book The Wurlitzer Pipe Organ, an Illustrated History p. 675, Wurlitzer shipped their organ opus 1684 – 2 manuals 4 ranks – to the Parmele Theatre in Plattsmouth, Nebraska in July 1927. Junchen notes that the theatre subsequently was renamed the Cass Theatre. Wurlitzer removed the organ in 1932 and sold it to a hospital in Cincinnati Ohio. It is easy to imagine that the Parmele became the Cass at about that time.
In David Bowers “Encyclopedia of Automated Musical Instruments” p. 551 mentions the installation of a Reproduco organ (probably a photoplayer) at the Dixie Theatre, Paris Tennessee. There is no date on that reference, but certainly before 1930.
There is reference to the Princess having a Kimball organ. In David Bowers “Encyclopedia of Automated Musical Instruments” p. 551 is a reference to the installation of a Reproduco organ (probably a photoplayer) at the Princess. There is no date: maybe it preceded the Kimball.
I too found the reference in David Bowers “Encyclopedia of Automated Musical Instruments” p. 551 to the installation of a Reproduco organ at the Princess. There is no date on the list, but the implication is a date earlier than 1930.
David Bowers' book “Encyclopedia of Automated Musical Instruments,” page 551 has a list of installations of Reproduco pipe organs. That list mentions the Howard Theatre, Lebanon, Tennessee. Never heard of the Howard myself. Any thoughts? Wonder if it was a short lived name for this hall?
The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company shipped a small pipe organ, their opus 1409, a style B, II/4, to the Harris Theatre on August 8, 1926.
The Wurlitzer company shipped an organ, Style H-Special, opus 1403, to the Uptown Theatre, NY in July 1926.
The organ was a Wurlitzer, style 190 Special, III/8 (sic!) opus 1395, shipped from the Wurlitzer factory in July 1926. It’s something of an oddity: Wurlitzer only built 4 to this design. Does anyone know if it, or any part, still exists?
An article about the Regent. http://media.democratandchronicle.com/retrofitting-rochester/regent-theatre
Wurlitzer’s records show that they shipped a 2-manual, 8 rank pipe organ, Style F, opus 1390 to the Bushwick Theatre in Brooklyn in the summer of 1926. This implies that the Bushwick had started showing movies by that date.
Several photos available here: http://www.pstos.org/instruments/wa/seattle/5th-ave.htm
A small Wurlitzer pipe organ opus 1383, a Style B, was installed here in the summer of 1926.
The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company shipped a small pipe organ, their opus 1376, style B, II/4+percussions, to “Rivington Theatre, NY” in the summer of 1926. Since the Ruby is a small theatre, on Rivington Street, and the only theatre of 3 on the street listed on Cinema Treasures as opening in 1926, seems likely that that organ was installed in this theatre. It’s a just a guess though.
Just cross referencing some information, I find a listing that the Washington Theatre, New York (it doesn’t say Brooklyn) got a pipe organ from the Beman Organ Company in 1915. Beman was a very minor organ builder with just a handful of instruments listed around New York and Pennsylvania. The date, name and modest scale certainly seem right for this hall.
As The Grand Theatre, the hall had a small Wurlitzer pipe organ installed in 1926. Wurlitzer’s opus 1374 was a style B special with 2 manuals and 5 ranks of pipes. The top of the console is visible in the photo link posted by Lost Memory.
The Avenue B had a large organ built by M. P. Moller, their opus 1947 with four manuals and 31 ranks. It is interesting that the organ records state “contained many used parts, $5,700.” You gotta laugh, Marcus Loew builds a spectacular new theatre on the site of his childhood home, but let’s see if we can’t save a few dollars on that organ, okay?
I also find reference that Wurlitzer sold a little 2-manual, 3-rank organ to “Avenue B Theatre, New York, NY” in 1926 (opus 1372). Was there another hall with the same name? Maybe this was a lobby organ? Another mystery!
The Athens Theatre briefly had a tiny Wurlitzer pipe organ. Wurlitzer’s records show a Style 105 Special, opus 1371, 2 manuals, 3 ranks, with a curved console was installed in June 1926, but the organ was moved to a theatre in Maryland in September 1927. The theatre’s website says the hall was equipped for sound pictures in 1929 so the short life of the organ there is something of a mystery.
In June 1926, the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company shipped their opus 1356, a Style 109 pipe organ of 2 manuals and 3 ranks plus a piano to the Midland Theatre, Pittsburg Kansas. This is a very small instrument, implying that the Midland was not a big hall.
In June 1926 the Rudolph Wurlitzer company shipped a pipe organ to the Alhambra in San Francisco. It was Wurlitzer’s opus 1364, a style “D,” 2 manuals, 6 ranks in a single chamber: an unusually small organ for a theatre of this size and quality. It was removed around 1960 and supposedly still exists in a private residence.
Wurlitzer records indicate a small organ, II/4, Style BX, their opus 1362 was shipped to the “Rothwell” Theatre in Willow Grove PA on June 12, 1926. That sounds suspiciously like the Grove being referred to by the company name: Rothwell. Or did the Rothwells open a 2nd theatre in Willow Grove? The organ apparently survives in a private residence in Glenside PA.
The Arcada’s pipe organ was built by Marr & Colton, originally 3 manuals and 10 ranks of pipes. Its original console supposedly adorned with flamingos. Early in the organ’s life it was rebuilt and expanded to 16 ranks by the Geneva organ company. The existing Art Deco style console dates from that time. Marr & Colton and Geneva were companies that specialized in building pipe organs for theatres but they are not remembered as being the top tier in that category (as for example, Wurlitzer, Kimball, Robert Morton). In short, a Marr & Colton was a lot cheaper than a Wurlitzer. It’s interesting that the owners of the Aracada, obviously building to high standards, choose an organ which was a definite nod to “economy.”
Advertisement in the Knoxville Journal Tribune July 17, 1914.
5¢ REX THEATRE 5¢
TODAY
“Lucile Love, the Girl of Mystery”
In 2 Parts —– Featuring Francis Ford and Grace Cunard.
Reliance —– 2 parts
“Blue Pete’s Escape” A Forceful Drama with a Moral.
Keystone Comedy
“Love and Salt Water”
The Worlds Oldest living Things
One of the Funniest Keystone Comedies Yet Produced.
THE NEW “PHOTOPLAYER” Arthur H. Graves, Expert Demonstrator in Charge. This most modern of musical instruments must be heard to be understood. It is not the mechanical music box you have heard at other places, but produces music thoroughly in harmony with the play at all times, sad, sentimental, tragic, patriotic or popular airs.
Really nicely produced 8 minute video about the organ, but with several good images of the auditorium’s interior. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbOEkXnNnB8
Notice on the photo above, the feature film is “Stool Pigeon.” According to imdb.com that feature was released October 25, 1928: we can assume this photo was taken sometime around shortly after that date. Stool Pigeon was a silent. Wonder what sort of accompaniment was provided. I have not found a record of an organ installed here.
According to the website http://barton.theatreorgans.com/ the Capitol opened with a 3 manual, 38 rank Hillgreen – Lane pipe organ. It seems very odd that a theatre of this quality should have had an organ from a distinctly second (if not third) tier organ builder. If the website is correct and the original cost was only $8000, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the chandeliers in the theatre didn’t cost more than the organ.
According to David Junchen’s book The Wurlitzer Pipe Organ, an Illustrated History p. 675, Wurlitzer shipped their organ opus 1684 – 2 manuals 4 ranks – to the Parmele Theatre in Plattsmouth, Nebraska in July 1927. Junchen notes that the theatre subsequently was renamed the Cass Theatre. Wurlitzer removed the organ in 1932 and sold it to a hospital in Cincinnati Ohio. It is easy to imagine that the Parmele became the Cass at about that time.