According to “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628, there was a two manual, seven-rank Smith theatre pipe organ installed at the Strand Theatre in San Francisco at some point. No date or further details are given.
Where is this organ (or its parts) today?
I do hope this theatre’s renovation turns out for the best, thanks!
I do hope this building is conserved so it doesn’t become more run-down, and that this theatre is eventually restored! That would be great!
According to “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628, the “Regal Theatre” (noted in the listing as “Opened as Pompeii Theatre”) had a two manual, six-rank Smith theatre pipe organ, installed in 1926.
Does anybody know what happened to this organ and where it (or its parts) are today? Are there still organ chambers in the theatre building?
According to “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628, the “Lincoln Theatre” in San Francisco had a two-manual Smith theatre pipe organ.
No other details, such as # of ranks, installation date, or blower serial # are given.
Does anybody know what happened to this organ? Thanks!
“The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628, lists the Monarche Theatre as having a two manual, 10 rank Smith theatre pipe organ. This entry does not give any more details such as the installation date, blower serial #, etc.
Does anybody know what happened to this organ and where it (or its parts) are today?
What a BEAUTIFUL theatre! Congratulations on re-opening and the ongoing restoration! I must pay this a visit when I’m in town.
“The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen lists a two manual, nine rank Smith organ as being installed in the California Theatre in Pittsburgh (sic!) California, in 1924. The blower serial number was/is 15874.
Judging from the comments on here, it appears that the Smith organ was replaced at some point by a three-manual, 10-rank Robert Morton organ which still exists and might be reinstalled in the theatre (IHope Ihope Ihope Ihope). I can hardly think of a better home for the organ, or a better organ for the theatre!
Robert-Morton organs generally get a lot more respect from theatre organ aficionados than Smith organs do, and they are high-quality instruments and deserve this respect.
Visiting organists should be satisfied with the Robert-Morton installation, if it is done well (and I hope it is done well, without ruining the instrument).
Anyway, I happen to personally really like Smith organs, and so am curious what became of the aforementioned earlier organ.
Was it a nine-rank or an 11-rank (as mentioned by wurl240 above)??? Where is it now? If broken up, where did the parts go, who has them?
“The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, page 628, lists a “Pasadena Theatre” in Pasadena, California, as having a three manual Smith theatre pipe organ.
No other details, such as # of ranks or installation date, are given.
I could not find a “Pasadena Theatre” listed on this site right now (April 2014) but the “Pasadena Photoplay Theatre” (listed on its own page) has a fairly close name. However, according to Lost Memory, this “Pasadena Photoplay Theatre” apparently had only about 350 seats, and most three-manual theatre organs had at least ten ranks.
The largest known Smith organs were both 4 manuals and 16 ranks, so that this organ in question was probably between 10 and 14 ranks, or so.
That is quite large for a little 350-seat theatre, since most theatres of this size either had a photoplayer (such as those made by American Photo Player Co, or Wurlitzer) or simply a person playing the piano, or, if an organ, nothing larger than about six or seven ranks (and thus, two manuals). Thus, I think it is unlikely that the “Pasadena Photoplay Theatre” is the same theatre mentioned in the book.
Does anybody know more about this instrument, or a larger “Pasadena Theatre?” in Pasadena?
Thanks!
NOTE: I think that the Washington Theatre is about the right size to have had such an organ, so is a possible candidate for the actual place of installation of this organ, and I’m putting this here for the time being until proven otherwise.
“The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, page 628, lists a “Pasadena Theatre” in Pasadena, California, as having a three manual Smith theatre pipe organ.
No other details, such as # of ranks or installation date, are given.
I could not find a “Pasadena Theatre” listed on this site right now (April 2014) but this has a fairly close name. However, according to Lost Memory, the “Pasadena Photoplay Theatre” (listed on its own page) apparently had only about 350 seats, and most three-manual theatre organs had at least ten ranks.
The largest known Smith organs were both 4 manuals and 16 ranks, so that this organ in question was probably between 10 and 14 ranks, or so.
This is quite large for a little 350-seat theatre, since most theatres of this size either had a photoplayer (such as those made by American Photo Player Co, or Wurlitzer) or simply a person playing the piano, or, if an organ, nothing larger than about six or seven ranks (and thus, two manuals). Thus, I think it is unlikely that the aforementioned house is the same theatre mentioned in the book.
Does anybody know more about this instrument, or a larger “Pasadena Theatre?” in Pasadena?
Thanks!
NOTE: I also think the Egyptian/Uptown opened at the right time, and was probably of the right size, to have had such an organ, so I’m also putting this here for the time being.
“The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, page 628, lists a “Pasadena Theatre” in Pasadena, California, as having a three manual Smith theatre pipe organ.
No other details, such as # of ranks or installation date, are given.
I could not find a “Pasadena Theatre” listed on this site right now (April 2014) but this has a fairly close name. However, according to Lost Memory, this “Pasadena Photoplay Theatre” apparently had only about 350 seats, and most three-manual theatre organs had at least ten ranks.
The largest known Smith organs were both 4 manuals and 16 ranks, so that this organ in question was probably between 10 and 14 ranks, or so.
This is quite large for a little 350-seat theatre, since most theatres of this size either had a photoplayer (such as those made by American Photo Player Co, or Wurlitzer) or simply a person playing the piano, or, if an organ, nothing larger than about six or seven ranks (and thus, two manuals). Thus, I think it is unlikely this is the same theatre mentioned in the book.
Does anybody know more about this instrument, or a larger “Pasadena Theatre?” in Pasadena?
Thanks!
I think the State might be a good candidate, time-wise and size-wise, for having had such an organ, so am placing this here also for the time being.
“The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, page 628, lists a “Pasadena Theatre” in Pasadena, California, as having a three manual Smith theatre pipe organ.
No other details, such as # of ranks or installation date, are given.
I could not find a “Pasadena Theatre” listed on this site right now (April 2014) but this has a fairly close name. However, according to Lost Memory, this “Pasadena Photoplay Theatre” apparently had only about 350 seats, and most three-manual theatre organs had at least ten ranks.
The largest known Smith organs were both 4 manuals and 16 ranks, so that this organ in question was probably between 10 and 14 ranks, or so.
This is quite large for a little 350-seat theatre, since most theatres of this size either had a photoplayer (such as those made by American Photo Player Co, or Wurlitzer) or simply a person playing the piano, or, if an organ, nothing larger than about six or seven ranks (and thus, two manuals). Thus, I think it is unlikely this is the same theatre mentioned in the book.
Does anybody know more about this instrument, or a larger “Pasadena Theatre?” in Pasadena? Thanks!
I hope they re-open this nice theatre at some point, but at least most of it is still there and in use in some fashion.
According to “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628, the Varsity Theatre in Palo Alto, California, had a two manual, 7 rank Leathurby-Smith theatre pipe organ installed at some point. The book does not give a date or any further details on the instrument, and does not even say whether it was installed in the “old” (pre-1927) Varsity Theatre (probably, in my opinion), or the “new” (post-1927) Varsity Theatre (less likely, in my opinion).
It is wonderful that this theatre is open, showing movies, and also has a theatre organ installed and playing, although I must agree with Mr. Jensen that 20 ranks is plenty large enough (especially for a Wurlitzer), and it doesn’t seem right to take another additional organ and add it to this one, although this sort of thing has happened countless times over the years.
Couldn’t the buyer of opus 274 have found a good home for it, the way it is/was?
Regardless, the “Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ”, pg. 628, notes that the Fox Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto, California, had a three manual, 10 rank Leathurby-Smith theatre pipe organ installed in 1925. The blower serial # for this organ is 16848, and the blower was 5 horsepower, putting out 10" of wind.
Does anybody know what happened to this organ and where it (or its parts) are today?
Mr. Bob Loesch, of Northern CA, noted on his website (no longer up) that he started out learning to play the theatre organ on a 3-manual 10-rank Smith organ, and provided a photo of the organ’s console on his website. Could this be the same instrument?
Smith appears to have built relatively few three-manual organs (at least seven of them, compared with dozens of two-manual organs), could this be the same one?
According to “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628,
an “unidentified theatre” in Oxnard had a two manual, three rank Smith theatre pipe organ installed at some point.
No date or other details are given in the book.
Looking through the pages for various Oxnard theatres in this website, it seems possible that the Aztec Theatre, or the Strand Theatre, could have been a home to this instrument at one point, since Smith installed most of their organs between about 1916 and 1926. Does anybody know more?
According to “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628,
an “unidentified theatre” in Oxnard had a two manual, three rank Smith theatre pipe organ installed at some point.
No date or other details are given in the book.
Looking through the pages for various Oxnard theatres in this website, it seems possible that the Aztec Theatre, or the Strand Theatre, could have been a home to this instrument at one point, since Smith installed most of their organs between about 1916 and 1926. Does anybody know more?
According to “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628, the Piedmont Theatre in Oakland had a Seeburg-Smith theatre pipe organ installed in 1920. The book does not give the # of manuals or # of ranks for this organ.
The organ’s blower serial # was 1181, and it was a 2 horsepower blower delivering 10" of air pressure.
The book also claims that the theatre opened as the “Kadie Hilber Theatre”. I’m not sure what to make of that!
According to pg. 628 of “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, the Orpheum (Twelfth St.) (Follies) (Twelfth St.) Theatre in Oakland (located at 568 12th Street as per the book) had a two-manual Smith theatre pipe organ installed at some point.
No date, nor additional details on the organ (like # of ranks) is given.
According to “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” pg. 628, the New Fruitvale Theatre in Oakland had a two-manual, seven-rank Smith theatre pipe organ installed in 1926.
According to the “Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628, the Golden State (Gateway) Theatre in Oakland had a two-manual, seven-rank Smith organ, with roll player, installed in 1926.
Does anybody know where it went, or if it’s still there in the church?
“The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ”, pg. 628, lists a Smith theatre pipe organ, two manuals, # of ranks not known, installed at the Broadway Theatre in Oakland.
No date is given, but I would guess it would probably post date the 1917 Wurlitzer opus 146, unless this was a very early Smith installation that was replaced within a year.
Given what has been said about the older Broadway Theatre (circa 1905-1930) being torn down, it is quite possible the organ went down with the theatre when razed in 1930.
However, if anyone knows any differently, please let me know!
According to the “Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” pg. 628, the Hippodrome (Fox) Theatre in Napa, California had a two manual, 11 rank Smith theatre pipe organ installed in 1923. No other details are given in the book.
According to the “Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ”, pg. 628, the State Theatre in Marysville, California, had a two-manual, seven rank Smith organ installed at some point.
I would guess this was probably before the Wurlitzer opus 1627 replaced it in 1927, but not sure, since the book gives no dates or further information.
Interestingly, “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen notes (on pg. 628) that a two-manual, 15-rank Smith theatre pipe organ was installed in a “Palace Th.” in Los Angeles. The book does not give any more details, or say when the organ was installed.
Smith apparently installed most of their organs between about 1916 and 1926.
Since there were two Palace Theatres in Los Angeles open during this time, and since I am not sure which “Palace Theatre” he meant, so I will put this on both theatres' pages for now.
In my personal opinion, however, the organ was probably installed in the larger of the two “Palace” theatres, since the largest two organs installed by Smith (of which the size is known) were both 16 ranks, and this one is listed as 15 ranks, meaning it would probably be for a fairly large house. Most of the firm’s other organs, of which the size of the organ is known, were under 10 ranks.
Interestingly, “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen notes (on pg. 628) that a two-manual, 15-rank Smith theatre pipe organ was installed in a “Palace Th.” in Los Angeles. The book does not give any more details, or say when the organ was installed.
Smith apparently installed most of their organs between about 1916 and 1926.
Since there were two Palace Theatres in Los Angeles open during this time, and since I am not sure which “Palace Theatre” he meant, so I will put this on both theatres' pages for now.
In my personal opinion, however, the organ was probably installed in the larger of the two “Palace” theatres, since the largest two organs installed by Smith (of which the size is known) were both 16 ranks, and this one is listed as 15 ranks, meaning it would probably be for a fairly large house. Most of the firm’s other organs, of which the size of the organ is known, were under 10 ranks.
Apparently, at some point before Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ opus 1057 was installed in 1927, this organ had a two-manual Smith theatre pipe organ, at least according to Junchen’s “Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ”, pg. 628. No further details are given, but I would assume Wurlitzer took the organ in on trade(?)
According to David L. Junchen’s “Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ”, pg. 628, The State Theatre in Long Beach had a two-manual, four rank Smith organ installed at some point. Mr. Junchen’s incomplete opus list for this firm offers no further details on the instrument, not even a date.
Does anybody know more about this organ, and where it is today?
According to Mr. David L. Junchen’s “Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ”, pg. 628, the Mission Theatre in Long Beach had a Smith theatre pipe organ installed at one time. Mr. Junchen’s Smith opus list gives no details as to exact nature of this organ, how many manuals, ranks, what the blower serial # was, or what year it was installed. Anybody know where it is now?
According to “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628, there was a two manual, seven-rank Smith theatre pipe organ installed at the Strand Theatre in San Francisco at some point. No date or further details are given.
Where is this organ (or its parts) today?
I do hope this theatre’s renovation turns out for the best, thanks!
I do hope this building is conserved so it doesn’t become more run-down, and that this theatre is eventually restored! That would be great!
According to “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628, the “Regal Theatre” (noted in the listing as “Opened as Pompeii Theatre”) had a two manual, six-rank Smith theatre pipe organ, installed in 1926.
Does anybody know what happened to this organ and where it (or its parts) are today? Are there still organ chambers in the theatre building?
Thanks!
According to “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628, the “Lincoln Theatre” in San Francisco had a two-manual Smith theatre pipe organ.
No other details, such as # of ranks, installation date, or blower serial # are given.
Does anybody know what happened to this organ? Thanks!
“The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628, lists the Monarche Theatre as having a two manual, 10 rank Smith theatre pipe organ. This entry does not give any more details such as the installation date, blower serial #, etc.
Does anybody know what happened to this organ and where it (or its parts) are today?
Thanks!
What a BEAUTIFUL theatre! Congratulations on re-opening and the ongoing restoration! I must pay this a visit when I’m in town.
“The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen lists a two manual, nine rank Smith organ as being installed in the California Theatre in Pittsburgh (sic!) California, in 1924. The blower serial number was/is 15874.
Judging from the comments on here, it appears that the Smith organ was replaced at some point by a three-manual, 10-rank Robert Morton organ which still exists and might be reinstalled in the theatre (IHope Ihope Ihope Ihope). I can hardly think of a better home for the organ, or a better organ for the theatre!
Robert-Morton organs generally get a lot more respect from theatre organ aficionados than Smith organs do, and they are high-quality instruments and deserve this respect.
Visiting organists should be satisfied with the Robert-Morton installation, if it is done well (and I hope it is done well, without ruining the instrument).
Anyway, I happen to personally really like Smith organs, and so am curious what became of the aforementioned earlier organ.
Was it a nine-rank or an 11-rank (as mentioned by wurl240 above)??? Where is it now? If broken up, where did the parts go, who has them?
Thanks a lot,
Andrew
“The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, page 628, lists a “Pasadena Theatre” in Pasadena, California, as having a three manual Smith theatre pipe organ.
No other details, such as # of ranks or installation date, are given.
I could not find a “Pasadena Theatre” listed on this site right now (April 2014) but the “Pasadena Photoplay Theatre” (listed on its own page) has a fairly close name. However, according to Lost Memory, this “Pasadena Photoplay Theatre” apparently had only about 350 seats, and most three-manual theatre organs had at least ten ranks.
The largest known Smith organs were both 4 manuals and 16 ranks, so that this organ in question was probably between 10 and 14 ranks, or so.
That is quite large for a little 350-seat theatre, since most theatres of this size either had a photoplayer (such as those made by American Photo Player Co, or Wurlitzer) or simply a person playing the piano, or, if an organ, nothing larger than about six or seven ranks (and thus, two manuals). Thus, I think it is unlikely that the “Pasadena Photoplay Theatre” is the same theatre mentioned in the book.
Does anybody know more about this instrument, or a larger “Pasadena Theatre?” in Pasadena?
Thanks!
NOTE: I think that the Washington Theatre is about the right size to have had such an organ, so is a possible candidate for the actual place of installation of this organ, and I’m putting this here for the time being until proven otherwise.
“The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, page 628, lists a “Pasadena Theatre” in Pasadena, California, as having a three manual Smith theatre pipe organ.
No other details, such as # of ranks or installation date, are given.
I could not find a “Pasadena Theatre” listed on this site right now (April 2014) but this has a fairly close name. However, according to Lost Memory, the “Pasadena Photoplay Theatre” (listed on its own page) apparently had only about 350 seats, and most three-manual theatre organs had at least ten ranks.
The largest known Smith organs were both 4 manuals and 16 ranks, so that this organ in question was probably between 10 and 14 ranks, or so.
This is quite large for a little 350-seat theatre, since most theatres of this size either had a photoplayer (such as those made by American Photo Player Co, or Wurlitzer) or simply a person playing the piano, or, if an organ, nothing larger than about six or seven ranks (and thus, two manuals). Thus, I think it is unlikely that the aforementioned house is the same theatre mentioned in the book.
Does anybody know more about this instrument, or a larger “Pasadena Theatre?” in Pasadena?
Thanks!
NOTE: I also think the Egyptian/Uptown opened at the right time, and was probably of the right size, to have had such an organ, so I’m also putting this here for the time being.
“The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, page 628, lists a “Pasadena Theatre” in Pasadena, California, as having a three manual Smith theatre pipe organ.
No other details, such as # of ranks or installation date, are given.
I could not find a “Pasadena Theatre” listed on this site right now (April 2014) but this has a fairly close name. However, according to Lost Memory, this “Pasadena Photoplay Theatre” apparently had only about 350 seats, and most three-manual theatre organs had at least ten ranks.
The largest known Smith organs were both 4 manuals and 16 ranks, so that this organ in question was probably between 10 and 14 ranks, or so.
This is quite large for a little 350-seat theatre, since most theatres of this size either had a photoplayer (such as those made by American Photo Player Co, or Wurlitzer) or simply a person playing the piano, or, if an organ, nothing larger than about six or seven ranks (and thus, two manuals). Thus, I think it is unlikely this is the same theatre mentioned in the book.
Does anybody know more about this instrument, or a larger “Pasadena Theatre?” in Pasadena?
Thanks!
I think the State might be a good candidate, time-wise and size-wise, for having had such an organ, so am placing this here also for the time being.
“The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, page 628, lists a “Pasadena Theatre” in Pasadena, California, as having a three manual Smith theatre pipe organ.
No other details, such as # of ranks or installation date, are given.
I could not find a “Pasadena Theatre” listed on this site right now (April 2014) but this has a fairly close name. However, according to Lost Memory, this “Pasadena Photoplay Theatre” apparently had only about 350 seats, and most three-manual theatre organs had at least ten ranks.
The largest known Smith organs were both 4 manuals and 16 ranks, so that this organ in question was probably between 10 and 14 ranks, or so.
This is quite large for a little 350-seat theatre, since most theatres of this size either had a photoplayer (such as those made by American Photo Player Co, or Wurlitzer) or simply a person playing the piano, or, if an organ, nothing larger than about six or seven ranks (and thus, two manuals). Thus, I think it is unlikely this is the same theatre mentioned in the book.
Does anybody know more about this instrument, or a larger “Pasadena Theatre?” in Pasadena?
Thanks!
I hope they re-open this nice theatre at some point, but at least most of it is still there and in use in some fashion.
According to “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628, the Varsity Theatre in Palo Alto, California, had a two manual, 7 rank Leathurby-Smith theatre pipe organ installed at some point. The book does not give a date or any further details on the instrument, and does not even say whether it was installed in the “old” (pre-1927) Varsity Theatre (probably, in my opinion), or the “new” (post-1927) Varsity Theatre (less likely, in my opinion).
Does anyone know what happened to this organ?
It is wonderful that this theatre is open, showing movies, and also has a theatre organ installed and playing, although I must agree with Mr. Jensen that 20 ranks is plenty large enough (especially for a Wurlitzer), and it doesn’t seem right to take another additional organ and add it to this one, although this sort of thing has happened countless times over the years.
Couldn’t the buyer of opus 274 have found a good home for it, the way it is/was?
Regardless, the “Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ”, pg. 628, notes that the Fox Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto, California, had a three manual, 10 rank Leathurby-Smith theatre pipe organ installed in 1925. The blower serial # for this organ is 16848, and the blower was 5 horsepower, putting out 10" of wind.
Does anybody know what happened to this organ and where it (or its parts) are today?
Mr. Bob Loesch, of Northern CA, noted on his website (no longer up) that he started out learning to play the theatre organ on a 3-manual 10-rank Smith organ, and provided a photo of the organ’s console on his website. Could this be the same instrument?
Smith appears to have built relatively few three-manual organs (at least seven of them, compared with dozens of two-manual organs), could this be the same one?
According to “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628,
an “unidentified theatre” in Oxnard had a two manual, three rank Smith theatre pipe organ installed at some point.
No date or other details are given in the book.
Looking through the pages for various Oxnard theatres in this website, it seems possible that the Aztec Theatre, or the Strand Theatre, could have been a home to this instrument at one point, since Smith installed most of their organs between about 1916 and 1926. Does anybody know more?
According to “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628,
an “unidentified theatre” in Oxnard had a two manual, three rank Smith theatre pipe organ installed at some point.
No date or other details are given in the book.
Looking through the pages for various Oxnard theatres in this website, it seems possible that the Aztec Theatre, or the Strand Theatre, could have been a home to this instrument at one point, since Smith installed most of their organs between about 1916 and 1926. Does anybody know more?
According to “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628, the Piedmont Theatre in Oakland had a Seeburg-Smith theatre pipe organ installed in 1920. The book does not give the # of manuals or # of ranks for this organ.
The organ’s blower serial # was 1181, and it was a 2 horsepower blower delivering 10" of air pressure.
The book also claims that the theatre opened as the “Kadie Hilber Theatre”. I’m not sure what to make of that!
Does anybody know what happened to this organ?
According to pg. 628 of “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, the Orpheum (Twelfth St.) (Follies) (Twelfth St.) Theatre in Oakland (located at 568 12th Street as per the book) had a two-manual Smith theatre pipe organ installed at some point.
No date, nor additional details on the organ (like # of ranks) is given.
Does anybody know what happened to this organ?
According to “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” pg. 628, the New Fruitvale Theatre in Oakland had a two-manual, seven-rank Smith theatre pipe organ installed in 1926.
Does anyone know what happened to it?
According to the “Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 628, the Golden State (Gateway) Theatre in Oakland had a two-manual, seven-rank Smith organ, with roll player, installed in 1926.
Does anybody know where it went, or if it’s still there in the church?
Thanks!
“The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ”, pg. 628, lists a Smith theatre pipe organ, two manuals, # of ranks not known, installed at the Broadway Theatre in Oakland.
No date is given, but I would guess it would probably post date the 1917 Wurlitzer opus 146, unless this was a very early Smith installation that was replaced within a year.
Given what has been said about the older Broadway Theatre (circa 1905-1930) being torn down, it is quite possible the organ went down with the theatre when razed in 1930.
However, if anyone knows any differently, please let me know!
According to the “Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” pg. 628, the Hippodrome (Fox) Theatre in Napa, California had a two manual, 11 rank Smith theatre pipe organ installed in 1923. No other details are given in the book.
Does anybody know what happened to this organ?
According to the “Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ”, pg. 628, the State Theatre in Marysville, California, had a two-manual, seven rank Smith organ installed at some point.
I would guess this was probably before the Wurlitzer opus 1627 replaced it in 1927, but not sure, since the book gives no dates or further information.
Interestingly, “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen notes (on pg. 628) that a two-manual, 15-rank Smith theatre pipe organ was installed in a “Palace Th.” in Los Angeles. The book does not give any more details, or say when the organ was installed.
Smith apparently installed most of their organs between about 1916 and 1926.
Since there were two Palace Theatres in Los Angeles open during this time, and since I am not sure which “Palace Theatre” he meant, so I will put this on both theatres' pages for now.
In my personal opinion, however, the organ was probably installed in the larger of the two “Palace” theatres, since the largest two organs installed by Smith (of which the size is known) were both 16 ranks, and this one is listed as 15 ranks, meaning it would probably be for a fairly large house. Most of the firm’s other organs, of which the size of the organ is known, were under 10 ranks.
Interestingly, “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ” by David L. Junchen notes (on pg. 628) that a two-manual, 15-rank Smith theatre pipe organ was installed in a “Palace Th.” in Los Angeles. The book does not give any more details, or say when the organ was installed.
Smith apparently installed most of their organs between about 1916 and 1926.
Since there were two Palace Theatres in Los Angeles open during this time, and since I am not sure which “Palace Theatre” he meant, so I will put this on both theatres' pages for now.
In my personal opinion, however, the organ was probably installed in the larger of the two “Palace” theatres, since the largest two organs installed by Smith (of which the size is known) were both 16 ranks, and this one is listed as 15 ranks, meaning it would probably be for a fairly large house. Most of the firm’s other organs, of which the size of the organ is known, were under 10 ranks.
Apparently, at some point before Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ opus 1057 was installed in 1927, this organ had a two-manual Smith theatre pipe organ, at least according to Junchen’s “Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ”, pg. 628. No further details are given, but I would assume Wurlitzer took the organ in on trade(?)
According to David L. Junchen’s “Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ”, pg. 628, The State Theatre in Long Beach had a two-manual, four rank Smith organ installed at some point. Mr. Junchen’s incomplete opus list for this firm offers no further details on the instrument, not even a date.
Does anybody know more about this organ, and where it is today?
According to Mr. David L. Junchen’s “Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ”, pg. 628, the Mission Theatre in Long Beach had a Smith theatre pipe organ installed at one time. Mr. Junchen’s Smith opus list gives no details as to exact nature of this organ, how many manuals, ranks, what the blower serial # was, or what year it was installed. Anybody know where it is now?