Major Theatre

Bway on October 7, 2014 at 3:55 pm

The Major Theatre isn’t as intact anymore as the original opening comments are since I wrote the intro back in 2004. The junk flea market type store in the theater had closed in the late 2000’s, and a Verizon Wireless store had opened in the lobby part of the space. Of course all the old mirrors, ceiling, etc that is described in the original intro are now either removed or covered over. The marquee is still out front, and Verizon uses it for it’s store sign.

AndrewBarrett on October 5, 2014 at 1:13 am

Dear Bway and CinemaTreasures readers, indeed this theatre had, or perhaps still has, a theatre pipe organ: Wurlitzer model B (2 manuals, 4 ranks) Opus 1786, was shipped to this theatre on November 17, 1927.

The online, searchable Wurlitzer Opus List compiled by Judd Walton and maintained by Peter Beames claims that the organ is still in the theatre, but the status is “NG” (not good), meaning that it may be missing parts, and/or water-damaged, and/or vandalized, and/or needs major restoration work to play again. (READ: probably not hopeless, but a lot of extra work for the restorer(s).)

However, no date or source is given for this information, so the organ might not still be there as of right now (Oct 2014). I’d love to be able to get in the theatre (with the owners' permission) and check it out if/when I’m in New York!

http://theatreorgans.com/au/opus/OP17/OP1786A.htm

I’m not sure, but relatively few Wurlitzer B’s seem to be left in their original homes, although this WAS Wurlitzer’s most popular curved-console theatre pipe organ model (with 225 built).

Because of the tibia-centric (though great) styles of organ playing that developed with Jesse Crawford, George Wright, and others, a lot of theatre organ snobs (excuse me, enthusiasts) don’t like theatre organs that don’t have tibia clausa pipes; and the standard model B (of which this, apparently, was one?) did not come with a tibia.

However, Wurlitzer also was willing to customize their standard models, and quite a lot of the 225 B’s produced were actually “B Specials”, which could mean a variety of things.

“Special” (seen in the opus list together with a standard model number or letter) could refer to a customized model, or (seen in the opus list without any kind of standard model number of letter) a completely new custom organ specification that was non-standard).

In the case of the model B, “Special” often meant that the tibia was added as a fifth rank, making the organs 2/5s.

Again, the organ in the Major theatre is NOT listed as a “B SP” in the Opus List, but I think it could still be a nice sounding instrument, provided that the original installation was done in a satisfactory manner with good acoustics, and provided that the organists simply play in styles that don’t require the use of the tibia.

Does anybody have any recent photos inside this building?

Bway on April 16, 2009 at 5:54 pm

Here’s a google street view of the Major Theater. It’s marquee still up:

View link

Al Alvarez on March 22, 2008 at 11:35 pm

Operating as Cinema Giglio in 1963.

Bway on June 5, 2006 at 2:27 pm

Does anyone know around when they stopped showing movies in this little theater?

Bway on June 21, 2004 at 3:41 pm

Does anyone know when the Major theater, and later the Canal Cinema closed to movies? I’m assuming it was probably the late 80’s or 90’s? The way the interior looks, it couldn’t have been “that” long ago, as the mirrors are even still on the walls in the former lobby area.