Shenendoah, IA

ARMED FORCES RADIO SERVICE

Organist Bob Mitchell playing for a program on the Armed Forces Radio Service

WAIU
Estey 18 rank-2 Manual

WAPI
Birmingham, AL
Kimball 3/8

The organist at WAPI was none other than Stanleigh Malotte, better known for his work at the Alabama Theatre in Birmingham. The only known recording of Malotte that exists today is an eleven minute demonstration called "A Walk Through The Organ." The tape was released to the public in 1990 as a fundraiser, however, Malotte's first name was mis-spelled as "Stanley." Malotte's bio from Wikipedia appears below and you can hear the recording by clicking here.

Charles Stanleigh Malotte (born September 5, 1901 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – died February 1973 in New York, New York) was the house organist for Alabama Theatre from 1936 to 1955.

Stanleigh Malotte came from a musical family; his father, mother, and brother were also musicians. He began violin lessons at six and began taking organ lessons from his church choirmaster at 12.

Malotte first became a theatre organist for Sid Grauman on the west coast, but later got a job with the Paramount/Publix chain and wound up working for Francis Falkenburg at the Olympia Theatre in Miami, Florida. Malotte was in Miami for approximately ten years, doing some work on radio as well as later working as organist at the Capitol Theatre. Falkenburg brought in Malotte from Florida shortly after Falkenburg transferred to the Alabama Theatre. Malotte's first performance at the Alabama was on May 27, 1937.

During his time at the Alabama, Malotte was well known for rewriting the lyrics of popular songs of the time with lyrics pertaining to current events, from the local to national levels. He also often selected music to be performed based on the movie being shown. He was also known to drink quite a bit, although some maintain this actually made him a better entertainer. Malotte also played the organ for WAPI-AM from their studios in the Protective Life Building.

In August 1947 Malotte left his organist job to become a morning disc jockey at radio station WWSW in Pittsburgh. On September 19, The Birmingham News published on its front page a lengthy letter by Malotte that was highly critical of Pittsburgh and its residents, calling them "dim-witted citizens—a race of robots—human refuse . . . with a complete absence of social consciousness . . . ." He was fired from his job by program director Fred Joyner the day the letter was published, although Joyner cited Malotte's failure to come to work twice that week as the cause. A few days later, the Alabama announced Malotte would be returning to its organ console on October 2.

After leaving the Alabama Theatre in 1955, Malotte was associated with the Hammond Organ Company. He also wrote material for television and commercials. Malotte later returned to his birthplace of Philadelphia. He died of a heart attack in New York City.

BBC
London
(information provided by Ian McIver)
BBC Theatre Organ II was Foort's 5c/27 travelling Moller organ that was loaned by him during the war and installed first in Llandudno and later in Bangor (both in north Wales) before being purchased by the BBC after the war and installed in the Jubilee Chapel, Hoxton, London until its sale to the Netherlands in 1963.  It is now in Pasadena after a spell in a pizza restaurant.  

Crystalate Studios, Marylebone Rd, London, 1932,  - Wur 2/5 Op 1354 (a second-hand enlarged Style B - Tibia up to 2ft added - from USA) - that within about a year moved to Filmophone Strudios, Broadhurst Gardens, West Hampstead, which in 1937 became Decca Studios,  –  used not only for recording but for many broadcasts by BBC (prior to installation of the BBC Theatre organ in 1936) and European commercial broadcasting stations

BBC Theatre Organ III was a 3/13 Wurlitzer from the Empress Ballroom, Manchester, which was installed in the late 60s in Playhouse, Hume, Manchester, where it remained for a decade or so before being sold and incorporated in the current instrument at the Assembly Hall, Worthing.

BBC organist Reginald Foort at Langham Place St. George's Hall.
_______________________

One organist who eventually ended up in England after WW-II was Stanley Willie. He originally played at Radio NWDR in Hamburg, but was later appointed organist to the British Forces Network (British equivalent to our U.S. Armed Forces Radio Service) in 1946. Here is a photo of Willie at the NWDR organ. (Thanks to Gordon Crook for the NWDR photos)

Stanley Willie, a former BBC organist, later played for NWDR in Hamburg. Here he is shown at the NWDR Console.

WBBM
Chicago, Il.
Wurlitzer Opus 1563 3 Manual Special
Also had 1929 Barton 3 manual with blower # 22890 and a 2 Manual Barton with blower # 18653

WBBM staff organist Milton Charles

The two manual Barton with Al Melgard at the console.

WBEN

Buffalo, New York

Organ was Aeolian-Skinner Opus 917 (1934). It had 2 manuals  and 10 rks.

To see an article on the installation of the organ, click HERE. This is in the form of a JPG, so be sure to Zoom to be able to read. Info courtesy of Jim Lewis,

WBBR
Brooklyn, NY
Organ was Gottfried formerly from WHK in Cleveland (see notes below)

Edith White was the staff organist.

The following information was provided by Frank Muller

- WBBR was erected by the Watchtower Society (then International Bible Students) and began to broadcast in 1924
- The studio was first in Staten Island at the radio station.
- 1929 the studios moved to 122-126 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn. They were situated in a rear building near Furman Street.
- 1931 they installed there the Gottfried Organ formerly at WHK, Cleveland, OH
- With the erection of the motorway along Furman Street the Watchtower Society had to sell a stripe of 15 metres of their property with the consequence that the studio had to be knocked down. Therefore between 1948 and 1950 the WBBR studio moved back to Staten Island. It is unknown what happened to the organ.
- In 1950 they dedicated a new broadcast studio at 136 Columbia Heights which also served as a kingdom hall. The new studio was equipped with a larger concert organ with 1200 pipes. It was in fact the III-manual 15 ranks Austin op. 1788 which had replaced the old Gottfried organ at WHK, Cleveland, Ohio in 1931.
- In 1957 the Witnesses sold WBBR. The organ remained in the hall until 1960, when it was sold to St. Augustine Presbyterian Church in the Bronx, where it was situated at least until 2009, though unplayable.
 
For more info, see Watchtower magazine, 15th August 1950. There is also a 1954 PR film released by the Watchtower Society about their work which briefly shows the studio with the organist playing at the console and the grills of the pipe chamber behind the speaker at another occasion. 

WBRE
Wilkes Barre, PA

This 100 watt station in Wilkes Barr, PA had a studio organ. Info was provided by Jim Lewis.

WCAU
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Wurlitzer Opus 1544 2/4 Style B Special

WCBS
New York, N.Y.
Kimball - Lew White's organ

Fred Feibel at the WCBS Kimball organ.

WCMB
Lemoine, PA

Although organist Carl Henke is shown here at a Hammond, a brochure that was produced by the station, shows a pipe organ having been located there in one of the historic photos from the station's history. It is not known whether this organ was a former instrument at the station, although we suspect that the photo of Henke at the Hammond was a photo current at the time of the anniversary brochure's production, and therefore he was shown at the station's organ at that time.

WDAY
Fargo, ND
(contributed by Dave Knudtson)

3 Rank Barton that was played by Hildegarde Usselman Krauss who also played in theatres well into her 90's. The Barton  was later moved to a roller rink.  The station continued to utilize live organ music into the 80's first with a Hammond and later with a Conn.

KDKA 
Pittsburgh, PA. (The following items were contributed by Dr. Barry Henry)
Wurlitzer Opus 2231, a 3 manual Special.

Bernie Armstrong, staff organist, with the KDKA Wurlitzer

KDKA music staff gathered at the KDKA console.

WENR
Chicago, IL
Contributed by Doug Powers
Wurlitzer Opus 1659 3 Manual 10 Rank Special (Installed 1927)

WENR Chicago (known affectionately as "Weiner Radio" was a 50 kw station that shared time with WLS until 1954 when the station disappeared and WLS took the frequency full time.  WLS boradcasted in the daytime hours and WENR at night. The two stations shared the same transmitter site, and only the program lines were changed at the appropriate times of day.  WLS and WENR were the NBC Red and Blue affiliates in Chicago. (Information and photo below courtesy of Dave Burns). See the WLS listing on this site for more information

Console is owned by Doug Powers. It was said to have been played by Jesse and Helen Crawford regularly. This was a special console which was fully loaded with 72 tabs on each of two stop rails. The console has undergone modifications by Chuck Blair and finally Ken Crome. Some of the pipework was reportedly in the possession of Ron Rhode. The present console owner, Doug Powers, has converted it to operate a Walker Digital organ.

And here is another one of Irma Glen's publicity shots...

Photo courtesy of Gordon Crook

An advertising brochure from the WENR radio organ era.

Organist Milton Charles made several recordings on the WENR Wurlitzer. To hear Milton playing and singing "There's A Rainbow On My Shoulder" from his December, 1928 Columbia Records release, please click here.

KFBK
Sacramento, CA.
2 manual Robert Morton

KFBK installed the 2 manual Robert Morton organ from the Sacramento Capital Theater into their studios in 1936. Click the image below to see a newspaper write-up of the planned dedication concert and organ info. Thanks to Jim Lewis for providing this info.

KFI
Los Angeles, CA
Maas 2/4 organ

The following information was submitted by Mr. Jack Bethards:

KFI, Los Angeles. KFI was the NBC Red affiliate owned by Earl C. Anthony, California Packard dealer, who also owned KECA, the NBC Blue affiliate. KFI had a Maas organ of two-manuals and 4-ranks. I saw that organ in the Vermont Street building and remember that the console was painted in the same institutional green color as the wainscoting of the studio! The building has been destroyed and I have no idea where the organ went. It is possible that KFI may have had an organ before this time in some earlier studio location, but I have never heard about it. I don't think that the Maas organ was installed early enough to have ever been used
on NBC network broadcasts. By that time, NBC had their own very large facility.

Mr. Jim Lewis has kindly provided the following photo and update on the KFI Maas-Rowe pipe organ:

CLICK HERE TO SEE A PDF ARTICLE ON THIS ORGAN

WFIL
Philadelphia, PA
Kilgen Opus 5931, a 4 Manual 14 Rank organ installed in 1937. This appears to be an original installation and not a transplant from a theatre.

Information from Steve Frank stevenfrank@MAC.COM

When I lived in Albany from mid 60s-72 that was my main practice organ! I'll send you a private email with a picture. It was WFIL, Philadelphia, 1937 according to the current owner, Al Adair. He and I were both students of Jim Barnett, whose organ it was. He also acquired a number of Skinners and peppered the city with collections of pipework and various consoles (including the 1928 Grace Church, NYC Skinner)

When Covenant finally built their 'new' church building, the old building became Fellowship Hall. Jim removed the Kilgen and put it in a building downtown. It got vandalized for the copper wire! He died a number of years ago, and left it to Al.

In June, 2008, Al wrote me, "He never got it going, and it sat for years deteriorating.  The console is only a shell now; in fact I had to take it apart in order to get it out of the room.  The original entrance had been bricked up, so that I had to take it out in pieces through a small door.  The relays, wiring, etc. were a hopeless mess. I was planning to sell it this summer.  Of course, after all this effort to save it, I'd like to keep it intact.  Maybe there's someone out there who will take it on.  If there's no interest, maybe I'll piece it out.  It's in storage in Cincinnati."

Haven't been in touch in a while.

Interesting note, was the exposed Positiv division with some copper pipes that Jim had added. Made it authentic for my Bach

Steve

PHOTO BELOW: Steve at the WFIL organ once it had been moved to Albany, GA.

On Jul 28, 2011, at 12:06 AM, Terry Charles <hitidesin@YAHOO.COM> wrote:

When I was attending a Georgia college, I became involved with the Kilgen Organ from the radio station in Louisville, KY.  It was installed in Covenant Presbyterian Church in Albany, Georgia. I was permitted unlimited use of it, tuned it a couple of times and POOF -  graduated from college and never saw it again.

KFNF
Shenandoah, Iowa

CONSOLE OF THE KFNF STUDIO ORGAN

KFOX
Long Beach, CA.
(Information provided by Jim Spohn)

History/Disposition:
On December 28,1928, a 3/7 Robert Morton organ, Opus 2471 left the factory to be installed in the California Theatre in Glendale. In 1932, the organ was moved to the studios KFOX in Long Beach. It is uncertain when it was again moved from the KFOX location, but it later went to the Church of Latter Day Saints in Porterville, Ca.

In 1980, Jim Spohn purchased the organ and installed it in a studio in Bakersfield. Jim later purchased the Granada Theatre and installed the organ there where it is still playing.

Jim also has part of the KNX Columbia Square Hollywood organ at the Granada also.

According to the Junchen database, KFOX also had a MAAS 2/4

KFPY
Spokane, WA.
This is a 1939 Balcom and Vaughan installation of a Wurlitzer 3 manual, 10 Rank which was originally Wurlitzer Opus 977. Opus 977 was first installed in 1924 in the Scheuster’s Theatre in Long Beach and then was relocated to the Arcade Theatre in Los Angeles in 1933.

In 1953, the organ was removed and Balcom and Vaughan installed it in Seattle’s Rolladium Skating Rink. 

KFRC
San Francisco, CA
Organ was built from Murray Harris parts.
The following is an exerpt from a message received from Jack Bethards who is an organ builder as well as a radio historian.

Elbert Laschelle at the KFRC studio console

KFRC, San Francisco. KFRC was owned by Don Lee, the California Ca. The Robert-Morton organ in your list was in the Don Lee building, but the only photograph of it shows it in the Cadillac showroom on the first floor. It may have been moved into the studios and used there, but I never heard about that. The main KFRC organ was installed, I would guess, when they modernized the studios in 1935. It was a three-manual, 19-rank (I believe) put-together job using parts mainly from the Murray M. Harris succession of companies. As I remember, it had American Photoplayer or Spencer and Murray M. Harris or Johnston chests among others. I believe the console was a Spencer. The organ was a terrible mongrel, but sounded very nice on the radio. It was maintained (and I believe installed) by a local firm, Martin and Fallis. It was later sold to a Lutheran church in the East Bay and then broken up for parts and replaced by a Möller organ.

KFSG
Los Angeles, CA

Above: Photo of service at the temple, showing the organ console.
Below: a schedule from 1924
Info courtesy of Jim Lewis

KFVD
Culver City, CA.
Kilgen 3/5  OPUS  4444 (At original location on Hal Roach Lot))
Robert Morton organ of unknown size at new studio that was located at 3rd. and Western in Los Angeles

KFWB
Los Angeles, CA
Wurlitzer (This organ is believed to have been the Wurlitzer Opus 2022 from Warner Bros. Studio. According to George Wright, Buddy Cole's organ came from KMTR in Hollywood.) If anyone has additional informaiton on this, we would appreciate any update or correction)

The following is submitted by Mr. Jack Bethards:

KFWB, Los Angeles. At one time, the KFWB studios were located on Brothers, Sunset Boulevard lot. I believe the main studio served both as a sound stage for picture recording and as a radio studio. I have one picture which shows it set up as an auditorium studio. This is Wurlitzer opus 2022 of 1929, a three-manual, 18-rank Wurlitzer. The organ was acquired later by radio actor, Joe Kerns, and put in his Hollywood home. (I don't know anything about the KMTR organ mentioned in your KFWB listing. I know Buddy Cole had a studio organ, but I'm not sure of its origins. I believe the KMTR organ should be listed separately.)

KGDM
Stockton, CA.
Comment from Mr. Norm Howard Lehfeldt of San Francisco, CA.

The 3/7 Moller in the studios of KGDM in Stockton, CA. I have an interest in all things KGDM because it is the station which I favored with my radio debut in about 1949!
Note: the March/April, 1992 issue of Theatre Organ Magazine includes a letter, signed by Tom DeLay, describing this organ.

In 1935, KGDM installed a Wurlitzer1923 Stule D, originally from the Grand Theater in Tracy, California.. Here is an article from the local newspaper describing the organ and it's debut. To view a readable copy of the article, click on the image below. (Thanks to Jim Lewis for providing this information,)

Click image to view larger PDF document. Files are from the Stockton Evening Daily Record, September 12, 1930

To see a readable version, click the images above and below/

WGN
Chicago, IL

Wurlitzer
This instrument started out as a 2/7 Wurlitzer. It was installed in the Drake Hotel.  It was repossessed from a band leader who defaulted on his payments and resold to WGN. When WGN built their studio in the Tribune Tower. They had Kimball rebuild the organ as a 3/10 adding 3 Kimball ranks. These were defined as Open Diapason with 16 foot extension being diapason and not a Diaphone as Wurlitzer would have done, a church style English Horn and a Clarinet. The organ had two consoles, one in the studio where the chamber was located and one in a remote studio on the first floor. The organist had to listen to the instrument through earphones in the remote studio.

When the organ was removed from WGN, the Kimball portions, including the console, were sold to a private individual, and the Wurlitzer portion was installed at Mundelein. The Kimball console and the 16’ Open Diapason were destroyed in a house fire in Wisconsin.

THE ABOVE INFORMATION, REGARDING THE WGN CONSOLE, WAS CORRECTED BY PAUL@ SZYMKOWSKI.NET ON 8/22/2010. PAUL REPORTS THAT HE HAS THE ORIGINAL CONSOLE AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF RESTORING IT. A further report from Jon C, indicates that the Kimball console was sold to Balcom and Vaughn, and that it ended up in Seattle.

A photo of the WGN console

Another view of the WGN organ courtesy of Jim Lewis.

The WGN organ was heard into the late 1950’s with staff organist Harold Turner providing program each Sunday morning called "Pipe Dreams". After Harold Turner retired, the organ was used infrequently if at all. (see comment from Walt Strony below)

One notable program that originated from WGN was the Hartz-Mountain program. Jon Habernaas recalls that the program featured live canaries in the studio that were trained to sing along with melodies played by an organist referred to as Gloria and violinist referred to as Gene. Jon tells us that the WGN organ survived much longer than most broadcast organs as it was a favorite of Colonel McCormick and was included in the move from the Michigan Avenue studios to the new broadcast facility on Bradley Court, which was located about a mile NW of the old Riverview Park location at Western and Belmont. The organ was removed from the Michigan Ave studio by Frank Wichlac and Associates and later installed by him in the new studio. Jon had the opportunity to work on the crew during both the removal and new installation. The organ was installed in the larger TV studio at Bradley Place and remained there until WGN-TV decided that the space occupied by the organ chambers could be better used to store the equipment used by the station for the Illinois Lottery. The organ was donated by WGN to the Archdiocese of Chicago which sent it to be added to the theatre organ in the auditorium at Mundelein. The original 7 rank Wurlitzer portion along with the Vibraharp was used and the Kimball portion rest of the percussions were sold to help defray the cost of the installation. The organ had a xylophone and bells  originally, but no traps.

To hear an authentic recording of the WGN organ, as it was heard on the Hartz-Mountain program, click here

Additionally submitted by John Scott:
Your info about WGN is fine but incomplete.  After the TV era began, the Wurlitzer-Kimball was moved out of Tribune Tower to new studios at a suburban location in Chicago, where Harold Turner played it on both radio and TV.  At that location it was played by Turner as a featured concert at one of the national ATOS conventions.

An additional note from Walt Strony:

I am offering a correction / addition about the WGN Organ. I knew Harold Turner quite well and the Executive Vice-President of WGN, Alexander Field was a close friend. I was in contact with both of them (especially Al Field) until they passed away.

Al Field was an organ enthusiast and member of CATOE when I was young and just getting started as a theatre organist. When Harold retired, as you state, the organ wasn't used. There were calls from the public stating that they missed it. Al Field arranged for WGN to hire me to videotape some Christmas music. That music was aired several times in several versions, usually with another choir. To my knowledge, that was the last time the organ was played for broadcast. The director was Orlando White, a black man - so his name will forever be in my brain!

Supposedly the console still exists, having survived a fire, and it is in storage somewhere. (see note above indicating tha the console is now in Seattle WA.

Above: Harold Turner at the 3 manual WGN console, and below: an ad from the September 29th 1935 Chicago Tribune.

KGW / KEX
Portland, Oregon
Wurlitzer 3 Manual 9 Rank
This instrument was originally a 1924 Opus 957 Style DX (2 chambers) which was installed in the Multnomah (Venetian) Theatre in the St. Johns District of Portland. In 1936, Balcom and Vaughn moved it to KGW / KEX Radio’s studio (NBC) located in the old Oregonian Building. Later that year, the console was modified to hold three manuals, and  three Gottfried ranks (an English Horn, a French Horn and a Clarinet) were added.

Glen Shelly at the KGW organ console

The following information on Glen Shelly was submitted by Tom DeLay:

WGY
Schenectady, NY.

1942 photo of Steve Hall at the WGY console. (No info on organ)

WHAS
Louisville, KY
(Information supplied by Timothy Jones)
WHAS, Louisville, KY, had a Kilgen which started out as a 3 manual 11 or so rank instrument. Over the years, additions were made by Kilgen bringing it up to a 4/17 I believe. At some point, the organ was sold and reinstalled in a local arena, Memorial Gardens, where it currently resides. It plays but is rarely used. Herbie Koch used to play the instrument when it was in the radio station.

This organ was Opus 5009 (1933). Additions were as follows:
5124 - Replace sax with clarinet on opus 5009. $212.00
5198- Replaced post horn with trumpet on opus 5009.
5212-Electrify Player piano owned by WHAS, add mandolin and make playable from organopus 5009. $300.00
5769- Enlarge existing organ, opus 5009; see also opus 7179. New console for opus 5769

Herbie Koch at the WHAS Kilgen console

HAVEN OF REST STUDIO
Hollywood, CA
The following information is submitted by Mr. Jack Bethards:

Haven of Rest Studio. The Haven of Rest religious broadcast had an art deco building done in a nautical motif. It had a 1921 style 210 Wurlitzer from the Apollo Theater opus 415. I never saw the organ but heard it on the air many times and it may still be there.

Also submitted by Tom DeLay: Indeed as Jack said, the basic organ was the Wurlitzer opus 415 from the Apollo Theatre--Hollywood--and added to by Dean McNichols and Lorin Whitney interests over the years.  When the organ was removed around 1985/86 or so, the organ had grown from the original 10 rank style 215 Sp to 16 ranks and had long since become a put-together organ and lost its original identity..

I know for a fact the organ is gone because Richard Villemin, my pipe organ service mentor, was the person with whom I discussed the Haven of Rest organ removal and the horrors of what was about to be done to it.  Richard passed on in October 1987.

WHDH
Boston, Mass.

Information by Mr. Jack Bethards:
WHDH, Boston. This station had Kilgen opus 5465 of 1935, a two-manual organ. This organ was used on early Bob and Ray radio broadcasts and of course many others as well. I had lengthy correspondence and conversations with a musician who was on staff there who verified this instrument.

KHJ
Los Angeles, CA.
Estey 2/16  OPUS 1699 (builder dated 1920)

The following information was submitted by Jim Lewis:
The Estey organ installed in KHJ was a two-manual instrument of around 13 ranks. It was originally installed in Estey's Los Angeles studio and when it was replaced by a larger organ, it was purchased by KHJ. KHJ later sold the organ to Forest Lawn Mortuary in Glendale, Cal., where it was installed in one of the three chapels. I played it a few times for funerals and remember that the felt of the pedalboard was shot and they made a terrific noise when pushed down. There was also a 16' Pedal Diaphone that was probably added to the organ when it was used on the radio. A few years ago, all of the pipe organs in the Forest Lawn chapels were removed and replaced by bottom-of-the-line electronic instruments.

WHK
Cleveland, OH
Gottfried 2 Manual of undetermined size.
This station also had Austin Opus 1788, a 3 Manual 15 Rank instrument that appears to have been built for this station in 1931.

Staff organist Helen Wyant at the WHK Gottfried console (Photo courtesy of Gordon Crook)
Helen Wyant was featured on an afternoon program titled "Matinee Memories" where she performed with Jimmy Ague, Don Dewhirst and Betty Schrimer.

Another view of the WHK Gottfried console as provided by Jim Lewis.

KHQ
Spokane, WA.
Wurlitzer 2 manual 10 rank

KIT
Yakima, Washington
Wurlitzer / Balcom and Vaughan 2 manual 5 rank based on Wurlitzer Opus 835, a 2/4 originally from Portland’s Victoria Theatre.

WJJD
Chicago, IL
Junchen's information is that Wurlitzer opus 1359, a III/11 originally built for the Drake Theatre, Chicago, was moved to WJJD's studios in 1935.

(contributed by Les Hickory)
Howard L. Peterson also did broadcasts from the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, IL. over WJJD

WJJD first put on the air in 1924 by J.J. Davies (WJJD) in 1924 at Moosehart, the Moose Club Children's Home, located north of Aurora, Illinois. It was reallocated to Chicago in 1941 and operated on "limited hours" from 1941 to 1980.

The first organ music broadcast over WJJD was the Geneva Marr and Colton 3/16. from the Arcadia Theatre in St. Charles, Il. The original Marr and Colton was a 3/10. Geneva made two modifications to the Marr and Colton with each organist hired after the first. There were two and Howard Peterson being the 3rd. The original Marr and Colton was installed over the summer of 1926 and was ready for the opening on Labor Day in September 1926. Nine months later the organist left and 2nd one wanted changes. 3 ranks and a piano were added to what was a cold air return and would have been a chamber if a larger organ would have been installed. A 2nd blower and relay were added in the basement next to the boiler in a room where the electric service entered the building. One year later Howard was hired. The Marr and Colton console was stationary in the pit. The pit was expanded, a whole dug and a cable lift installed and a new console build by Geneva and design by the theatre owner, who was an artist, was built and installed. Three more ranks were added and installed in the back of the theatre in what was a storage room in the booth area. The Geneva relay that was installed a year ago was added to and the wind from that blower was ran to the back of the house. No other changes were made to the organ after that. We don't know when Howard left, but do know that a Les Doyle played the organ either during WW2 or after. Then the organ was silent for many years until CATOE came in and I became the next paid house organist. 1974 to 1985..

Above: an ad for the program of organ music featuring the Arcadia Theater's Geneva organ and organist Albert F. Brown.
(Photo courtesy of Jim Lewis)

CJOR
Vancouver, B.C.
Kimball 2 Manual 4 Rank

According to the Junchen opus lists, CJOR had a 2/4 Kimball. The install date and theatre of origin are unknown.

Additional info submitted:

I am quite sure that the CJOR organ was sold to the First Christian Reformed Church of Vancouver BC. I played it for a choral concert in the early 1960's and was told it was from a radio station. I believe it was about four ranks and the console was attached to the pipes similar to a Moller Artiste. The organ was replaced in the 1970's by a Johannes and now by an Allen.

Jerry van der Pol

Shoreline, WA

WKBW
Buffalo, New York

Wurlitzer Opus 2238 (last organ out) was originally shipped to the Rialto Theatre in Lockport, N.Y. It was then repossessed by Wurlitzer and installed in WKBW. In 1947, it was removed from the radio station and purchase by Transfiguration Catholic Church in Cheektawoga, NY (suburb of Buffalo). Terry reports that he purchased it in 1992 and removed it for installation in his office supply store. After an accident and fire in 1995, Terry sold it to Jerry Critser in Joliet who Terry believes still has it in storage. The organ was a 3/10 with a single stop rail console. Specs were: Main- Open Flute, Solo String, Celeste and Kinura swapped out with a church Quint. Solo- Tibia, Tuba, Vox, Orch. Oboe, and Kinura but the percussions were gone. The trap counter was also with the instrument but all of the traps had been removed and the holes stuffed with rags.

WKY
Oklahoma City, OK
KIlgen Opus 5281 originally installed in 1935. This is a 4/10 that was built for this station and later expanded to a 4/14. According to the database at theatreorgans.com, the instrument is still complete and in storage with plans to install it in the Oklahoma History Center. (See update below)

An update for your entry at RADIO STATION ORGANS AND ORGANISTS FROM RADIO'S GOLDEN AGE: 

WKY
Oklahoma City, OK
Kilgen Opus 5281 

Restoration of the subject instrument has been completed by The American Organ Institute at The University of Oklahoma. 
http://ou.edu/content/aoi/about/projects/kilgen.html

Dedication of the WKY Kilgen Organ is scheduled for Monday, April 24th 2017, 7:00 PM at the Oklahoma History Center (http://www.okhistory.org/historycenter/).

Best regards,
David L. Caster

Previous entries:

The following update was submitted by Max Gould:

 

WKY organist Ken Wright

WLAC
Nashville, Tennessee
(contributed by John Alford)

WLAC had a 4 manual 12 Rank Kilgen organ (Opus 6013-A-B). The owners of the station were Life And Casualty Insurance of Nashville. John is not sure about the total disposition of the organ, however, he presently has the post horn which is voiced on 15 inches.

Organist Al Bain at the WLAC Kilgen organ
Mary Elizabeth Hicks was also a staff organist at WLAC
(Photo courtesy of Gordon Crook)

Another view of the main WLAC studio with the Kiilgen organ console and swell openings.

WLS
Chicago, IL
WLS had a 3/12 Barton with a straight console. It lasted into the fifties when ABC bought WLS and terminated the WLS original studios

WLS also had a 1928 Link 2/3 with blower # 21959

The following information is provided by Jon Habermaas:
Just visited your site about radio organs, great site. WLS and WENR shared the same frequency...WLS broadcasting during the day and WENR at night. WLS was owned by the Prairie Farmer Magazine and was primarily a farm station. One of its prime shows was the WLS Barn Dance Program which originated from the 8th Street Theatre in Chicago. The WLS Barton was on the air until the end of the station as a farm station and the organ was heard daily on a program called the Noon Show with Howard Peterson at the console. WENR was the ABC radio outlet in Chicago and came on the air at dusk with WLS signing off and WENR signing on with the first network program, "The Lone Ranger". ABC bought the Prairie Farmer magazine, I suspect to get a full time access to the frequency and that ended the WLS studio on Washington Blvd and the Barton was sold. From what I understand it languished and deteriorated in storage in a barn somewhere in Indiana never to be heard again. The WENR WurliTzer was installed in a studio in the Civic Opera Building where WENR had its' studios. It was a very popular organ with the artists and I understand also a favorite of Samuel Insull, who at that time owned the building and had offices on the floor above the WENR studio.

The Sunday funnies were also aired on WLS radio with Howard Peterson at the Barton.

Howard Peterson at the WLS Barton.

View the article entitled "Whatever Became Of The WLS Barton"

WLS organist Ralph W. Emerson II at the console during a Lum and Abner show.
(The console. at which Emerson is seatedm is not the WLS Barton as far as we can determine. It might be the afore mentioned Link console.

Seated at the microphone are Chester Lauck and Norris Goff, better known as radio's time honored characters Lum 'N Abner. In the photo below, Lum and Abner (Goff and Lauck) are shown with one of the show's organists, Sybil Chisim, who also played for "One Man's Family" during several years of it's 40 year run. Photo courtesy of the Lum and Abner Museum.

Hear an original episode of Lum 'N Abner... Click here

Another publicity shot of Sybil Chisim

WLW
Cincinnati, Ohio
(contributed by John Alford)

This station, owned by Powell Crosley, actually had three pipe organs including a Style B. The main organ. Wurlitzer Opus 1001 began as a Style H Special and was enlarged, including the addition of a three manual console in 1929. 

The organ was removed and relocated in the Shady Nook restaurant in Cincinnati. At some point, the restaurant closed and the owners had the power to the building cut off. Which disabled sump pumps and allowed the organ chambers to flood. The crew who removed the organ had to wear masks because of the mold that had formed. There was some question about how much of this organ was actually the WLW organ because of the various additions that had been made in 1929. John Alford obtained some of the pipe work at that time on the chance that they were actually the pipes used at WLW and played by Lee Erwin. During the time at the restaurant, however, the owner swapped out some of the ranks, which clouded the whole matter of what parts were from the original organ. At this time, the Shady Nook Restaurant is in bad condition. 

Pat Gillick seated at the WLW console in a 1932 photo.
Thanks to Dave Burns for the use of this photo

A photo of the Wurlitzer Opus 1001. There are reports that WLW had three organs over time, but there are conflicting reports as to whether Opus 1001 was enlarged, or whether the signature WLW organ was actually a separate instrument.
Photo courtesy of Jim Lewis

The WLW Moon River Program crew; Lee Erwin with the three DeVore Sisters, Marjorie, Billie and Ruth.
Photo courtesy of Jim Lewis

Another photo of the WLW studio. The "Moon River" program originated in this room.

KMA
Shenendoah, Iowa:
Reuter opus 270, 1927, 2m 7rk, $7686.00 with roll player.

Interior of the Shenandoah Theatre, Shenandoah, IA. (info courtesy of Jim Lewis)

WMAQ
Chicago, IL
Wurlitzer Opus 309 3/13 Special

Wurlitzer Opus 309 shown in the WMAQ studio.
This organ provided the theme music for shows such as Kay Fairchild, Stepmother and the Amos N' Andy Show.

KMBC
Kansas City, MO
(Preliminary information indicated that a Wurlitzer 3 manual was at this station, however, according to the info below, the organ was a 3/10 Morton). Howard Ely and P. Hans Flath were the staff organists.

A newspaper clipping from the St. Joseph Gazette (St. Joseph, Missouri) · Sun, Jul 13, 1930 · Page 11, concerning the organ's installation, was provided by Jim Lewis. Click here to view the article.

Click here to hear a sample broadcast of the KMBC organ featuring P. Hans Flath, organist.

Click here to hear a brief exchange between Flath and announcer Paul Taylor regarding dismantling of the organ.

Click here to hear a second show segment featuring Flath at the console.

The KMBC organ main and slave consoles. Photo is from a 1950s brochure published by the station.

Message from Charlie Porter regarding KMBC and the above recording:

I have information concerning the KMBC studio organ in Kansas City, Mo.

Not only do I have info, but I have found in my archives the last broadcast studio transcription recording of the organ in Feb. 1951. This recording was loaned to me a number of years ago by the late Don Keilhack, who resided here in San Diego for a number of years, and moved back to his hometown of Kansas City. I copied these recordings onto a high quality TDK hi bias cassette tape (the best available) back in the early 90s. Don took his studio recordings with him when he moved back to KC. He personally new the (then) organist P. Hans Flath. Flath was a well known organist in KC for years. He opened the  Loew’s Midland Theatre “Wonder Morton“ in 1929, as well as a very respectable church organist. I have found a picture of Flath, courtesy of the University of Kansas, The Arthur B. Church KMBC Collection . Not sure what might have happened to those original recordings upon Don’s sudden demise, as I lost touch with him after he left SD. In my research at the University Website I found no existence of these particular recordings. Don was also an excellent theatre organist and copied Flath’s style. Being somewhat of a reclusive, he never really did public performances.

The organ at KMBC was a 3/10 Robert Morton Opus # 23450, not a Wurlitzer. It was an organ transplant from the Wade Hamilton Organ & Piano Studios in Tulsa, OK. installed there in 1929. See page 579 in the Encyclopedia Of The American Theatre Organ Vol. II. Not sure when KMBC acquired it, page 536 (same volume II) has a picture of Ann Reiling (no info on Ann) at the KMBC console in KC. That finish on the console looks to be a ugly thick textured finish. It was a faded almost Army green. Arrrrg!

Now this recording is of good fidelity, except for some LP surface noise. It has now been transferred onto CD. It could easily be “cleaned up” with today’s many digital programs available for computers. However, it is quite listenable and enjoyable. The announcer is Paul Taylor, and he identifies with the station call letters at the end of the late night ½ hour broadcast. But what makes this recording even more eventful and rare is Flath himself comes on at the end with Paul Taylor and they have a friendly exchange about the organs imminent removal, being sure to give the date of this historic broadcast. Apparently more recording was done after the broadcast that evening, as there is another person in the studio which you hear making a request of Flath. Could it have been Flath’s wife? There is even a short cipher noted several tunes later, but Flath plays it out. At the very end of the recording are two selections played at the pipe organ by Flath in the 3rd Christian Science Church of KC, accompanying an unknown soloist.

Sadly the KMBC organ was dismantled quickly as the old building was scheduled for demolition.  It was seen as not cost effective to re-install and  besides,  the new station had provided a new Hammond organ and grand piano in it's own studio room for Flath's broadcast. The Morton eventually found it’s final resting place in a barn, on a dirt floor, outside of Kansas City for over 30 years.

When it became available, time had taken it’s toll. What remained and salvageable, was rescued by a local member of our Theatre Organ Society of San Diego about 25 years ago. Wood crates with wood pipes had suffered major termite damage. The console was falling apart. But all was packed up and lovingly brought back to San Diego anyway to be parted out like an old junk car. The console was a basket case, but has been rebuilt and brought back to the beautiful original oak finish and is now playing in a home installation here of I believe about 20 ranks. Well there you have it. A real lost treasure!

Now I have also found your site with the recordings of famous broadcast organist, and this recording belongs with them, but I’m not sure who should receive this. If you can give me your address, I can forward this recording on to you. I can mail two, one for you and one for the archive site (Sounds Of American Organs). I also intend to contact the University of Kansas to see if they want a copy for their KMBC archives. I could be wrong, but in my research of their site I don't believe they have this recording. Many studio transcriptions pryor to 1951 seem not to exist.

 Thanks and best wishes from San Diego!

Charlie Porter

WMBI
(Studion "B") 820 North LaSalle St.
Chicago, IL.

New info update from Larry Keesler (7/2016):
The WMBI Kimball at Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, has quite recently been incorporated into the school's 4/64 Moller [c. 1954] as a "Gospel" division in Torrey-Gray Auditorium. I believe its ranks now sound far more theatrical than they ever did in the radio studio.

Original studions of Moody Bible Institute Ministries (1920's-1930's)
Although not in regular use, facility it still exists.

Information provided by Larry Keesler:

Two Manual Kimball, enclosed in one chamber
Analysis:
Open Diapason [large scale] at 8, 4, 2
Rohrflute unified at 16, 8, 4, 2
Bourdon 16 in Pedal [independent]
Viola and celeste 8
Vox Angelique and celeste 8
Nazard 2 2/3 [independent]
Mixture III [lightly voiced and I think independent]
Trumpet at 8, 4
Oboe at 16, 8 Chimes
Tremulant [Church — Theatre (toggle modifier)]

KMCS (previously KMIC)
Inglewood then Hollywood, CA
The following is from a newspaper clipping from The Pasadena Post (Pasadena, California) · Tue, Dec 30, 1930 · Page 7:

THE NEW ORGAN FOR KMIC, WHICH IS PREPARING TO MOVE ITS TRANSMITTER AND STUDIOS FROM INGLEWOOD TO HOLLYWOOD, IS NEARING COMPLETION AT THE ROBERT MORTON ORGAN FACTORY IN VAN NUYS. WHEN THE MOVE IS MADE, KMIC WILL BECOME KMCS, WITH THE STUDIOS AT THE CHRISTIE FILM STUDIOS AND THE TRANSMITTER ON THE ROOF OF THE EMBASSY CLUB.

Thanks to Jim Lewis for that information.

KMOX
St. Louis, MO.
KMOX had a 2/5 Kilgen Opus #3502 that was installed in 1926. Between 1926 and 1937, the instrument was enlarged to a 4/16 under a succession of jobs that were assigned opus numbers: 4443, 4577, 4816, 5225, 5302 and 5869.

Organist Ken Wrright at the KMOX console.

Additional information from Terry Charles: Hi gang... When I was attending a Georgia college, I became involved with the Kilgen Organ from the
radio station in Louisville, KY.  It was installed in Covenant Presbyterian Church in Albany, Georgia. I was permitted unlimited use of it, tuned it a
couple of times and POOF -  graduated from college and never saw it again. A side note, going back - while in college, I was responsible for
Fred Pillsbury's KMOX  Kilgen to be installed in First Methodist Church in Cuthbert, Georgia. THAT organ, console and ALL of its pipework was
"junked" according my conversation with the organ company that built a new organ for that church just after I learned of it. QUESTION - did that
Albany Kilgen organ bite the dust? I cannot find a website for the church. TC

More from Terry:

Here's the interesting story about how the famed KMOX Kilgen came to rest in the Cuthbert Methodist Church, Cuthbert, Georgia.

I had "discovered" in the Covenant Presbyterian Church, Albany Georgia the almost twin to Fred Pillsbury's KMOX Kilgen, the 4/14 Kilgen from WFIL in Philadelphia (after all these years believing that organ was the WHAS Kilgen. Steven Frank substantiates it was really the WFIL Kilgen).  Now I have to look at your site and find the WHAS data.,  Anyway, the story - I wrote to Fred, described everything about the Covenant installation including the added, exposed copper positive.  I described the two large chambers under the choir loft floor area.  The organ spoke into a hallway sort of area, maybe 6-8 feet deep and the sound reflected upward.  I told him what he already knew by his own KMOX Kilgen, that the organ was a POWER house, with a huge scaled Tibia Clausa, 16' Post Horn and Oboe Horn.  The strings were gorgeous.  The trems did not work or were disconnected. A friend and I tuned it a couple of times while I was in college. Well, Fred wrote to me that he was very impressed with my keen interest in the Kilgen Organs, mentioned he was selling his KMOX Kilgen in preparation to install the Saint Louis Ambassador Wurlitzer.  I hadn't had the chance to write back when on a Saturday afternoon, my girlfriend, Carolyn Milner and I were seated in the town's only movie theatre when on the screen in little letters came the words "Terry Charles Come To The Box Office". Startled, I went as fast as I could and they gave me the phone... it was FRED! He again commented on my keen interest in the pipe organ and said "IF YOU CAN FIND A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION YOU MAY SELECT THE PLACE FOR MY ORGAN TO GO TO AND I WILL PAY FOR INSTALLATION." I'm sure I didn't sleep and my grades probably suffered... but I wasn't happy with the hierarchy of the College (which had a Hammond Model D I think it was) and ruled the college out immediately.  Trellis Case was the music professor at the college AND the organist at the Cuthbert Methodist Church of which I was a member.  So I told Trellis about the whole thing and we went before the board and they accepted the offer. The church had an old tracker organ in terrible condition.  When the organ came for installation it was summer and college was out for the time.  When fall arrived and I returned I found the installation a success in every way... except the console was SO big it had to be placed on the floor outside the choir loft. And then years later I returned to play it and I remembered it was LOUD... LOL And more years later, I was informed by friends in Cuthbert that the church has a new Greenwood Pipe Organ.  I immediately contacted them and was told ALL was junked... 

So, there you have it!

All the best,


Terry
www.kirkorgan.com

KMTR
Los Angeles, CA (Studio was either on or next to the United Artists lot.)

(Information provided by Ray Thursby)
In 1928, the Capitol Theatre in Marshalltown, Iowa installed a 3-9 Robert Morton. This was later moved to radio station KMTR in Los Angeles, California. According to Dave Junchen's Encyclopedia of the American Theater Organ, it was either later moved to TV station KTLA in Burbank, CA or else it was listed as KTLA which was the parent station of KMTR (corrected per update memo). I have no information on that move. Regardless, it was purchased by Buddy Cole, who installed it in his North Hollywood, CA home. There, it was expanded to 12 ranks. When Cole built a new studio to house the former United Artists Theatre Wurlitzer (a 17-rank Style 260 Special), nine of the Morton ranks and their chests plus the Crysoglott were added to the Wurlitzer. The rest was dispersed.

Article researched by Jim Lewis

The following is submitted by Mr. Jack Bethards:

(I don't know anything about the KMTR organ mentioned in your KFWB listing. I know Buddy Cole had a studio organ, but I'm not sure of its origins. I believe the KMTR organ should be listed separately.)

WNAC
Boston, Mass
Wurlitzer Opus 1742, 2/8 190

Francis J. Cronin, WNAC organist.

KNBC
San Francisco, CA

NBC Studios Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA.

The following was submitted by Mr. Jack Bethards:

NBC Studios, Hollywood. The first stand-alone NBC Studio was buillt at 5515 Melrose Avenue right near the Paramount lot. It was a beautiful art deco building and still exists as a television studio. I don't believe it had a pipe organ. It is possible that they may have used the Paramount Studio organ for broadcasts since it was literally a walk-away. That may also be the reason that they acquired the Paramount organ for their San Francisco building since they may have been familiar with it. (The Melrose building had a very fascinating history. Radio grew so quickly that this 1935 building was obsolete by 1938. It was then used by KHJ and the Mutual Don Lee Broadcasting System, then by Capitol Records and later by a succession of radio and television stations.)

The 1938 NBC building was a magnificent plant with many large auditoriums It is certainly one of the finest studios ever built. Strangely enough, given the lavish expenditure on the property, it is surprising that they had a hybrid organ made up for their studio G. The basis of it was the KPO San Francisco Welte organ. To it was added a lot of Wurlitzer material to the specifications of Paul Carson. The organ was installed by Charlie Hershman and Henry Pope. Later, Charlie left the job and Henry Pope finished it along with his helper Will Knights. I met Henry Pope at NBC and I knew Mr. Knights as well. That organ was one of the most famous radio organs because it became the One Man's Family and Bridge to Dreamland organ after those shows moved from San Francisco to Hollywood. That organ was later acquired by Paul Michelson and I'm not sure where it is now. It has been well documented in the theatre organ magazines from time-to-time.

Henry Pope at the NBC Studio organ in Los Angeles

NBC Studios New York City
New York, NY
(Information provided by Wm. G. Chapman Curator of Organs USMA West Point, NY )
Community (Post) Chapel, West Point, NY Aeolian-Skinner Theatre Organ from: NBC Studios, New York, 1957.

Glen Pratt, Resident Staff Organist at NBC studios in New York. Console is unknown organ.

NBC RADIO CITY STUDIOS
San Francisco, CA.

Located at the 111 Sutter Street Studio on the 22nd Floor of the Hunter-Dublin Building (1929) Six rank, 2 Manual Robert Morton from the Don George Teaching Studios. See an article from the June 9, 1929 local newspaper about the purchase of the Robert Morton organ here. Thanks to Jim Lewis for submitting the article.

1942: at the new 420 Taylor Street studios: Wurltizer (Opus 464) 210SP 19 rank 3 Manual. Original 1921 installation from the Paramount Studios in Los Angeles.

The following exerpt, written by Mr Jack Bethards, gives a picture of the relationships between local studios of network affiliates and the actual network production centers in large cities.

NBC Network, San Francisco. It is important to separate networks local station studios. In big cities they were often separate. Until 1927, NBC programs originated from KPO, their local red network affiliate. In 1927, NBC built a large network complex on the 22nd floor of the Hunter-Dulin building at 111 Sutter Street. From here they broadcast both on their red and blue networks (the local blue network affiliate was KGO and I don't believe it ever had a pipe organ.) In 1927, NBC bought an organ from the Don George theatre organ teaching studio and had it installed at 111 Sutter. It was a Robert-Morton two-manual, 6-rank job very highly unified. This organ was used on the famous network programs, One Man's Family and Paul Carson's Bridge to Dreamland. By 1935, most network production had moved to Hollywood. In 1942, the organ was sold to Charles Hershman, who removed it and re-installed it in 1944 with some modifications at St. Paul's Community Church in South San Francisco. It is currently being re-located to the Western States Museum of Broadcasting in Ashland, OR.

(Above: A 1929 photo of Elmer Crowhurst at the 6 rank Morton in the 111 Sutter Street NBC Studios. This organ provided the music for the long-running NBC serial "One Man's Family" and Paul Carson's "Bridge to Dreamland")

The following information on Elmer Crowhurst was provided by his grand-daughter:

Francis Elmore Crowhurst born 19 May 1890 Oakland, CA. He married Melva Amelia Pringle on the 10 of February 1911 in Seattle, WA. He hated the name Francis so he used Elmor instead, not sure why he left off the final e. But it was frequently misspelled as Elmer. When he was between engagements, he advertised in the trade papers using F.E. Crowhurst possibly to save the cost of the ad.

Mr. Crowhurst's grand-daughter interviewed her grandmother Melva Crowhurst in 1980 about her grandfather's musical history. This is what she related:
1914-1921 he played organ at the Imperial Theater, which is now United Artists Theater, S.F.
1920 for 4-5 weeks he played organ in the Mission Theater in Los Angeles – the movie was Rudy (Rudolph) Valentino & the Four Horsemen.
He then moved to the Pantages Theater (Vaudeville) and played piano, then a few more weeks at the Million Dollar Theater all in L.A.
The family then returned to S.F. Where he played with the Wally Lind Orchestra first at the Hof Brau restaurant on Market St at 4th, here he played both piano and organ. 1922 he played at the New Mission Theater for a few years. Grandma was proud that Mayor Rolfe and others stayed after the movie to listen to Grandpa play. 1923 The family moved to Santa Cruz to play at the New Santa Cruz Theater. (During this time he was offered a job in Honolulu but turned it down after he discovered he couldn't bring his car).

1929 He moved to radio work – first played on Charlie Marshall's Hillbilly Band (he played the Jew's Harp) and for One Man's Family at NBC radio. He played the Theme Music “Memory Lane”. Vera Vey played Barbara Jo Allen the little girl in Memory Lane. Baton Yarboro was an actor on OMF and ILAM. At the 3rd anniversary of NBC radio in S.F. Mel got to dance with Carlton E. Morse, who was writer of One Man's Family. He later married and he and his wife wrote “I Love a Mystery” together.

1930 or 31 – For 8 months he had a ½ hour organ concert at 11 to 11:30 pm, also on NBC radio, later the show became Paul Carson's Bridge to Dreamland.

Note: When he was playing at NBC (KPO) they did not have many good selections of saxophone solos so he wrote “Melva” a Volks Caprice type of waltz. He also played on the first Jaquard type player piano rolls that allowed style to be added to the music.

Francis Elmore "Elmer" Crowhurst in tux.

Paul Carson, composer of "Patricia" and organist for the One Man's Family program at undetermined console.

Click here to listen to Paul Carson playing One Man's Family program lead-in and closing

In 1942, NBC opened what was probably the most modern and perfect ra ever built at 420 Taylor Street. It also housed local stations KPO (later KNBC, later KNBR) and KGO. It was a modern-style building and still exists although the interior has been converted into office use. For studio B in that building they acquired, and Charles Hershman installed, the very fine Wurlitzer opus 2035 of 1929 from the Famous Players - Paramount Motion Picture Studio in Hollywood. This is the instrument mentioned in your Radio City Studios (NBC) citation. You mention the same instrument under KNBC, but KNBC never had a pipe organ of its own and should not be listed. (By the way, the NBC building was known as the Radio City of the West.) This organ was sold to Richard Simonton and installed with additions in his North Hollywood home.

KNX
Los Angeles, CA
Wurlitzer 3 manual 11 rank Styke F Opus 1516 from the Capitol (Legion) theatre in Walla-Walla WA.

This is the original Wurlitzer Opus Walla Walla Legion (Capitol) theatre Wurlitzer that was installed in KNX by Balcom and Vaughan in 1937

KNX was located near to Columbia Square. At some point, CBS purchased KNX and made it their flag ship station, so performers were often seen running across the parking lot between studios.

Mr. Jack Bethards has kindly submitted information on KNX as follows:

KNX, Los Angeles. The organ you list for KNX should be listed as CBS-Columbia Square, Studio 4. This as a CBS network facility primarily and also housed their local affiliate KNX. Before that facility was built in 1937, KNX had its own studio down the street on Sunset that housed a three-manual, 10-rank Robert-Morton. That studio was taken over by KMPC subsequently and I'm not sure whether they kept the organ or not. It is now a restaurant and the organ is gone.

Supplement to Mr. Bethard's comment above: The original KNX studio on Sunset, later became a Spaghetti Factory restaurant. That has now closed and the building was demolished.

e.
Photo courtesy of Jim Lewis

Above: The 3 manual Robert Morton organ at the old KNX studio in Hollywood. The studio later became KMPC and then it was gutted to become an Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant. The facility has since been demolished.

.

Above and below are performers Phil Olman and Margaret Hart who had a program called
"You're In The Act." T he pictures are from KNX and date from Feb. 19, 1946.

The above photo shows Ivan Ditmars at an unidentified Balcom and Vaughan console.. According to Tom DeLay, (see below), this is not the correct console for KNX. The original console, according to Mr. DeLay, would have looked more like the console shown at the top of this page.. We have left the above photo in place simply because it does show Mr. Ditmars. In the years after World War II, Mr. Ditmars served as an orchestral conductor and music director for network programs, the most notable being "Escape".

To hear a 1997 Chuck Schaden interview with Ivan Ditmars, click HERE

INFORMATION ON KNX WAS FURTHER SUPPLEMENTED IN JULY OF 2011 WITH THE FOLLOWING FROM TOM DELAY :

Supplement from Jim Lewis:

I really enjoy reading through your page on radio station organs. Attached is a photo of the 3/10 Robert-Morton that was in the KNX studios in Hollywood. This was before Columbia Square was built. This studio later became KMPC, then was gutted on the interior to become The Old Spaghetti Factory. It was demolished not long ago.

WOC
Davenport, Iowa

Subject: Re: ORGAN ON WOC Article from Jim Lewis:
Above is a photo of noted organist Clarence Eddy playing the Aeolian organ in the B.J. Palmer residence, Davenport, Iowa. Palmer was connected with the Palmer Chiropractic College in the same town. Palmer broadcast the organ, with well-known guest organists playing it, over station WOC as an advertisement for the College. I assume the microphone on the table is pointed at the pipe chamber and not Mr. Eddy!

Palmer purchased the station in 1922 and later purchased WHO and combined the two call names WHO-WOC. Ronald Reagan worked there as a sportscaster!
Jim Lewis

KOIN
Portland, Oregon
Robert Morton 3 manual 6 rank (Originally from the Astoria People’s Theatre and later in Seattle’s Olympic (Town And Country) Theatre. The KOIN installation by Balcom and Vaughan included a 3 manual console that was enlarged from a 2 manual Wurlitzer console by the Balcom and Vaughan firm. At that time, a Style D trumpet and a Wurlitzer Tibia were added.

KOIN radio started in 1926 in the basement of the original Heathman Hotel in Portland. The new Heathman Hotel was constructed in 1927, and KOIN eventually moved its studios to the new building. Between 1933 and 1939, several modifications were made to the mezzanine level to accommodate the expanding needs of the radio station. In 1935, the 3/6 Robert Morton organ was installed by Balcom and Vaughan in the new Heathman building studios. At that time, KOIN had a larger staff of musicians and entertainers than all other Portland stations combined.

In 1955, the organ was again moved to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Oregon City. It was eventually broken up for parts by Mike Dillon, with the trumpet going to Dale Haskin and the Tibia to Bert Hedderly.

KOL
Seattle, WA
Kimball 3 manual 12 rank
KOL studios were located in the Northern Life Tower in downtown Seattle. A 3/12 organ was installed by Balcom and Vaughan in 1831 and was a combination of two organs: a 2/5 Kimball from the Frand Theatre and a 2/10 Wurlitzer from the Colonial Theatre. The organ was controlled by a Wurlitzer console that had been modified by Balcom to 3 manuals.

According to Eugene Nye, the organ was purchased by Don Myers in 1960 for $2000. It was stored but never inetalled. It was later sold to Dr. Gordon Potter of Portland, Oregon.

KOMO
Seattle, Washington
Wurlitzer Opus 1194 enlarged by Balcom and Vaughan to 3 Manual, 10 Rank

KOMO studios were located in the Skinner Building in downtown Seattle. The organ was installed by Balcom and Vaughan in September of 1939 and based around a 2/7 Wurlitzer from West Seattle’s Granada (Egyptian) Theatre. In 1961, B&V removed it and installed it in the Des Moines, Washington (suburb of Seattle) residence of Bennett Fisher, heir to the Fisher Flour Mills Co. The Fisher Family owned the majority share of KOMO Radio.

Mark Andersen of Artisan Instruments reports the following:

WOWO
Ft. Wayne, IN

Information furnished by Stan Krider:
Fort Wayne's radio station, WOWO had a 3/7(?) Page in its early studio. It escaped a fire at the radio station in 1929, and was then sold by the station in 1947.

Additional information submitted by John Scott:
At station WOWO in Ft. Wayne Indiana, some time after the pipe organ period, a Hammond was played weekdays by Jack Loos until 1958.  His style was dance band music, and I still have a 78rpm record that he made of "St. Louis Blues March".  Jack knew Ken Griffen and had him as a guest on Jack;s show at least once.

WPFB
Hattiesburg, MS.
Bob McRaney, station organist and announcer, often performed on the 2 manual Robert Morton organ at the Hattiesburg Saenger Theater.

KPO
San Francisco, CA.
KPO became KNBC, then later (sometime in the 60s, the call sign was
changed to KNBR, which it remains today.

The following information was submitted by Mr. Jack Bethards:

KPO, San Francisco. KPO was affiliated with and later owned by NB early days it was owned by the Hale Brothers department store and later in partnership with the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper. It's studios were on the sixth floor of the Hale Brothers department store building on Market Street. I believe their first organ was a Robert-Morton two-manual, 4-rank style 59. It was replaced in 1927 by a three-manual, 18-rank Welte. I got the specification for this organ from the original installation drawing in the Schoenstein files. It was moved to NBC in Hollywood in 1938.

The KPO studio during a production of long running soap opera "One Man's Family." The show's long tume organist and theme composer Paul Carson is at the Welte console. The KPO studio, while it produced NBC's Red Network programs until 1927, is not to be confused with the later Sutter Street NBC location or the later 1938 Hollywood studio complex.

WPTF
(Originally WFQU and then WRCO and finally WPTF)
Raleigh, NC
2/6 Moller

House organist Kingham Scott, pictured with organ pipes, at the WPTF 2/6 Moller console

ROXY THEATRE STUDIO
New York, N.Y.

The following information is submitted by Mr. Jack Bethards:

Roxy Theatre Studio, New York. The broadcasting studio in the Roxy, had. a two-manual, 8-rank Kimball organ built in 1927. I saw the organ just a day before the building was demolished. I believe that studio was used for many broadcasts and recordings and should perhaps have a place on your list.

WSMK
Dayton, Oh
1933 Wurlitzer Style "E" Sepcial (Opus 1750)
(had previously been incorrectly listed as a Style "R"

Note by the present owner of the organ, John Scott:

Thanks very much for all your work in compiling the info about  Radio Station organs.  As a person interested in this sort of history, I had thought of starting such a project myself.  I am glad to see that you included WSMK among the Ohio stations.  However,  I am curious as to your source(s) of information about Wurlitzer Opus 1750, since the listing as style R is not correct.  The Wurlitzer lists compiled by Judd Walton, updated in 1973, indicate that its designation should be Style E Special.  It was a special because it had an extra rank, and because it had a player.  I now own this organ, and the small relay for the player is still with it, because that small relay makes a nice pedestal for one of the switch stacks.

When I acquired Opus 1750 about 1970, I made a trip to Dayton with a friend, and we researched microfilms of Dayton newspapers in the 1927 period.  The Wurlitzer lists indicate initial shipment to "A New (LH Cox) Theatre".  What we found were articles and advertising for the Palace Theatre, LH Cox, Manager, which opened December 25, 1927.  Another interesting bit was that the theatre was for African-American patrons.  We then traveled out to the site and found the building still there, although without heat or electricity, and clearly doomed.  I took a color picture of the exterior, which I later had enlarged to an 8" x 10" size.  We were able to find an agent, who let us in,and with flashlights we saw the auditorium and a big hole in the wall on stage left where the single chamber organ installation had once been.

The Wurlitzer listings indicate Moby's Department Store in Columbus as the next stop for Opus 1750 before it reached WSMK.  However, I contacted noted Columbus organist Roger Garrett about that, and have a signed letter from him stating that to the best of his knowledge the Wurlitzer was never installed there.  He stated that he played a Moller at Moby's.

The Moby's thing, however does indicate another possible interesting article for T.O. mag, namely department stores that had organs.  Another one that I know of was the Herz store in Terre Haute, Indiana, which had a Barton of a few ranks; it later went to a church, and after that to an individual.

In my Email to you in early 2007, I mentioned a radio station organ in Toronto which I thought was a Casavant.  However, I have since confirmed that it was built by the Franklin Legge firm, another Canadian builder of some note.  An interesting sidelight about that is that the Legge organ was sold to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation at auction in 1923 from the Casa Loma mansion where our Canadian friends now have the Wurlitzer.

WSOC
Charlotte NC

Organ programs originated from the Carolina Theatre with organist and station traffic director Paul Norris.

Click the photo of Paul to read his story as provided by Michael Johnston. (Article requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to view). Acrobat Reader is available from www.adobe.com.

WSPA
Spartanburg, SC
Moller 2/6   OPUS 6184

Submitted by Aubrey Calton of Forest City, NC.:

KSTP
Minneapolis / St. Paul, MN.

This station had two organs.
A 1928 3 Manual Robert Morton (Blower serial #21291)
The station also had Wurlitzer Opus 1404, a 260 Special which came from the Paramount Theatre in St. Paul. The organ was donated to the Phipps Center in Hudson, WI by the Hubbard family. Staff organists were Leonard Leigh, Joan Beverly and Mrs. Ray Kroc.

The photo above is of Dr. Francis Richter at the console of the KSTP Robert Morton organ.
(Thanks to Jim Lewis for contributing this photo and identification)

KTAB
San Francisco, CA.

The following was submitted by Tom DeLay: San Francisco station KTAB had a 2/3 Welte.  The station studio was located in the Pickwick Hotel, which still stands in the SF South of Market area. I have no idea what became of the organ. An ad from the June 2, 1929 issue of the Oakland Tribune, submitted by Mr. Jim Lewis, indicates that the station purchased a Robert Morton organ also. Click here to see a copy of that newspaper article.

WTMJ
Milwaukee, WI
1929 Barton 2 Manual (Blower 3hp. Serial # 23331) 12" wp

Photo of the WTMJ studio and console provided by John Schneider. The photo is dated 7/28/1928 and originally was from the Milwaukee Journal Archives.
Another view of the WTMJ, with a wide view of the studio.
Photo courtesy of Jim Lewis

KTUL

Tulsa, OK.

Kimball Petite Ensemble pipe organ

An article from the Thursday July 4, 1936 issue of "Radio Wave" details the organ that was in use at KTUL. Click here to view the article. Thanks to Jim Lewis for providing this information.

KVOO
(Information furnished by Bill Rowland and Phil Judkins)

KVSO
Ardmore, Oklahoma
3 Manual Robert Morton

WWJ
Detroit, MI.
Estey  2/3  OPUS 2909  GRAND MINUETTE. There was a larger organ also as documented in the photo below. According to information supplied by Jim Lewis, it was Æolian-Skinner's Opus #942, built in 1936. It was later sold to the First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oaks, MI, in 1955. It has since been enlarged by Casavant, Moller, and in 1975 by Schantz Organ Company.

WWJ was first licensed in 1921 as WBL. On March 3, 1922, it was issued the new call letters of WWJ, The station was owned by the the publisher of the Detroit News.

A 1931 photo of a WWJ broadcast.

Another view or the WWJ console

WWJ also had this Estey Grand Minuette Opus 2009
This and the photo above courtesy of Jim Lewis

WWL
New Orleans, LA
2 manual pipe organ . Beverly Brown, an announcer with the station, was also the staff organist. New Orleans Saenger organist Ray McNamara also performed on WWL Radio. According to Tom DeLay, the console below is a modified Wurlitzer piano-organ console. See Mr. DeLay's note below:

Bev Brown at the WWL pipe organ.

(From Tom DeLay): The console shown for the 2m WWL New Orleans organ is a sawed off style 135 Wurlitzer piano console adapted as a 2m console with the piano removed.  I know the design well as I have an intact piano console organ in my living room!

WWVA
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wurlitzer Opus 1532 2/5 Style B Special

(Yes folks, I know the photo is not a 2/5. The photo came from a WWVA published brochure. I am trying to determine if that console was ever in the WWVA studio, or if that is just a publicity photo.)

Vivien Miller, WWVA staff organist.

UNIDENTIFIED "SUPER POWER" ST. LOUIS, MO RADIO STATION

Fom the Dayton Daily News, Dayton, Ohio December 13 1925

KXL
Portland, Oregon
Wood 2 Manual 9 Rank

* Veteran organist Rex Koury conducted an orchestra on the "Gunsmoke" radio programs. He was also the composer of the theme song used on the radio version, and of most of the internal snippets of music in the show. In the absence of a studio orchestra, Koury often used the theatre organ to provide music for rehearsals of the program. CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO LISTEN TO AN EPISODE WITH KOURY AT THE THEATRE ORGAN.

The following list of WLW organists was supplied by Stan Krider

Theatre organists for radio station WLW:

Thomas "Fats" Waller (1932 - 33; played the Moon River program anonymously because WLW did not want it known that the famous jazz organist was providing the quiet music)
Gene Perazzo (first Moon River organist)
Lee Erwin (earlier Moon River organist)
Gladys "Happy" Lee
Pat Gillick
Arthur Chandler, Jr. (A.K.A. "Jelly Sandwich)
Don Simmons
Burt Farber
Johanna Gross
Jack Saatkamp
Jessie Walker
Bert Little
Herschell Luecke (organist during the final "Moon River" program featuring Bill Myers, reader, and Ruby Wright, vocalist. Organ was a Baldwin Orgasonic in WLW's Studio E)
Cliff Lash

NOTE: In addition to the organists listed above, there were countless organists who conducted radio shows, featuring pipe organs, from local theatres. Bernard Carpenter, and J. Louis Sayre from the Imperial in Augusta and Bob Van Camp from the Atlanta Fox were names submitted by Larry Davis.

Jack Bethards submitted these names as well: These organists are likely to have played some pipe organ dates: Eunice Steel, Floyd Wright, Don George. Finally, Richard Purvis played for many years a regular broadcast from the Chapel of the Chimes mausoleum under the name Richard Irvin.

In Terre Haute Indiana the only local station until after WWII was little 250W WBOW (the BOW standing for Banks of the Wabash).  That station in the Hammond period featured organ music by Shirley Armstrong and, later, Leo Baxter.  Baxter led a local dance band that dated back to the 1920s, was on the station staff as Program Director, and for several years after WWII had three different 1/2 hour organ programs on weekdays. (Submitted by John Scott)