Center Theatre - New York City (postcard, 1945)
 

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Center Theatre

1236 Sixth Avenue at 49th Street
New York, N.Y. 10020









Known for most of its short life as the Center Theatre, this Art Deco-style movie palace on the southeast corner of Sixth Avenue and 49th Street was located in the south block of Rockefeller Center. It opened as the New RKO Roxy Theatre on December 29, 1932 with a stage show and the movie "The Animal Kingdom," starring Leslie Howard and Myrna Loy. Two days earlier, its larger sister theatre, Radio City Music Hall, had opened with a stage show-only policy, under the direction of S.L. "Roxy" Rothafel.

The lobby had three ticket offices. The Grand Foyer was illuminated by day through five large exterior windows of opaque glass etched in relief. During darkness, the lighting was via three glass globes at ceiling height and two glass globes hanging lower. It was decorated in red and gold fabric with Bubinga mahogany walls and vermilion doors leading to the auditorium.

Center Theatre - New York City (photo: Samuel H. Gottscho, 1932)  
   
Center Theatre - New York City (photo: Samuel H. Gottscho, 1932)  
   
The auditorium had 75-foot-high walls that were paneled with African mahogany and a ceiling decorated with figures from Greek mythology. Centered over the orchestra section was a 400-bulb, 104,000-watt chandelier, 25 feet in diameter and weighing six tons. Claimed as the largest of its kind, the fixture required its own fan cooling system. The proscenium opening was 60 feet wide and extended in height from stage floor to the ceiling. Just as in Radio City Music Hall, the New RKO Roxy Theatre had three shallow mezzanines, with respective seating capacities of 406, 655 and 559. The orchestra accomodated 1,890, giving the theatre a total capacity of 3,510. The Grand Foyer was also similar to that at Radio City Music Hall in that it had a wide staircase and elevators to the top mezzanine, and a Grand Lounge in the basement.

In March 1933, the New RKO Roxy Theatre and Radio City Music Hall shared the New York premiere engagement of "King Kong." Both theatres supported the movie with a stage show, "Jungle Rhythms."

After successful litigation by the owners of the original Roxy Theatre on 7th Avenue and 50th Street, the New RKO Roxy was renamed the RKO Center Theatre in 1933, and it began to feature less costly second-run double bill film programmes. In 1934, "RKO" was dropped from the Center's name when it opened its first legitimate production, "The Great Waltz." When the show closed, the Center Theatre attempted showing films again. In February 1940, it hosted the New York premiere engagement of Walt Disney's "Pinocchio." Movies did not succeed here, and the Center Theatre returned to presenting live shows, including some 'Ice Spectaculars,' until it closed and became an NBC studio in 1950.

By the time NBC's lease expired, in May 1954, a decision had been made to demolish the theatre. In its place an office skyscraper that blended with other buildings in Rockefeller Center was built.
           
 

Stage Left Console - Radio City Music Hall, NYC

Wurlitzer Organ Company
North Tonawanda, N.Y. – Opus 2178 (1932)
Electro-pneumatic action
Style "4 manual Special"
4 manuals, 34 ranks








The organ in the RKO Roxy (Center) Theatre was one of three Wurlitzers ordered for Rockefeller Center, the others going to Radio City Music Hall (4/54, Op. 2179) and the Radio City Studio (3/14, Op. 2180). According to Music Hall organist C.A.J. Parmentier, the specifications for all three organs were drawn by R.P. Elliot of the W.W. Kimball Company, yet Wurlitzer got the contracts to build them. One possible explanation is that S.L. "Roxy" Rothafel, manager of both the RKO Roxy and Music Hall, had good experiences with the large Kimball organs that had been installed under his watch at the original Roxy Theatre on Seventh Avenue and 50th Street.

Although Op. 2178 had a similar design to Op. 2179 in the Music Hall, the latter organ was larger due to it having "straight" ranks while the RKO Roxy (Center) organ was highly unified. The RKO Roxy organ had a factory date of August 2, 1932 and cost $32,510. By comparison, the larger Music Hall organ cost $107,445, owing to it having a second console, second relay and two 32' stops.

The organ was removed in the early 1950s and moved to a residence in Harrisburg, Penn. In 1962, the organ was purchased by Jimmy Boyce, who had it installed (without any swell enclosures!) in the "America on Wheels" roller-skating rink in Alexandra, Va. The organ was removed in the late 70s-early 80s and sold to a collector in Phoenix, Ariz. Opus 2178 was ultimately parted out, with its Art Deco console going to the Berkeley Community Auditorium, in Berkeley, Calif., where it controls a spectacular instrument based on the Toledo, Ohio, Paramount Wurlitzer, with choice Wurlitzer ranks added.
           
Pedal – 32 notes
32
   Acoustic Bass
16
   Grand Piano
16
   Tuba Profunda
8
   Grand Piano
16
   English Post Horn
8
   Cathedral Chimes
16
  Trombone     Thunder Drum, stroke
16
  Diaphone     Thunder Drum, roll
16
  Diaphonic Horn     Bass Drum, band
16
  Contra Tibia Clausa     Bass Drum, orchestra
16
  Violone     Cymbals
16
  Viola Diapason     Snare Drum, band roll
16
  Contra Fagotto     Snare Drum, orchestra roll
16
  Bourdon     Accomp. to Pedal
10 2/3
   Tuba Quint
 
  Great to Pedal
10 2/3
   Tibia Quint     Orch. Unison to Pedal
8
   Tuba Contra     Orch. Octave to Pedal
8
   English Post Horn     Solo Unison to Pedal
8
   Tromba

  Solo Octave to Pedal
8
   Diapason Phonon

   
8
   Octave

Pedal Second Touch

8
  Tibia Clausa
8
   Cathedral Chimes
8
  Tibia Minor     Thunder Drum, stroke
8
  Cello     Thunder Drum, roll
8
  Cello Celeste     Bass Drum, band
8
  Violin (3 ranks)     Tympani
8
  Concert Flute     Cymbals
4
   Tromba Clausa     Persian Cymbals
4
   Cornet     Chinese Gong
4
   Tibia Minor     Triangle
4
   Cello     Grand Crash
4
   Cello Celeste     Solo Unison to Pedal
4
   Violin (3 ranks)     Solo Octave to Pedal
4
   Open Flute

   
           
Accompaniment (Manual I) – 61 notes
16
  Clarinet     Snare Drum, band tap
16
  Double Dulciana     Snare Drum, band roll
8
   Tuba Sonora     Snare Drum, orchestra tap
8
   Tromba     Snare Drum, orchestra roll
8
   Horn Diapason     Tambourine
8
  Tibia Clausa     Castanets
8
  Tibai Minor     Chinese Block, tap
8
  Viola Diapason     Chinese Block, roll
8
  Violins (2 ranks)

  Tom Tom
8
  Kinura

  Shuffle
8
  English Horn

  Octave
8
  Clarinet

  Orch. Unison to Accomp.
8
  French Horn

  Orch. Octave to Accomp.
8
  Concert Flute

   
8
  Dulciana

Accompaniment Second Touch

8
  Spitz Flute Celeste
8
   Tuba Sonora
8
  Vox Humana
8
  English Post Horn
8
  Vox Humana
8
  Tromba
4
   Octave
8
  Diapason Phonon
4
   Violins (2 ranks)
8
  Tibia Clausa
4
   Traverse Flute
8
  Cellos (2 ranks)
4
   Dulcet
8
  Clarinet
4
   Spitz Flute Celeste
8
  Saxophone
4
   Vox Humana
8
  English Horn
4
   Vox Humana
8
  Cathedral Chimes
2 2/3
   Nazard
2
   Glockenspield
2
   Piccolo     Snare Drum, band roll  
2
   Dolcetin     Snare Drum, orchestra roll
8
   Grand Piano     Chinese Block, roll
4
  Grand Piano
 
  Triangle
8
   Marimba

  Bird
8
   Marimba Harp

  Orch. to Accomp.
4
   Xylophone

  Solo to Accomp.
2
   Glockenspiel

   
8
   Harp      
4
  Celesta      
           
Great (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
  Trombone
8
   Harp
16
  Double Diapason
4
   Celesta
8
   Tuba Sonora
 
  Snare Drum, band tap
8
  Trumpet     Snare Drum, band roll
8
  Tromba     Snare Drum, orchestra roll
8
  Diapason Phonon     Octave
8
  Open Diapason     Accomp. Sub to Great
8
  Horn Diapason     Accomp. Unison to Great
8
  Tibia Clausa     Accomp. Octave to Great
8
  Tibia Minor

  Orch. Sub to Great
8
  Viola Diapason

  Orch. Unison to Great
8
  French Horn     Orch. Octave to Great
8
  Oboe Horn     Solo Unison to Great
8
  Concert Flute     Solo Octave to Great
8
  Dulciana      
8
  Spitz Flute Celeste
Great Second Touch
8
  Vox Humana
16
   Tuba Profunda
8
  Vox Humana
16
  English Post Horn
4
   Tromba Clarion
16
   Trombone
4
   Octave
16
   Contra Tibia Clausa
4
   Tibia Minor
16
   English Horn [TC]
4
   Octave Viola
16
   Clarinet [TC]
4
   Traverse Flute
8
   English Post Horn
4
  Dulcet
4
   Tibia Flute
2 2/3–2
   Twelfth & Fifteenth (2 ranks)
4
   Harmonic Flute
2
   Fifteenth (Viola)

  Snare Drum, band roll
8
   Grand Piano

  Snare Drum, orchestra roll
8
   Cathedral Chimes

  Chinese Block, roll
4
   Xylophone     Orch. to Great
2
   Glockenspiel     Solo to Great

   

   
Orchestral (Manual III) – 61 notes
16
  Contra Fagotto
8
  Spitz Flute Celeste
16
  Bourdon
8
  Vox Humana
16
  Vox Humana [TC]
8
  Vox Humana
16
  Vox Humana [TC]
4
   Clarion
8
   Tuba Sonora
4
   Octave
8
  English Post Horn
4
   Tibia Minor
8
  Trumpet
4
   Harmonic Flute
8
  Horn Diapason
4
   Octave Viola
8
  Tibia Clausa
4
  Violins (2 ranks)
8
  Tibia Minor
4
  Traverse Flute
8
  Viola Diapason
4
  Vox Humana
8
  Cello
4
  Vox Humana
8
  Cello Celeste
2 2/3
   Flute Twelfth
8
  Violins (2 ranks)
2
   Harmonic Piccolo
8
  Gamba
2
   Piccolo
8
  Salicional
1 3/5
   Tierce
8
  Voix Celeste
8
  Grand Piano
8
  Muted Violins (2 ranks)
8
   Harp Marimba
8
  Orchestral Oboe (synthetic)
4
   Xylophone
8
  Kinura
2
   Glockenspiel
8
  Saxophone
8
  Harp
8
  English Horn
4
   Celesta
8
  Clarinet     Octave
8
  Oboe Horn     Accomp. Unison to Orch.
8
  French Horn     Accomp. Octave to Orch.
8
  Concert Flute     Solo Unison to Orch.
8
  Dulciana     Solo Octave to Orch.

   

   
Solo (Manual IV) – 61 notes
16
  Tuba Profunda 
8
  Clarinet
16
  English Post Horn
8
  Oboe Horn
16
  Diaphonic Horn
8
  French Horn
16
  Contra Tibia Clausa
8
  Concert Flute
16
  Double Diapason
8
  Vox Humana
16
  Violone
8
  Vox Humana
16
  Kinura [TC]
4
   Cornet
16
  Saxophone [TC]
4
  Tibia Flute
16
  English Horn [TC]
4
  Harmonic Flute
16
  Clarinet [TC]
4
  Octave Viola
16
  Contra Fagotto
4
  Octave Cello
16
  Vox Humana [TC]
4
  Violins (2 ranks)
16
  Vox Humana [TC]
2 2/3
   Tibia Twelfth
8
   Tuba Sonora
2
   Tibia Piccolo
8
  English Post Horn
2
   Harmonic Piccolo
8
  Trumpet
8
  Grand Piano
8
  Tromba
4
   Grand Piano
8
  Diaphonic Phonon
8
   Marimba
8
  Horn Diapason
8
   Marimba Harp
8
  Tibia Clausa
8
   Cathedral Chimes
8
  Tibia Minor
4
   Xylophone
8
  Viola Diapason
2
   Xylophone
8
  Cello
2
   Glockenspiel
8
  Cello Celeste
2
   Orchestral Bells
8
  Violins (2 ranks)
8
   Harp
8
  Kinura
4
   Celesta
8
  Saxophone     Octave
8
  English Horn      

   

   
STOP & CHAMBER ANALYSIS
               
     
Pitches
Pipes
Pressure
GREAT
1.
   Trombone/Tromba
16–4
97
  
15"
  
2.
   Diaphone/Phonon Diapason
16–8
85
  
15"
  
3.-4.
   Violins (2 ranks)
8–4
146
  
10"
  
5.
   Viola Diapason
16–2
97
  
10"
  
6.
   2nd Open Diapason
8
73
  
10"
  
7.
   French Horn
8
73
  
10"
  
8.
   Clarinet
8
73
  
10"
  
9.
   Spitz Flute Celeste
8–4
85
  
10"
  
10.
   Dulciana
8–2
85
  
10"
  
11.
   Concert Flute
8–2
85
  
10"
  
12.
   Octave
4
73
  
10"
  
13.-14.
   Mixture (12th & 15th)  
122
  
10"
  
               
ORCHESTRAL
15.
   Brass Trumpet
8–4
85
  
10"
  
16.
   Tibia Minor
16–2
97
  
10"
  
17.
   Gamba
8
73
  
10"
  
18.
   Diaphone/Horn Diapason
16–4
97
  
10"
  
19.
   Fagotto/Oboe Horn
16–8
85
  
10"
  
20.
   Vox Humana
8–4
73
  
7"
  
21.-22.
   Muted Violins (2 ranks)
8
146
  
10"
  
23.
   Salicional
8
73
  
10"
  
24.
   Voix Celeste
8
73
  
10"
  
25.
   Vox Humana
8–4
73
  
7"
  
               
SOLO
26.
   Tuba Sonora
16–4
97
  
15"
  
27.
   English Post Horn
16–8
85
  
15"
  
28.
   Tibia Clausa
16–2
97
  
15"
  
29.
   Brass Saxophone
8
73
  
10"
  
30.
   Harmonic Flute
4–2
73
  
10"
  
31.
   Violone/Cello
16–4
97
  
10"
  
32.
   Cello Celeste
8
73
  
10"
  
33.
   English Horn
8
73
  
10"
  
34.
   Kinura
8
73
  
10"
  
               
PERCUSSION
          
    Xylophone
4
49 notes
   
    Marimba
8
49 notes
   
    Glockenspiel
2
37 notes
   
    Chimes with dampers
8
25 notes
   
    Trap Assembly          
               
UNENCLOSED
          
    Grand Piano
16–4
85 notes
   
           
Sources:
     Cinema Treasures web site: www.cinematreasures.org
     Junchen, David L., comp. and ed. by Jeff Weiler. The WurliTzer Pipe Organ – An Illustrated History. Chicago: The American Theatre Organ Society, 2005.
     Kaufmann, Preston J. Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. 3. Pasadena: Showcase Publications, 1995.

Illustrations:
     Gottscho, Samuel H.: interior (Nov. 22, 1932), exterior.
     Public Domain: 1945 linen postcard of exterior.