1920 photo of the Criterion Theatre - New York City (photo: Cinema Treasures)
 
Criterion Theatre in 1920
Criterion (Vitagraph) Theatre

1514 Broadway at 44th Street
New York, N.Y. 10036


Organ Specifications:
II/6 "Style 160" Wurlitzer, Op. 293 (1920)
III/13 "Style 6 Special" Wurtlizer, Op. 33 (1914)

The first Criterion Theatre on Broadway was originally known as the Lyric, which opened in 1895 as part of Oscar Hammerstein's block-wide entertainment complex, the Olympia. The Lyric had about 1,700 seats and was decorated in the Louis XVI style. In 1898, Hammerstein was forced by his creditors to sell the Olympia complex at an auction in which the components were sold separately.

1895 photo of the Lyric Theatre - New York City (photo: Cinema Treasures)  
Lyric Theatre in 1895
 
   
Stage producer Charles Frohman took over the Lyric and renamed it the Criterion in honor of the famous playhouse in London's Piccadilly Circus. The ex-Lyric's seating capacity was substantially reduced to about 900 by removing many of the five boxes which flanked both sides of the stage. In 1914, the Vitagraph Company transformed the theatre into a "movie palace" and gave it the name of Vitagraph Theatre.

  1914 photo of the Vitagraph Theatre - New York City (photo: Cinema Treasures)
Vitagraph Theatre in 1914
The Vitagraph opened on February 7, 1914, with the Vitagraph feature, "A Million Dollar Bid," and some Vitagraph short subjects. A Wurlitzer organ which could sound like a full orchestra provided the musical accompaniment. Although the Vitagraph Theatre proved successful, rival exhibitors were outraged by a producer-distributor operating its own theatre and began to boycott Vitagraph products.

In 1918, after continued pressure, Vitagraph chose not to renew its lease and withdrew from the theatre. At this time, the Vitagraph became known as the Criterion once again. In 1920, Paramount-Famous Players, which also ran the Rialto and Rivoli, took over the Criterion to showcase some of its most important releases, including "Beau Geste," "The Covered Wagon," and DeMille's first "Ten Commandments". The Criterion existed until its demolition in 1935, when the entire Olympia complex was razed to make way for new buildings which included a new Criterion Theatre.
           
Wurlitzer Organ Company
North Tonawanda, N.Y. – Opus 293 (1920)
Electro-pneumatic action
Style 160
2 manuals, 6 ranks, 4 tuned percussion, 17 traps, piano console


This organ is dated March 19, 1920, destined for the Criterion Theatre, but was later repossessed. In December 1925, the organ was sold to the Capitol Theatre in Macon, Ga. In November 1975, the organ was installed in the Mack Watson residence in Tucker, Ga., where it is believed to be extant.
           
Pedal – 32 notes
16
  Bass
8
  Flute
16
  Bourdon
  Bass Drum
8
  Open Diapason
  Kettle Drum
8
  Cello
  Cymbal

   

   
Accompaniment (Manual I) –- 61 notes
8
  Trumpet
  Piano
8
  Open Diapason
  Mandolin
8
  Salicional
  Snare Drum
8
  Viol Celeste (TC)
  Tambourine
8
  Flute
  Castanets
4
  Salicet
  Chinese Block
4
  Octave Celeste
   
4
  Flute
  5 Adjustable Combination Pistons

   

   
Solo (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
  Bourdon
4
  Octave Celeste
8
  Trumpet
4
  Flute
8
  Open Diapason
  Cathedral Chimes
8
  Salicional
  Xylophone
8
  Viol Celeste (TC)
  Glockenspiel
8
  Flute
   
8
  Vox Humana
  5 Adjustable Combination Pistons
4
  Salicet
   
           
General
    One Balanced Expression Pedal      
    General Tremulant      
    Vox Humana Tremulant      
           
Effects (operated by pistons)
   
Sleigh Bells Fire Gong Train
Horse Hoofs Siren Fire Gong [re-it]
Bird Triangle Steamboat Whistle
Auto Horn Surf Tom-Tom
     
Door Bell (push button)  
           
Wurlitzer Organ Company
North Tonawanda, N.Y. – Opus 33 (1914)
Electro-pneumatic action
Style 6 Special
3 manuals, 13 ranks, 6 tuned percussion, 4 traps, curved console


This organ, originally built as Wurlitzer's Op. 4, was shipped in 1912 to the Century Theatre in New York, but was later repossessed. In 1914, the organ was enlarged by the addition of a 32' Diaphone and a 16' Tuba, and sold for $21,270 to the Criterion Theatre as Wurlitzer's Op. 33.
     
       
Pedal – 32 notes
32
  Diaphone       Second Touch  
16
  Tuba       Bass Drum  
16
  Ophicleide
  Kettle Drum
16
  Clarinet
  Crash Cymbal
16
  Horn
   
16
  Diaphone
  Pizzicato Touch
8
  Tuba Horn
16
  Ophicleide
8
  Horn Diapason
   
8
  Clarinet
 
6 Adjustable Comb. Toe Pistons
8
  Cello
   
8
  Flute
 
  Great to Pedal
   
  Solo Octave to Pedal
   

   

     
Accompaniment (Manual I) –- 61 notes
16
  Contra Viol (TC)
  Second Touch
16
  Tuba Horn
8
  Tuba Horn  
8
  Horn Diapason
  Cathedral Chimes  
8
  Clarinet
  Sleigh Bells  
8
  Viol d'Orchestre
  Xylophone  
8
  Viol Celeste
  Triangle  
8
  Flute
  Solo to Accompaniment  
8
  Vox Humana
   
4
  Viol
  Pizzicato Touch
4
  Octave Celeste
8
  Flute  
4
  Flute
  Solo to Accompaniment  
2 2/3
  Twelfth
     
2
  Piccolo
  5 Adjustable Combination Pistons
 
Chrysoglott
49 notes
     
               
Great (Manual II) –- 61 notes
16
  Tuba  
2
  Fifteenth  
16
  Ophicleide
2
  Piccolo
16
  Clarinet
1 3/5
  Tierce
16
  Contre Viol (TC)
 
Chimes
25 notes
16
  Vox Humana (TC)
 
Sleigh Bells
25 notes
8
  Tuba Horn
85
 
Xylophone
37 notes
8
  Horn Diapason
85
 
Glockenspiel
37 notes
8
  Clarinet
61
 
Saucer Bells [re-it]
25 notes
8
  Viol d'Orchestre
73
  Solo Octave  
8
  Viol Celeste
73
     
8
  Flute
85
  Second Touch
8
  Vox Humana
61
16
  Ophicleide  
4
  Clarion
  Solo to Great  
4
  Octave
     
4
  Viol
  Pizzicato Touch
4
  Octave Celeste
  Solo to Great  
4
  Flute
     
2 2/3
  Twelfth
  5 Adjustable Comb. Pistons
                  [Double touch]  

   

     
Solo (Manual III) – 37 notes (3 octaves from Tenor C up)
8
  Tibia Clausa
49
  Cathedral Chimes
8
  Trumpet
49
  Sleigh Bells
8
  Orchestral Oboe
49
  Xylophone
8
  Kinura
49
  Saucer Bells
8
  Oboe Horn
61
  Glockenspiel
8
  Celestina
61
 
6 Adjustable Combination Pistons
     
       
General
    Two Tremulants
    Two Balanced Expression Pedals
    Two Indicating and Controlling Keys for Expression Pedal
    Thunder Pedal (Reed) – Piano Pedal
    Thunder Pedal (Diaphone) – Piano Pedal
    Re-Iterator for Strings
    Re-Iterator for Solo
    One Double Touch Sforzando Pedal - Piano Pedal
     • 1st Touch: Full Organ (wind)
     • 2nd Touch: Everything
    One Double Touch Sforzando Pedal - Piano Pedal
     • 1st Touch: Snare Drum
     • 2nd Touch: Bass Drum & Cymbals
           
Sources:
     Cinema Treasures web site: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/16481
     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:
     Cinema Treasures web site.