Japenese Garden Theatre - New York City (photo: Arthur Hosking, 1920. MCNY)
  Japenese Theatre Vertical Sign (1920)
  Riviera Theatre - New York City
  Rivera Building
  Japanese Garden Theatre - New York City
  View from SE corner of Broadway & 96th St.
Japanese Garden Theatre

2559 Broadway at 97th Street
New York, N.Y. 10025









The Japanese Garden Theatre, operated by William Fox, was on the upper floors of the 10-story Riviera Building on the southwest corner of Broadway and 97th Street. Designed by Thomas W. Lamb, the 1,579-seat theatre was decorated with an "oriental" motif and had three large stained glass windows on the south side of the auditorium.

Together with the Riviera Theatre on the ground floor and the Riverside Theatre next door to the south — all designed by Thomas Lamb — the Japanese Garden was part of the so-called “Subway Circuit” of legitimate houses.

The Japanese Theatre and Riviera Building were demolished in 1976.
     
  Japenese Garden Theatre - New York City
  Interior showing Left Organ Grille
M.P. Möller, Inc.
Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 2008 (1916, 1925)
Tubular-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 23 registers, 21 stops, 21 ranks



The organ in the City Theatre was built in 1916 by M.P. Möller at a cost of $5,300. It was one of Möller's standard "theatre" models with three manuals and 21 ranks. In 1925, Möller rebuilt or replaced this organ. Following are the specifications of a standard 3/21 Möller theatre organ.
               
Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes (5" pressure)
8
   Open Diapason
61
4
   Octave
61
8
   Dulciana
61
4
   Flute Harmonique
61
8
   Concert Flute
61
        
               
Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (5" pressure)
16
   Bourdon
61
8
   Viol d'Orchestre
61
8
   Open Diapason
61
8
   Aeoline
61
8
   Stopped Diapason
61
4
   Flute Traverso
61
8
   Salicional
61
8
   Clarinet
61
8
   Vox Celeste (TC)
49
     Tremulant  
               
Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed (5" pressure)
8
   Horn Flute
61
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Quintadena
61
     Tremulant
—
8
   Viol Aetheria
61
    
Cathedral Chimes
20 Notes
8
   Unda Maris (TC)
49
    
Harp
49 Notes
4
   Flute d'Amour
61
    
Sleigh Bells
20 Notes
               
Pedal Organ – 32 notes (5" pressure)
16
   Bourdon
44
8
   Flute (fr. Bourdon)
—
16
   Lieblich Gedeckt
SW
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal       Choir to Great 16', 8'  
    Swell to Pedal       Swell to Choir  
    Choir to Pedal       Great 4'  
    Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'          
               
Combinations
    None listed          
               
Pedal Movements
    Balanced Swell Pedal   Great to Pedal Reversible
    Balanced Choir Pedal    
    Grand Crescendo Pedal    
     
Sources:
     Cinema Treasures website: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/1356
     Junchen, David L. Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. 1. Pasadena: Showcase Publications, 1985.
     Trupiano, Larry. Specifications of a standard III/21 organ from Agreement (Sep. 17, 1915) for M.P. Möller organ, Op. 2027 (1915).

Illustrations:
     Cinema Treasures website. Exterior (1920s) from southeast corner of Broadway and 96th Street; Interior.
     Hosking, Arthur. Exterior and Marquee (1920). Collection of the Museum of the City of New York.
     Office for Metropolitan History (New York City). Exterior (undated). Courtesy Christopher Gray.