Paramount Building and Theatre - New York City (photo: A. Wittemann)
 
Paramount Building facing Broadway; the Paramount Theatre was behind at left
Paramount Theatre

West side of Broadway, between 43rd and 44th Streets
New York, N.Y. 10036








The Paramount Theatre and adjoining Paramount Building on Times Square were conceived by Adolph Zukor, President of Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, to be a fitting flagship theatre and home of his company, the Publix Theatres Corporation. Located on the site of the old Putnam and Westover Court buildings, the Paramount Building was on the west side of Broadway from 43rd and 44th Streets, behind which was the Paramount Theatre. The theatre cost $3,000,000, and the whole structure, including the land, was valued at $17,000,000.

Designed by the Chicago firm of Rapp & Rapp, the Paramount Building was twenty-nine stories tall and had eight setbacks to comply with zoning regulations. Surmounting its pyramidal top were a large clock and stylized globe that were illuminated at night. The time was indicated with flashes by white lights on the hour and red lights on the quarter hours.

Entrance to the Paramount Theatre - New York City  
The Paramount Theatre was in a separate building sandwiched between the Paramount Building and the headquarters of The New York Times, located at 229 West 43rd Street. The theatre entrance and marquis were on the Broadway side of the Paramount Building. After passing through a small lobby, patrons emerged into the Grand Hall, a sumptuous lobby modeled after the Paris Opera and located on the 43rd Street end of the theatre building. Measuring 150 feet long by 45 feet wide by 50 feet high, the Grand Hall had a gold domed ceiling that was supported by massive white marble columns; from the center of the dome hung a bronze and crystal chandelier. At the west end of the hall was an elegant marble staircase that widened as it ascended to the mezzanine landings; behind the stairs were elevators to all levels of the theatre. By day, the Grand Hall was flooded with sunlight from a tremendous glass window along the street side, while at night it was illuminated by hundreds of sparkling electric lights. For those waiting to enter the theatre, a special amplification system brought music of the stage, organ and orchestra into the Grand Hall. Overlooking the Grand Hall was the Music Room where patrons could be entertained with concerts by a string orchestra and artists. From the lobby, one could enter the Hall of Nations to view a collection of thirty-seven stones collected from various parts of the world, and a bronze bust of Thomas A. Edison, the inventor. In the basement was a lounge known and furnished as the Elizabethan Room; from this room one could enter the College Room (men's smoking), the Chinoiserie (ladies' smoking), and the Venetian Room (ladies' cosmetics). Other public rooms were the Peacock Alley, the Club Room, the Hunting Room, the Jade Room, the Powder Box, the Marie Antoinette Room, and the Colonial and Empire Rooms.

Paramount Theatre - New York City  
The Paramount Theatre auditorium was the first movie palace in New York City designed in the "Chicago style" with opulent French Renaissance interiors, as compared to the restrained neoclassical Adam and Empire styles employed by theatre architect Thomas W. Lamb for the nearby Strand, Capitol and Loew's State theatres. The auditorium was decorated with a color scheme of ivory, rose-red and turquoise blue. Indirect lighting in three colors was installed around the proscenium facia, organ grille frames, the soffit of the balcony, and the main ceiling, supplemented by bronze crystal fixtures that hung from the ceiling along the side walls. The orchestra pit, designed to hold 70 players, could be raised and lowered on an elevator, and its platform could be automatically rolled onto the stage. The organ console was on its own elevator at the left side of the orchestra pit.

Despite its 3,664 seats, the auditorium was quite narrow and had only four sections of seats on the main floor, with additional seating in the mezzanine boxes and balcony. The narrow stage opening proved to be problematic over the years: when the wide-screen era arrived, some of the proscenium had to be removed to accomodate the larger screen.

The Paramount Theatre opened on November 19, 1926, with laudatory speeches by the mayor and other dignitaries, followed by a program of music and stage shows, and featuring the film translation of Miss Dixie Willson's short story, "God Gave Me Twenty Cents," directed by Herbert Brenon. Attending the opening was Thomas A. Edison, who had invented the motion picture some thirty years earlier. Song writer Walter Donaldson composed the fox trot ballad, "It Made You Happy When You Made Me Cry," that was played by chief organist Jesse Crawford during the week of the grand opening.

Less than forty years after its opening, the Paramount Theatre closed on August 4, 1964, following that evening's last showing of "The Carpetbaggers." Despite some efforts to save the theatre, The New York Times Company purchased the property for demolition and conversion into office space.
               
  Console of Wurlitzer Organ, Op. 1458 in the Paramount Theatre - New York City
   
  Jesse Crawford at Wurlitzer Organ, Op. 1458 (1926) in the Paramount Theatre - New York City
 
Jesse Crawford at the Paramount Theatre
Wurlitzer Organ Company
North Tonawanda, N.Y. – Opus 1458 (1926)
Electro-pneumatic action
4 manuals, 36 ranks




The Wurlitzer Organ built in 1926 for the Paramount Theatre was considered to be the company's masterpiece. Installed in shallow chambers and speaking through virtually unobstructed grilles, the organ was tonally finished by Dan Papp under the direction of Jesse Crawford, noted theatre organist who had been lured from Chicago to be chief organist at the Paramount, a position he held from 1926-1933.

Although many enthusiasts referred to the Paramount organ as the "Crawford Special," due to the organist's close association with the instrument, Mr. Crawford insisted that he did not design the organ but "specified only that the organ was to include certain ranks: the three Tibia Clausa, certain of the string and diapason ranks and the four Vox Humana... Someone at the Wurlitzer factory made up the specifications." The Paramount organ was the first by Wurlitzer to include 2-2/3' and 2' Tibia pitches.

Regarding the Paramount organ, Edward Millington Stout III, the incomparable organ builder, curator and historian based in Hayward, Calif., posted this statement (June 26, 2004) on the Cinema Treasures web site:
"The thirty-six rank Wurlitzer in the Times Square Paramount was based on Wurlitzer's largest standard model, the 285, such as the magnificent example installed in the San Francsico Granada Theatre in 1921. The Style 285s were known as "two-pressure" organs, meaning the blowers supplied 15" & 25" pressures. The 285's "Brass" division, consisting of an English Horn (Post) on 15" pressure and a 25" Tuba Mirabilis, became the "Orchestral" division on the 4-manual specials. The Paramount was the first of the five instruments falling under that classification."
1931 Christmas Production showing the slave console of Wurlitzer Organ, Op. 1458 (1926) in the Paramount Theatre - New York City  
1931 Christmas Production showing the
four-manual slave console on stage
  
In 1929, a slave console was added and installed on the other side of the orchestra pit, allowing Helen Crawford to perform in duo with her husband. Two skeleton consoles for use on the stage were added in 1931, making it the only Wurlitzer organ that could be played simultaneously by four organists at four different consoles.
 
The Paramount organ was so successful that Fox Studios placed an order in 1928 for four identical organs to be installed in their theatres in Detroit (Op. 1894), Brooklyn (Op. 1904), St. Louis (Op. 1997) and San Francisco (Op. 2012). Known as the "Fox Special," each organ was equipped with two four-manual consoles (master and slave) and 36 ranks of pipes (except for the Brooklyn Fox organ which had 37 ranks due to the addition of a Concert Flute Celeste). In 1929, a fifth "Fox Special" organ was ordered for the Fox Theatre in Newark, N.J., but this theatre was never built and the organ contract was cancelled. In David L. Junchen's book, The Wurlitzer Pipe Organ – An Illustrated History, we read, "As a curious coincidence, the Wurlitzer ledgers disclose that in 1929 the company acquired $91,950 worth of stock in Fox Film Corporation. This amount is about the cost of a Fox Special organ; perhaps it was a payoff of the defaulted contract."

Prior to the demolition of the Paramount Theatre, the organ was acquired by Richard Simonton of Los Angeles. In the 1970s, the organ was moved to the Century II Convention Center in Wichita, Kansas, where it is extant today.
             
Pedal – 32 notes
32
   Diapahone       Cymbal
16
   Bombarde       Snare Drum (large)
16
   Diaphone       Bass Drum
16
   Ophicleide       Cymbal (jazz)
16
   Double English Horn       Snare Drum
16
   Tibia Clausa (Orch.)       Chinese Gong
16
   Tibia Clausa (Foun.)       Tambourine
16
   Tibia Clausa (Solo)       Castanets
16
   Diaphonic Horn       Chinese Block
16
   Clarinet       Triangle
16
   Bass String       Bombarde to Pedal
16
   Bourdon       Great to Pedal
8
   Tuba Mirabilis       Solo to Pedal
8
   Solo Trumpet       Accomp. to Pedal
8
   Tuba Horn        
8
   English Horn       Pedal 2nd Touch
8
   Octave  
16
   Bombarde
8
   Open Diapason       Tympani
8
   Tibia Clausa (Orch.)       Bass Drum (large)
8
   Tibia Clausa (Foun.)       Cymbal
8
   Tibia Clausa (Solo)       Snare Drum (large)
8
   Solo String       Kettle Drum
8
   Gamba       Chinese Gong
8
   Horn Diapason       Snare Drum
8
   Strings (2 ranks)       Triangle
8
   Clarinet        
8
   Cello       Pedal Pizzicato
4
   Flute  
16
   Tibia Clausa (Orch.)
4
   Piccolo  
16
   Tibia Clausa (Foun.)
16
   Piano  
16
   Tibia Clausa (Solo)
8
   Piano  
8
   Tibia Clausa (Orch.)
    Solo Harp  
8
   Tibia Clausa (Foun.)
    Harp  
8
   Tibia Clausa (Solo)
    Tympani (tuned)       Tibia Ensemble
    Bass Drum (large)        
              
Accompaniment (Manual I) – 61 notes
8
   Tuba Mirabilis  
8
   Piano
8
   English Horn  
4
   Piano
8
   Tuba Horn       Mandolin
8
   Solo Trumpet       Solo Marimba
8
   Diaphonic Diapason       Marimba
8
   Open Diapason       Solo Harp
8
   Tibia Clausa (Orch.)       Harp
8
   Tibia Clausa (Foun.)       Xylophone
8
   Tibia Clausa (Solo)       Chrysoglott
8
   Strings (2 ranks)       Chrysoglott
8
   Horn Diapason       Snare Drum (large)
8
   Gamba       Snare Drum
8
   Gamba Celeste       Tambourine
8
   Saxophone       Castanets
8
   Clarinet       Chinese Block
8
   Viole d'Orchestre       Tom Tom
8
   Viole Celeste       Sand Block
8
   Krumet       Accomp. Octave
8
   French Horn       Solo to Accomp.
8
   Oboe Horn        
8
   Salicional       Accompaniment 2nd Touch
8
   Quintadena  
8
   English Horn
8
   Concert Flute  
8
   Tuba Mirabilis
8
   Lieblich Flute  
8
   Tuba Horn
8
   Vox Humana (Orch.)  
8
   Diaphonic Diapason
8
   Vox Humana (Foun.)  
8
   Tibia Clausa
8
   Vox Humana (Solo)  
8
   Tiba Clausa (2 ranks)
8
   Vox Humana (Main)  
8
   Saxophone
8
   Dulciana  
8
   Trumpet
4
   Horn Octave  
8
   Clarinet
4
   Piccolo  
8
   Solo String
4
   Piccolo  
4
   Piccolo
4
   Gambette (2 ranks)  
4
   Piccolo (2 ranks)
4
   Viole (2 ranks)  
2
   Piccolo (2 ranks)
4
   Harmonic Flute       Solo Chimes
4
   Flute       Cathedral Chimes
4
   Lieblich Flute       Solo Harp
4
   Vox Humana (Orch.)       Glockenspiel
4
   Vox Humana (Foun.)       Triangle
4
   Vox Humana (Solo)       Birds
4
   Vox Humana (Main)       Great Octave Accomp.
2 2/3
   Twelfth       Solo to Accomp.
2
   Harmonic Piccolo       Solo to Accomp. Pizz. (1st touch)
2
   Piccolo        
             
Great (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
   Bombarde  
4
   Piccolo
16
   Solo Trumpet [TC]  
4
   Piccolo
16
   Ophicleide  
4
   Piccolo
16
   Diaphone  
4
   Strings (2 ranks)
16
   Diaphonic Horn  
4
   Gambette (2 ranks)
16
   Tibia Clausa (Orch.)  
4
   Viole (2 ranks)
16
   Tibia Clausa (Foun.)  
4
   Harmonic Flute
16
   Tibia Clausa (Solo)  
4
   Concert Flute
16
   Clarinet  
4
   Concert Flute Celeste
16
   Saxophone [TC]  
4
   Lieblich Flute
16
   Solo String  
2 2/3
   Twelfth
16
   String Ensemble [TC]  
2 2/3
   Tibia Twelfth
16
   Vox Humana [TC] (Orch.)  
2 2/3
   Tibia Twelfth
16
   Vox Humana [TC] (Foun.)  
2
   Fifteenth
16
   Vox Humana [TC] (Solo)  
2
   Tibia Piccolo
16
   Vox Humana [TC] (Main)  
2
   Tibia Piccolo
8
   Tuba Mirabilis  
2
   Harmonic Piccolo
8
   Solo Trumpet  
2
   Piccolo
8
   Trumpet  
1 3/5
   Tierce
8
   Tuba Horn  
16
   Piano
8
   Diaphonic Diapason  
8
   Piano
8
   Open Diapason  
4
   Piano
8
   Horn Diapason       Solo Marimba
8
   Tibia Clausa (Orch.)       Marimba
8
   Tibia Clausa (Foun.)       Solo Harp
8
   Tibia Clausa (Solo)       Harp
8
   Strings (2 ranks)       Solo Xylophone
8
   Orchestral Oboe       Solo Xylophone
8
   Kinura       Xylophone
8
   Musette       Chrysoglott
8
   Solo String       Chrysoglott
8
   Gamba       Snare Drum (large)
8
   Gamba Celeste       Snare Drum
8
   Saxophone       Tambourine
8
   Clarinet       Castanets
8
   Viole d'Orchestre       Chinese Block
8
   Viole Celeste       Sand Block
8
   Krumet       Great Sub Octave
8
   French Horn       Accomp. Octave Great
8
   Oboe Horn       Solo Sub Great
8
   Salicional       Solo to Great
8
   Quintadena        
8
   Concert Flute       Great 2nd Touch
8
   Lieblich Flute  
16
   Double English Horn
8
   Vox Humana (Orch.)  
16
   Solo Trumpet [TC]
8
   Vox Humana (Foun.)  
8
   Tibia Clausa
8
   Vox Humana (Solo)  
8
   Solo String
8
   Vox Humana (Main)       Bombarde to Great
8
   Dulciana       Solo Sub Great
4
   Clarion       Solo to Great
4
   Horn Octave       Solo to Great Pizz. (1st touch)
             
Bombarde (Manual III) – 61 notes
16
   Bombarde  
4
   Piccolo
16
   Solo Trumpet [TC]  
4
   Piccolo
16
   Diaphone  
4
   Piccolo
16
   Double English Horn  
4
   Harmonic Flute
16
   Tibia Clausa (Orch.)  
2 2/3
   Tibia Twelfth
16
   Tibia Clausa (Foun.)  
2
   Tibia Piccolo
16
   Tibia Clausa (Solo)  
8
   Piano
16
   Double String       Solo Xylophone
16
   Strings (2 ranks) [TC]       Solo Xylophone
16
   Vox Humana [TC] (Orch.)       Xylophone
8
   Tuba Mirabilis       Glockenspiel
8
   Solo Trumpet       Chrysoglott (2)
8
   English Horn       Solo Chimes
8
   Diaphonic Diapason       Cathedral Chimes
8
   Tibia Clausa (Orch.)       Accomp. to Bombarde
8
   Tibia Clausa (Foun.)       Great to Bombarde
8
   Tibia Clausa (Solo)       Solo Sub Bombarde
8
   Solo String       Solo to Bombarde
8
   Strings (2 ranks)        
8
   Gamba       Bombarde 2nd Touch
8
   Gamba Celeste  
16
   Bombarde
8
   Vox Humana (Orch.)  
16
   Double English Horn
4
   Clarion Mirabilis        
             
Solo (Manual IV) – 61 notes
16
   Solo Trumpet [TC]  
4
   Piccolo
16
   Tibia Clausa (Orch.)  
4
   Piccolo
16
   Tibia Clausa (Foun.)  
4
   Piccolo
16
   Tibia Clausa (Solo)  
2
   Tibia Piccolo
16
   Saxophone [TC]  
2
   Tibia Piccolo (2 ranks)
8
   Tuba Mirabilis  
8
   Piano
8
   Trumpet       Solo Chimes
8
   English Horn       Cathedral Chimes
8
   Diaphonic Diapason       Solo Marimba
8
   Tibia Clausa (Orch.)       Marimba
8
   Tibia Clausa (Foun.)       Solo Harp
8
   Tibia Clausa (Solo)       Harp
8
   String Ensemble       Solo Xylophone
8
   Orchestral Oboe       Solo Xylophone
8
   Kinura       Xylophone
8
   Musette       Glockenspiel
8
   Krumet       Sleigh Bells
8
   Saxophone       Chrysoglott (2)
8
   French Horn       Bells
8
   Oboe Horn       Solo Sub Octave
8
   Quintadena       Accomp. to Solo
8
   Vox Humana Ensemble        
             
Tremulants (13)
    Orchestral     Foundation
    Tuba Mirabilis (Orch.)     Tibia Clausa (Foun.)
    Tibia Clausa (Orch.)     Vox Humana (Foun.)
    Vox Humana (Orch.)     Main
    Solo     Tuba Horn (Main)
    Tibia Clausa (Solo)     Vox Humana (Main)
    Vox Humana (Solo)      
             
Adjustable Combinations
   
Pedal 10 pistons (thumb) – under Accompaniment manual
Accompaniment 15 Double-touch pistons (thumb)
Great 15 Double-touch pistons (thumb)
Bombarde 15 Double-touch pistons (thumb)
Solo 15 Double-touch pistons (thumb)
             
Toe Levers
    Sforzorzdo – Stops   Thunder Pedal – Traps
    Sforzando – Traps   Thunder Pedal – Diaphone 32'
        Thunder Pedal – Tuba Mirabilis 16'
             
Junk Board (Push Buttons)
   
Surf Soft Bell Horse Hoofs
Fire Gong Birds (Main & Foun.) Boat Whistle
Auto Horn Birds (Solo & Orch.) Locomotive Whistle
Loud Bell Chinese Gong Wind Whistle (toggle)
             
General
    Four Expression Pedals Great Sostenuto (toggle switch)
    General Expression Pedal Accomp. Sostenuto (toggle switch)
    Crescendo Pedal Door Bell (push button)
    Signal to operator's booth (toe piston) Piano Sustain (on general swell shoe)
       
Swell Couplers (toggle switches)
    Percussion Open Main
    Orchestral Percussion
    Solo General
    Foundation  
             
Chamber Analysis
     
Main
16
   Tuba Horn
85 pipes
8
   Open Diapason
61 pipes
16
   Horn Diapason
85 pipes
8
   Viol d'Orchestre
85 pipes
8
   Viol Celeste
73 pipes
8
   Salicional
61 pipes
8
   Dulciana
61 pipes
16
   Concert Flute
97 pipes
8
   Lieblich Flute
73 pipes
8
   Krumet
61 pipes
8
   Vox Humana
61 pipes
   
Harp/Marimba
49 notes
   
Xylophone
37 notes
   
Chrysoglott [1]
49 notes
   
Snare Drum
   
Tambourine
   
Castanets
   
Chinese Block
   
Tom Tom

Foundation
8
   Solo Trumpet
61 pipes
16
   Diaphonic Diapason
85 pipes
16
   Tibia Clausa
97 pipes
8
   Musette
61 pipes
8
   Gamba
73 pipes
8
   Gamba Celeste
73 pipes
16
   Clarinet
73 pipes
8
   Vox Humana
61 pipes
4
   Harmonic Flute
73 pipes
 
Solo
8
   Trumpet
61 pipes
16
   Tibia Clausa
97 pipes
8
   Strings (2 ranks)
146 pipes
8
   Orchestral Oboe
61 pipes
8
   Kinura
61 pipes
8
   Saxophone
61 pipes
8
   French Horn
85 pipes
8
   Oboe Horn
61 pipes
8
   Quintadena
61 pipes
8
   Vox Humana
61 pipes
   
Solo Harp/Marimba
49 notes
   
Solo Chimes
25 notes
   
Solo Xylophone [1]
37 notes
   
Glockenspiel
37 notes
   
Chrysoglott [2]
25 notes

Orchestral
16
   English Horn
73 pipes
16
   Tuba Mirabilis
85 pipes
16
   Tibia Clausa
97 pipes
16
   Solo String [25"]
73 pipes
8
   Vox Humana
61 pipes

Percussion
   
Piano
85 notes
   
Cathedral Chimes
25 notes
   
Solo Xylophone [2]
37 notes
   
Sleigh Bells
25 notes
   
Tympani
13 notes
    Bass Drum
    Snare Drum (large)
    Cymbal
    Chinese Gong
    Triangle
    Sand Block
               
Sources:
     "Brilliant Opening at New Paramount," The New York Times (Nov. 20, 1926): 3.
     Cinema Treasures web site: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/548
     Hall, Ben M. The Best Remaining Seats. The Story of the Golden Age of the Movie Palace. New York: Bramhall House, 1961.
     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.
     "New Paramount Theatre," The New York Times (Nov. 14, 1926): X7.
     Stern, Robert A.M., Gregory Gilmartin, and Thomas Mellins. New York 1930: Architecture and Urbanism Between the Two World Wars. New York City: Rizzoli International Publications, 1987.
     "Walter Donaldson, a Song Writer Who Writes Successes Season after Season," The Music Trade Review (Vol.83, No.23; Dec. 4, 1926): 40.

Illustrations:
     Cinema Treasures web site. Stage view of Paramount Theatre.
     Junchen, David L., comp. and ed. by Jeff Weiler. The WurliTzer Pipe Organ – An Illustrated History. Console of Wurlitzer Organ, Op. 1458 (1926); Jesse Crawford at the Paramount Theatre organ.
     Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Online. Entrance to Paramount Theatre.
     Wittemann, A. Undated exterior of Paramount Building.