Park Lane Theatre
1726 First Avenue at 89th Street
New York, N.Y. 10128



The Park Lane Theatre, which opened on February 17, 1927, was designed in the Italian Renaissance style by Eugene DeRosa, who also built the Gallo Opera House (later Studio 54) at the same time. With 2,012 seats, the Park Lane was the largest theatre ever built east of Third Avenue on Manhattan's Upper East Side, but was too close to the East 86th Street area to qualify for first-run movies. Programs changed three times a week, but after several months of low attendance, the policy switched to a feature movie, short subjects, and recitals by the Park Lane's Wurlitzer organist. With the coming of "talkies", the Park Lane changed to double features, but still weeks behind the area's leaders – Loew's Orpheum and the RKO Proctor's 86th Street. In 1932, the owners went bankrupt, and the Park Lane was purchased by Sol Brill's Isle Theatres circuit, which sold it in 1938 to the Brandt chain. Still showing late-run movies, it survived the WWII years and in 1947 underwent a name change to the Gracie Square Theatre. The arrival of home TV was the final nail in the coffin for management. The Gracie Square was permanently closed and eventually demolished for a high-rise apartment building.
           
Wurlitzer Organ Company
North Tonawanda, N.Y. – Opus 1540 (1926)
Electro-pneumatic action
Style HNP
2 manuals, 10 ranks, 5 Tuned Percussions, 14 Traps, Curved Console


This organ has a factory date of December 18, 1926.
               
Pedal – 32 notes
16
  Tuba Profunda  
8
   Cello  
16
  Bass Diaphone  
8
   Flute  
16
  Bourdon  
4
   Octave  
8
   Harmonic Tuba       Bass Drum  
8
   Diaphone Diapason       Kettle Drum  
8
   Tibia Clausa       Crash Cymbal  
8
   Clarinet       Cymbal  
               
Accompaniment (Manual I) –- 61 notes
16
  Contra Viol [TC]  
2 2/3
   Twelfth  
16
  Vox Humana [TC]  
2
   Piccolo  
8
  Harmonic Tuba
85
     Chrysoglott  
8
  Diaphonic Diapason
85
     Snare Drum  
8
  Tibia Clausa
73
     Tambourine  
8
   Clarinet
61
     Castanets  
8
   Kinura
61
     Chinese Block  
8
   Orchestral Oboe
61
     Tom Tom  
8
   Viol
85
     
8
   Viol Celeste [TC]
61
  Second Touch  
8
   Flute
97
8
   Harmonic Tuba  
8
   Vox Humana
61
8
   Diaphonic Diapason  
4
   Piccolo  
8
   Clarinet  
4
   Viol       Cathedral Chimes  
4
   Viol Celeste       Xylophone  
4
   Flute       Triangle  
4
   Vox Humana          
               
Solo (Manual II) – 61 notes
16
  Tuba Profunda  
4
  Violo  
16
  Bass  
4
  Viol Celeste  
16
  Tibia Clausa [TC]  
4
   Flute  
16
  Bourdon  
2 2/3
   Twelfth  
16
   Contra Viol [TC]  
2
   Fifteenth  
8
   Harmonic Tuba  
2
   Piccolo  
8
   Diaphonic Diapason  
1 3/5
   Tierce  
8
   Tibia Clausa      
Cathedral Chimes
25 notes
8
   Clarinet      
Sleigh Bells
25 notes
8
   Kinura      
Xylophone
37 notes
8
   Orchestral Oboe      
Glockenspiel
37 notes
8
   Viol      
Orchestra Bells [re-it]
—
8
   Viol Celeste [TC]      
Chrysoglott
49 notes
8
   Flute          
8
   Vox Humana  
  Second Touch  
4
   Harmonic Clarion  
16
   Tuba  
4
   Octave  
8
   Tibia Clausa  
4
   Piccolo  
8
   Clarinet  
               
Tremulants (4)
    Main       Vox Humana  
    Solo       Tuba  
               
Adjustable Combinations
   
Pedal 3 Adjustable Combination Pistons (toe)
Accompaniment 10 Adjustable Combination Pistons (thumb)
Solo 10 Adjustable Combination Pistons (thumb)
               
General
    Two Expression Pedals          
               
Effects
   
Surf Auto Horn Train Whistle
Fire Gong Bird Horse Hoofs
           
Sources:
     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.
     The Theatre Organ Home Page web site: http://theatreorgans.com/