WMCA Radio Studio
Hammerstein Theatre (location in 1931)
1697 Broadway at W. 53rd Street
New York, N.Y. 10019
WMCA went on the air February 6, 1925 on 880 AM from the 24th floor of the McAlpin hotel on Broadway and 34th Street in New York City.
The original slogan for the station was "Where The Searchlight Flashes And The White Way Begins."
By the end of 1926, WMCA had moved to 810 AM and became a network flagship station, with programs going to WOKO in Peekskill NY, WCAM in Camden NJ, WDRC in New Haven CT, and WNJ in Newark NJ.
In December 1926, WMCA was airing popular music continuously from 9am to 5pm - an unusually long broadcast period for that time and soon became the first station in the metropolitan area to regularly program the post-midnight hours. On December 23, 1928, WMCA bought the license of Hoboken NJ station WPCH and moved to new studios in the Hammerstein Theatre building at 53rd & Broadway.
The inaugural broadcast featured Eddie Cantor, Ruth Etting, Major Bowes, Helen Kane and other stars.
Some WMCA alumni from this era included singer and bandleader Rudy Vallee, dialect comedian Henry Burbig, Arthur Tracy "The Street Singer", Vaughn DeLeath and producer/director Phillips J. Lord, who later created "GangBusters". On September 16, 1989, WMCA switched to a religious format. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wurlitzer Organ Company
North Tonawanda, N.Y. – Opus 1066 (1925); reb. 1941
Electro-pneumatic action
Style H Special
3 manuals, 11 ranks
Wurlitzer's Opus 1066 had a date of May 25, 1925. As originally built, the Style H Special organ had two manuals and 11 ranks and was installed in the Palace Theatre, Lockport, N.Y. The organ was rebuilt with three manuals and moved to WMCA Radio on September 16, 1941. Specifications for this organ have not yet been located. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wurlitzer Organ Company
North Tonawanda, N.Y. – Opus 784 (1924)
Electro-pneumatic action
Style E
2 manuals, 7 ranks
This organ had a factory date of February 12, 1924. It was was purchased from the Wurlitzer Store on August 11, 1931. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Pedal – 32 notes
|
16 |
|
Diaphone |
|
|
Pedal 2nd Touch |
16 |
|
Bourdon |
|
|
Bass Drum |
8 |
|
Trumpet |
|
|
Kettle Drum |
8 |
|
Diaphonic Diapason |
|
|
Crash Cymbal |
8 |
|
Tibia Clausa |
|
|
Cymbal |
8 |
|
Flute |
|
|
|
8 |
|
Cello |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accompaniment (Manual I) –- 61 notes
|
16 |
|
Contra Viole [TC] |
|
|
Harp Chrysoglott |
16 |
|
Vox Humana [TC] |
|
|
Snare Drum |
8 |
|
Trumpet |
|
|
Tambourine |
8 |
|
Diaphonic Diapason |
|
|
Castanets |
8 |
|
Tibia Clausa |
|
|
Chinese Block |
8 |
|
Violin |
|
|
Tom-Tom |
8 |
|
Violin Celeste [TC] |
|
|
Sleigh Bells |
8 |
|
Concert Flute |
|
|
|
8 |
|
Vox Humana |
|
|
Accompaniment 2nd Touch |
4 |
|
Octave |
|
|
Trumpet |
4 |
|
Piccolo |
|
|
Tibia Clausa |
4 |
|
Viole |
|
|
Cathedral Chimes |
4 |
|
Octave Celeste |
|
|
Triangle |
4 |
|
Flute |
|
|
|
4 |
|
Vox Humana |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Piccolo |
|
|
Five Adjustable Combination Pistons |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Solo (Manual II) – 61 notes
|
16 |
|
Diaphone |
4 |
|
Flute |
16 |
|
Tibia Clausa [TC] |
2 2/3 |
|
Twelfth |
16 |
|
Bourdon |
2 |
|
Piccolo |
16 |
|
Vox Humana [TC] |
1 3/5 |
|
Tierce |
8 |
|
Trumpet |
|
|
Cathedral Chimes |
8 |
|
Diaphonic Diapason |
|
|
Xylophone |
8 |
|
Tibia Clausa |
|
|
Glockenspiel |
8 |
|
Violin |
|
|
Harp Chrysoglott |
8 |
|
Violin Celeste [TC] |
|
|
|
8 |
|
Concert Flute |
|
|
Solo 2nd Touch |
8 |
|
Vox Humana |
16 |
|
Trumpet [TC] |
4 |
|
Octave |
8 |
|
Tibia Clausa |
4 |
|
Piccolo |
|
|
|
4 |
|
Viole |
|
|
|
4 |
|
Viole Celeste |
|
|
Five Adjustable Combination Pistons |
|
|
|
|
|
|
General
|
| One Balanced Expression Pedal |
|
|
|
| One General Tremulant |
|
|
|
| One Vox Humana Tremulant |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Effects
(operated by pistons)
|
| Horse Hoofs |
Train |
Fire Gong (reiterating) |
| Surf Effect |
Auto Horn |
Steamboat Whistle |
| Bird |
Fire Gong |
Siren |
| |
|
|
| Door Bell (push button) |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|