Oscar-Winning Silent Film Wings with Live Organ Accompaniment
Orpheum Theatre (842 South Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90014)
- Full Price:
- $15.00
- Our Price:
- FREE - $7.50*
* Additional fees apply.
All offers for Wings have expired.
The last date listed for Wings was Saturday July 2, 2005 / 8:00pm.
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- Full Price:
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4 Goldstar Member Reviews
Uber-Culture
Bob Mitchell is the best there is! The film, and the auditorium were both classics! Thanks for an amazing evening!Written on Jul 04 2005
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Goldstar Member
Goldstar Member
Stephen
Seeing a wonderful film beautifully projected in a true movie palace with incredible live organ accompaniment -- it sure beats the heck out of seeing a forgettable new movie in a bland multiplex. Want to know whatever happened to class? Check out an event like this one and treat yourself.Written on Jul 04 2005
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More Information About Wings
Description
The Los Angeles Theatre Organ Society screens the Oscar winning silent film "Wings" with live organ accompaniment, as part of the American Theatre Organ Society's 50th annual convention taking place July 1-6 in Los Angeles.
The WWI Epic of the air was the first movie to receive an academy award for "Best Picture" of 1927/28. "The combat flying sequences among the best in Hollywood history" to quote Leonard Maltin.
The movie stars Clara Bow, Charles Rogers, Richard Allen and Gary Cooper. The screening at the recently renovated Orpheum theatre will utilize a beautifully restored 35 mm print using the Orpheum's state-of-the-art projection equipment.
Bob Mitchell is one of the last remaining organists (maybe the only) that accompanied silent films before the advent of the talkies. He began accompanying the silent films at the Strand theatre in Pasadena in 1924 when he was just 12 years old. When the talkies took over in about 1928 Bob started substituting for his organ teacher at the Mission Playhouse Theatre (now San Gabriel Civic Auditorium) playing for The Mission Play.
At 16 he took a position as a church organist and choirmaster. At 18 he was the youngest Fellow of the AGO. It was at this time that he went East to study piano at the Eastman School of Music and later the New York College of Music. He had a radio show as a singing pitchman. When Bob Mitchell returned home in 1934 due to his Father's health he became organist at St. Brendan's in Los Angeles, a position he held for 55 years. While there he started his famous Mitchell's Choirboys. In 1937 the choirboys appeared in their first of over 100 motion pictures, That Girl from Paris. They are best known as Bing Crosby's backup group in many of his movies such as Going My Way. In 1962 Bob Mitchell became the only organist to hold the position of organist for both the Dodgers and the Angels baseball teams. Bob is frequently the accompanist at the Silent Movie Theatre on Fairfax in Hollywood.
The present Orpheum theatre is fifth location built for the Orpheum circuit in Los Angeles. It opened in 1926 as a two-a-day vaudeville house however a large projection booth with state-of-the-art equipment was included which would foretell the future of Vaudeville. The backstage area has 23 dressing rooms. The stars dressing rooms even included a full bath. On the stage is a room to hold animals which were often part of the vaudeville acts. The stage lighting system was controlled by a state-of-the-art dimmer control board which still operates today.
A further indication that the Orpheum Theatre was to become a movie theatre was the installation of the 3 manual 13 rank Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ in 1928 at a cost of $40,000. This organ is still operating today and is the only remaining theatre pipe organ in the City of Los Angeles.
In the late 1970's a crew of volunteers, most of whom were members of the Los Angeles Theatre Organ Society, under the leadership of the late Gene Davis started refurbishing the organ in hopes of presenting it at the 1979 annual convention of the American Theatre Organ Society. Unfortunately this proved to be a bigger job than anticipated. It was about 1983 before the organ was concert ready. A 14th rank was added and the organ was finally presented in concert at the annual convention to ATOS in 1987 and again in 1996. The Theatre went through several changes of ownership. In 1970 Jack Needleman of Anjac Fashion Buildings acquired the property.
It is presently owned by Steve Needleman, grandson of Jack Needleman. In 2000 the theatre was closed for an extensive refurbishment. At that time the Los Angeles Theatre Organ Society became the official caretakers of the organ. In addition to the occasional presentation of movies the theatre is used as performing arts venue and frequently for a movie shoot.
About the Ticket Supplier: Los Angeles Theatre Organ Society
Fifty years ago, on February 8, 1955, American Theatre Organ Enthusiasts was formed in the living room of Richard C. Simonton's home in Toluca Lake area of North Hollywood, California. At that meeting Richard Simonton was elected ATOE President with Judd Walton Vice-President and Paul Pease Secretary-Treasurer. Volume 1, Number 1 of “The Tibia†(which became “Theatre Organ†in 1959) was published in the Fall of 1955.The magazine appeared quarterly. Tom B'hend was the Editor and undoubtedly part of the original group.
The Simontons had a 4/36 Wurlitzer installed in their basement theatre, the Bijou. The organ was originally a Style 260 from Paramount Pictures Hollywood Studio. Mr. Simonton enlarged the Organ to 36 ranks and had his cabinetmaker build a four manual console from drawings that he personally made of the second console at Radio Music Hall in New York. The home also had a large classical organ in the living room on the main floor assembled from a Welte console and a variety of pipework. A small exposed Aeolian-Skinner Positiv division sat above the doorway into the living room.