Guide to the San Diego Theater Organ Group and Fox Theatre Collection
MS 100
Finding aid prepared by Jennifer Ho
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous
funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
San Diego History Center Document Collection
1649 El Prado, Suite 3
San Diego, CA, 92101
619-232-6203
August 24, 2011
Title: San Diego Theater Organ Group and Fox Theatre Collection
Identifier/Call Number: MS 100
Contributing Institution:
San Diego History Center Document Collection
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
2.75 Linear feet
(4 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1909-1997
Abstract: This collection pertains to the San Diego Theater Organ Group and their restoration and revival of the Robert Morton Theater
Organ at the Fox Theatre in San Diego.
creator:
San Diego Theater Organ Group.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of items pertaining to the San Diego Theater Organ Group, who performed all organ restoration work
and subsequent organ concert administration of the Robert Morton organ at the Fox Theatre in San Diego. The collection includes
information on the Group and Theatre, organ repair information, promotional documents, business items, correspondence, and
artist information. Highlights include photographs of the organ and its repair, repair notes, official group documents, news
releases, performance flyers (from the Fox and other theaters), correspondence from organ fans, and organ-related publications.
There is also a scrapbook containing photographs of artist performances at the Fox, as well as autographed performance flyers.
Also included are reel-to-reel recordings and a vinyl record of various artists, most of whom performed at the Fox Theatre
(not all recordings are from the Fox Theatre).
Arrangement
Items in the collection are arranged into four series:
Series I: San Diego Theater Organ Group
Series II: Fox Theatre Organ Artists and Performances
Series III: Scrapbooks
Series IV: Photographs and Audio Recordings
Items in Series I are arranged by subject. Items in Series II and IV are arranged alphabetically by artist name.
Preferred Citation
San Diego Theater Organ Group and the Fox Theatre Collection, MS 100, San Diego History Center Document Collection, San Diego,
CA.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Jennifer Ho on August 24, 2011.
Collection processed as part of grant project supported by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) with generous
funding from The Andrew Mellon Foundation.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The San Diego History Center (SDHC) holds the copyright to any unpublished materials. SDHC Library regulations do apply.
Immediate Source of Acquistion
Accession number 2002.102 and 840117B.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Scrapbook pages are brittle. (August 24, 2011)
Biographical / Historical Notes
The Fox Theatre opened in San Diego on November 8, 1929, one week after the stock market crash of “Black Friday.” The 3,000
seat theater was the third largest on the Pacific coast, and brought glamour along with silent films to San Diego. Four downtown
blocks had to be roped off in order to accommodate the approximately 100,000 people who attended its opening. The films were
accompanied by the $50,000 4-manual/32-rank Robert Morton Theater Organ, which contained 3,000 pipes. Its primary organist
was Edith Ducker Steele, who played accompanying music while comedy, chases, drama and romance filled the screen. When “talking
pictures” established their dominance in 1936, the organ was moved to the back of the stage and forgotten. It was rediscovered
by theater manager William Mauck thirty years later, blanketed in dust and inhabited by mice. In August 1967, seven men came
together, all amateur organists and industrial engineers, to form the San Diego Organ Enthusiasts Guild, later known as the
San Diego Theater Organ Group, Inc. For the next two years, they would be dedicated to restoring the organ at no cost to the
Fox Theatre. These men were Carter “Bob” Lewis, D.P. Snowden, Irving Pinkerton, Paul Cawthorn, Wayne Guthrie, Archie Ellsworth
and Bob Wright. After the restoration was finally complete, Edith Ducker Steele, the original organist, tested the instrument
and declared it “good as new.”
After the restoration work was done, the San Diego Theater Organ Group brought renowned organist Gaylord Carter to play the
premiere concert on the newly-restored organ. For the next several years, the group continued to bring many locally- and nationally-known
organists to perform on the Morton, including Helen Dell, Bob Ralston and Korla Pandit. Concertgoers were charged only $1
or $2, all of which went to the continued maintenance of the organ. The Fox Theatre became the city's second official civic
theater. In 1984, the Theatre was acquired by the San Diego Symphony, and years later after a major renovation became Copley
Symphony Hall.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Alder, Bob
Alexander, Mildred
American Association of Theatre Organ Enthusiasts.
Baker, Don, 1903-1989
Carter, Gaylord
Castillo, Del
Cawthorn, Paul
Copley Symphony Hall.
Creel, Cheryl
Dell, Helen
Ellsworth, Archie
Erwin, Lee
Fox Theatre.
Fox, Virgil, 1912-1980
Guthrie, Wayne
Hazelton, Tom
James, Dennis, 1950-
James, Heidi, 1950-
Kann, Stan, organist
Koury, Rex
Kumagai, Maria
Larsen, Lyn
Leaf, Ann
Lewis, Carter
Lights, Pablo
Mauck, William
Nordwall, Jonas
Pandit, Korla
Pinkerton, Irving
Ralston, Bob
Rhode, Ron
Roseveare, Jim
San Diego Theater Organ Group.
Seppala, Wayne
Shepherd, David
Snowden, D.P.
Steele, Edith Ducker
Thompson, Don
Thomson, Bill, organist
Wolf, Ralph
Wright, Bob
Console
Organ (Musical instrument)
Organ music
Organists
San Diego (Calif.)
Theater organ
Theatre Organ Bombarde
Series I:
San Diego Theater Organ Group
Box-folder 1:1
Organ Group general information,
1967-1970 and undated
Includes:
Member information, 1969
Constitution and by-laws, 1970
Box-folder 1:2
Fox Theatre general information,
1929-1999 and undated
Includes:
News articles about grand opening
Box-folder 1:3
Agreement between Fox Theatre and San Diego Theater Organ Group,
1967 July 23–1969 June 26 and undated
Box-folder 1:4
Organ repair information and diagrams,
1968 July 24–1971 March 1 and undated
Includes:
Notes regarding organ specifications
Organ diagrams
Box-folder 1:5
Organ repair news reports,
1970 January 25 and undated
Box-folder 1:6
Promotion and outreach,
1969 January 30–June 30, 1970
Includes:
News releases regarding concerts
Correspondence
Box-folder 1:7
Promotion and outreach,
1970 August 3-1973 June 20 and undated
Includes:
News releases regarding concerts
Correspondence
Mailing list signup postcards
Box-folder 1:8
Meeting minutes,
1971 February 4–1972 July 6
Box-folder 1:9
Finances,
1969 June 25–1971 March 8 and undated
Includes:
Insurance quote, 1970
Box-folder 1:10
Correspondence,
1968 October 30–1977 January 20 and undated
Includes:
Correspondence from local and non-local enthusiasts
Donation letter, 1970
Box-folder 1:11
“Theater Organ Bombarde” magazine issues,
1966-1970
Box-folder 1:12
"The Console" magazine issues,
1969–1976 and undated
Box-folder 1:13
Miscellanea,
1910 June–1998 May 30 and undated
Includes:
Postcard from Selective Service, 1942
Newsletter, American Theatre Organ Enthusiasts, Los Angeles Chapter, 1968
Informational brochure regarding: the Wurlitzer Pipe Organ, undated
Concert flyers for artists who did not perform at the Fox Theatre
Invitations to grand openings of Southland Music Center
Theater Organ Society of San Diego directory
Handwritten notes
Series II:
Fox Theatre Organ Artists and Performances
Box-folder 2:1
General artist information,
1969–1976 and undated
Includes:
Artist performance listing with dates, 1969-1976
Unidentified set lists
Artist contract form, undated
Box-folder 2:3
Mildred Alexander,
1972 and undated
Box-folder 2:4
Don Baker,
1971 and undated
Box-folder 2:5
Gaylord Carter,
1969-1972 and undated
Box-folder 2:6
Del Castillo,
1965-1973 and undated
Box-folder 2:7
Cheryl Creel (with Wayne Seppala),
1973-1976
Box-folder 2:8
Helen Dell,
1969-1972 and undated
Box-folder 2:9
Lee Erwin,
1973-1976 and undated
Box-folder 2:10
Virgil Fox (with Pablo Lights),
1971 and undated
Box-folder 2:11
Tom Hazelton,
1969-1975 and undated
Box-folder 2:12
Dennis (and Heidi) James,
1969-1975 and undated
Box-folder 2:13
Stan Kann,
1972 and undated
Box-folder 2:14
Rex Koury,
1972 and undated
Box-folder 2:16
Lyn Larsen,
1960-1971 and undated
Box-folder 2:17
Ann Leaf,
1970-1976 and undated
Box-folder 2:18
James Nordwall,
1968-1971 and undated
Box-folder 2:19
Korla Pandit,
1965-1971 and undated
Box-folder 2:20
Bob Ralston,
1969-1972 and undated
Box-folder 2:24
Edith Ducker Steele,
1909-1969 and undated
Box-folder 2:25
Don Thompson,
1970 and undated
Box-folder 2:26
Bill Thomson,
1969-1971 and undated
Box-folder 2:27
Ralph Wolf,
1971 and undated
Box-folder 3:1
Scrapbook 1,
1968-1969 and undated
Includes:
Theatre diagrams (copies)
Concert flyers
Concert notes
Photographs
Newspaper articles
Box-folder 3:2
Scrapbook 1,
1970-1971 and undated
Includes:
Concert flyers
Concert notes
Photographs
Newspaper articles
Box-folder 3:3
Scrapbook 1, loose materials,
1969-1979 and undated
Includes:
"The Console" (magazine), 1979
Concert flyers
Notes
Box-folder 2:28
Scrapbook 2,
1971–1973 and undated
Includes:
Photographs
Newspaper clippings
Autographed performance flyers
Series IV:
Photographs and Audio Recordings
Box-folder 2:29
Photographs - organ,
1969-1971 and undated
Box-folder 2:30
Photographs - Theatre and performances,
1969-1970 and undated
Box-folder 2:31
Audio recording - Harry Bleile, 4/16 Robert Morton Theater Pipe Organ (7-inch record),
undated
Box 4 (located in Cold Room K)
Audio recordings - reel-to-reel recordings,
1969 March 25–1975 May 18 and undated
Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music, Gaylord Carter,
1969 March 25
Eddy Dunster,
1970 March 17
Virgil Fox, John Wanamaker Organ, Philadelphia,
undated
Dennis James,
1973 May 20
Dennis and Heidi James,
1974 May 25
Dennis and Heidi James,
1975 May 18
Stan Kann,
1972 February 20
Bob Lewis and Bob Adler,
circa 1969
Jonas Nordwall,
1971 February 21
Jonas Nordwall, Portland Paramount Theater,
undated
Korla Pandit and Bob Ralston,
undated
Korla Pandit,
1971 June 15
George Wright, not recorded on Fox Theatre organ,
undated
