Epic of the Center:: Wurlitzer's Mighty Pipe Organ

When the Radio City Theatres complex was conceived by New York's Associated Architects in the 1930's, the RKO Roxy Theatre was an important part of the scheme. Later renamed the Center Theatre due to a lawsuit over the use of the name "Roxy" by the owners of S.L. Rothafel's original "cathedral," the brilliantly designed building is the only major portion of Rockefeller Center to ever be destroyed. It fell to the wreckers in 1954 in a time when a full appreciation for its deco and moderne style had not come to fruition. It is a regrettable part of man's destructiveness in the name of progress. This photo-essay will show the reader why the Center was such a loss not only for the City, but for the world. Perhaps the greatest loss of all was the magnificent Wurlitzer organ on which this volume is focused. The organ's journey and partial salvation will be appreciated by laymen and theatre organ enthusiasts alike. Read more