Shea’s Wurlitzer Theatre Organ – Opus 1206

The installation is contained in four chambers, two stacked on each side of the stage.  All pipes are contained in the chambers except for the 32-foot extension to the Diaphonic Diapason, with six pipes located on each side adjacent to the chambers.  Blower wind pressures are 15 and 25 inches.  The Shea’s organ was built for power, with three Tibias on 15” wind, a large-scale Vox Humana on 10” wind, and a Solo Brass Trumpet and Orchestral Oboe both voiced on 12” wind. Ten ranks extend to 16’ and the 32’ Diaphone octave sits unenclosed outside the swell openings. It was the first organ to contain the 13-note Tuned Timpani (later featured in the Fox Special instruments) and even had an authentic locomotive bell that was pneumatically tipped to play. The Bass Drum was so large that it couldn’t pass through the chamber door. After routine use was stopped in the 1940s the organ deteriorated during the Loew’s years. Interest in the 1960 by theatre organ enthusiasts presented as part of the 1964 ATOS Convention and sporadically thereafter.

Repairs to render the instrument playable for the 1964 Buffalo ATOE convention were made, but the work necessary to bring it back to pristine condition was not undertaken until the 1980s. By then the rare Brass Trumpet voiced on 12” wind disappeared. By sheer neglect, roof leaks sent massive amounts of water and falling plaster into the chambers. In 1980, the Shea’s O’Connell Preservation league was formed and Allen Miller was hired as the organ restoration consultant. A modern stoplist was drawn up utilizing all the available space on the stoprails. The console was completely rebuilt. Allen supervised volunteers that rewired the organ for a new Z- Tronics Multiplex relay. Regulators were recovered, and damage to the chests and pipework was meticulously repaired. Five additional regulators and tremulants were added, as well as placing bass offsets on untremmed wind. Allen Miller Associates built a new Trumpet rank to replace the missing set, and tonal finishing began in the Fall of 1983.

After extensive repairs to the organ in the early 1980s, the organ was officially rededicated at a concert on August 27, 1984, by Lyn Larsen with Jack Bethards and the Shea’s Buffalo Orchestra on stage. Also, in 1984 an ATOS chapter (Buffalo Area Chapter -ATOS) was formed to present the mighty Shea’s Wurlitzer and sponsored a series of concerts for a number of years. In recent times it has been used primarily for intermissions during theatre events. In 2018, following an inspection of the organ, it was determined that a number of issues should be addressed to prepare it for the 2019 ATOS convention.

In early 2019 the theatre tasked David Peckham, with assistance of Cathy Peckham and Barry Lesher, to undertake repairs to the organ. Over a two-month period, many hours were spent addressing needed pipe regulation, repairs to regulators, chest actions and console issues. Just prior to the Convention in June 2019, a new Z-Tronics Combination Action was installed by Allen Miller.

Since 2019, David Peckham has continued to restore organ components as time permits, keeping the organ available for performance. an extensive restoration effort has been underway in such a manner to permit the instruments frequent use during touring show presentations.  Convention attendees this year will have a chance to see this beautifully restored picture palace and experience one of the world’s finest theatre organists performing on the Cadillac of Wurlitzers-truly a blockbuster combination.