THEATRES AND ORGANS
FROM OLD NEW ORLEANS

Here are some long forgotten sights from New Orleans' early days of theatre and organ entertainment
(Thanks to Dr.Barry Henry, Mrs. Rachelen Lien, and other contributors for information provided for this page.)

ORGAN CHAMBERS AND GRILLS FROM THE OLD KRESS STORE ON CANAL STREET
This instrument was installed at a cost of $32,075, which was unheard of at the time for a local department store organ. This indicates the confidence and faith that the Kress Company had in it's New Orleans operation and the local market in the Crescent City. To see a copy of the organ specifications, click here (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) . Please note that we are searching for any existing recordings or other photographs or information on this organ. Please contact jdemajo at demajo.net (replace at with @) if you can provide help.
 
Organist Ed Larmann who played the Kress organ for many years up until its removal in the late 1940's.
To see a listing of all New Orleans theatres with pipe organs, click here
 
Unknown to many, WWL AM radio station, housed in the Roosevelt Hotel, once had a studio pipe organ. Here Beverly Brown, staff organist, is seen at the WWL studio organ console.
 
The Fine Art Theatre
 
The Granada Theatre
 
The Napoleon
 
The Poplar
 
The Prytania
 
The 36 old New Orleans area theatres with organs installed: ARCADE, CRESCENT, CROWN, COSMOPOLITAN, ESCORIAL, FINE ARTS, FOLLY (ALGIERS) ? FERN, GLOBE, GRAND, GRANADA, HIPPODROME, HAPPYHOUR, IRIS, LOEWS STATE, LYRIC, LIBERTY, MECCA, NAPOLEON, ORPHEUM, PALACE, PALMER, POPLAR, PRYTANIA, RIVOLI, SAENGER, ST. CHARLES AMUSEMENT, PROBABLY THE ST. CHARLES THEATRE, SOBEL RICHARDS SHEARS ?? STRAND. Wurlitzer organs were installed at the STRAND, Robert Morton organs were installed at the TUDOR, TRIANON, TIVOLI, VARIETY, WERLEINS, and WASHINGTON. Other theatres were Hillgreen-Lane organs. Some of the Hillgreen Lane organs were replaced over time..