November 20th, 2008

Renaissance Theatre Special Events

Organ Concert — Organist Donnie Rankin, IV

Tickets:

This event is free and open to the public

Wednesday, August 27th, 2008
at 1:00 PM
  • August 21st Organist Jerry Lang
  • August 28 Organist Donnie Rankin, IV
  • September 4 Organist Bob White
  • September 11 Organist Betty Keppler

The Renaissance WurliTzer Opus 2022 was originally built in WurliTzer’s North Tonawanda, New York factory in 1928 for Warner Brothers Vitaphone Company and installed in the Sunset Boulevard Studio in Hollywood in 1929. It was built for scoring “talkies” and beefing up the studio orchestra. The organ was used for recordings and radio shows throughout the 30’s & 40’s. In 1955, this organ was purchased by Joe Kearns. Kearns, best known for his roles as the vault-keeper on the Jack Benny radio show and as Mr. Wilson on TV’s “Dennis the Menace” series, had been a professional theatre organist in Utah. Mr Kearns actually built a home around this instrument in Hollywood, California. The Renaissance purchased the organ in 1985.