Note: Not extant. Not playable. (in this location)
2007-11-10 - Identified through online information from James R. Stettner. -- The organ was here for only a very short time. It was relocated to Seattle's Grand Theatre by Balcom and Vaughan - minus console - and was there for only a short time as well. The console was acquired by a Four Square church in Portland. In 1931, the organ was relocated to a studio of Radio Station KOL in the Northern Life Tower in Seattle, and enlarged to 3/12 by Balcom and Vaughan with a Wurlitzer console. It was later acquired by a private party and ultimately broken-up for parts. -Database Manager
2015-12-01 - Updated through online information from Eric Schmiedeberg. -- This instrument was in use for a year, until the Heilig chain's lease with the International Order of Odd Fellows ran out. The Heilig was not a successful venue in Salem. The theatre began as the Grand Opera House in 1900, became the Grand Theatre in the early twenties, was the Heilig Theatre for a year and then reverted back to the Grand moniker.<br><br>There were two pipe organs in the theatre from 1924 to 1926. A 2/4 Robert Morton--most likely moved in from the Liberty Theatre across the alley from the Grand when its 2-manual Smith went in--and the 2/5 Kimball. After that, no pipe organs are mentioned as being at this venue in the newspapers.<br><br>Organs were heavily advertised by all of the theatres that used them in Salem. No advertising would indicate there was--most likely--no organ in the theatre. Given the 500-seat size of the Grand/Heilig and the location of the organ chambers therein, the Morton and Kimball must have filled the room nicely.<br><br>The theatre survives and has received a fair amount of loving care in recent years. The last I saw, the house-left organ chamber was intact as of 2012. At some time in the past, the house-right chamber was obliterated when an exit route was engineered to go through it. <br><br>Here is the text of the news article written about the 2/5 Kimball: "Carrying out the completeness of equipment in the new Heilig Theatre is the Kimball organ. Installed by C.M. Balcom, technical engineer for the Kimball Company. The organ is declared to be the last word in unification; combining under expression every tone of the pipe organ with unlimited variety of orchestra instruments. The big organ was designed especially for the Heilig Theatre; this featuring the policy of the Kimball Company to install organs fitted to meet the acoustics peculiar to each house. Adaptability of the instrument extends from its customary service in interpreting the motion picture to its use as a vaudeville organ. Through deflected shutters the tones of the organ are first conveyed to the stage, then to the auditorium. This feature being of special benefit to the soloist or chorus. The Heilig Theatre organ gives the performer ample opportunity to synchronize with the organ. Through the flexibility of the expression chambers each solo stop may be used in accompaniment. From full organ, bringing out the various shadings of an overture, the organist may enter a solo in which the notes of the flute, for instance, may stand out. The various parts of the organ are housed in concrete sound-proof chambers to the right and left of the proscenium arch. To the observer, the control parts of the instrument resemble generally a telephone relay frame. Hundreds of wires, emerging from a cable that connects with the organ in the orchestra pit, branch out to the various pipes and parts of the instrument. Despite the huge size of the organ, there is a minimum of vibration. The organ is built to give the theatrical operator and the organist the service desired and according to its builder, there is no chance of trouble occurring within the organ itself to hinder the playing of the instrument. Deagan's Artist special percussions are used with the organ. There is a full-scale Kimball grand piano featuring the mandolin-banjo in connection. (Probably a standard upright piano--Ed.) Ludwig traps and drums are found among the orchestral units. A genuine harp and marimbaphone are other features of the organ. The entire instrument uses a blower unit driven by a 5 horsepower motor generating electric current which in turn supplies the action for the organ. Mr. Balcom, who installed the organ, is an expert said to to be without a peer in the United States having worked with (Robert) Hope-Jones; originator of the unified organ when he first began the manufacture of these musical innovations." -Database Manager
2016-03-02 - Updated through online information from Eric Schmiedeberg. -Database Manager
Regrettably, it is not possible to display the information about the sponsor of this pipeorgandatabase entry or if there is a sponsor. Please see About Sponsors on Pipe Organ Database.