Empress Theatre - 2/11 Kimball
Anchorage, Alaska
4th Ave near G St.
Organ installation timeframe: 1917 -
 
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The Empress Theatre was built by Austin Eugene "Cap" Lathrop and opened July, 1916. A 2/11 Kimball organ was installed in 1917. Current status of the organ is unknown.
 
Similar Kimball unit organs were also installed in the Lathrop-owned Empress Theatres in Cordova and Fairbanks.
 

Empress Theatre, c.1917
 

c.1917
 

Empress Theatre c.1916, before installation of entrance canopy
 

Empress Theatre stage. Console visible in orchestra pit and unenclosed percussions mounted on the outside of the organ chamber grills.
 

Empress Theatre auditorium
 
According to organist Jim Orcutt, the Kimball was unique in that in addition to the usual chamber locations to the left and right of the proscenium, there was also an under-stage chamber containing the Tuba, Tibia and Kinura. According to Jim, "These ranks would practically blow the organist off the bench." The console was a two-manual straight rail type with rolltop.
 
The organ was later moved to a unspecified university auditorium.
 
In a 1976 THEATRE ORGAN article, Franklin Butte makes reference to using parts of the Empress Kimball in the Uncle's Pizza restaurant organ, but it is unknown if this ever happened.
 

Entrance to the Empress Theatre, c.1910's
 

4th Avenue, Empress Theatre on right, c.1910's
 

c.1910's
 

c.1920's
 

c.1920's
 

c.1920's
 

c.1920's
 

Postcard view of 4th Avenue, Empress Theatre on right, date unknown
 

c.1940's
 

c.1940's
 
The theater operated into the 1950's. It is now a bank.
 

4th Avenue, Empress Theatre on right, date unknown