Rialto Theatre - 4/30 American Master
Butte, Montana
10 S. Main St.
Organ installation timeframe: 1917 - 1964
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Rialto Theatre, c.1917
Console of the Rialto American Master organ
The Rialto Theatre was designed by architect Henderson Ryan and opened in 1917. Opening organist was Oliver Wallace.
The theatre had a four-manual, 30 rank American Master organ installed in 1916-1917 for a cost of $25,000. It was American Master's magnum opus.
The Rialto instrument featured the standard American Master two-manual grand piano console, as well as an added four manual console, both playable simultaneously and with independent registrations. The Rialto's added four-manual console was unique as none of the other American Master instruments had a second console. The instrument also had two blowers. Other unique features included a set of tuned tympani, three 32 Diaphone pipes (notes C, D and G), and a separate Echo division with tone shute.
News item in The Butte Miner September 29, 1916. Click for a larger version. At the time of writing the theatre had not yet been named. Note in the third column a mention of the $40,000 organ which was Wurlitzer's bid. Silver Bow Amusement later decided to go with the American Master Organ Company's bid of $20,000. Unfortunately the organ was not ready for the theatre's grand opening in April 1917 and the project would later bankrupt American Master.
Read the interesting article about the Rialto Theatre in The Anaconda Standard, April 29, 1917 describing many of the theatre unique features including the American Master organ.
News item in The Anaconda Standard, July 2, 1917
Here are several news articles describing the extended legal proceedings in 1920-1924 between the Silver Bow Amusement Company and "Pipe Organ Maintenance."
Following the demise of the American Master Organ Company in 1917, former American Master employee H.W. McSpaddon traveled to Butte in June 1918 to rebuild the instrument. There were problems with the magnets originally used for the windchests as well as the vacuum-operated percussions.
Unfortunately, McSpadden succumbed to the flu in October 1918 and died at the age of 33. His body was returned to relatives in New York.
In 1920, "Pipe Organ Maintenance," the firm that took over maintenance of the instrument sued Silver Bow Amusement Company to recover the costs of repairing the organ. The legal proceedings continued for several years until May 1924 when the presiding judge ruled in favor of Silver Bow.
Read John Pergallo's interesting account of the American Master Organ Company and construction of the Rialto Theatre organ.
Ron McDonald's story of the removal of the Rialto Theatre's organ in 1964.
Organist Karl Wright at the console, c.1925. Photo, courtesy Ron McDonald
c.1916
c.1921
The Butte Miner September 9, 1923. Summers can be very hot in Montana!
Charles Lavell was listed as an organist at the Rialto in September, 1923.
c.1927
The Rialto orchestra, May 1928, during the run of The Jazz Singer at the Rialto May 20-26, 1928. Image courtesy Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives, Smithers 03.018.35.
Karl Wright at the console, c.1928. Image courtesy Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives, Smithers 20.101.01.
c.1933
Letterhead: Pacific Northwest Theatres, Inc. Harry C. Arthur Jr., Gen. Mgr.
Rialto Theatre 4/30 stoplist (with original spelling from the stopkeys):
Console in storage in Fresno, California, c.2013. Photos courtesy Tom DeLay.
The Anaconda Standard July 1, 1917. Click for a larger version.
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