PSTOS - Alcazar (Dreamland, Ritz) Theatre, Great Falls Montana

Alcazar (Dreamland, Ritz) Theatre - 2/7 Kimball
Great Falls, Montana
207 Central Ave.
Organ installation timeframes:

Seeburg: 1915 - 1916
Kimball, Style 23: 1916 - 1925
2/7 Kimball: 1925 - 1938

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The Alcazar Theatre originally opened as the Dreamland Theatre in 1908. The Dreamland Theatre was constructed in the 1888 Dunn Building at 205 and 207 Central Ave.

Alcazar entrance, c.1910

In 1910 the theatre was renamed Alcazar. The "Alcazar Theatre Company of Great Falls" was incorporated that same year. See the Grand Opening ad in the Great Falls Tribune May 29, 1910.

Central Ave streetscene showing original Alcazar signage, c.1910-1917

Postcard view of Central Ave, looking East, c.1910-1917. Glimpse of the Alcazar signage on left

Great Falls Daily Tribune January 21, 1915. Ad announcing installation of the Seeburg Unit Orchestra with Mr. M.J. Crusoe or Portland, OR at the console.

Great Falls Daily Tribune January 21, 1915. Article describes the Seeburg unit orchestra installed in 1915.

Great Falls Daily Tribune February 12, 1915. Ed Pegram at the organ & piano. Note mention of the "Seeburg unit orchestra." This instrument is not listed in any of the available pipe organ databases.

A 2/7 Style 23 tubular pneumatic Kimball was installed in 1916. The Junchen opus lists and OHS Pipe Organ Database have the year as "1913" but this is most likely an error based on the news clipping above.

Great Falls Daily Tribune March 3, 1916.

Great Falls Daily Tribune March 5, 1916.

Great Falls Daily Tribune March 5, 1916. "Roscoe F. Kernan Playing the new big Kimball Pipe Organ."

Great Falls Daily Tribune May 25, 1916. "Manager Leroy Johnson was very fortunate in securing Mr. Milo Curtis, an organist, direct from the American theatre at Butte."

Great Falls Daily Tribune May 25, 1916. "MILO CURTIS direct from the American theater at Butte. MR. CURTIS is an orgnaist of rare ability and his connection with the Alcazar is another step toward success. Mr. CURTIS promises to have a real musical treat in store for all of our patrons attneding today's performance."

Great Falls Daily Tribune May 28, 1916. "Milo Curtis at the Largest Kimball Pipe Organ in the City. Have you heard this boy wonder on a pipe organ? Well, you will enjoy his music."

News item in the Great Falls Daily Tribune September 17, 1917 describing the new vertical sign.

Postcard view of Central Ave. Looking West, showing new vertical sign, c.1918

Ad in the Great Falls Daily Tribune September 29, 1919. "ROSCOE KERNAN on the ORGAN"

Ad in the Great Falls Daily Tribune October 2, 1919. Note mention of "ROSCOE KERNAN on the BIG PIPE ORGAN"

1920

Ad in the Great Falls Daily Tribune January 10, 1921. "KERNAN ON THE GIANT ORGAN Playing a Special Score"

The PSTOS Bill Bunch/Eugene Nye records indicate that Kimball opus #6838 originally installed in the Bellingham, Washington Liberty (Egyptian) Theatre may have been moved to the Alcazar, date unknown, although this has not be verified.

Ad in The Great Falls Tribune December 22, 1925. "Have you heard our new Pipe Organ and new Organist? If you haven't, you are missing a real treat. Come!"

Ad in The Great Falls Tribune December 23, 1925. "We have taken your tip and installed a new pipe organ and new organist. We now have a real treat for our patrons. Come"

News item in The Great Falls Tribune February 13, 1930 describing a fire that destroyed the Alcazar's pipe organ, screen, stage, and some seats."

In early November 1938 it was announced that the Alcazar would be modernized and renamed the Ritz. Rennovations included a new front, modern marquee, and modernized rest rooms. The new Ritz Theatre opened on November 19, 1938.

Interestingly, the PSTOS Bill Bunch/Eugene Nye records mention that the Alcazar/Ritz organ was moved by Balcom & Vaughan in 1938 to the Howell-Edwards Mortuary in Salem, Oregon. With the 1938 move date, it's possible the instrument was removed from the Alcazar as part of the Ritz remodel, but this has not been verified.

The Ritz Theatre closed by the early 1940s.

The Dunn Building was demolished in the 1980s. The space is currently occupied by parking and a greenspace.