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Sherwood (Oriental, Robin Hood) Theatre - 3/9 Wurlitzer
Sherwood, Oregon
125 NW 1st St
Back to the Northwest Theatre Organ History: Other Installations page
Robin Hood Theatre, c.1998
The Sherwood Theatre was built in the 1940's. More recently, the house operated under the name "Oriental" and "Robin Hood" Theatre.
Although the theatre did not have organ chambers, there were two different theatre organs
installed on the stage:
5/24 Marr & Colton
3/9 Wurlitzer
 5/24 Marr & Colton - (1970-1981)
This instrument was owned by Bill Blunk. It was previously installed in the
Viking Skating Rink in Astoria, Oregon. It came from the Rochester Theatre, Rochester New York.
Marr & Colton five-manual console. Photo, courtesy Don Feely
Parts, during installation in 1970. Photo, courtesy Don Feely
Click for a very large version of this image (738K). Photo, courtesy Don Feely
3/9 Wurlitzer - (1980's-1998)
This instrument was a Style SCH61, Opus 2018 previously owned by
Ted Marks of Portland. It was originally
installed 1929 in the School of the Blind in Jacksonville, Illinois.
Here are some pictures and facts about the Wurlitzer installation just prior to its removal in
November 1998.
Auditorium |
French-style console |
Three views of the French-style console. The home-made lift is visible in the third
photo. It was fashioned from an old fork-lift!
Since the theatre did not have organ chambers, pipes were installed on the stage in two
large rooms behind the movie screen. These rooms were fairly roomy but must have been
quite cozy when the earlier 5/24 Marr & Colton was installed there!
MAIN |
SOLO |
The organ originally had nine ranks, but there had been many modifications and substitutions
over the years. The rare Horn Diapason and 16' Tibia Clausa were missing. |
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Standard ranks for a Wurlitzer Style SCH61:
16 Diaphone/Open, 85n
16 Tibia Clausa, 85n
16 Bourdon/Flute, 97n
8 Tuba, 61n
8 Horn Diapason, 73n
8 Salicional, 73n
8 Voix Celeste (TC), 61n
8 Aeoline, 73n
8 Vox Humana, 61n
Chimes, 18n
Chrysoglott, 49n |
The original Wurlitzer Tuba had been replaced with a Trumpet of unknown manufacturer.
Several relay components of various types had been added to the original Wurlitzer relay.
The organ did not originally have a toy counter. Several individual trap actions and
percussions were added.
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A slow speed (1200RPM), 50" tank Orgoblo supplied wind for the instrument. |
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The chambers had a very high ceiling (15-20 feet). In spite of a leaky roof in the Main
chamber, most of the pipework and chests were in good condition when inspected in October
1998. |
Following the death of the owner, the theatre and it contents were donated to the City of Sherwood. The organ was eventually sold at auction in November 1998. Bob MacNeur of Portland was the successful bidder. He plans a home installation for the instrument.
Update from Bob MacNeur posted to the Online Wurlitzer opus list at http://theatreorgans.com/au/opus :
From: Robert C. MacNeur, February 1999
After Ted Marks purchased this organ in the 1960's it was installed in his auto body shop in Portland, Oregon until 1982 when it was purchased by Gene Stoller and installed in the Robin Hood Theatre in Sherwood, Oregon.
This month I have purchased the organ from the city of Sherwood and I am currently removing the organ to be completely restored and to be installed in a new music studio I am planning on building.
First of all the organ did come from The Jacksonville school for the Blind, Jacksonville, Illinois January 1929. The school is now called the The Illinois State School for the Visualy Impaired. I have spoken to the school, and they are celebrating their 150 year aniversary. The Auditorium is still there and the school historian is forwarding photos of the organ when it was originally installed and copies of any files pertaining to the organ.
Information shows that at one time there was a fire and the organ substained smoke damage. June 1950, Kilgen Organ Co, rebuilt the organ Job #1338 and a new Kilgen relay was installed and replaced the Wurlitzer. Also the organ was unified a little better with more couplers. The switches were added in the console and the backrail was expanded but the orginal stops on the main rail remained the same.
The organ is not a typical theare organ, but the layout is simular, i.e. Pedal, Choir, Great, Swell, instead of Pedal, Accomp, Great, Solo.
The Ranks are as follows: (taken off the Orginal Wurlitzer Setter Board Name Plate)
Tibia Clausa 8' - original, 8" pressure - Stained over with Kilgen Orange
Vox Humana 8' - original, Late style with phosphor bronze reeds
Concert Flute 16' - also stained over with Kilgen stain
Tuba Horn 8' - that stop is missing
Salicional 16' - original set, missing part of 8' octave
Salicional Celeste - original set
Open Diapason 16' - 8" pressure, original set
Aeoline 8' - console was marked Aeoline but the pipes were Dulciana, (Info from Don Feely, who played the organ in 1976 and Ted Marks told him that the set was swapped out by the Factory). Set is missing
The organ has had some water, and is in fair to poor condition.... But I wouldn't say TERRIBLE, because I wouldn't have bought it. This my 30th year in theatre organ restoration and I have rebuilt worse.
The City of Sherwood is planning to restore the theatre and needs the stage area for a community arts center, as the City Manager told me, the organ was surplus equipment!!! The Theatre was built in 1947 and originally sat 350 seats. It currently seats 250, the 100 seats are stored in the City maintenance yard.
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