Historical Pipe Organ Used During Silent Film

SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling and Adam Aceto (Photos: Fritz Olenberger)

By edhat staff

A historical pipe organ at the Arlington Theatre was used during a showing of the original Hunchback of Notre Dame.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival, in collaboration with the Santa Barbara Theatre Organ Society, hosted the free community event on Friday evening opening up the theatre for audiences to watch the classic silent film with organ accompaniment. 

Adam Aceto played The Great Theatre Pipe Organ of the Arlington, which is a 1928 Robert-Morton “Wonder Morton,” during the showing of the film.  Although Robert-Morton made over 6,000 organs before they went out of business in 1931, only 5 Wonder Mortons were made. The Great Theatre Pipe Organ of the Arlington was originally installed in Loews Jersey City. It was damaged while being removed by wreckers in 1977, stored for 10 years in a Dallas warehouse, brought to Santa Barbara in 1986, and lovingly restored to as-new condition by the Santa Barbara Theatre Organ Society.

Learn more about the organ’s history at sbtos.com.

Edhat Staff

Written by Edhat Staff

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  1. Thank you Greg. Please visit the theatre and the organ at an open console. Open consoles are hosted by the Santa Barbara Theatre Organ Society are free and open to the public. Bring your friends, play the organ, see the chambers where all the sound is produced. Ask questions, tak pictures. Typically open consoles are held on the second Saturday of the month from 9-11 AM. Enter by the Sola Street side door, the green double door with stairs leading down. It will be blocked open. The open console for February has yet to be finalized. See out website at sbtos.org, or sbtos.com, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/sbtos. Also you can call our hotline at 805-685-9891 for a recorded message about upcoming events.

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