AV 15 Ohio Theater Glass Slide Collection

              AV 15
Ohio Theater Glass Slide Collection
1
OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Manuscripts/ Audiovisual Collections
AV 15
Ohio Theater Glass Slide Collection
1933 - 1942
OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION
Number:
AV 15
Title:
Ohio Theater Glass Slide Collection
Creator:
Ohio Theater
Dates:
1933 – 1942
Media:
Glass Slides
Quantity:
0.72 cubic feet
Location:
Ohio Historical Center
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE COLLECTION
The glass slides in the collection were used to project song lyrics on to the movie screen at the Ohio Theater in Columbus. The organists played music while the audience sang along with the lyrics projected on the screen. The theater, which opened on March 17, 1928, is located between Chapel and State Streets on the site of the old City Hall building downtown. During the teens, theater owners recognized the value of having organ music in their theaters. By the 1920’ s most movie theaters were built with pipe organs specially designed for use in theaters. A Morton Theater Organ built by the Robert Morgan Organ Company of Van Nuys, California was installed in the Ohio Theater at a cost of $ 21,000.
The Ohio Theaters first organist, Bill Dalton, served from 1928 to 1943. Roger Garrett was the theater’s organist from 1933 until to 1942. Garrett’s performances were part of the Ohio Theater’s appeal. His name was included in advertising for movies to be shown at the theater. Garrett left his position as organist in 1942 when he was drafted into the U. S. Marines. He was not replaced and the organ was not regularly used again until the 1960’ s.
In 1966 the American Theater Organ Society took interest in the Ohio Theater’s Morton Organ. Society members restored the organ and began to play at movie showings on the weekends. Regular use of the organ rekindled interest in the Ohio Theater. Organ enthusiasts were among those who worked to save the theater from demolition in the late 1960’ s. The Ohio Theater closed as a first- run movie theater in 1969. Roger Garrett gave a final organ performance on “ February 16, 1969.
The Columbus Association for the Performing Arts ( CAPA) took over operation of the theater and raised money to restore the building. Among other programs CAPA began