ush4

Page 8-Surday, September 24, 1978-The Michigan Daily
50 years old and still org


Se p t.-
T4-2

F

0

By NINA SHISHKOFF -
A line of sleek limosines are parked
in front of the brightly lit marquee, let-
ting out flappers in sparkling gowns. A
ghostly image from the twenties? A
closer look reveals that most people
present are wearing blue jeans or
lesiure suits, not the cat's pajamas.
The Michigan Theatre on East Liber-
ty street opened in 1928 with a ten piece
orchestra and a dance revue. Thur-
sday, in celebration of its fiftieth year,-
the theater brought live entertainment
back to its stage. The glorious days of
vaudeville were recalled as Daryl Hur-
st, an Ann Arbor magician, performed
his less than astonishing magic act
before the almost full house. He was
followed by two 1928 newsreels,
showing events as alien to us now as
they were to audiences first witnessing
the take-off and flight of an "autogiro,"

and the antics of daring balloonist-
acrobats.
THEN, AFTER some champagne
refreshment at intermission, the
audience was treated to the harmony of
the Livingston County Barbershop
chorus, and the 1928 Laurel and Hardy
silent classic, Leave 'em Laughing.
The old movies, the magic and the
songs added to the atmosphere and fun,
but they were not the main attraction..
Without doubt, the star of the show was
the theater's pipe organ-its mellow
sound unmistakable-even to people
who only know pipe organs from the in-
termissions at hockey games. Although
stage shows went out with the silents,
the ornate red and gold organ played on
until 1945.
In 1972 it was restored by members of
the Motor City chapter of the Americd
Theatre Organ Society, and has been
used since instead of canned music at

the weekend movie showings. Thursday
night it filled the theater with the
melodies of Johann Strauss, George
Gershwin, and even Billy Joel.
THE ARRANGMENTS were played
with such style and authenticity that
the performer might have been the
ghost of an old time house organist, in-
stead of the young man seated at the in-
strument. How did Walt Strony learn to
play this way? "They don't teach it,"he
said with a smile. Although he went to
college at Northwestern University, he'
learned the basics of the theater organ
from Al Melgard, who plays the huge
instrument at Chicago stadium.
Strony doesn't read the music out of a
book, either; the arrangements are his
own, and the accompaniments to the
moyies are improvised. Although he
plays many concerts like this one,
Strony has a regular job as organist in a
Phoenix restaurant called Organstop

1617

A/as

htenaw


TRY SOMETHING
THAT LASTS:
FIJI

OPEN RUSH
SUNDAY SEPT. 24, 2-10 pm
MON.-THU. SEPT. 25-28,7-10 pm
EXPLORE THE BEST:
PHI GAMMA DELTA
707 OXFORD
761-5950

Jazz Fest: A sax celebration!
(Continued from Page 7)
George Cable's fluid delivery kept the
Hill crowd in smiles, and Eddie Glad-
den could well have been the greatest
percussionist ever to visit an Ann Arbor
stage.
Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard closed
the show with his version of
jazz/pop/fun. Although his group was
rhythmically and musically tight, the
rhythm section seemed lethargic and
plodding compared to the frenetic bop
place of the previous acts.
When Hubbard opted for a more
traditional jazz idiom, the music lost a
lot of its heavy handedness and became
somewhat . spontaneous. Hubbard's
playing was always fluent, loud, and,
concise. Unfortunately the rest of the
group could not make that claim. Hub-
bard's more electric sound clashed with 5
the acoustic styles of Gordon and
Grifin, and essentially was a burden on
an already satiated audience. However,
this could not detract from a highly
successful concert, in a festival that has
already offered Ann Arbor a taste of the s
world's best jazz.

an-izin
Pizza. He is one of perhaps two doze
professional theater organists in th
United States.
The Ameican Theatre Organ Society
which restored the organ, also hir
Strony ahd organized the show. Th
society has 5,000 members nationwide,
600 of whom belong to the Motor City
chapter. This area has eight theaters
with pipe organs, an unusually high
concentration. Henry Aldridge, society
member and introductory speaker
Thursday night, explained how the
organization got into the entertainment
business.
"AT FIRST we were only interested
in restoring the organs. Then we
thought, 'why not use them?"' So, th
society began to arrange shows. Ther
are three performances schedule
through the end of the year at the Red-
ford Theatre in Detroit. Aldridge said,
"Most people have never heard of liv
movie accompaniment. They find it ad
ds a new dimension to the mjovie."
Present at the ceremony were the
four managers 'who have guided the
theater through its fifty year career. A
forty-five year~ share of those fifty
years, however, belongs to one man,
the original manager of the Michigan
Theatre, 78-year-old Gerald Hoag. He is
proud of the theater, the oldest in Ann
Arbor, saying, "They build theaters
nowadays for what our roof cost."
Hoag found this performance "frien-
dlier" than some of the originals in 1928
(when he said all he wanted to do was
sell tickets), and laments the disap-
pearance of family entertainment.
"When the movie people discovered
that adding a couple of dirty words
would fill the theaters, that ruined
family pictures," he said. "One would
like to ask him what he thinks of the
current attraction playing at the
Michigan, Dona Flor and her Two
Husbands, a rather spicy Argentinian
film.
Billings, Montana, was founded i
1882 when the Northern Pacific
Railroad made its way into the area.
The town, named after Frederic
Billings, then president of the railroad,
is now the largest city within a 500-mile.
radius.

g3
Just for the
health of it.
Get movingAmerica
March 1-7, 1977mis
National Physical Educationand Sport Week
pcp,
Physical Education Public Information
Ame anA ancfoHealh
Phys c lcat i ona R N, W ton C2
201 6th St NW.WashintnD C 20036

k
... y

I

Yaeonr

.1


- i

Yam

6Ymega


ezu
OPEN HOUSE/PIZZA DINNER
4:00- 8: 00 p :m .
SUNDAY, SEPT. 24
Pizza, Refreshments,
Beer and Munchies"
The house is located a short ten min. walk from the diag.
From the corner of Hill and S. Forest go one block south to
the corner of Hill and Olivia, turn right on Olivia and go one
block south to the corner of Olivia and Cambridge and you're
there.
BETA LAMBDA CHAPTER
1415 CAMBRIDGE
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN 48104

DOWNTOWN ANN ARBOR
114 East Washington
The best'lunches and dinners
at a very modest price.
HUGE SALAD.BARI
Over 30 items plus
two fresh soups dailyl
LUNCHEON 11:30 til 2 p.m.
1/3 lb. hamburger......$ .95
All you can eat smorgasbord$2.95
including soup, salad, relish
bar and daily entree
DINNER
Full line menu of Italian and
American food.
ALL YOU CAN EAT SPECIALS
Adults Children
Under 12
SUN. Italian buffet.. $3.95 2.25
MON. Spaghetti.... 2.95 1.75
with meatballs .... 1 .00 extra
TUES. Smorgasbord. 3.95 2.25
WED. Seafood buffet 4.25. 2.75
THURS. Smorgasbord 3.95 2.25
Includes unlimited trips to salad bar,
plus soup and bread.
* *** ** **** * ** 
ENTERTAINMENT
For the whole family
Friday and Saturday
from 6 p.m. on
LIVE BAND
Watch all major sporting
events on our large 7-foot
screen !
Tues., Wed. and Thurs.,-
OLD TIME MOVIES
SELECTION OF OVER 200 CLASSICS
Also available
COCKTAILS-BEER-WINE
PEANUTS-PIZZA

I


0 s

Take a break at
BELL'S
Enjoy our delicious
PIZZA and GRINDERS
S. State and Packard
995-0232
Sun-Wed open til 1 am
Thurs til 2
,,,,_Friday-Saturday til 3 am

Doily Photo by ANDY FREEBERG
The bass player of Dexter Gordon's ensemble helps Gordon work his magic at
Friday night's performance in the 1978 Ann Arbor Jazz Festival.


REE DELIVERY daily after 4:30


- ---- -- ----- -----
Soo so4
HOFF, OFF
Cottage INN
S504 OFF any Pizza or Dinner
Offer expires Sept. 30, 1978
Carry-Out and FREE Delivery
I Open11AM-2 AM 7 Days a Week
546 Packard at Hill-665-6005 I
FEA TURING:
0 12", 14", 16" Pizzas-10 items including Zucchini & 1
Eggplant.1
1 COTTAGE INN'S Very Own Sicilian Deep Dish Pizza
0 Sandwiches, Subs, Pizza Sub, Cottage Inn Deluxe so
I Our expertly prepared Italian dinners: 0F
LOF Spaghetti-Lasugna-Cnnelloni -Manicotti-Combination
------- -- ---

6TTENTION NURSES
R.N.'s-full time and part time positions available
L.P.N. 's-full time positions available
This acute care hospital affiliated with the University of Michigan Medical
Center is looking for nurses for our medicine, surgery and psychiatry wards.

-COUPON-- 2 for 1 Special -COUPON-
Buy 1 Super Salad-GET 1 FREE
Coupon good Sunday, September 24
through Thursday, September 28

-These are permanent positions
-Full Civil Service Benefits
-Comprehensive health and life insurance

Starting Salary: R.N.'s-$12,986 to $18,258
L.P.N.'s-$9,514 to $10,623