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THE
BROADWAY
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The Mighty Wurlitzer has arrived.
The Broadway is now the only cinema in Scotland to host a cinema organ. The installation will be the first ‘new’ installation of a cinema organ in a Scottish cinema since the golden age of the 1930s, and in Scotland's largest cinema auditorium.
Learn about the Wurlitzer's history and follow our journey here!
What is a Wurlitzer?
Wurlitzer cinema organs were built in North Tonawanda, New York, and shipped across the Atlantic for installation in UK cinemas and theatres.
Originally developed to provide the musical accompaniment to silent films, Wurlitzer cinema organs were installed in the UK from the mid-1920s to late-1930s, and only a few dozen remain today in operation.
As with traditional pipe organs, theatre organs use pressurized air to produce music. However, a cinema organ can create a more rich and varied sound and incorporate percussion and sound-effects to mimic a live orchestral performance.
With dazzling displays of light and sound, Wurlitzer organs become one-person orchestras!
Where did our Wurlitzer come from?
Our Wurlitzer was originally installed at the Ritz Cinema in Luton, originally named the Union Cinema, which opened on 11th October 1937.
Installed as 3 Manual/8 Rank, the organ features the iconic ‘pillar & vase’ illuminated surround. The colourful and decorative glass surrounds added to the drama and spectacle of the organ during musical performances.
The Broadway’s Wurlitzer was first played by H. Robinson Cleaver at the opening of the Union Cinema in 1937. The Union Cinema was renamed the Ritz Cinema in July 1949, and operated as a cinema until transitioning to bingo in the 1970s.
Thereafter it entered private collections, and was donated to the Broadway in 2026.
What are our plans for installation?
Our vision is to install the Wurlitzer into our newly restored auditorium during the restoration period. The Broadway's new stage will be developed to incorporate the organ console and an all-new pipe chamber.
We aim to restore our Wurlitzer to its original 3 Manual/8 Rank configuration, replicating the original sound as accurately as possible in its new home. We have a dedicated team of organ experts supporting us with each stage of the Wurlitzer's restoration and installation.
Once our project is completed, the Broadway will then proudly feature a programme of live performances including accompaniments to silent films, tea dances, and Christmas concerts, all performed by the nation's premier organists.
Come and see it at the Broadway Cinema Experience!
You may not be able to hear it just yet, but you can come and see the Wurlitzer being restored at the Broadway Cinema Experience!
Visit our Pop-up Museum, enjoy film back on the Broadway's big screen, and speak to our restoration experts at our workshop to learn more about the project's development, and our progress with bringing our Mighty Wurlitzer back to life!
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