Long Island University
Long Island University
(formerly the Brooklyn Paramount)
Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
(across from Junior's Restaurant)
Wurlitzer 4/26 Publix Style #4
Owned and maintained by LIU
The Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University is built around the
former Brooklyn Paramount theatre. The theatre itself was been
turned into the arena for the University's NCAA men's and women's
Blackbirds basketball teams. Recently, a new gym has been built
at a new location, which now leaves the Paramount gym more as a
practice court and general purpose arena.
History:
Wurlitzer Opus 1984 was shipped from the Wurlitzer factory in North
Tonawanda on June 30,1928. Designated a Publix #4, with 26 ranks, it
was crafted to deliver the same tonal effect as the 4/36 Wurlitzer in
the Times Square Paramount but at lower cost. The organ was opened
by Henry Murtagh. He played the then popular ballad,
The Stars Are The Windows Of Heaven, while the Wilfred color lighting system changed the color of the entire theatre to a deep purple. Then Murtagh presented
A Trip Thru The Organ – a
feature that many organists depended on in those days when an
instrument made its debut. Since then such console stars as Mr. &
Mrs. Jesse Crawford (for whom a second "slave" console was added),
Stuart Barrie, Don Baker, Elsie Thomson, Dick Leibert, and Bob Mack
have been featured. Gymnastic equipment now sits on the stage where
Rudy Vallee, Maria Gamberelli, Ginger Rogers and Nancy Carroll once
played, but the organ – with half an acre of plush seats and
several miles of heavy brocade draperies removed – sounds out now
like it never did before.
About the Brooklyn Paramount
For
the true movie palace buff it is difficult, even today, to refer to the
Brooklyn Paramount as the basketball court of Long Island University.
There s still enough of the original grandeur visible to see why
audiences in 1928 considered it the most beautiful motion picture
theatre in the world. It opened on November 23,1928, with Nancy Carroll
in
Manhattan Cocktail as "Paramount-Publix's Gift to Brooklyn" and closed its doors to movie-goers on August 21, 1962, with John Wayne in
Hatari. The
Brooklyn Paramount was the capstone in the career of the noted
architects, Rapp & Rapp, and for sheer opulence it outshone
anything they ever designed. The great latticed ceiling and arches
along the side walls were originally festooned with artificial foliage;
the arches concealed the lights of the Wilfred Color Organ, a lighting
system that subtly changed the color of the whole theatre to suit the
mood of the moment. Chorus girls pranced down the golden staircases
from the organ grilles to the stage. The 4,500 seats (making it the
second largest theatre in New York when it opened) were upholstered in
random tones that ranged from plum to scarlet. Below the stupendous
grand drapery of the proscenium arch hung a midnight-blue velvet
curtain embroidered with pheasants in polychrome satin.
Long Island University 
For
the true movie palace buff it is difficult, even today, to refer to the
Brooklyn Paramount as the basketball court of Long Island University.
There s still enough of the original grandeur visible to see why
audiences in 1928 considered it the most beautiful motion picture
theatre in the world. It opened on November 23,1928, with Nancy Carroll
in Manhattan Cocktail as "Paramount-Publix's Gift to Brooklyn" and closed its doors to movie-goers on August 21, 1962, with John Wayne in Hatari. The
Brooklyn Paramount was the capstone in the career of the noted
architects, Rapp & Rapp, and for sheer opulence it outshone
anything they ever designed. The great latticed ceiling and arches
along the side walls were originally festooned with artificial foliage;
the arches concealed the lights of the Wilfred Color Organ, a lighting
system that subtly changed the color of the whole theatre to suit the
mood of the moment. Chorus girls pranced down the golden staircases
from the organ grilles to the stage. The 4,500 seats (making it the
second largest theatre in New York when it opened) were upholstered in
random tones that ranged from plum to scarlet. Below the stupendous
grand drapery of the proscenium arch hung a midnight-blue velvet
curtain embroidered with pheasants in polychrome satin.