'Those Were The Days'

It was seven years ago, August 9, 2008, when retired Air Force Colonel Jack Moelmann of O'Fallon, Illinois, dipped into his life savings to rent the Radio City Music Hall in New York City to put on a spectacular program featuring the largest theatre pipe organ ever built by the famous Wurlitzer Company. Jack thought it was time to bring a sequel to that show to his home town area, so he has rented the Fabulous Fox Theatre to feature its Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ in a new show on Sunday, August 23 at 2 p.m.

"Those Were the Days" with Colonel Jack Moelmann and Friends will take audiences back to a time in the early 1900s when organ concerts were popular entertainment at the Fox Theatre and other great movie palaces across the country. In addition to Jack, two other internationally famous organists are also on the bill - Walt Strony of California and Lew Williams of Arizona - to share the spotlight at the organ as they did in 2008 at the Music Hall. The three organists will display their talent at the organ console in a musical program that will include a variety of pop music, an audience sing-along and a short Laurel and Hardy silent movie comedy that will showcase what the theatre organ was designed to do - accompany silent films. The finale will consist of a tribute to America with a medley of patriotic songs.

The Fox Mighty Wurlitzer is second in size only to the one at Radio Music Hall. It is original to the theatre and was first played on opening night in 1929. The last time it accompanied a silent film was in 2007 when the legendary Stan Kann played the Wurlitzer for "The Phantom of the Opera."

Proceeds from the event will go to the Stan Kann Memorial Scholarship which encourages young aspiring organists. For more information visit Jack's website: www.JackMoelmann.com.

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