The Fabulous Fox - Last sounds of its Great Organ

[@johnsmith-mv8hq]

According to Wiki: The Fox Special Wurlitzer organ was salvaged from the theater and installed in the Frank J. Lanterman estate in California. When Lanterman died, the large 4 manual 36 rank organ was bought by the Disney Company and installed in the restored El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood.

[@AlucardFanboy8745]

This actually made me cry, such beautiful architecture should be treasured and maintained forever. Truly disgusting

[@nandocordeiro5853]

Yes, disgusting indeed.

[@818Dimples]

Absolutely

[@BrianNolan-wz9lj]

The mayor of San Francisco, must have been a very cold ,and unfeeling person to have turned down the chance to buy the Fox theater complete with organ.

[@LaurenceDay-d2p]

And totally unnecessary.

[@ElClásicodelos30s]

Absolutely true

[@1ceunant2]

Disgrace, money shout louder than words. This was a historic building and should have been preserved.

[@CBF1]

Nothing's ever about what's right anymore... it's all about stupid coins and bank notes. Money is nothing but communism.

[@BrianNolan-wz9lj]

i suspect a few brown envelopes changed hands.

[@jenniferthomson2376]

​@@BrianNolan-wz9ljWhat are you talking about? It was put to public vote and rejected 60% to 40%.

[@BrianNolan-wz9lj]

Vote rigging no less. @@jenniferthomson2376

[@BrianNolan-wz9lj]

@@jenniferthomson2376 Vote rigging no doubt.

[@xaenon]

What a bunch of buffoons! That grand old theater destroyed. I know, this happened before I was born, but seriously, that was an absolutely gorgeous old building. Look at the elaborate architecture and decor! Destroyed.... and for WHAT?! If nothing else, the theater could have been a museum, or converted to something useful instead of just demolished. The utter negligence and waste of it all just infuriates me. How can people have so little regard for such history, craftsmanship, and beauty?

[@ryantaylor2911]

In the 60s people thought these beautiful buildings were ugly.

[@warrenpugh7844]

And those searching an alibi for such destruction are desperate. Not long ago warriors from the Adriatic destroyed part of Dubrovvnik and Split. Again, there is no excuse for this madness. WASP

[@unclelouie3828]

bob marley It's the people who were ugly- and stupid.

[@alexdelrio45]

I totally agree with you!

[@warrenpugh7844]

Humm or humph! Reminds me of the BLM in the U.S. that protects us from ?? Bunch of boneheads. We have some of the most beautiful land on earth covered with asphalt and concrete. Closed malls and thousands of eye sores and non-productive chunks of real estate with healthy weeds growing between the cracks and seems. The Native American did not do that. Have at 'er Bundy.

[@daviddiffenderfer3836]

I helped George Wright try to save this theater and organ. We lost the theater but saved the organ.

[@Nuberillos]

Beautiful !!

[@Danielevanssmith]

And now it happily resides in the El Capitan theater in Hollywood. You can still hear it play.

[@ElClásicodelos30s]

Thank you A LOT for your help, sadly didn't wirk but happily you saved the organ.

[@robert3302]

I lived in San Francisco when the Fox was destroyed. The theater had amazing acoustics. It could have been converted into a concert hall for about $5 million. They ended up spending 10 times that for a new symphony hall that's ugly as sin and has terrible acoustics. The theater was replaced by a hideous apartment tower. I also remember Sutro baths, which burned "suspiciously", but was never replaced and Playland, which was also destroyed and replaced by forgettable condos. Real estate speculators ruined San Francisco. That's why housing costs have gotten so stupid.

[@trojanbill]

There is a (slightly) bright side to this story...the organ has been restored and is played daily at the El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.

[@818Dimples]

Yeah Yeah

[@marksears6780]

What a SAD thing they did. Such a BEAUTIFUL Theatre

[@ElClásicodelos30s]

Sad sad thing...

[@terrykress9030]

Thank God Detroit still has its Fabulous Fox!

[@b43xoit]

and Atlanta, its.

[@tomdulle1707]

B. Xoit ...And St Louis.

[@johnnyjames7139]

Terry Kress sadly Brooklyn Fox was demolished also and it's WurliTzer sold for parts.

[@LaurenceDay-d2p]

Also St. Louis and Atlanta. Don't miss the opportunity to tour one of them.

[@addapiffer2009]

I hope the families of those people involved in the decision to destroy the Fox are appalled and embarrassed by the dreadful actions of their ancestors. And seeing those grinning buffoons riding on the wrecking ball... words fail me. They really ought to have stayed on for the first "hit".

[@bradleyclark435]

A tremendous loss of a beautiful theatre.

[@acousticedison]

I am happy to say the Fabulous Fox in St. Louis has been restored to like new condition and has a wonderful organ which is often used for silent movies. That then started a total renaissance of the area around it which is now the hub of culture including the St, Louis Symphony.

[@Mikemallga]

The FOX still lives in Atlanta GA today. Also the Might Moe (Moeller) Pipe Organ is still used for summer film series sing-a-longs before the movie begins. Recently the FOX has been used for several national award shows, game shows, concerts, and Broadway productions.

[@eddiebatmv]

This is really a shame. I live near Detroit, and in Detroit we are lucky to have a fully restored Fox Theater that was opened in 1928. The Fox has lost it glamour and was headed for the wrecking ball. It was saved by Little Creasers Pizza founder Mike Illitch. He bought the building in 1988 and poured millions of his own money into it and now we have a beautifully restored Fox Theater. It has become so popular, this area of Detroit and all the other entertainment, sports arena and restaurant related businesses has become to be known as "Foxtown". Check the Fox Detroit video. Wurlitzer organ at the Fox Theatre in Detroit

[@Modeltnick]

Come to Tampa and see what we saved! The famous Tampa Theater still stands and is a real treasure with a restored Wurlitzer organ. It is an "atmospheric" theater of the highest order!

[@jonrmang]

Thank you for posting this, of what you could. Yes I think it would be great to see the entire documentary. Even watching this much is almost too hard to take. It's tragic!

[@michaelsmusicservice]

Someone has posted the entire documentary at The Fabulous Fox I never could find the creators for permission but perhaps this person did (?)

[@LanceCampeau]

This demolition happened 11 years before I was born... but for some strange reason, I have an overwhelming sense that there was something I could have done to save it.

[@scsstudios]

Sad to her about the theatre, but I'm glad the organ was restored!

[@steveneaklor2990]

I believe the organist is Everett Nourse, the last regular staff organist of the theatre.

[@digikitty11]

I was a kid back in the 50's who spent most of my Saturday afternoons at the movies. All the movie theatres where I lived at that time were still works of art. Some of the ceilings like a starry night, every stage had beautiful velvet drapes, gorgeous ornamentation on the walls. The seats were not wood or plastic. Quite beautiful when I think about them now, back then they were just a movie theatre and a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Some still had full orchestra pits. As things do, they all started to change later on to one looking much like another. I appreciate that I did get to see these beautiful "palaces" when they were still around. I know there are some places that because of historical interest have been restored and for that I am grateful at least that people have cared enough to retain some of our history.

[@rohanbrown3283]

If this was a movie, it would be a sad tragedy.😢😭

[@bryantgarrison5269]

I agree with everyone here, whoever was mayor at the the time obviously didn't have his head screwed on the right way. This should have been kept as a reminder of what REAL music and REAL stage shows were like. Also, the work of art behind the walls of that ornate facade was a full orchestra that only needed one player. And think of the men that put their time and effort into building this monstrosity, hours and hours of labor to cut, hollow, polish, and install and connect the organ to the keys. If the mayor had given it one thought, "Now, why am I ripping this beautiful theater apart and selling the organ to some freeloader up the Hollywood hills where it will never be seen or heard again? I could keep it here where it could be gazed up at by little smiling children hearing this great instrument. It could still take part in classic stage shows and ring out great tunes of long dead composers." If anyone had thought like that, it may still be standing today. When I saw the aftermath of the of the wrecking ball's field day in the atrium, my 12 year old eyes became watery and soon little tears started running down my face. Even I appreciate this amazing masterpiece. I wish the rest of the world had.

[@jaggedjottings]

The mayor was George Christopher, who incidentally was the last Republican mayor that San Francisco ever elected.

[@HTtwentyten]

This is as bad as New York's Penn Station. Criminal destruction of heritage aside, why don't we start building places like this again? The past is still there for us to learn from. We have intact tradition stretching back through all the great art movements of past millenia. Minimalist and undisciplined contemporary building styles are beginning to come across as plain lazy, self-absorbed, and uninvested. It's time for a classicalist revival.. before we lose the capacity and heart for it forever.

[@robertdwyer5486]

HalcyonTide In most cases, it would cost too much. For Penn Station, I believe cost was estimated at $4 billion...

[@HTtwentyten]

@@robertdwyer5486 I'm not talking about rebuilding lost monuments to the same specifications and level of craftsmanship, though. I'm talking about new buildings directly tapping on our rich heritage.. as a vibrant and living tradition. Much of the exhorbitant cost that comes with rebuilding lost buildings goes into achieving an authenticity to the original. With modern construction methods and designs complementing the realities of the building industry today (much of it sadly wanting with regard to building anything intended to last more than a few decades), this does not need to break the bank of any city or private developer.

[@jamesp8391]

This is not as bad as NY PERIOD. New York is probably the most destroyed city in America. All the things that made it a famous, beautiful and great place are for the most part lost and gone forever. It has become the epicenter of greed for the world. In most cities I visit, the old buildings are for the most part kept up and in mostly original condition. In NY, I don’t believe I’ve ever found any building in remotely close to original condition. And definitely not kept up. And I’ve worked in and around manyyy of the buildings in this city. Nothing in this city is taken care of or kept up at all. They wait until things completely fall apart. Then they knock them down, and build an ugly square glass NY hipster “designer” box of a building with ZERO architectural value and bad engineering, containing on the inside all square rooms with bare white walls... usually with bare ceilings, some with no drywall at all. Apparently, electrical runs, ventilation ducts and the backsides of lighting fixtures are now considered “designer” lol. The story of NYC in a nutshell is ZERO bang for a LOTTT more bucks. Just to give you an idea of what is happening here... we now have a building that the “architect” designed to look like the trash can in his office. And no, I’m not joking. Even Carnegie Hall isn’t all that great. It’s not that well taken care of. It’s also one of the only concert halls in the world that no longer has a pipe organ. Why is that? Well it’s because in the typical NYC fashion, they took their famous pipe organ, (commissioned by a world famous organist and composer) and they threw it in the garbage. This was most likely in the 1960’s when the destruction of nyc really started to happen. It’s only gotten worse from there.

[@kenfm496]

Give props to Atlantic City for its efforts in the restoration of the Midmer Losh pipe organ. The largest and most powerful musical instrument ever created by man. Almost permanently lost due to a hurricane in 1944 it sat in disrepair for decades , two of the organs eight chambers are now operational and giving daily free concerts to visitors that come to Boardwalk Hall. It will be a number of years before the full restoration is finished but just having listened to the organ only 25% completed, the sound is unbelievable. I can only imagine what it will sound like when fully restored. It's sad San Francisco didn' t have the foresight to make the effort to save the magnificent Fox Theater and keep the mighty whurlitzer in its rightful home.

[@italiano8nyc]

so very, very sad. the shame of San Francisco....

[@angelsone-five7912]

What a lovely and fitting play-out. I got a lump in my throat.

[@franzbmx9442]

What sad end to a jewel of movie theater of 1920’s… I am so glad that the paramount theater another jewel in 1920’s in Oakland was saved to future generation.

[@rkberta]

I worked my entire career in San Francisco and part of it was in the building that replaced the theater. Prior to it being torn down I had the opportunity as an engineer to go into the theater before the organ console was removed. As an organist I had more than a tear in my eye seeing what became of it. Those who say the city didn't have the money to preserve it....my answer is...how about the Paramount in Oakland which WAS restored and is a grand edifice and a shining "star" in Oakland. While living in San Francisco I saw the city destroy many of its glorious buildings and unique attractions. Most of these were bought for pennies by people looking to replace them with what became lifeless buildings and condos. Playland at the Beach was another one of those insults. Luckily the last few days of the Fox were captured in fine stereo recordings....there were three LP records (I have them all) and later a 2 CD set of most of the three records (I also have those). I think the CDs are still available. While Disney bought the console...I heard that most if not all of the pipes were mostly destroyed by poor storage and some ranks were sold off. The organ pipes are a mere shadow of what they were before probably an amalgam of ranks purchased from other organsa At one time this organ was one of the three largest top of the line Wurlitzers in the World. I don't know if the other two exist or not...probably not. If you are a theater organ afficiando....I can highly recommend the CDs.

[@krgamman]

+Robert Berta Can you tell me the title of the CDs? is it the same as the title of this video or something else?

[@RobertKarlBerta]

+Keisha Gamman The CD has two of the two original records on one CD plus a couple of other tunes from the third as I recall. It is called "Farewell to the Fox" . Evert Nourse and Tiny James were the organists. It was put out by Fantasy records. Total playing time is 72 minutes. The record cat.# is 850113/85014. I don't know if it is still available but a VERY worth while addition to any collection. It has liner notes with background and story also. I moved from San Francisco to Michigan 11 years ago when I retired. Here in Michigan they value history....there is a Fox theater here with a big theater organ that is restored to its glory along with its theater.....and this is in Detroit which takes a lot of knocks...but they know how to preserve history. I doubt if the original vinyl records are available but they were great and the third one has a few more tunes not on the CD. I think that third record was later made with the original tunes that didn't make the cut for the original two record set. While I had the chance to play some of the theater pipe organs at the old Pizza and Pipe chain in the Bay Area (also gone now), sadly I never got a chance to play the Fox.

[@johnnyjames7139]

You are mistaken about the fate of the organ. It was purchased by Frank Lanterman who had been a organist for Fox West Coast. He installed it in his La Canada home. I heard and played it there. Everything was there, including the slave console. After Frank's death, the city of La Canada was able to force removal of the instrument. Plans to install it elsewhere fell thru. It was phurchased by Disney To be installed in the El Capitan theatre in Hollywood. The instrument was completely releathered, all original pipework retained, a 37th rank added (a concert flute celeste, Wurlitzer identical to the existing rank). The slave console is in storage as there is no need for it. I was chief of maintenance for the first two years at the El Capitan, I played the organ often. The only thing lacking is the natural reverberation of the Fox. Even the 32' diaphone is there and plays. Disney does not own the El Capitan, it is leased long term. They do own the organ.

[@ds1868]

What a fantastic looking theatre this was. If there is any tragic 'consolation' for our American friends similar tragedies have occurred in Great Britain. It seems that at the time lack of vision (I call it 'tunnel vision') prevents the decision makers in appreciating these works of art, and to fail in grasping the past, the present, and even more importantly the future. Greed is usually the driver for this lack of vision, and lack of education. I have been to SF many times, and it is a beautiful City, my favourite in the US, but clearly the Mayor at the time meets all the criteria mentioned above, plus he was a complete idiot!

[@Thommadura]

Actually, the copper pipes of the pipe organs were of value in the WWII war effort and since they were generally not being used for anything else, at least they helped win the war. It is not lack of vision, the huge pipe organs had little place to exist when the theaters no longer needed them. THey are unsuited to installation in Homes and require constant maintenance and repairs. Electronic organs (Which have also gone by the wayside today) replaced them for home use.

[@SRCVintageElectronics]

This makes my insides hot. Whoever decided to not save the theater should have a wrecking ball taken to them.

[@SwingChaSanFrancisco]

I sobbed and cried all through this. I'll never watch it again!

[@recitexpressif]

Tears in my eyes....

[@megaswenson]

"A few years later, to "beautify" Market Street, San Francisco made all the theatres tear off their Marquees and Signs." WHAT THE HELL WERE THEY THINKING?????!!!!!!!!!! This is absolutely surreal. And for nothing!

[@DuaLeaD]

Unfathomable to destroy such pristine art....I can barely watch it Think of how much of our history and culture we have lost to the ages. No wonder our society has such amnesia even as you go back only 3 or 4 generations....

[@richardt8604]

Crazy people destroying all that effort to build that beautiful construction !

[@LaurenceDay-d2p]

Look what replaced it - a concrete monstrosity.

[@rohanbrown3283]

This is a horrible sight to see. It is such an amazing and stunning building and just to see it torn down like that is just unthinkable. I wish it survived the 60s 😪

[@RedRider7240]

this is criminal.

[@andytaylor5476]

Really painful to see this magnificent movie palace savagely being torn down. Such a loss!

[@crazyhorsetrading8655]

I'm speechless that this was allowed to happen. Although the same thing happened in Cape Town South Africa where the old movie theaters were torn down for BLAND NONDESCRIPT structures, we have truly lost some of the grandeur in our world

[@richardcrooks891]

THIS WAS A SAD DAY NOT ONLY FOR SAN FRANCISCO BUT FOR THE WHOLE COUNTRY

[@nyitrai7]

What a shame!! This piece of history should have been preserved.

How can something so beautiful be destroyed on purpose? Is any amount of money worth it?

[@angelkowatsch7535]

The Fox Theater (1921) in Salinas CA, is being threatened. The building is a solid concrete building and the city is claiming the neighboring building (brick URM building) is supporting The Fox building. The owner is fighting tooth and nail to save this BEAUTIFUL building, with NO help from the city. They closed his doors April 12th, and WILL NOT let him re-open unless he fixes a wall by June 12th, or they will abate and demolish. These city officials only think of development, new buildings and new money. The Fox has 1,000 seats of water credits and 1,000 parking credits...that's what they want. Very sad, these gorgeous iconic landmarks need to be cherished and preserved.

[@SuperAWaC]

considering the single-story building across the street from where this used to be that's still there, there was plenty of room to keep this where it was and build the fox plaza where the post office is now. disgusting.

[@Old-USRefugee]

The Fox Plaza is an eyesore, that should not have been built anywhere!

[@MikeCarrollArtist]

I was on Mayor Art, a kid's TV show, in July of 1963. I'll never forget passing by the Fox on our way back home to Sunnyvale (South Bay). The lobby was gone and you could look inside, as shown in the video. Even as a kid, it was hard to look at. What a loss to San Francisco!

[@sandee20]

The San Francisco Fox theater was the most beautiful theater I have ever seen. It is such a loss for our children to never have the opportunity to see it up close. The inside of the theater was absolutely beautiful. So sad!!

[@Baldgol4]

What a sin that here in America we tear down a treasure such as this to build some new piece of junk. Thank goodness they respect the treasure their history in Europe.

[@roddymoore]

I totally agree. Our American throw away society.

[@Bluegoose-df7if]

why America why

[@Bluegoose-df7if]

Roddy Moore ok we do not throw everything away

[@hawkfumodee5364]

This feels as if I am watching a crime taking place.

[@LaurenceDay-d2p]

You are.

[@sonicmastersword8080]

Goodbye great architecture and superb movie music. What a shame they did this to such masterful craftsmanship that is nearly lost now.

[@jimclifford8136]

Help save the organ from the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. The Austin organ was damaged in the 1989 earthquake, restored and is now stored in Brooks Hall. The city is doing it again. It won't pay for the new home. The organ had been in the Civic Auditorium, now Bill Graham Auditorium, since the fair. Check it out.

[@michaelsmusicservice]

See my blog for some of my postings, especially for the project to display the console to the public. michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?s=san+francisco+exposition

[@mgc7199]

All cry about pointless destruction but actual help is hard to find. Have a like.

[@ChristianSchonbergerMusic]

Thankfully many people rediscover lost arts and revive them again. It sometimes(make that often)needs 'crazy' rich people for the financing. I am sure the theater organ will live on forever with many fully functional and well maintained, and some lucky musicians will be able to practice and perform on these. The theater organ with the typical smooth and rich sound is a part of lovely irrisitable, addictive, Americana. Thank you guys!

[@Robert-fy1vq]

So sad to see a beautiful theater destroyed.

[@joshbarreras7255]

By a golden wrecking ball with a lounge on it

[@AdrianRossner]

I nearly had to cry, when I saw this! It's a shame to destroy such a beautiful building! Thank you for uploading, so that we're able to keep the last sounds-and pictures-of the theatre in mind! R.I.P.

[@1BostonTerrierGirl]

Heartbreaking...

[@Organsk8er]

Thanks so much for posting this. Absolutely, utterly, and completely heartbreaking. What a dark time in our history...so many of these grand places were destroyed, all in the name of progress, and "beautification". How ridiculous. Thank you.

[@Lockbar]

It doesn't pay to build anything nice or beautiful. In 50 years someone will tear it down for a joke.

[@TheCarnivalguy]

I made it to the 4:15 mark, and that's when I stopped watching. The glorious city of San Francisco allowed that fabulous movie palace to be destroyed. SMH How does the parking lot? look there now. I'm glad our city of Chattanooga did not destroy our Tivoli theater. It houses our mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ built in 1924 and is still played today. I have such a great interest in those old movie palaces, and the surviving ones today are a wonder to behold.

[@Hope-Jones]

OMG! that was incredible AND horrible all at once. I've only see the Fox through the photos in the Fabulous FOX book, but to see Everett Norse on the Organ console descending into the blackened orchestra pit was a real treat - felt like I'd finally visited the FOX! Seeing the front of theatre pulled down was sad. There must be a lot more footage like this in private collections; perhaps it will get a new lease of life one day, perhaps here on KZbin! Thanks for posting this.

[@filmtechnz1]

It also happens in Australia - we have lost some magnificent buildings to be replaced with arcades, shops, or in some cases still empty blocks. The Fox looked like a magnificent theatre and I cannot understand the minds of those city officials who allowed this to happen.

[@ChristineLeakeyMusic]

i shudder when such beautiful things are knocked down and not honoured, usually thanks to poor taste and greedy real-estate developers or new owners who don't always know a good thing when they see it... 

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

+ChristineLeakeyMusic Smash that old theatre down! It looked like a load of crap to me. Would you have paid to save it? Don't forget, someone has to pay, with no hope of returns from these decaying old buildings.

[@Larsky1010]

Can't bear to watch the whole video! What a tragic loss!

[@kansasthunderman1]

It was a very strong building and it's nice that the demo contractor lost $$$ on the wrecking job!!!

[@oscaralbertotocco7089]

Thank goodness! Seeing what they did in those years with the architectural work of art that was that theater, I thought they had sold it as firewood to prepare barbecues ... At least, the organ was saved!

[@Engineer9736]

Contractors just do what them are told to be done. You want the person who instructed the contractor to do this to get punished.

[@Wanamaker1946]

#gaysfortrumpThe San Fransico Fox was constructed of steel, enough to support a 30 Story Office Building. During the Great Depression the owner lost the finatial backing to finish the tower. This is why is was so hard to tear down. Why does America destroy so much irreplaceable Artitecture? Whitemarsh Hall at Philadelphia PA was another great loss. Also the Masbaum Theatre in Philadelphia.

[@Tmanaz480]

The sound of the organ in its original space is amazing. Sorry, the El Capitan doesn't do it justice.

[@theSam91]

Oh my god I nearly cried when I saw this, It's a terrible shame and it broke my heart to see the beautiful theatre and place of joy for so many older generations be demolished. I hope this never happens to the Capri theatre in Adelaide.

[@Diogopfonseca]

Here in Europe there are a few laws that prohibit the owners of historical buildings of doing alterations that would harm their historical significance, let alone demolishing them. You can't put a price on you're country's heritage.

[@alexdelrio45]

What a disaster! This happens very often here in the United States! They tear down those magnificent historical buildings and build a parking lot or what ever! SAD!

[@Larsky1010]

Thanks for posting this much at least. How incredibly sad to see the console sink into the pit! But the organ lives on in spite of everything!

[@ab2bw]

I had the opportunity to play a Wurlitzer organ at the Loews Movie Palace still open yet in Jersey City New Jersey six or seven years ago. It was so so so cool to hear that old instrument come to life across the theater from the console.

[@kajunteddy]

What a shame...this actully made me cry. SF should be ashamed.

[@InsideOfMyOwnMind]

The year San Francisco got it all wrong. I remember as a kid when K101 would play excerpts from here on Wednesday nights. "Watch your woofers!". Come to think of it, another lost SF icon.

[@dhamrick100]

such a waste of beauty and craftsmanship.

[@richardmcleod5967]

San Francisco bills itself as progressive and insightful. So what happened with the destruction of the Fox Theater? The day the demolition began , the activities were more of a Celebration with a gold wrecking ball and actual festivities in the City by the Bay as if they were celebrating the loss of one of San Francisco's most beautiful and Historic buildings. What were they thinking and what does it reflect about the City and how its' citizens' sensitivities for Historical structures were changing and obviously not for the better.

[@oscaralbertotocco7089]

I regret that I could not see the video too much because it caused me a great sadness that destroyed a work of art that, I could assure, I find something like the Titanic of Architecture, although not sunk by unpredictability but by the god of business . Truly a pity. Earthquakes already destroy enough art for men to help them in their task, do not you think?

[@joeyhelgeson1041]

soooo sad..... nobody can make this stuff anymore... built by masters with a deeper understanding of acustics.

[@sonicmastersword8080]

I'd argue against that. Some people still can, but it's certainly very rare now. There should be a modern classical design and engineering renaissance.

[@jamesmiller4184]

Gees! That was really OK! A real documentary. Thanks very much for posting what you could. . : .

[@michaelsmusicservice]

That was during the last playing of the organ. After that, they disconnected it and began removal. The demolition of the building was well after that.

[@KPO6859]

Knowing that this video could be watched over and over does not diminish the sadness of listening to Everett Nourse play "San Francisco" while it descends for the last time into the pit. It is nice to know that the organ continues to play and is under the care of an organization that cares about its' historical significance. The acoustics in a building that large must have been quite something!

[@RADIUMGLASS]

Being the mayor of a big city is a powerful position and a mayor can allow these demolitions to happen without the approval of the city council.

[@tracer740]

Heartbreaking to witness. I discontinued watching @4:56

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

+Liche Christ Smash that old theatre down - you missed the best bits. Great demolition!

[@ITCXTC]

At least someone saved the organ even though it will take years and a small fortune to reinstall it somewhere.

[@markrpope3]

I think Disnet could afford it and did. Went to El Capitan in LA

[@TheShadowsoftheDead]

Honestly, I can say that this is a horrible thing that people have done. I am only 17 years old, and I still teared up when I saw this beautiful piece of history torn down for something so trivial as a skyscraper. I would loved to have seen such a magnificent place in person and imagined what it was like to be there in the heyday. It's heartbreaking that the Fox Theater met the expansionist America before historical preservation and restoration could have saved it from this horrible fate.

[@johnnyjames7139]

It was my privilege to be chief of maintenance of this wonderful instrument for a couple of years following the rebuilding and installation in the El Capitan theatre Hollywood. I played it often.

[@ronhoffstein8142]

The once great (perhaps greatest) city in our nation continues its decline. While it's true that those at the top will probably fall from that honored position, to push it down into oblivion is inexcusable. Now I'm just waiting for the next significant earthquake to finish them for good.

[@willwjl]

Hard to believe they thought Fox Plaza was a better alternative. Someone would have burned it down "accidentally" if it had made it to the 70s. Thank God for Oakland's Fox, Paramount and Grand Lake Theatres

[@lawrencekeesler7369]

So sad we destroy our heritage!

[@ChristianSchonbergerMusic]

I sincerely hope that all the craftsmanship including these organs, construction and playing technique - decoration (mainly plaster and woodwork I presume) and of course the film projecting machines will be preserved in plans and detailed descriptions forever and rediscovered by future generations - such as is the case now.

[@aldermanenterpriseinc]

To sad to actually watch!

[@rexthewarhorse]

That last part with the wurlitzer playing it's heart out always gets me

[@MissCodswallop]

Same with the Fabulous Fox in St. Louis. It's absolutely gorgeous--one of my favorite places in the whole world. Its interior is actually identical to the Fox in Detroit. Movie palaces are treasures that should be preserved, not destroyed.

[@ikonix360]

Sad to say this will only happen more and more as people either forget or are not taught our rich history or as people demand newer and better. Just look at what happens to sports stadiums.

[@TheJbh222]

Sad...Sad...Sad...SAD!!

[@Idelia412]

I bet San Francisco wishes they could turn back the clock and save it today.

[@andytaylor5476]

yes we do!

[@MichaThom]

Such a sad story, but a great video, thanks for sharing!

[@LAOPERAMAN]

I am so glad we still have so many of our historic theatres here in Los Angeles.

[@OrganMusicYT]

I wanted to cry watching that. Bastards!

[@lillamypie]

We in America just can't resist destroying our architectural heritage. What replaces these grand old buildings is for the most part ugly, and that is what we are leaving our prodigy.

[@TheVaughan5]

There has been a lot of progress in the U.S. regarding important historical buildings since the dark days of the 50's 60's and 70's though some are still sacrificed for greed. The demolition of NYC's irreplaceable Penn Station at around the same time as the Fox kick started the preservation movement but it can still be a battle to save some places.

[@MeinnameistDreck]

That's because a lot of people here have no sense of aesthetics or historic preservation, especially back then. Things are slowly starting to change now, but 30, 40 or 50 years ago, they wanted everything to look like George Jetson would live there, not George Washington.

[@mikeclemens4082]

makes me sick to watch it.

[@ElClásicodelos30s]

the whole video filled me of sadness, at the finale i almost cried, it's a sad sad thing they did to that architecture, and the organ... Full of power and beautifullnes , it's almost a tragedy. Like @AlucardFanboy874 said "such beautiful architecture should be treasured and maintained forever. Truly disgusting"