Capitol Tower 60th Anniversary
April 6 1956 - April 6, 2016
Read the grand opening press release, tour guide
script, and see the Tower booklet.
capitolstudios.com - "On Saturday May 21st and Sunday May 22nd we are opening our doors to the public for a one time only 2 day event. This is your chance to see inside the walls of the iconic Studios and hear captivating stories about the endless legendary recording sessions that have taken here over the past 60 years."
The Beach Reporter - Paula Salvatore, vice president of Capitol Studios, has worked in the tower for twenty-five years.
capitolmusicgroup @ Youtube - watch footage from the Tower opening in 1956, as well as a 1958 promotional film, and other historic footage from the Capitol archives.
Capitol Tower 50th Anniversary
April 6 1956 - April 6, 2006
Read the grand opening press release, tour guide
script, and see the Tower booklet.
April 6, 2009 - This is the fifty-third anniversary of this venerable Hollywood landmark. Visit Hollywood - stay at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, walk to the most famous landmarks in Hollywood history, including the intersection of Hollywood and Vine to see the Capitol Tower and other famous art deco buildings.*
Correspondence with Mark Heimback-Nielsen, ad hoc Capitol Tower Historian, re. the Tower's 50th anniversary. Mark worked for Capitol 1953 - 1961.
From: Mark Heimback-Nielsen
Subject: Capitol Records Tower Tour Script
Date: April 1, 2006 11:43:53 PM MST
To: Nori J. Muster
Hi Nori,
This Thursday is the Capitol Records Tower's 50th anniversary. I read that you had a script of the tour as well as memo's from its opening and I was wondering if I could get a copies/scans of them at reading resolution (150 dpi). I worked for Tommy Steele in Capitol's Art Department from 1999-2001 at the tower and during that time became a big fan of Capitol's history (unfortunately one of the few in the building) even writing and designing a new information booklet to be given out to tourists becoming the building's ad hoc historian. I also helped get and check information for Capitol's 60th anniversary in 2002. I'd love to get a copy of this. If there is any information that you might be looking for, please feel free to contact me.*
Many thanks in advance and many thanks for the great website!
Mark Heimback-Nielsen
P.S. Capitol also gave out a 45 single with a special gold ink cover on opening night. I have a copy of one and was able to get Capitol's mastering dept. to make a cd from it. If you'd like, I could send you an MP3 of it and .jpgs of the sleeve and labels.
On Apr 2, 2006, at 9:27 AM, Nori J. Muster wrote:
Hi Mark,
Thanks for your letter. Very exciting stuff.
Nori
On Apr 2, 2006, at 9:28 AM, Nori J. Muster wrote:
P.S. I was at the opening with my parents. I'm 50 now, so I was about two months old.
From: Mark Heimback-Nielsen
Subject: Re: p.s.
Date: April 2, 2006 3:31:08 PM MST
To: Nori J. Muster
Dear Nori,
Wow, that's amazing! I know that Stan Chambers, Johnny Grant and Kay Starr, who were also at the opening are still with us. So far as I know though, Capitol is not marking the anniversary in any way. In fact there was a recent article about how EMI had gotten an offer from a development company to sell the Tower and turn it into condos. EMI said it's not really considering the offer but had to report that it was made since it is a publicly traded company.
Thanks again!
Mark Heimback-Nielsen
Hi Mark,
Work week pulled me away from my computer. Will get back asap. May I post parts of your letters at my Capitol feedback page? I will also link to your URLs. I will look for the items you mention. Gotta go.
-n
From: Mark Heimback-Nielsen
Subject: Re: Capitol Records Tower Tour Script
Date: April 2, 2006 3:10:24 PM MST
To: Nori J. Muster
Hi Nori,
Thank you so much for the quick reply!
In the interview on your site there was mention of a script for the tour of the tower and a memo with a listing of some of the executives. Those are the items I'm looking to get the scans of if possible.
Some of the items I've collected were from an estate sale of Fred Rice (who hadn't died yet, but was clearing things out for a move, unfortunately he has since passed) and I have quite a few photos of him and of things he helped design for record stores like the wooden browser box that was mentioned in one of the response emails on your site.
BTW, in the mentions of BOZO who turned 60 this year, the voice of Bozo was Pinto Colvig not Golvig. Pinto was also the voice of Goofy for Disney and did early publicity appearances as Bozo. Pinto's son Vance later took over the role of Bozo for a local L.A. version. Larry Harmon eventually bought the Bozo franchise from Capitol, but was just a local Bozo to begin with, not the creator, who was Alan Livingston, brother of composer Jay Livingston, whom with Ray Evans wrote songs like "Button & Bows" " Mona Lisa", the theme to "Bonanza" and many others. A great article on Bozo can be found at http://www.clown-ministry.com/History/bozo-clown.html with an accompanying article about Pinto at http://www.clown-ministry.com/History/pinto-colvig-bozo-clown.html. Unfortunately, the best site for Bozo history was on Chicago's WGN website but since the cancellation of Bozo a few years ago, they've gotten rid of that section. One of the few drawbacks of the internet when compared to a library. "Sigh" :)
Thank you again for you and your help!
Mark Heimback-Nielsen
P.S. I've also added a link to your site on a new blog I started last night at http://popculturefanboy.blogspot.com/ and I hope that you don't mind.
From: Mark Heimback-Nielsen
Subject: Re: Capitol Records Tower Tour Script
Date: April 4, 2006 9:14:47 AM MST
To: Nori J. Muster
Hi Nori,
I completely understand! The only way I had time to do this was at first because I was on vacation and today I'm home watching my sick 6 year old daughter. Please feel free to post what you'd like. I've added a lot more info to my blog. Please, if you use an image, please make sure you have the "image copyright Capitol Records, Inc." I think the only way I can put some of this stuff up is by making sure they get proper credit and that I don't have ad sense banners. I think that way it becomes "fair use" for the images since it's non-profit and for educational use.
I was told by a current Capitol exec that there are no plans to observe the anniversary this Thursday. I sent out email to the L.A. Times, L.A. Weekly and KTLA to let them know about the anniversary, hoping it's not too late for them to put a small segment or article together. I've also emailed Stan Chambers and Johnny Grant to see if they would share any memories of the event. I'd also really like to hear what stands out in your Mom's memory of the opening if she would be so kind.
Thanks again and I look forward to seeing whatever you can find,
Mark Heimback-Nielsen
From: Mark Heimback-Nielsen
Subject: Just spoke with Johnny Grant
Date: April 5, 2006 1:33:00 PM MST
To: Nori J. Muster
Hi Nori,
I just did a phone interview with Johnny Grant for my blog! He's great and he's sending approx. 20 photos that he got from Capitol. I mentioned his photo on your website and he said he remembers your step-dad. "Yeah, he would come in and con us to play their records". He said that as a joke and with a laugh and then added "but Don is a really good guy". I let him know that, according to your site, your step-dad's working as a musician in Phoenix.
You, or your dad, can email Johnny at MayorGrant@aol.com.
Please ask your step-dad for me if the art director for Capitol that was mentioned on your website was Ed Thrasher or Jim Silke.
I hope you don't mind if I use the close up image of Johnny from '56 that was on your site. I straightened it out and got rid of the yellow. I credited you and your site for the image. I do photo restoration and color restoration of images for a few clients. If you ever need anything restored, I'll do it gratis if you can email it to me.
Thanks again,
Mark Heimback-Nielsen
On Apr 5, 2006, at 2:42 PM, Nori J. Muster wrote:
Wow! I'm blown away. I want to reply to each of your points, but today has slipped away doing work I have to do. Tomorrow is Capitol Records day! I will spend all day working on Capitol in honor of the anniversary. Meanwhile, I fwd'ed your letter to my dad and asked him to write to you. He is a great guy & we're all proud of him for his music career.
-n
From: Mark Heimback-Nielsen
Subject: Re: Just spoke with Johnny Grant
Date: April 5, 2006 2:57:06 PM MST
To: Nori J. Muster
Dear Nori,
Many thanks again and I look forward to reading (you can't really say hearing with email can you?) from your step-dad.
Mayor Grant sent me 21 images from the opening ceremonies. There are a few people he couldn't identify. If your step-dad and mom could take a look at them later (I'll probably have them up in a couple of hours) and see if they could ID any of them it would be much appreciated!
Mark Heimback-Nielsen
From: Don Hassler
Subject: Capitol
Date: April 6, 2006 9:02:20 AM MST
To: Nori J. Muster
Re: Mark HN e-mail, the art director (resp. for album cover art mainly) was Marv Schwartz. He bought the first fiberglass 56 Corvette I ever saw. Ed Thrasher was his assistant, I think.
How nice to be remembered by Johnny Grant. He was a d.j. at KMPC then and a great guy. He did a lot of stuff with the Hollywood Jaycees, of which I was president in 1958. We had a very active JC chapter and even published our own printed newsletter. We sponsored Golden Gloves activities and also road races in Agoura when there was nothing out there but a couple of scubby farms, and the Ventura Fway ended at Cahuenga pass.
P.S.- I joined Capitol in 1953 in Chicago and was transferred to Hollywood Hq (at 1507 Vine St.) in 1955. I left Capitol in 1961.