Gordon Kibbee, 89; Pipe Organist Recorded for Movies, Radio and TV

Gordon Kibbee, 89, a pipe organist who recorded for motion pictures, radio and television, died Wednesday of natural causes at his Encino home.

Renowned among his peers, Kibbee was among the 31 people who gathered in Toluca Lake on Feb. 8, 1955, to found the American Assn. of Theatre Organ Enthusiasts. He remained active in the group, now known as the American Theatre Organ Society, and was a popular organist for meetings across the country.

In 1966, Kibbee and fellow Los Angeles chapter member Dick Simonton were hired to survey and mend the mammoth Wurlitzer organ in Radio City Music Hall at New York’s Rockefeller Center. Working with Henry Pope, they identified and repaired 1,000 dead notes, re-leathered much of the then-33-year-old instrument and rebuilt one console.

Kibbee recorded for several Hollywood productions during the 1950s and ‘60s, often at the Robert Morton organ in Lorin Whitney’s studio.

Kibbee also performed in concert and taught music for many years. He was an Army veteran of World War II.