Stan Kann
Encyclopedia
Stan Kann received national recognition in the 1960s when he was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show
and daytime television talk shows, showcasing his collection of vacuum cleaner
s. Kann also was known among theatre organ
aficionados for his 22-year tenure as resident organist at the Fox Theatre
in St. Louis, Missouri
.
. In the late 40's, he convinced the management of the Fox Theatre in St Louis to allow him to refurbish the 4-36 Fox Special Wurlitzer which had lain idle for twenty years and became official house organist in 1952. Kann served as the theater's resident organist until 1974, four years before the Fox closed. In 1956, Kann installed a Wurlitzer in the famous St. Louis restaurant "Ruggeri's On The Hill" later owned by Stan Musial
and played there regularly until 1974. His Saturday evening performances at Ruggeri's were broadcast on the NBC Network from 1964 to 1974.
was June 8, 1966. He had been booked to discuss some of the prized carpet sweepers from his 150-item collection. "I planned on showing the vacuums as a kind of historical demonstration. I had no idea what it would turn into," Kann told a reporter for the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
Once Kann began demonstrating the sweepers on air, parts began to fall off the vacuum cleaners at inopportune moments. Tonight Show host Johnny Carson
saved the situation with humorous ad libs, and Kann was invited to make 76 additional appearances on The Tonight Show.
Kann had been introduced to Carson through Phyllis Diller
. He met Diller when she made a guest appearance on The Charlotte Peters Show, a local St. Louis television program. Kann served as musical director and co-host on the show, and Diller was impressed by Kann's wit. "When she saw my vacuum (collection) she said, 'I'm going to call the Carson show, cause you're nuts,'" Kann said in an Associated Press interview.
Kann also made 89 appearances on The Mike Douglas Show
and was a guest on talk shows hosted by Merv Griffin
and Gypsy Rose Lee
.
Kann developed the ability to distinguish different models of vacuum cleaners by sound. If, while walking down the street, he heard a cleaner he didn't recognize, he had no qualms about knocking on the door and asking to see the sweeper. "Sometimes they'd say yes, and sometimes they'd say no," Kann told the Post-Dispatch interviewer. He briefly worked as a vacuum cleaner salesman in high school.
Kann moved from Missouri to Los Angeles
in 1975, but returned to St. Louis in 1998 for hip replacement surgery.
Kann died at Saint Louis University Hospital
of complications from open heart surgery
.
Stan Kann in St Louis Malar Productions LP MAS 2018 (1972) •
Anything Goes Piping Hot Productions cd 1001 (1996) •
Pipe Organ Extravaganza 2 Rialto Square Theatre un-numbered cd (1997) •
Stan Kann at Dickenson Dickenson Theatre Organ Society cd #121 (2001) •
Meet Me At The Fox Kann Productions un-numbered cd (2003) •
Pipes And Power Kann Productions un-numbered cd •
Christmas With Stan Kann Kann Productions un-numbered cassette •
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night....
and daytime television talk shows, showcasing his collection of vacuum cleaner
Vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner, commonly referred to as a "vacuum," is a device that uses an air pump to create a partial vacuum to suck up dust and dirt, usually from floors, and optionally from other surfaces as well. The dirt is collected by either a dustbag or a cyclone for later disposal...
s. Kann also was known among theatre organ
Theatre organ
A theatre organ is a pipe organ originally designed specifically for imitation of an orchestra. New designs have tended to be around some of the sounds and blends unique to the instrument itself....
aficionados for his 22-year tenure as resident organist at the Fox Theatre
Fox Theatre (St. Louis)
The Fox Theatre, a former movie palace, is a performing arts center located at 527 N. Grand Blvd. in St. Louis, Missouri. Also known as "The Fabulous Fox", it is situated in the arts district of the Grand Center area in Midtown St. Louis, one block north of Saint Louis University...
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
.
Organist
Kann, a native of St. Louis, began playing the organ at age 4. He majored in classical organ at Washington University in St. LouisWashington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
. In the late 40's, he convinced the management of the Fox Theatre in St Louis to allow him to refurbish the 4-36 Fox Special Wurlitzer which had lain idle for twenty years and became official house organist in 1952. Kann served as the theater's resident organist until 1974, four years before the Fox closed. In 1956, Kann installed a Wurlitzer in the famous St. Louis restaurant "Ruggeri's On The Hill" later owned by Stan Musial
Stan Musial
Stanley Frank "Stan" Musial is a retired professional baseball player who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals . Nicknamed "Stan the Man", Musial was a record 24-time All-Star selection , and is widely considered to be one of the greatest hitters in baseball...
and played there regularly until 1974. His Saturday evening performances at Ruggeri's were broadcast on the NBC Network from 1964 to 1974.
Talk show guest
Kann's first appearance on The Tonight ShowThe Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
was June 8, 1966. He had been booked to discuss some of the prized carpet sweepers from his 150-item collection. "I planned on showing the vacuums as a kind of historical demonstration. I had no idea what it would turn into," Kann told a reporter for the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
Once Kann began demonstrating the sweepers on air, parts began to fall off the vacuum cleaners at inopportune moments. Tonight Show host Johnny Carson
Johnny Carson
John William "Johnny" Carson was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years . Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987...
saved the situation with humorous ad libs, and Kann was invited to make 76 additional appearances on The Tonight Show.
Kann had been introduced to Carson through Phyllis Diller
Phyllis Diller
Phyllis Diller is an American actress and comedian. She created a stage persona of a wild-haired, eccentrically dressed housewife who makes jokes about a husband named "Fang" while pretending to smoke from a long cigarette holder...
. He met Diller when she made a guest appearance on The Charlotte Peters Show, a local St. Louis television program. Kann served as musical director and co-host on the show, and Diller was impressed by Kann's wit. "When she saw my vacuum (collection) she said, 'I'm going to call the Carson show, cause you're nuts,'" Kann said in an Associated Press interview.
Kann also made 89 appearances on The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that aired in syndication from 1961 to 1982, distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations.The program featured light banter with...
and was a guest on talk shows hosted by Merv Griffin
Merv Griffin
Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. was an American television host, musician, actor, and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in movies and on Broadway. From 1965 to 1986 Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show on Group W Broadcasting...
and Gypsy Rose Lee
Gypsy Rose Lee
Gypsy Rose Lee was an American burlesque entertainer famous for her striptease act. She was also an actress, author, and playwright whose 1957 memoir was made into the stage musical and film Gypsy.-Early life:...
.
Biography
Kann became interested in vacuum cleaners at age 8. His interest primarily stemmed from the fact that his parents couldn't afford to buy one.Kann developed the ability to distinguish different models of vacuum cleaners by sound. If, while walking down the street, he heard a cleaner he didn't recognize, he had no qualms about knocking on the door and asking to see the sweeper. "Sometimes they'd say yes, and sometimes they'd say no," Kann told the Post-Dispatch interviewer. He briefly worked as a vacuum cleaner salesman in high school.
Kann moved from Missouri to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1975, but returned to St. Louis in 1998 for hip replacement surgery.
Kann died at Saint Louis University Hospital
Saint Louis University Hospital
Saint Louis University Hospital is a hospital in St. Louis. Saint Louis University Hospital, also widely known as SLU Hospital, has been owned by the Tenet Healthcare Corporation since the university sold it in 1998. SLU Hospital remains the main teaching hospital for Saint Louis University School...
of complications from open heart surgery
Cardiac surgery
Cardiovascular surgery is surgery on the heart or great vessels performed by cardiac surgeons. Frequently, it is done to treat complications of ischemic heart disease , correct congenital heart disease, or treat valvular heart disease from various causes including endocarditis, rheumatic heart...
.
Discography
The Pipes of Stan Norman Records LP NS 213 (1966) •Stan Kann in St Louis Malar Productions LP MAS 2018 (1972) •
Anything Goes Piping Hot Productions cd 1001 (1996) •
Pipe Organ Extravaganza 2 Rialto Square Theatre un-numbered cd (1997) •
Stan Kann at Dickenson Dickenson Theatre Organ Society cd #121 (2001) •
Meet Me At The Fox Kann Productions un-numbered cd (2003) •
Pipes And Power Kann Productions un-numbered cd •
Christmas With Stan Kann Kann Productions un-numbered cassette •