Stanley Gustavus "StanKann" Kann

Kann, StanKann, Stanley Gustavus Born December 9, 1924, died September 29, 2008. Dear son of the late Bessie (Marx) and Stephen Kann. Survived by cousins Jean Voison Auer, San Diego and Richard Lowenstein, St. Louis, and Friend to millions worldwide! Special friend of Norman E. Delaney, Julio A. Lewis, Philip Ambrosio, Lindsay D. Barth DPM, Daniel G. Armbruster DC, LAc, Mary Strauss and Judy Feinberg Brilliant. Stan Kann, the legendary organist for the Fox Theatre and beloved entertainment icon died Monday morning at St. Louis University Hospital from complications during a heart cauterization. To theatre organ buffs, Stan Kann was considered the 'little king of the console'. He began playing the 'window sill' at the age of four while listening to the radio and was at the console by the time he reached fourteen. Kann went on to major in classical organ at Washington University in St. Louis, where he received a BA in Music. He played the Fabulous Fox Theatre's mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ for 22 years, from 1953 to 1975, performing between movies and at special events and became the longest running theatre organist in the United States. During those years he also performed at Ruggeri's Restaurant. From 1964-1975, the NBC Rado Network broadcast these performances nationally every Saturday night. Kann became a St. Louis television personality on the 'Charlotte Peter's Show'. Following that he co-hosted 'The Noon Show' with Marty Bronson. For this work he received the Silver Circle Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 1997 and the Avis Blewett Award in 2001. Kann moved to Los Angeles in 1975 When Phyllis Diller discovered his comedic talent he became a much sought after 'one of a kind' television comic for the next three decades. To television audiences he is known as the little comic with the funny gadgets. His collection of vacuum cleaners was often profiled to hysterical and upredictable results. A favorite on all the major talk shows in the '70s, '80s & '90s, Kann appeared 77 times on 'The Tonight Show', 89 times on the 'Mike Douglas Show', 'Merv Griffin Show' and countless others. Kann appeared as an actor in the popular television sitcoms 'Gimme A Break' with Nell Carter and as Cal Headcheese in 'The Two Of Us'. He recorded organ sequences for the feature film 'The Fury' with the John Williams orchestra and the television series M*A*S*H with Lionel Newman's 20th Century-Fox orchestra. Kann performed countless theatre organ concerts throughout the country and in England in 2004. In 1998 Kann returned to his roots in St. Louis and began playing the Might Wurlitzer for tour groups at the Fabulous Fox Theatre. He was inducted into the American Theatre Organ Society Hall of Fame in 1999 and was named that Society's Organist of the Year for 2003. Kann gave his last Fox performances on Saturday, playing for adoring crowds during the Fox Theatre open house in Grand Center. 'Stan Kann was a one-man show', said Mary Strauss, 'regaling audiences with his natural comedic personality, his exploits with his vacuum cleaners and his virtuosity on the mighty Wurlitzer organ. St. Louis has lost a goodwill ambassador and the Fox has lost its best friend'.Services: The public is invited to a Memorial Celebration of Stan's life on Sunday, October 5, 2 p.m., at the Fox Theatre, 539 North Grand Boulevard. Memorial contributions preferred to the Stan Kann Scholarship Fund c /o The Fox Theatre, 539 North Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63103. [!== FH Name = STRAUSS, MARY==]