Departures of note

Stan Kann, a St. Louis theatre organist, turned a childhood fascination with vacuum cleaners into a national television career. His first appearance on The Tonight Show on June 8, 1966, was meant to be a historical demonstration of his 150-piece carpet sweeper collection. Instead, parts began falling off the machines on air, and host Johnny Carson's humorous ad-libs saved the segment. Kann was invited back for 76 more appearances, becoming a recurring guest known for his comedy and his unusual hobby.

Kann began playing the organ at age 4 and studied classical organ at Washington University. In the late 1940s, he persuaded the Fox Theatre in St. Louis to let him refurbish its idle 4-36 Wurlitzer, becoming the official house organist in 1952 and serving until 1974. He also installed a Wurlitzer at Ruggeri's On The Hill restaurant, where his Saturday evening performances were broadcast on NBC from 1964 to 1974.

Kann's interest in vacuum cleaners began at age 8, partly because his parents could not afford one. He developed the ability to identify models by sound and would knock on strangers' doors to ask to see unfamiliar machines. He briefly worked as a vacuum cleaner salesman in high school. His television career was launched after Phyllis Diller, impressed by his wit on a local St. Louis show, recommended him to The Tonight Show. He also made 89 appearances on The Mike Douglas Show and appeared with Merv Griffin and Gypsy Rose Lee.

Kann moved to Los Angeles in 1975 but returned to St. Louis in 1998 for hip replacement surgery. He died at Saint Louis University Hospital from complications of open heart surgery. His discography includes several albums of organ music, such as The Pipes Of Stan (1966) and Meet Me At The Fox (2003).