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Stan Kann and the Fox, Stan offers Magic at Fabulous Fox
Theater
St.
Louis Fabulous Fox Turns 75, offers community Gala
Stan Kann happiest man tribute
planned
Stan Kann
celebrates and is celebrated
in Fox Theater tribute
By
Daniel Hines
Publisher
America’s Seniors at TodaysSeniorsNetwork.com
Stan Kann may
not be the Happiest Man in the World, but he admits that he probably
is among the happiest at what he does.
The 80-year-old
organ virtuoso, comic and entertainer will be honored Sunday, June
12 with a tribute at St. Louis’ Fabulous Fox Theater in a gala “Stan
Kann—the Happiest Man in the World” tribute organized by his friend
Mary Strauss, who also is a partner in Fox Associates.
The tribute will
include a documentary about Stan’s life available to his many fans
around the nation—and even the world.
What about that
title of ‘happiest man…?’
”It’s a lie, “ stand laughingly responds. “I do try to be very
pleasant and I really like people, and it's good to have a
documentary produced about you before you die.”
But while Stan
will be honored by his friends and fans, true to his character, it’s
another working day for a man who never seems to slow down. He will
be playing the huge (and original) Wurlitzer theater organ of the
Fox with an original score he has composed for the silent movie
classic, “ The Mark of Zorro,” starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
For anyone who
hasn’t seen one of these great performances, brace your seat belts.
Stan always seems to get in character with some comedy introduction
(for ‘Ben Hur ‘ the diminutive Stan was introduced in a Roman suit
of armor before rushing back stage to change into regular clothing.
It’s an
opportunity for those who recall Stan’s many appearances with Johnny
Carson and Merv Griffin, regaling the hosts with nothing more than
demonstrating his antique vacuum cleaner collection, to witness a
truly great performing musician.
Stan’s acclaim
as a master of the theater organ has allowed him to rise to be
recognized as the best in his field.
Even at 80, he
is keeping a schedule that would wear out a younger man with
concerts in California’s Disney World, Tampa and locations around
the country. While playing in Santa Barbara, he notes that he was
not included with other celebrities on The Jackson Witness list, a
distinction that doesn’t seem to bother him.
He says his
health is good, and since friend Mary Strauss had a ‘surprise’
birthday party for his 80th birthday, he notes he had to
stop telling people he’s only 74.
Actually the
‘surprise’ wasn’t quite what it was meant to me when Stan found out
about Mary’s plans, but, in typical Stan Kann fashion, he turns
everything into something good, noting that the ‘surprise’ was the
pleasure at seeing so many friends that he hadn’t seen in years.
How does he do
it? How does he keep his talent fresh and exciting, and his energy
at such a high level?
“I never paid
any attention to aging,” he explains. “Last month, I did a stress
test, got the thing up to full speed and asked if it couldn’t go
faster.
“People tell me
they’re getting ready to retire. I’ll never retire, I always have
to have two or three things going. That started when I was on the
Charlotte Peters show years ago. I’d do that in the morning, head
down to the Fox when I was done and then to Jerry’s Restaurant on
the Hill…I can say that I have the constitution of a 60-year-old
(which is younger Stan than I) and that I keep busy, enjoying life
and people.”
And, while he
won’t admit, Stan probably is ‘the happiest man in the world’.
That’s a title bestowed on him by friends and fans who will have the
opportunity to see and hear a national treasure June 12 at The
Fabulous Fox Theater.
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