Movies

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Stan Kann: The Happiest Man in the World. (Not Rated) St. Louis native Stan Kann's lifelong love of theater organs began when he started playing pretend piano on the windowsills of the apartment he grew up in. His obsession with collecting vacuum cleaners came about around the same time; the sound of the machines' engines registered in his ears as mellifluous, and he hated that his mother didn't own one. (He'd compensate by asking the neighbors if he could come in while the woman of the house ran her Hoover or Eureka.) From these two passions, an accidental career in showbiz -- as both an organist and a frequent talk-show guest star -- was born. Kann holds the record as the longest-tenured organist at the Fabulous Fox, and he was Johnny Carson's most frequent guest between 1965 and 1988 (appearing a whopping 77 times). Interviewed on camera extensively, Kann's carefree demeanor, neurotic quirks and untiring sense of humor make him a most enjoyable documentary subject, while director Mike Steinberg's clever use of old-timey stock footage keeps the film moving along at a zippy pace. St. Louis should consider itself lucky to call this goofy, good-natured iconoclast -- someone who truly lives to do what he loves -- one of its own. Screens at 7 p.m. Monday, July 18, with the short film "The Snowflake Man." (Martelli) TV

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