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Happy Valentine’s Day! High school sweethearts Brad and Debbie Avakian describe going out to the Organ Grinder in their teenage years, and then later recount a humorous interaction between their parents during one family outing to the restaurant. Brad and Debbie have been together 40 years, after dating over six years before getting married. In…
This is huge… a backer of the film has just given us a Challenge Award – any contributions received in February will be DOUBLED – fully matched by the benefactor, up to a total of $5,000. That means there is the potential to raise $10,000. This is an amazing opportunity to jumpstart the road trip…
This week, we interviewed Mike DeSart. Mike has many interests, including flying model aircraft, and raising parrots – for many years he and his wife ran a parrot breeding and related supplies business, “The Bird Barn”, out of their home in Portland. But for Organ Grinder fans, Mike was the often-unseen hand that kept the…
Let’s go celebrity spotting… The Organ Grinder was a unique and popular place that drew visitors from all over, including Hollywood celebrities. (And local celebrities, too!) Pictured above is comedian Rip Taylor (center) at Organ Grinder Denver, along with Organ Grinder co-founder Jerry Forchuk (left) and Al Fike, “The modern minstrel man”. After talking with…
When the Paramount Theatre in Portland, Oregon closed, before eventually becoming the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, many items were auctioned off, including furnishings, lighting fixtures, props, and the mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ that had originally been installed in the theatre for its grand opening on March 8, 1928. A representative of the company that owned…
As part of the rerelease of the original “At the Organ Grinder” albums on CD, a portion of the net proceeds is directed to the American Theatre Organ Society’s youth programs. Based on CD sales in December, a payment was sent today to the ATOS in the amount of $175.74 – all thanks to your…
Is paperwork your passion? Do you enjoy spending long hours performing tedious tasks with recordings and documents? Do you like working in a situation where you legally cannot tell people about the contents of said documents? All without pay? Well, have I got the position for you! I need help proofreading and formatting interview transcripts….
Last week was the anniversary of the start of the documentary project! In January, 2024, after pestering Organ Grinder co-founder Dennis Hedberg for months about doing an interview, I met with him at his home, and convinced him to share his story with the world. Our initial schedule was thwarted by January’s big ice storm,…
Last update: 2025-01-22 9:09am New, Lower Prices in the Crowdfunding Shop Based on feedback I’ve received from potential new contributors, pricing in the Crowdfunding Shop has been lowered across-the-board. Every merchandise item has been lowered in price from $5 to $20, with the “all perks” bundle lowered by a full $40. Please note, however, that…
Introduction This post is a different sort of “behind the scenes” write-up. It relates to the bureaucratic methods that indie filmmakers have to cultivate, as we work without the aid of a studio system or support staff. When crowdfunding, much like when fundraising for a charity, you want to be sure to thank and publicly-acknowledge…
A collection of Christmas carols performed by organist Jonas Nordwall on the mighty Wurlitzer at Organ Grinder Portland. UPDATED December 23, 2024 – A new Version 2, with improved audio remixed by Nathan Avakian. Presented without ads, for a seamless musical experience. Previous Version 1 – Presented with limited commercial interruption with nostalgic ads and…
In light of the recent passing of Paul Quarino, we are releasing these excerpts from his most recent interview, conducted in March, 2022, at the Egyptian Theatre in Coos Bay, Oregon. Paul James Quarino April 21, 1942 – December 15, 2024 Music: “The Hands of Time” by Michel Legrand, performed by Paul Quarino at Organ…
As part of the rerelease of the original “At the Organ Grinder” albums on CD, a portion of the net proceeds is directed to the American Theatre Organ Society’s youth programs. Based on CD sales in November, a payment was sent today to the ATOS in the amount of $93.21 – all thanks to your…
In 1970, a group of filmmakers captured the final days of the Oriental Theatre, a movie palace in Portland, Oregon. With dramatizations of the glory days of cinema, this documentary captures the wonder that this grand building inspired in patrons, as well as portraying its tragic demolition. The Oriental Theatre’s Wurlitzer pipe organ was preserved…
Employees and friends describe the generosity of Organ Grinder co-founder Paul Forchuk, while laughing about the difficulties receiving that generosity would sometimes entail. Featuring: Vicki Buck, Stan Cadwallader, and Jonas Nordwall, with photos of Russ Cornelison and Jim Nabors. Music: “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin, performed by David Lee at Organ Grinder Portland.
As part of the rerelease of the original “At the Organ Grinder” albums on CD, a portion of the net proceeds is directed to the American Theatre Organ Society’s youth programs. Based on CD sales in October, a payment was sent today to the ATOS in the amount of $105.83 – all thanks to your…
Pipe Dreams and Pizza Crusts is a new documentary about the weird and wonderful (and loud!) Organ Grinder restaurants in Portland and Denver. I’ve been working full time all year to cover every angle of this amazing story, and I’ve invested a significant amount of my own money in this project. But now, it’s time…
Don Feely performs The Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa at the Organ Grinder restaurant in Portland, Oregon. Includes a special appearance by the mechanical chimp! Originally recorded early February, 1996 by Ted Welty.
Mascots at the Organ Grinder restaurant in Portland, Oregon, dressed in red-white-and-blue garb for the 1976 United States Bicentennial celebration.
This month, we interviewed Ed Zollman at his home in Port Orchard, Washington, as part of our first Washington State Road Trip. Ed told us about his career as an organ technician, and what led him to become associated with the Organ Grinder, and his work with others to combine multiple Wurlitzer organs to create…
