Pipe Dreams and Pizza Crusts Documentary
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pipedreamsfilm.com
Pipe Dreams and Pizza Crusts Documentary
@pipedreamsfilm.com
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A new documentary now in production, chronicling the rise and fall of the weird and wonderful Organ Grinder restaurants in Portland and Denver. https://www.PipeDreamsFilm.com/
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pipedreamsfilm.com
Blacklight! John Ledwon at the console at Old Town Music Hall. #organgrinder #theatreorgan
November 11, 2025 at 5:38 AM
pipedreamsfilm.com
Inspecting the setup for today’s shoot at Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo, CA, where we interviewed organist John Ledwon. John performs at the El Capitan in Hollywood. He talked about putting pipe organs back in to restored movie palaces, bringing our story full-circle. #organgrinder #theatreorgan
November 11, 2025 at 5:36 AM
pipedreamsfilm.com
Setting up to film at the legendary Bandrika Studios earlier today to interview film composer and pipe organ enthusiast Nathan Barr. Assisting is my friend Kate Holdaway who I’m happy to work with again since her move to Hollywood! #theatreorgan #organgrinder
November 9, 2025 at 3:16 AM
pipedreamsfilm.com
"A Story in Three Pictures."
An image consisting of three separate photographs, placed side-by-side. Photo 1: A vintage photo from 1975 of a chimpanzee in a Santa jacket turning a crank on a "street organ" (portable pipe organ used by traditional "Organ Grinder" street performers), with its front painted in a decorative flower motif. Photo 2: A recent 2025 photo of the same street organ sitting behind a vehicle with Oregon license plates. The street organ has painted letters stenciled on its side, "Organ Grinder Pizza Parlor - Portland, Denver", and the same flower motif on the front. Photo 3: The street organ, laying on its side, loaded into the back of a car, about to be transported.
November 7, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Reposted by Pipe Dreams and Pizza Crusts Documentary
opb.org
The year of 2025 is a big one for many of those theaters, which are turning 100 years old. Among them are Cinema 21 and the Moreland Theater in Portland, and the Egyptian Theatre in Coos Bay.
These Oregon theaters have been entertaining moviegoers for 100 years
For multiple independent cinemas, 2025 marks a century of welcoming film fans.
www.opb.org
November 1, 2025 at 7:00 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
The Organ Grinder road trip continues. Greetings from beautiful Palm Springs, California. (Monkeys not advised.) #organgrinder
Photograph of the desert outside of Palm Springs. Palm trees in the distance are framed by mountains and a party cloudy but deep blue sky. A thick wooden post in the foreground bears a sign, "No Pets". Atop the post is a toy mechanical monkey , about 10" tall, with tiny brass cymbals in its hands. Colorful graphical text overlaid on the image says "Greetings from Beautiful Palm Springs, California".
October 31, 2025 at 9:23 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
Trains, Speedboats, and Automobiles: Fast Living - literally - at the Organ Grinder - www.pipedreamsfilm.com/blog/trains-... #organgrinder
Trains, Speedboats, and Automobiles
In the early years of the Organ Grinder, the restaurant was an undeniable success. This allowed two of the original founders, brothers Paul and Jerry Forchuk - already from an entrepreneurial family -...
www.pipedreamsfilm.com
October 30, 2025 at 6:40 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
A Bittersweet Melody Echoes Through the Theatre - A pilgrimage to The Egyptian: www.pipedreamsfilm.com/blog/a-bitte... #organgrinder #egyptiantheatre #theatreorgan
A Bittersweet Melody Echoes Through the Theatre
Last week, the documentary's Southwest Road Trip commenced. The first stop on that journey was a somewhat solemn affair, despite being a visit to what is normally a location created to be beautiful...
www.pipedreamsfilm.com
October 28, 2025 at 3:51 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
The last big road trip for the documentary has begun. First stop on Wed was in Coos Bay, Oregon - home of the Egyptian Theatre, where Organ Grinder organist Paul Quarino took care of and performed on the theatre's original Wurlitzer. The theatre is celebrating its 100th anniversary. #organgrinder
October 25, 2025 at 4:35 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
Soon! The first batch of official Organ Grinder T-Shirts went into production today! pipedreamsfilm.com/shop/ #organgrinder
October 16, 2025 at 9:52 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
Organ Grinder Documentary - State of the Project Address (Or, what I've been up to for the past 22 months!) - www.pipedreamsfilm.com/blog/state-o...
State of the Project Address!
This is a big update about everything that has happened with the Organ Grinder documentary over the past 22 months, plus what's coming next, and how people can help me complete principal photography. ...
www.pipedreamsfilm.com
October 14, 2025 at 12:44 AM
pipedreamsfilm.com
Capturing the Color of Destruction - Douglas Wick and the Venetian Theatre - www.pipedreamsfilm.com/blog/capturi...
Capturing the Color of Destruction
As mentioned in our post about the Kenosha Theatre, the story of the Organ Grinder is also the story of the movie palace and the theatre pipe organ. We've previously been lucky to obtain and restor...
www.pipedreamsfilm.com
October 3, 2025 at 3:28 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
Saving the Temples of Human Imagination - Jeff Baas and the @kenoshatheater.bsky.social Kenosha Theatre - www.pipedreamsfilm.com/blog/saving-...
Saving the Temples of Human Imagination
Jeff Baas is a man on a mission. A mission to save one particular movie palace, and a broader mission to preserve the history of all of them - and one of their greatest proponents. You can't tell t...
www.pipedreamsfilm.com
October 2, 2025 at 8:42 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
The Carmex Pipe Organ is For the Birds! Dave Wickerham Performance youtu.be/1RoiHwLSemg
The Carmex Pipe Organ is For the Birds! Dave Wickerham Performance
YouTube video by Pipe Dreams and Pizza Crusts
youtu.be
September 24, 2025 at 5:44 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
Do Go in the Basement! Meet Fred Hermes, Jr. and the "Basement Bijou" - www.pipedreamsfilm.com/blog/do-go-i... #theatreorgan #organgrinder
Do Go In the Basement!
Last Wednesday, we spent the whole day with Fred Hermes, Jr. at the “Basement Bijou” - a private home in Racine, WI, which notably features a movie palace, complete with balcony, in the basement - it ...
www.pipedreamsfilm.com
September 23, 2025 at 7:33 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
Spent a full day last Wednesday covering a truly unique and special place. #theatreorgan #organgrinder
A mechanical toy chimp is sitting on the edge of the balcony rail in what appears to be an ornate movie palace complete with chandeliers and plasterwork. A Wurlitzer pipe organ console is in the background, on the stage. Pipework, not in its chests, is arranged in crates on the lower level.
September 23, 2025 at 6:49 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
In addition to theatre pipe organs and pizza parlors, Wisconsin offers many recreational activities. #organgrinder
September 23, 2025 at 6:45 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
When visiting the Milwaukee area, discriminating chimps know that you can always have an entertaining time at Organ Piper Pizza in Greenfield, WI. Organist Perry Petta is at the console. #theatreorgan #pizza #organgrinder
A mechanical toy chimp is being held up into view of the camera by the photographer. In the background is the console of a theatre pipe organ inside a pizza restaurant. The organ is illuminated in shades of blue and teal. Glowing inflatable Halloween decorations are on the floor nearby and on top of the console. We see the back of the performer, Perry Petta.
September 23, 2025 at 6:38 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
Last Wednesday, organist Dean Rosko stopped by while we were filming at Carma Labs to perform on the instrument - just for fun! Dean also has experience performing in “pizza and pipe organ” restaurants like Organ Piper Pizza. We hope to have his video up on YouTube soon. #theatreorgan #organgrinder
A bearded man sits on an organ bench in front of a large theatre pipe organ inside a warehouse. He is holding a Hollywood-style clapper board, and smiling at the camera. "Dean Rosko - Extras - Take 1" is written on the board.
September 23, 2025 at 6:31 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
Greetings from Carma Labs! We returned to the magnificent pipe organ inside a warehouse in Wisconsin last week to pick up some additional shots for the documentary. #theatreorgan #organgrinder
A mechanical toy chimp sits on the bench of a large theatre pipe organ console - four keyboards and many colorful stop tabs are behind the chimp.
September 23, 2025 at 6:25 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
When people encounter a theatre pipe organ for the first time, they become enchanted with delight! The documentary returned to Carma Labs last week to pick up some additional shots. #theatreorgan #organgrinder
A gigantic theatre pipe organ is inside a large, mostly-empty warehouse. A group of five workers who had previously been moving furniture from an event stop everything when the organ begins playing, and hold up their phones to record the music.
September 23, 2025 at 6:15 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
The Organ Grinder documentary was back in Wisconsin last week, starting off with a visit to the historic Kenosha Theatre. #theatreorgan #moviepalace #organgrinder #kenosha
September 23, 2025 at 6:11 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
Jonas Nordwall is Headed to Sweden and is About to go Nuclear! - OrganSpace 2025 Promo - youtu.be/saK7qFwdhYs #theatreorgan #organgrinder
Jonas Nordwall is Headed to Sweden and is About to go Nuclear! - OrganSpace 2025 Promo
YouTube video by Pipe Dreams and Pizza Crusts
youtu.be
September 3, 2025 at 11:52 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
New! Official Organ Grinder T-Shirts - by Special Arrangement - Now Available for Preorder! www.pipedreamsfilm.com/blog/officia... #organgrinder #theatreorgan
New! Official Organ Grinder T-Shirts
Now Available for Preorder! When we surveyed the members of our Facebook Group as to their preference for the next crowdfunding perk, T-Shirts were the top choice! Through a special arrangement ...
www.pipedreamsfilm.com
August 29, 2025 at 9:34 PM
pipedreamsfilm.com
Reaching out to @techconnectify.bsky.social - This documentary project is headed back to Wisconsin. Based on your interest in electromechanical devices, and proximity to Organ Piper Pizza, the odds are good you might have info/anecdotes to share. Please get in touch! Visiting WI 9/13-9/20 2025.
August 27, 2025 at 3:52 AM