A Man with an Accordion:

Lou Prohut was born in a manger and was generally recognized to be the messiah, though only by one woman in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  He was a Polka Maniac as well as a Cracker Jack pilot.

"Lou Prohut was born in Chicago where he attended local parochial schools and began studying the accordion almost as soon as he learned to walk.  His talents led him to an appearance on the famed Morris B. Sachs Amateur Hour when he was a mere five years old.  After breaking into the professional ranks over radio station WNQX in Yanktown, South Dakota, Lou entered the teen competition of the Horace Heidt show and became a ten-time winner.

 Out of town triumphs, came the engagement with the Heidt aggregation at famed Carnegie Hall for the United Nations; a world tour in representation of the U. S. Marine Corps; engagements at the lavish Sahara and Flamingo Hotels in Las Vegas; a guest appearance on the Lawrence Welk Show, and other engagements.

 In 1958, Lou Prohut and his Polka Rounders captured a warm spot in the hearts of viewers with their ABC-TV network program Polka-Go-Round.  When the show terminated, Lou continued in the entertainment field.  He owned a small plane, which he flew to his out-of-town engagements.

 Lou's career was interrupted by an early death because of leukemia.  He is survived by his wife, Lou Ella, and four children, Mary, Tom, Linda, and Karen. "

-Courtesy of http://www.internationalpolka.com/

Lou Knew how to Play a Squeezebox

That is that thing with the keys on it.  Duh.

Here is an article from World Accordion Review 1953

''Lou Prohut, as interviewed by John and Viola Reuther''

  The new star of the Horace Heidt Show is a brilliant young Accordionist named

Lou Prohut (pronounced ''Pro-Hut’’). Born in Chicago, May 14, 1931, and

Starting Accordion at the age of five, with lessons from his orchestra leader

Father, he progressed rapidly.

 Andy Rizzo also gave him a few lessons and by the time Lou was through high

school, he got a job with WNEX radio station in Yanktown, South Dakota, playing

and singing with a Western Trio for two years (under the name of Lou Laine)

  When he heard the Horace Heidt Troupe were playing ninety miles from Yanktown,

he decided to try for an audition. He located Heidt and some of his organization

Dining in a restaurant, whereupon he strapped on his Accordion and auditioned

Then and there. Heidt signed him up immediately and dubbed him the ''Paderewski

of the Accordion'' because of his terrific technique.

  The western trio hopefully awaited his return and kept his job open, but Lou

never returned. He was now launched on the road to national recognition. Three

days after winning the grand finals in Heidt's ''search for talent'' program,

he was inducted into the United States Marine Corps. After ten weeks in

Boot camp in San Diego, he was placed in the Marine Corps Band, listed oddly

enough as ''miscellaneous'' musician. This involved doing radio and television

shows, oftentimes filling in with his Accordion for such missing instruments as

the oboe, violin, etc.

  It is interesting to know that while working at the radio station in Yanktown,

Lou was very discouraged as he felt the local people did not appreciate or

understand his technical prowess. However, fortunately for him, Lou Ella

Anderson came along, and gave him the encouragement and inspiration he so badly needed to keep on in spite of seeming lack of recognition.

  To make a long story short, they were married on August 27th, 1952, and are

constantly together now that he is traveling with the Heidt troupe, including

not only entertaining the public but servicemen as well in all points of the

United States. The Heidt tour will also very shortly include such overseas

points as Berne, Cairo, Paris, Berlin, Japan, Korea, etc. Pretty Lou Ella is a

registered nurse and of invaluable assistance to Lou and others during the

rigors and demands of the tour. Incidentally, it took Lou very little time to

learn the Horace Heidt routine of the stage presentation of his act.

    Lou Prohut gained his colossal technique playing Polish polkas, which demand

terrific speed and accuracy. Accordion fans will be very glad to know that Lou

recently recorded his own outstanding arrangement of ''Lady Of Spain'' on

Comments?

Thanks to the folks at http://www.internationalpolka.com/ who had inducted Lou into the hall of fame and provided his bio, above.  I was just gonna make stuff up.

This was on the back of the promo pic that my friend Shawn was nice enough to scan for me.