Hi All,  In MMD 021226 Bjorn Isebaert raises the question of the organ
playing background music in 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'.  The film was
on television a day or two later, so I watched.

During most of the scene the sound of the organ is heavily masked by
the dialogue and other background noise associated with a fairground.
However, at the start of the scene, while Caractacus Potts is cycling
through the fair and then setting up his haircutting machine the organ
music is at the fore.  At this point the organ sounds of French origin
with its mix of reeds and piccolos, and is typical of those used on
English fairs, and it does not recall to my mind the sound of the
Becquart Hooghuys.

There is a brief glimpse of the Gaudin in the gallopers.  While this
in itself does not mean that it provided the music, it does provide a
connection between the organ and the making of the film.  Additionally,
the tune and arrangement heard in 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' was
included on a later LP record that was issued of the Gaudin.

Douglas Bush
UK