Gaizog “Guy” Chookoorian
Born:    November 15, 1923, Kenosha, WI
Death:    January 31, 2021 Granada Hills, CA

The Armenian Museum of America’s Sound Archive begins our 2023 season with a celebration of Guy Chookoorian’s fascinating and humorous musical contributions. Guy was a musician, singer, comedian, and actor. Proudly American, Guy served in World War II as a member of the 331st Bomb Squadron of the 94th Bomb Group, flying 32 missions over Europe. He was the son of heroic Genocide survivors from Yerzinga, Western Armenia. Along with his sister Sue, Guy cofounded the Armenian-American Theater Group in Fresno, CA in the mid-1940s. Even as he thrived in Hollywood, Guy would never forget his heritage. Celebrating Armenian culture throughout his entire career, he used his platform to help his father preserve the folk songs of his native region. Guy was a true servant to his community by providing entertainment for many decades.

Gaidzog “Guy” Chookoorian was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin on November 15, 1923 to Roupen and Srpouhi Chookoorian. Two years later, his sister Dziadzan (Sue) was born. The Chookoorian’s moved to Fresno in 1936.

After the war had ended in 1945, Chookoorian moved to Los Angeles and continued developing sketches which displayed his skills as a humorist. In 1947, Chookoorian produced his first disc, recorded at the famed Gold Star Records. It was a parody of the popular rhythm and blues song “Open the Door, Richard.” Chookoorian changed the refrain to “Toore Patz, Dikran” and translated the monologue in the middle of the song into Armenian, all delivered in rapid-fire, slightly dialectal Armenian with a lot of slang. The flip side of the disc would feature his sister, Sue Chookoorian, singing “Erevanen Goukai.”

The song became a hit and soon Chookoorian recorded a series of novelty songs which riffed on popular American tunes on the radio and television. Chookoorian not only translated the songs into Armenian but provided unique and humorous opening monologues. “Toore Patz, Dikran” was followed by “Dzukhe, Dzukhe, Dzukhe” (“Smoke, Smoke, Smoke that Cigarette,” 1947); “Vaghuh” (“Mañana,” 1948); “Harsnikid Bidi Barem” (“I’ll Dance at Your Wedding,” 1949); “Choriner” (“Mule Train,” 1950); and “Yegoor Im Doonus” (“Come On-A My House,” 1951). Typically, the b-side of each disc would feature a more traditional Armenian song featuring Guy’s sister, Sue. In 1952, Guy, Sue, and their father Roupen would record a series of songs from Yerzinga.

The Armenian Museum’s Sound Archive has selected four tunes which exemplify Gaidzog “Guy” Chookoorian’s comedic brilliance and musical showmanship coupled with musical legacies from Yerzinga.

For an more in depth tribute to Guy Chookoorian, please see: https://mirrorspectator.com/2021/02/11/tribute-to-guy-chookoorian-voice-of-a-generation-leaving-legacy-of-service/

A special thanks to the SJS Charitable Trust for their generous support of our work to digitize and share our collection of 78 rpm records.