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The managers of the ABC Cinemas were informed that children might not be attending the Saturday Morning Minors Matinee, as they perhaps wanted to hear the request show, Children’s Favourites with Uncle Mac on the Light Programme, each Saturday at 9.00 a.m.  As a result, the decision was made to relay the programme over the Non-Synch sound system.  Non-Synch was the term used for the amplification and speaker system that was used for playing gramophone records and making announcement using microphones and which was not synchronized to the film.

At 9.55 a.m., once the request show was over, the house lights would dim and the spotlight would focus on the Theatre Organ Console, and Keith would rise up on the lift with the Illuminated Surround on red! A spectacular site that I am sure the children appreciated! Simultaneously the Tabs or curtains would open revealing a slide projected onto the screen saying, ‘Keith Beckingham at the Organ’! He would then announce and perform his short programme of Sing-along-Songs, and finally, he would ask the children to join in and sing the Club Song, which he proceeded to play.

Once Keith had completed his programme, the spotlight would follow the console, as it and Keith, descended into the pit while he played the final chords before the cartoon film, generally starring Woody Woodpecker, began.  He said that it gave him a feeling of great professional satisfaction if the last chord ended just before the film soundtrack started.

Looking back on his first position, Keith say that it provided him with a great deal of experience (i.e. rising on the lift, being in spotlight and making announcements etc.) and helped him gain confidence for when he played before a more sophisticated adult audience.

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It was at this time that Keith met Eric Offer and Dennis Mathew, both officers of the COS.  Keith admits to holding tremendous gratitude to both gentlemen who jointly helped him develop his musical knowledge and understanding of the theatre organ world.

They had both heard him play at Lewisham Town Hall in 1957 when he was 13 years of age.  They encouraged him to join the COS and shortly after performed at a COS meeting held that year at Lewisham.  Keith recalls that the star organist at the meeting was Charles Saxby, who was followed by Eric Offer.  After this, The Secretary of the London District of the COS, introduced Keith to the audience as their youngest member to date, and he was invited to play, which he did by performing the Eric Coates’ march High Flight.

Eric Offer and his wife and family lived not too far from Keith’s home in Catford and played regularly at Lewisham Town Hall for the Saturday Night Dances held there.  He took Keith under his wing and introduced him to his large gramophone record collection where he heard the playing of Quentin Maclean and Sydney Torch and others in addition to the exciting new long-playing gramophone records of George Wright, which Keith said proved to be an education in technique.

Mr. Offer also took him to COS meetings when his father was busy, and frequently to Brighton to hear Douglas Reeve play the Christie Theatre Organ at The Dome.  He also arranged for Keith and a group of other young organ enthusiasts to visit Blackpool and to hear Reginald Dixon, Horace Finch and Watson Holmes.  Later, Mr. Offer took him to some live broadcasts made by Gerald Shaw, George Blackmore and Bryan Rodwell.  Keith’s classical music education was not neglected, as he attended recitals at The Royal Festival Hall and Promenade Concerts at the Royal Albert Hall.

Dennis Mathew lived with his wife in Bromley and held the enviable position of Saturday Morning Organist at the Trocadero Cinema Elephant & Castle and it was at this time Keith played its Wurlitzer Theatre Organ for the first time. Dennis was a fine musician and he later helped Keith develop his piano technique introducing him to light music classics such as Bal Masque, Nights of Gladness, Dance of the Blue Marionettes etc.

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While Keith was playing at the Regal Cinema Beckenham, his first cinema appointment, he was invited to appear in a talent competition at the Granada Theatre Greenwich.  The manager, Mr. Jack Tripp, was evidently impressed by the reaction of the audience to his playing and invited him to play a series of evening interludes on the three-manual/eight-rank Wurlitzer Theatre Organ commencing Friday 30th May 1958 while he was still only thirteen-years of age.  The series was obviously well received, as it was extended until 25th July by which time, he had turned fourteen!

Keith admits to being more than slightly apprehensive about playing for an adult audience when he entered the Talent Contest at the Granada Theatre Greenwich.  He said that the thought of playing for adult audiences who were more sophisticated in their tastes and had a higher standard of acceptance caused him to feel nervous and he began to wonder if being a Theatre Organist was suited to him.

After winning the Contest and following being offered the opportunity to perform musical interludes, he was plagued with the fear that he might not be able to cope with the pressures that would undoubtedly ensue.  Keith thanks his parents for their unwavering support at this and later times.  He said that they never forced him to do anything that he was not ready to do and only encouraged him to do what he felt he was able to do.  His father helped him formulate his Musical Programmes and sat through endless rehearsals in cold empty cinemas without complaints.  He would make notes during such times for discussion on the journey home.

Keith overcame his performance fright and admits that he really enjoying playing all the Granada Theatre Organs that he was fortunate to play.  He says that as much as he loved playing His Wurlitzer at the Regal Cinema Beckenham, the organs installed in the Granada Theatre Circuits sounded better having been installed later.