Keith Beckett

Keith Beckett was one of Britain's leading light entertainment television producers and for over thirty years succeeded in attracting a host of star name to both Thames TV and London Weekend Television (LWT). Born in 1929 he originally trained as a classical dancer and went on to appear in lead roles with the Festival Ballet. Comedy, however, was his first love and he gave up dancing to become a variety artiste. One of Beckett's early mentors was the variety producer Alfred Black. Beckett's first work in television was at Tyne Tees TV where he produced The One O'Clock Show (hosted by Sheila Mathews) but it was as the producer of the talent show Opportunity Knocks! that he made his mark. The programme, which was the television successor to stage shows such as both Bryan Michie's and Carrol Levis's Discoveries, proved enormously popular with audiences and remained top of the TV ratings for over twenty years. Hosted by Hughie Green and featuring a variety of light entertainment acts (some good, some awful) it became one of TV's most enduring programmes. When Opportunity Knocks! was axed by Thames TV, Green was said to have been devastated but Beckett went on to direct some of television's biggest variety specials. He produced six one-hour specials with Bruce Forsyth as well as one-off shows with Janet Brown, Mike Yarwood, Shirley Bassey and Freddie Starr. He also produced Hollywood or Bust, Name That Tune and he was a guest producer for several of the Benny Hill shows, for which he had a particular affection. An inspiration to many younger performers working in television, Beckett was an acknowledged master of the variety medium.