THIS was the dismal scene in July, 1961, as the ornamental proscenium of the Keighley Hippodrome stood naked to the elements during its demolition.

"And now it's the final curtain," wrote a Keighley News reader at the time, "but we have our happy memories."

The Keighley Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society had been given the dubious honour of the last performance there, presenting Oklahoma late in 1956.

Notably too, that spring of 1956, Syncopating Sandy Strickland had broken the world record for non-stop piano-playing in the Hippodrome.

Billed extravagantly as A World Sensation and The Greatest Event Staged in Keighley for Years, he played for 133 hours while smoking 600 cigarettes.

At least, with nearly 20,000 paying to watch him, he gave our ailing theatre a much needed latter-day boost.