[Brighton] Cinema organists of Brighton

[Raleigh Chopper]

Here it is
https://youtu.be/-WQBpGKYEhY

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

This is better
https://youtu.be/59xvpAUvzL0

 

[Nitram]

The person I contacted said his uncle used to talk about him; he said he thinks he used to play at one of The Regent, The Astoria or The Savoy at the south end of East Street. He did not have anymore information on him as Cinema organists were not his specific area but said The Keep probably would have information on him and “always found the staff helpful way beyond the call of duty; they obviously love their jobs.”

Terence Casey was at The Regent
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/5918

More info
https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c54f35e447cc439cb9bdced8c1d7d8ed

And a picture of the man himself
http://www.essexorganmuseum.com/Players-Theatre-A-C.html


Radio Times 1948
Spot on the radio 11.45
https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/3970bc7ac2524c4181855d8fdf49edb6

 

[cheshunt seagull]

There is a copy of the book at the British Library.

Title: Stars of the Console. Editors: S. G. Bevan and B. J. Prevett. [Short biographies of organists.]
Author: Sydney Gerald BEVAN, and PREVETT (Bryan James)
Contributor: Reginald Porter-Brown 1910-1982.;
Terance Casey;
Bryan James PREVETT
Publication Details: London : John Compton Organ Co, 1953-.
Language: English
Identifier: System number: 000307629
Physical Description: (8º)
Shelfmark(s): General Reference Collection W.P.b.355.
UIN: BLL01000307629

This could only be viewed at the Library and you would need to get a reader pass to do this. The Library has been closed but will re-open with reduced hours on 20 April. More info: https://www.bl.uk/visit/keeping-everyone-safe

 

[Happy Exile]

Hello Happy Exile, I hope you find this of interest.
One of my favourite places in Cornwall is an establishment called Marvellous Music Machines.
I discovered it as I was exploring the wooded valley between Liskeard and Looe, it is on the single Looe Valley Line at the wonderfully named St Keyne Wishing Well Halt.
The man that runs it is a real gent and so enthusiastic.
Its like a Museum to Wurlitzers, he will play it or you can play them if you are able.
Here is the thing though, the main Wurlitzer is the original and genuine organ from The Regent in Brighton with all its history.
Its a wonderful place in a beautiful back water location.
Check out his website, if you contact him I am sure he will know so much and will delight in talk8ng to you.
I will post a You Tube shortly.
My Dad plays Organ, Piano and keyboard for many years, moving to Eastbourne he has entertained in hotels, clubs and old folks homes until recently.
Sadly Mum died last year and Dad is now in a care home in Bexhill, yet at 91 with Parkinsons he still plays every day to the residents, who insist that he plays their requests, its the only time that his hands dont shake.
If I could somehow get him down to the Organ museum before he passes it would give him so much pleasure as he loved Wurlitzers.
Anyway I hope this is of interest The Brighton Regent Wurlitzer takes pride of place.

What a great story, thank you, and thank you for sharing. I'm going to have to find time to get down there and have a look, I'd love to see it. Well done to your Dad too, great that playing can still give him such pleasure, and that it's a gift others enjoy too. I'll update here if I find out some more info.

 

[Happy Exile]

There is a copy of the book at the British Library.

Title: Stars of the Console. Editors: S. G. Bevan and B. J. Prevett. [Short biographies of organists.]
Author: Sydney Gerald BEVAN, and PREVETT (Bryan James)
Contributor: Reginald Porter-Brown 1910-1982.;
Terance Casey;
Bryan James PREVETT
Publication Details: London : John Compton Organ Co, 1953-.
Language: English
Identifier: System number: 000307629
Physical Description: (8º)
Shelfmark(s): General Reference Collection W.P.b.355.
UIN: BLL01000307629

This could only be viewed at the Library and you would need to get a reader pass to do this. The Library has been closed but will re-open with reduced hours on 20 April. More info: https://www.bl.uk/visit/keeping-everyone-safe

Great find, cheers! I'm going to have to make a trip to London as well as to the Keep I think.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Great find, cheers! I'm going to have to make a trip to London as well as to the Keep I think.

The guy who did the book, Reginald Porter-Brown, has his own website, including a scrapbook. Pages 20-23 of the scrapbook seem to be the contents of his Stars Of The Console book. They're pretty blurred but maybe if you were to post images of them on here, somebody might have some image-enhancing software that would enable you to read them

https://www.reginaldporterbrown.co.uk/scrapbook

 

[Happy Exile]

Thanks everyone for helping, what a great place this is.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Thanks everyone for helping, what a great place this is.

Further proof, should any be needed, that NSC can be a force for good, as well as evil

 

[maffew]

If all else fails!

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

What a great story, thank you, and thank you for sharing. I'm going to have to find time to get down there and have a look, I'd love to see it. Well done to your Dad too, great that playing can still give him such pleasure, and that it's a gift others enjoy too. I'll update here if I find out some more info.

Pleasure.
It would not surprise me if the owner has knowledge and possibly pictures of the organists who played that Wurlitzer in The Regent, Brighton.
Maybe the person you seek played it and knows all about him too.

 

[Tessa]

I'm doing a bit of research into some of the old cinema organists of Brighton, especially Terence / Terance Casey. He seems to have been a bit of a celebrity in the 30's and a couple of decades afterwards, including being a teacher for Douglas Reeve and recording a load of records, yet there's very little public info about him. There's an old family story which I suspect has him in it but there's a few details which would confirm it and it'd just be interesting to put a name/face to an anecdote. Thought I'd ask the hive mind of NSC as the collective wisdom seems impressively vast, and see if anyone has a copy of the out-of-print small book about him "Stars of the Console" or any idea where more info about him can be found? I'm hoping to go to The Keep when it reopens for a look around there too. Thanks

Hi I'm his grand daughter and live in New Zealand! I'd very much like to get a copy of the book Stars of the Consul. If I can help with any information you need, Id be happy to do so. Tessa Cunliffe Steel.