Fab Four Blog

The Beatles nearly made an appearance on the French television programme Age Tendre et Tete de Bois, broadcast from 8:30 to 9:15 pm. At this time there was only one TV channel in France. The national listings journal Telerama described their booking for this show as provisional, subject to confirmation. In fact, they never appeared.

A short interview with the Beatles was broadcast by Europe I probably in Robert Marcy's programme (12:00 noon-12:30 pm) Further details have proven impossible to reasearch.

A marathon concert season at the Olympia - 18 days of two, sometimes three shows each, on a nine-act bill. At no time was it clear who was headlining...The Beatles, French chanteuse Sylvie Vartan, or Trini Lopez, the US singer famous for "If I Had A Hammer", although it was the Beatles who closed each performance. A part of today's matinee was broadcast live by the French radio station Europe I in its programme Musicorama, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm. Listeners heard Trini Lopez, Sylvie Vartan and then five songs by the Beatles.

The Beatles at the Olympia Theatre, Boulevard des Capucines, Paris, France

Cinema Cyrano, Rue Rameau, Versailles, France

The Beatles' first night in France was a warm-up show for all of the artists participating in the forthcoming three-week season at the Paris Olympia, performed before 2,000 people.

This night John, Paul, and George (Ringo followed the next day) flew out of the London Airport for Le Bourget, Paris, and a welcome from 60 French teenagers.

A rare day off for the Beatles

London Palladium, London

A return booking for the Beatles on the live Associated TeleVision show Val Parnell's Sunday Night At The London Palladium, following their debut on October 13, 1963. Their fee then was £250, now it was £1000.

The group spent most of the day at the Palladium in rehearsals. The live broadcast went out from 8:25 to 9:25 pm, the Beatles -as billtopping act- appearing in a card carrying skit with compere Bruce Forsyth.

Other artists on the show were  Alma Cogan, (whom the Beatles would enjoy a warm friendship up to her death in 1966) and Irish comedian Dave Allen.

Playhouse Theatre, London

The Astoria dates comprised the last ten nights of  "The Beatles Christimas Show", which had opened on December 24, 1963.

George and Ringo made an unusual radio recording for broadcast in the "Light Programme" magazine series The Public Ear on Sunday, January 12th. It took the form of a letter they had written, recorded onto tape and played in the program's regular "Air Mail" slot. In the letter, the two Beatles referred to a previous edition of the series (December 29th) in which friend Hall had encouraged listeners to appreciate the music that the Beatles themselves preferred, principally American R&B.

The new contribution from George and Ringo echoed Hall's sentiments, and requested a song to be be played (Miracles, "I've been good to you" was chosen).

On January 7th, the Beatles, as a group, made a more conventional BBC radio recording, a music session for Saturday Club. Then went to Finsbury Park for their two evening "Christmas Show" performances.

The Beatles - Green Street, London

A clip of The Beatles was shown on the Jack Parr Show.

The Beatles appeared at the Astoria Cinema, Finsbury Park, London on these dates.