Fab Four Blog

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.

Astoria Cinema, Seven Sisters Rd.

Finsbury Park, London

This stage production, "The Beatles Christmas Show", conceived and presented by Brian Epstein, and typical of the man, encompassed comedy, pantomime and music. It settled in at the Astoria for a 16 night run, two "houses" each except for December 24th and 31st, when there was only one. (There were no shows at all on December 25th and December 29th as well as January 5th, and the season ended on Saturday, January 11, 1964.) One hundred thousand tickets for the 30 shows went on sale on October 21st. By November 16th, they were all sold.

The Beatles music repertoire for the season comprised "Roll Over Beethoven", "All My Loving", "This Boy", "I Wanna Be Your Man", "She Loves You", "Till There Was You", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", "Money (That's What I Want)" and "Twist And Shout". They also participated in a number of sketches and routines which proved extremely popular with the audiences.

The Beatles and other northern-based members of the large cast, most of whom were managed by Brian Epstein's NEMS Enterprises, flew home to Liverpool late on December 24th to spend Christmas with their families, returning to London during Boxing Day morning.

The Beatles had today off....

Empire Theatre, Liverpool

The 2nd concert form only presentation of "The Beatles Christmas Show".

Gaumont Cinema, Bradford

The first of two special northern previews of "The Beatles Christmas Show", although in concert form only, without the elaborate costumes and inelaborate comedy sketches, and the almost extravagant stage sets, still being assembled in London.

The Beatles had another day off today.

The Beatles enjoyed today off.

BBC Paris Studio, London

In the summer the Beatles had enjoyed their own 15-part BBC radio series. This day's recording was for perhaps an even greater honor: their own two hour special, to be broadcast in the Light Programme on Boxing Day "bank holiday", Thursday, December 26th, between 10:00 and 12:00 noon.

The program was conceived under the working title Beatletime, but this was altered From Us To You before the recording. Since every 1960's pop programme had to have a signature tune, the Beatle's first task at this 7:00-10:30 pm session (inclusive of rehearsal time) was to tape a new slightly amended version of their former number one hit "From Me To You", turning it into "From Us To You", with other lyrics altered where appropriate. a 55 second version opened the show, another closed it two hours later.

In between, listeners heard the Beatles perform, "She Loves You", "All My Loving", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Till There Was You", "Boys", "Mondy (That's What I Want)", "I Saw Her Standing There", and "I Want To Hold Your Hand". The show was hosted by Australian singer/entertainer Rolf Harris, also set to appear with the Beatles in their forthcoming Christmas stage production, and the Beatles forthcoming Christmas stage production, and the Beatles joined Rolf for a humorous, Beatleised version of his 1960 chart hit "Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport", Rolf's new lyrics referring to the Beatles long hair and their Christian names.

From Us To You was the first of five BBC radio "bank holiday" specials over the next 18 months to feature the Beatles, four going under this title. Typically, though, they were never the only act on the show. On this occasion, the program also featured sessions by Susan Maughan, Jeanie Lambe, Kenny Lynch, Joe Brown and the Bruvvers, the Kenny Salmon Seven, Alan Elsdon's Jazzband with Mick Emery, and Rolf Harris.

Note: not wishing to be outdone, the British service of Radio Luxenbourg launched "It's the Beatles" on December 23rd, a 15 part series of 15 minute programs broadcast each Monday evening from 9:00 to 9:15 until March 30th, presented by Peter Carver. But the group did not specifically contribute any interviews or music material, the series merely airing their disc releases.

Playhouse Theatre, London

Another top billed appearance on the BBC radio show Saturday Club, rehearsed and recorded from 3:00 to 6:30 pm and broadcast in the Christmas edition, transmitted in the Light Programme between 10:00 am and 12:00 noon on December 21st.

The Beatles performed six songs, "All my loving", This Boy", "I Want to hold your hand", "Till there was you", "Roll Over Beethoven" and "She Loves you", and also sang "All I want for Christmas is a bottle" (a pastiche of Dora Bryan's contemporary chart hit "All I Want For Christmas Is a Beatle", performed in session in this very programme by Susan Maughan) and a wacky medley, the "Christmas Mudley", comprising "Love Me Do", "Please Please Me", "From Me To You", "I Want to hold your Hand", "Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer", all crammed into 29 seconds.

The second half-hour section of this programme, 10:31 to 10:59, was broadcast simultaneously by the BBC's General Oversees Service, including the Beatles, "All My loving", and "This Boy".

Today, the Beatles took a break.

Alpha Television Studios, Aston, Birmingham

Following its success with the June 29th all-Liverpool edition of Lucky Stars (Summer Spin), ABC' Television this day shot a second such programme for the main series Thank Your Lucky Stars. All of the acts were Merseysiders, and Cavern Club compere Bob Wooler appeared as part of the reular "Spin-A-Disc" record review section. Taped in Aston during the afternoon, it was transmitted on Saturday, December 21st, from 5:50 to 6:35 pm.

Making their English TYLS appearance of the year (counting the two Summer Spot editions), the Beatles mimed to four songs, the most they had performed on this show to date, "I want to hold your hand", "All my loving", "Twist and Shout", and "She loves you". They were also presented, on camera, with two more gold discs to add to their quickly growing collection.

This edition was selected as ITV's official entry in the next annual International Contest For Television Light Entertainment Programmes, held in Montreux, Switzerland, in April 1964, but it did not win.

Wimbledon Palais, High St. Merton

Wimbledon, London

The Beatles Southern Area Fan Club's equivalent to the Liverpool festivities the previous Saturday. In addition to their mid-afternoon live performance, the Beatles lined up behind the Palias' bar and shook hands with all 3,000 ecstatic fans who filed slowly past them, often in less than orderly fasion. Television and cinema news cameras filmed here and there throughout the event.

The management of the Palais, fearing their precious stage might be damaged by an onslaught of rampaging Beatlemaniacs, created a makeshift platform for the Beatles and erected a steel cage around it to keep the hordes at bay. Though safe, the Beatles were not best pleased with this arrangement, although seeing the fans crushed up against the wire prompted John to crack "If they press nay harder, they'll come through as chips".

Gaumont Cinema, Southampton

The final date on the long "Autumn Tour" which had started in Cheltenham on November 1st.

The Beatles performing at the Odeon Cinema, Nottingham

The Beatles performing a the Futurist Theatre, Foreshore Rd. South Bay, Scarborough, Yorkshire

Gaumont Cinema, Doncaster

In their dressing room at the Gaumont, sometimes straining to make themselves heard above the shouting and singing fans outside, the Beatles gave an entertaining interview to a British-domiciled Australian broadcaster, Dibbs Mather, for overseas distribution by the BBC's Transcription Service (and not for domestic broadcast). Extracts from the interview - which also featured John reading "Neville Club", a piece of poetry to be published three months later in his first book "In His Own Write", were included in the 61st edition of Dateline London and also in the 453rd edition of Calling Australia, sent to any radio station in that country which paid the BBC's nominal subscription.

Odeon Cinema, Southend-On-Sea

Once again, a TV news crew, this time from the BBC, interviewed the Beatles in their dressing room. It was becomin a regular occurrence.

Odeon Cinema, Lewisham, London

Empire Theatre, Liverpool and Odeon Cinema, London Rd. Liverpool

The Beatles' first home-town concerts in four months were part of an exceedingly hectic day. The afternoon was a special affair, a concert at the Empire Theatre before 2500 members of the group's Northern Area Fan Club, though the rest of Britain had a chance to view the action when BBC Television, in an unprecendented move, screened 30 minutes of the show later the same evening in a special peak-time programme entitled "It's the Beatles!"

Earlier the same afternoon at the Empire, utilizing the same fan club audience, the BBC also taped a special edition of it's weekly "Juke Box Jury", with the panel comprising all four Beatles. This too was transmitted that same day, not for nothing were sceptics moaning that the BBC really stood for Beatles Broadcasting Corporation.

"Juke Box Jury" came first, being taped from 2:30 to 3:15 pm for broadcast between 6:05 and 6:35 in the evening when it was viewed by 23 million Britons. Chaired as usual by David Jacobs, 13 new singles were reviewed in this particular edition, "I could write a book" by the Chants, "Kiss Me Quick", by Elvis Presley, "The Hippy Hippy Shake" by the Swinging Blue Jeans, "Did you have a happy birthday" by Paul Anka, "The Nitty Gritty" by Shirley Ellis, "Do you really love me too" by Billy Fury, "There! I've said it again", by Bobby Vinton, "Love Hit Me" by the Orchids, "I think of You", by the Merseybeats, "Broken Home", by Shirley Jackson, "Where have you been all my live", by Gene Vincent, and "Long Time Ago", by the Bachelors. The last three were omitted from the broadcast, however, in order that it did not overun. The Beatles voted all to be hits except for Paul Anka, Shirley Ellis, Bobby Vinton and the Orchids.

The concert, taped for "It's the Beatles" took place between 3:45 and 4:30 pm, the group singing a shortened "From Me to You", then full versions of "I saw her standing there", "All My Loving, "Roll Over Beethoven", "Boys", "Till There was You", "She Loves you", "This Boy", I want to hold your hand", "Money", "Twist and Shout", and a reprise of "From Me to You". It was broadcast from 8:10 to 8:40 pm. Unfortunately for the BBC, technical difficulties created by the dearth of rehearsal time (a mere 15 minutes for "Juke Box Jury" only 20 for "It's the Beatles" and worse still, the incessant ear-perforating screams from the audience, drowning out the director's instructions to the cameramen and sound recordists, all but ruined both programmes. There was considerable consternation about this within the higher echelons of the Corporation, executives feeling that the coup it had achieved in presenting the Beatles so exclusively to the nation had somewhat rebounded against them in that the technical shortcomings were obvious and embarrasing.

And still the Beatles had one more duty for the BBC: they recorded a two minute interview for broadcast on radio on Christmas Day in the Light Programme show "Top Pops Of 1963", a 90 minute special (6:00-7:30 pm) in which disc jockey Alan Freeman played the year's number one chart singles, interspersed with interviews with some of the artists.

After their activities at the Empire, the Beatles dashed the 50 yards down a specially closed and police reinforced Pudsey Street to the Odeon Cinema where they gave two more performances as part of the continuing package tour (this date added to the tour itinerary after the inital press announcement).

Last day for a Beatles break......

Today, the Beatles still enjoying a much needed break!

The Beatles are off today, enjoying a break.