Scala Theatre, London and Playhouse Theatre, London
This was perhaps the most exciting and rewarding day's work on A Hard Day's Night the "TV performance" that was the climax of the film. It was shot this day at the Scala before an audience of 350 screaming fans, film union rules dictating that each person, even though thousands would have gladly done it for nothing, be paid for the pleasure of screaming at the Beatles. (Among these 350 was a 13 year old child actor named Phil Collins, later to achieve worldwide fame of his own with Genesis and as a solo musician.)
In the finished film the Beatles mime to four songs in this sequence, "Tell Me Why", "And I Love Her", "I Should Have Known Better" and "She Loves You". They filmed others too, certainly "You Can't Do That" was one to be left unused. During "Tell Me Why" director Richard Lester allowed himself to be briefly visible on camera, appearing - Hitchcock-like - in a shot that looks out from the back of the stage into the Scala auditorium.
This hectic day for the Beatles concluded with a lengthy evening session for BBC radio at the Playhouse, recording an insert for the next edition of the weekly series Saturday Club, broadcast in the Light Programme between 10:00 am and 12:00 noon on April 4th. Additionally, during a session break, John recorded an interview for broadcast on the BBC's Home Service Radio network.
For the Saturday Club session, from 7:00 to 10:30 pm, the Beatles chatted with host Brian Matthew and recorded "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby", "I Call Your Name", "I Got A Woman", You Can't Do That", "Can't Buy Me Love", "Sure To Fall" (In Love With You), and "Long Tall Sally". The last three songs fell into the final half hour of the domestic broadcast, simultaneously transmitted by the BBC's General Overseas Service.
Between 9:00 and 9:30 pm, while the other Beatles took a break, John was interviewed again by Brian Matthew, this time for the Home Service series A Slice Of Life. The subject of thies edition, broadcast from 4:00 to 4:30 pm on Saturday, May 2nd was "Hobbies" and for just under three minutes listeners heard John speak about his writing and best-selling book.
