Location filming in Southport, Manchester and Liverpool
A six-night residency - two "houses" per night in Southport, just up the coast from Liverpool. The Beatles' repertoire comprised "Roll Over Beethoven", "Thank you Girl", "Chains", "A Taste of Honey", "She Loves You", "Baby, It's You", "From Me To You", " Boys", "I Saw Her Standing There", and "Twist and Shout".
From Tuesday to Friday, the Beatles filmed a number of contributions to a 30 minute sociological documentary being made by Manchester-based BBC TV producer Don Haworth, aiming to capture the essence and atmosphere of the "Mersey Beat" boom. After initial talks with Brian Epstein, Haworth had met the Beatles on July 21st and discussed the production, promising them the opportunity of being able to discuss themselves more seriously than in the somewhat flip fashion typical of the usual pop TV programs. After a meeting with the Beatles' contract, which also precluded them from appearing in "Beat City", a documentary on the subject being made at the same time by ITV company Associated-Rediffusion.
The Beatles first filming took place at 9:30 am today. Requiring live action footage of the group, Don Haworth booked time at the Little Theatre in Hoghton Street, Southport, where the group played on stage without an audience. The film was then intercut with hysterical audience footage shot the previous night at the Beatles' Odeon show. This morning the Beatles performed "Twist and Shout" and "She Loves You", dressed in grey collarless suits. Then, in black collarless suites and with a different curtain behind them, they played "Love Me Do", although the EMI disc recording was later dubbed onto the film, replacing the live music performance.
