Beatles A Day in the Life Blog posts of '1964' 'April'

Roman Camp Hotel, Callander, Perthshire and Theatre Royal, Glasgow and Odeon Cinema, Glasgow

Early in the afternoon the Beatles were visited at their hotel in Callander, Perthshire, by a BBC Scotland camera crew, shooting - 2 min 38 secs interview with reporter Evelyn Elliot for screening this evening in the local BBC1 news-magazine programme Six Ten.

Then, during the late-afternoon, before the first of their two evening "houses" at the nearby Glasgow Odeon, the Beatles made a return visit to the Theatre Royal studios of Scottish Television to tape a contribution to Roundup, transmitted by STV on Tuesday, May 5th (5:00-5:55 pm). Though they did not perform, the Beatles participated in the show's "Personality Parade" section by giving lengthy interviews with the programme's two regular hosts: first John and Paul chatted to Morag Hood and then George and Ringo spoke to Paul Young. The four Beatles and two interviewers then came together to discuss group topics and generally act the fool, George at one point humourously attempting to strangle John.

ABC Cinema, Lothian Rd. Edinburgh, Midlothian

The first of two hugely successful nights in Scotland, jointly promoted by Albert Bonici and Brian Epstein.

In their dressing room at ABC the Beatles gave an interview to BBC Scotland radio reporter Bill Aitkenhead, broadcast this same evening on the Scottish Home Service bulletin Scottish News.

The Complete Beatles Chronicle - Mark Lewisohn

Studio 5A/B, Wembley Studios, Wembley

Prior rehearsals and recording session accomplished, the TV special Around The Beatles was taped before an audience between 9:00 and 10:15 this evening. The Beatles arrived at the studios at 11:00 am, however, for final rehearsals, and somehow also found the time to record radio interviews for Swedish radio with visiting presenter Klas Burling.

What with all of their guests, the Beatles actually participated in only two of the show's main items: their music set and a humorous opening spoof of the Interlude section of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (Act V Scene I), in which John portrayed the beauteous lady "Thisbe", Paul "Pyramus", George "Moonshine" and Ringo "Lion", all attired in costume. Apart from this, John, Paul and George were seen at the very start of the show, miming a trumpet fanfare, and then Ringo followed by hoisting a flag and setting off a cannon ball. Later, as a group, they introduced P J Proby's performance.

The finished 60 minute production was networked by Rediffusion on Wednesday, May 6th (9:45-10:45 pm) and repeated, in slightly edited form - the Beatles sections remained untouched - on Monday June 8th. NEMS was granted overseas sales rights and so was supplied with a print of the finished program. For the US market, Brian Epstein sold it to ABC, the first transmission occurring on Sunday, November 15 1964 (7:30-8:30 EST)

The Complete Beatles Chronicle - Mark Lewisohn

Studio 5A/B, Wembley Studios, Wembley

A full evening dress-rehearsal for Around The Beatles, with an audience, on the set at Rediffusion's Wembley Studios, just along the road from the Empire Pool.

A single "Love Me Do"/"PS I love You", is released in the US

Empire Pool, Wembley

A bill-topping return to the concert platform - the Beatles first live appearance in Britain for 15 weeks - at the New Musical Express 1963-64 Annual Poll-Winner's All-Star Concert, the yearly spring afternoon gala. They performed "She Loves You", "You Can't Do That", "Twist and Shout", "Long Tall Sally", and "Can't Buy Me Love" before an audience of 10,000.

The event was taped by ABC Television and networked as a two part special, Big Beat '64. The Beatles appeared in the second part, transmitted on Sunday, May 10th, 4:05-5:35 pm and repeated (though not in all areas, and not in London) on Sunday, November 8th, 3:15-4:40 pm. Viewers of all the second part also saw the Beatles receive their poll-winners awards from the actor, Roger Moore.

The Complete Beatles Chronicle - ML

Hall Of Remembrance, London

More rehearsals for Around The Beatles

Edgehill Rd. West Ealing, London

A Hard Day's Night was completed during the morning with the filming of one final section of Ringo's solo sequence: where he obligingly drapes his coat over some puddles for a lady to step on, only to discover, by the worst possible means, that the final puddle was not a puddle at all but a large hole in the oad, presently inhabited by a workman. The sequence was shot in a residential street in West Ealing.

During the afternoon the cast (including the four Beatles) and crew met up in a private hall behind the Turks Head public house in St. Margaret's for an end-of-film party. One of the finest British musical films of all time, certainly the best "pop movie" of all, had been completed start to finish in a mere eight weeks. It's world premiere, attended by the Beatles, took place at the London Pavilion cinema on Piccadily Circus, central London, the evening of July 6th.

Note: During the course of shooting A Hard Day's Night United Artists ensured that considerable additional footage was shot, showing the group in candid off-camera moments, being filmed by director Richard Lester's main camera moments, recording some of the soundtrack at EMI Studios in Abbey Road (mute film; no one has yet been able to deduce which date it was shot). UA then reached a deal with the the BBC for exclusive British television rights to  the material, and the Corporation set about compiling an excellent 28 minute documentary, Follow The Beatles, transmitted by BBC1 on Monday, August 3, 1964.

The Complete Beatles Chronicle - Mark Lewisohn

Thornbury Playing Fields, Bridge Rd. Isleworth, Middlesex and Studio Two, EMI Studios, London

The aerial shots of the Beatles cavorting on a helicopter launch/landing pad to the tune of "Can't Buy Me Love", filmed at Gatwick Airport South on March 13, were consiered insufficient for this sequence, so Richard Lester had the Beatles congregate early this morning at Thornbury Playing Fields in Isleworth, near London Airport, for some more filming, done at ground-level this time and on a fake helicopter pad constructed in four pieces. The Beatles ran about and played the fool as before, and Lester also had John, Paul and George jump off a ladder, filmed by a cameraman laying on the ground, to give viewers the impression of high-altitude leaping.

Later in the morning John had to leave Isleworth to attend a literary luncheon being held in his honour at the Dorchester Hotel, so the final items of shooting took place without him. (This is why only Paul, George and Ringo appear at the very end of the "Can't Buy Me Love" sequence, when a groundsman shouts at them "I suppose you know this is private property" and George sarcastically responds, "Sorry we hurt your field, mister".)

Filming at Isleworth ended at 1:00 pm so it's possible that any or even all of the Beatles attended a 4:30-5:45 mix session at Abbey Road, which resulted in another mono version of "A Hard Day's Night", this one for record release.

The Complete Beatles Chronicle - ML

Odeon Cinema, Queen Caroline St. Hammersmith, London and other London locations

In the early morning the four Beatles were filmed running down the iron staircase at the rear of the Hammersmith Odeon cinema, footage of which, in editing, was butted-up to the "We're Out!" "corridor" scene (shot at Twickenham, March 18-19) as the opening part of the "Can't Buy Me Love" sequence. The Beatles would return to the Odeon - inside the venue - for their 1964 Christmas show production.

The group switched locations but remained in west London for the afternoon, filming another police chase scene up and down St. Luke's Road in Notting Hill Gate (while John Bluthal acted the part of the car thief). Then Ringo alone was filmed in nearby Lancaster Road, as part of his solo sequence; stopping to photograph milk bottles, being chased by two girl fans, diving into a secondhand goods shop (at 20 All Saints Rd.), emerging partly disguised (the success which was immediately proven when his attempt to chat up a passing girl led to instant rejection) and then walking up "All Saints Road, his progress monitored by a policeman. Finally, Paul was filmed walking along Goldhawk Road in Shepherd's Bush, entering through the door of Jack Billings TV School Of Dancing, temporarily sign-posted "TV Rehearsal Room".

The Complete Beatles Chronicle - ML

The Jack Billings TV School of Dancing, London

The 2nd day of Paul's "rehearsal room" shoot with Isla Blair. As with the previous day, the other three Beatles did not attend.

The Complete Beatles Chronicle - ML