Part 2 of 2
Featuring photographs & words from "A Hard Day's Night in America"
Gunther & Rayl
*please see note at the end of this post
5 September 1964 - Fans waiting to greet the Beatles in Chicago.
5 Sept 1964 - After checking into the Stockyards Inn in Chicago, and having a meal, came the press conference.
5 Sept 1964 - The Beatles' Show at the Chicago International Amphitheater in front of 15,000 fans.
George waving at the cameraman. What a thrill that must have been!
[Video archived at my account on Dailymotion]
6 September 1964 - The Beatles landed at Metropolitan Airport in Detroit at 12:30am. 3,000 cheered, screamed and surged toward the Beatles when they deplaned. 60 sheriff's deputies & 40 state police held the crowd back. They checked into the Whittier Hotel in Detroit and spent a quiet night with 2 shows scheduled that day at the Olympia Stadium. At 3pm they were on their way headed for the stadium.
6 Sept 1964 - One of two shows the Beatles played at the Olympia Stadium, Detroit, MI.
6 Sept 1964 - Local radio station WKNR sponsored both shows at the Olympia Stadium in Detroit.
6 Sept 1964 - Meeting Miss Michigan before the press conference begins.
6 Sept 1964 - Detroit press conference, Olympia Stadium.
*Photo by Curt Gunther
*Photo by Curt Gunther
6 Sept 1964 - Detroit press conference, Olympia Stadium. You can hear much of it at this location: Motor City Radio Flashbacks
6 Sept 1964 - Between shows a long line of men in blue lined the hallway leading to the dressing room where the four were resting. *Photo by Curt Gunther
6 Sept 1964 - One of two shows the Beatles played at the Olympia Stadium, Detroit, MI.
7 September 1964 - 12:15am, the Beatles land at Malton Airport, Toronto International with nearly 10,000 waiting and 110 policemen ready. Entering the King Edward Hotel and making a run for the lobby had John struggling to break from from one fan hanging around his neck, Paul having his shirt ripped with others latching onto Ringo's jacket. Entering their suite they found a 14 year old girl in the linen closet. *Photo by Curt Gunther
7 Sep 1964 - John, wearing a red & black striped nightshirt, a gift from a fan, possibly ponders the fact that Richard Burton & Elizabeth Taylor had recently stayed in the same suite of rooms. *Photo by Curt Gunther
7 Sep 1964 - Another day, another two performances, this time in Toronto. Shown up front, road manager Mal Evans with tour managers Ira Sidelle & Bob Bonis. Behind are the Beatles & the Bill Black Combo. The 16,761 people at the matinee broke an attendance record set in 1946 at the Toronto-Montreal hockey game. *Photo by Curt Gunther
7 Sep 1964 - One of the two shows at the Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto.
7 Sep 1964 - In-between shows in Toronto posing for photographs and another press conference.
7 Sep 1964 - Meeting Canadian starlet Michele Finney
7 Sep 1964 - Meeting Miss Canada in Toronto. *Photo by Curt Gunther
7 Sep 1964 - One of the two shows at the Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto.
[Video archived at my account on Dailymotion]
8 September 1964 - 1:30am, the Toronto mayor Philip Givens and his wife knock on the door of the Beatles' suite wanting to see them. Paul & John were already asleep and George & Ringo were in the back room talking. Bess Coleman, in her nightgown & bathrobe had to tell the mayor that the Beatles wouldn't be seeing anyone that night. The mayor found the reception 'rude'. The tour managers, however, found the mayor and his party rude. *Photo by Curt Gunther
8 Sept 1964 - Although George remained on board the aircraft, John, Paul & Ringo went over to the 8 foot fence separating them from the fans to wave and shout and say good-bye. On their flight to Montreal, a hurricane had hit Jacksonville, Florida, next on their schedule after Montreal. It wasn't certain they'd be able to play there. Also, someone, somewhere out there, had sent a threat to the police saying they were going to murder Ringo for being an English Jew, which of course he was not. "We'll not be anybody's pawns," said John, "We're here to play music." *Photo by Curt Gunther
8 Sept 1964 - The Beatles touch down at Montreal's Dorval Airport at 2:20pm. There were about 5,000 awaiting them on the second-story observation gallery. "We sometimes wondered after we stepped off the plane," Ringo recalled, "if we'd walk to Customs or be carried..." He was reflecting on some of the threats they would receive, in particular a threat on this day to shoot him that was relayed directly to the police in Montreal.
8 Sept 1964 - It was decided that no one wanted to stay in Montreal any longer than necessary, so the Beatles went straight to the Montreal Forum.
8 Sept 1964 - Inside the Montreal Forum. *Photos by Curt Gunther
8 Sept 1964 - From one of two shows that day at the Montreal Forum.
8 Sept 1964 - Still managing to pose for photos in-between shows at the Montreal Forum. *Photo by Curt Gunther
[Video archived at my account on Dailymotion]
8 Sept 1964 - From one of two shows that day at the Montreal Forum.
9 September 1964 - Because of the hurricane that hit the Jacksonville, Florida area, the next Beatles concert location, the flight was instead diverted to Key West International Airport where the group touched down about 3am in the morning. The entire entourage checked into the Key Wester Motel, show here, where they came and went from the cottages with relative ease, an unexpected pleasant interlude.
9 Sept 1964 - The first problem encountered for the Florida show, was the insistence of the local union members that the Beatles agree to join the American Guild of Variety Artists, or face the threat of a picket line at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville. They agreed to pay the $1,200 initiation fees and annual dues to join the union.
9 Sept 1964 - Even though the diversion to Key West was last minute and they landed in the middle of the night, not emerging from their plane until 4am, nearly 700 people were still there to welcome them.
9 Sept 1964 - That day, John, Derek & Neil, went for a drive along the Keys, stopping for breakfast and a little shopping along the way. Wearing sunglasses, John went unnoticed.
9 Sept 1964 - George & Paul went for a walk out to the water's edge that morning in Key West. *Photos by Curt Gunther
9 Sept 1964 - George, Derek & Neil enjoying Key West. *Photo by Curt Gunther
10 September 1964 - Tony Martinez, a Key West millionaire, offered the Beatles his pool and they spent the afternoon at his place. They later learned that the water from the pool had been bottled and packaged for sale as "Beatle Water". *Photo by Curt Gunther
10 Sept 1964 - George perhaps showing the gardener he was to become later in life. (Key West, FL) *Photos by Curt Gunther
11 September 1964 - Some of the devastation Florida faced in the wake of hurricane Dora during the Beatles' visit in Jacksonville. They arrived, 5:30pm as President Johnson's plane was taking off.. The President was visiting to investigate the storm damage. The Beatles' plane circled the area until his plane was clear and gone. Then when they landed, the President's police escort remained with the Beatles speeding away with them to the George Washington Hotel.
11 Sept 1964 - The Beatles' press conference at the George Washington Hotel, Jacksonville, FL (shown with Cyril Brennan's wife Louise. Cyril was associated with radio station WBAM at the time.) Questions: "What do you think you've contributed to the musical field?" "Records," said John. "And a laugh and a smile," added George. "Why do you avoid the press?" "We don't. We do what the police, the sheriffs - the posse - tell us," said Paul.
11 Sept 1964 - Paul at Press Conference, Jacksonville. At 8:30pm, the opening acts started the show while 40mph winds ripped through the Gator Bowl. Cameramen from an L.A. based newsreel-making company were out in force, eight of them with movie cameras ready. They weren't moving from their posts and neither were the Beatles.
11 Sept 1964 - Dan Brennan, associate at WBAM radio announces the Beatles. But before that happened, Derek Taylor had gone on stage alone stating: "The Beatles are 100 feet away. They came thousands of miles to be here and the only thing preventing their appearance are those nasty cine-cameramen." The crowd roared. "Silence!" reveled Derek, "Now if you want the Beatles to perform here tonight, tell the police to make the cameramen leave." The camera crew were ushered out and Derek became famous amongst his peers with his speech that would be remembered as the "Jacksonville Address."
11 Sept 1964 - Beatles fight leftover hurricane winds at the Gator Bowl. Ringo's drums had been nailed down, but at one point Bob Bonis was convinced he was going to be blown off and ran on stage to hold Ringo down.
11 Sept 1964 - Paul & George and the Beatles at the Gator Bowl.
Ringo Starr with Larry Kane - ca. 8 Sept 1964 [Audio Only]
12 September 1964 - The Beatles were supposed to land at Logan International, but instead diverted to Hanscom Field in Bedford, MA, arriving 3:15am.
12 Sept 1964 - As soon as their plane arrived, the police were on board issuing orders. John, Paul, George, Neil & Mal were shoved into cars and driven 15 miles to the Hotel Madison. Ringo & Derek were left behind and Derek began to fight back over what he considered rough & rude treatment from the Boston police.
12 Sept 1964 - The Hotel Madison, where the Beatles were staying in Boston, was a dismal and depressing place.
12 Sept 1964 - Outside the Hotel Madison in Boston, however, was chaos. One poor unsuspecting man was leaving the hotel with a bundle of soiled shirts and was rammed, spun and tossed into the air, shirts flying in every direction because someone yelled, "He's the Beatles' butler on the way to the laundry!" Shirts were reduced to shreds and the man left sitting disheveled on the ground.
12 Sept 1964 - One 18 year old boy sporting a Beatle cut was chased by dozens of screaming girls, eventually catching him and ripping the shirt off his back thinking he was one of 'them'.
12 Sept 1964 - in the Madison room for their Boston press conference.
"What do you think about all these psychiatrists?" "We think they should see psychiatrists," said John.
When it came to favorite Beatles, Ringo still led the others in likeness sales.
12 Sept 1964 - The Beatles' show, sold out - 13,909 tickets - and thousands without tickets roamed the grounds searching for a way in.
12 Sept 1964 - Fans happy they are going to see the Beatles. (They would be playing at the Boston Gardens.)
12 Sept 1964 - At one point, because of the mayhem, the Beatles did actually wonder if the Boston police would allow them to perform. Later, the Boston Police earned kudos from the Massachusetts State Chamber of Commerce for a job well done in handling, "the potentially dangerous appearance of the Beatles at the Boston Garden. The important factor is that there is this dangerous and widespread phenomenon involving today's youth that finds expression in senseless demonstrations of varying degrees of seriousness."
12 Sept 1964 - Playing at the Boston Gardens. One escapee from a reform school pulled a knife on another boy and stole his ticket. The victim remembered the seat number and the police seized the offender, turning him back over to juvenile authorities.
12 Sept 1964 - After the Boston Gardens' show, John turned to Ed Leffler and asked, "How'd we sound tonight?" Leffler just laughed.
12 Sept 1964 - The Beatles arrived at Hanscom Field at 10:15pm, and after an hour's wait for instruments and remaining cast and crew members, they took off for Maryland.
Paul McCartney with Larry Kane & the Beatles with Jean Morris - ca. 8-11 Sept 1964 [Audio Only]
13 September 1964 - The Beatles land at Friendship Airport, Baltimore, Maryland, 1:15am with a security force of about 200 police officers and 500 Beatlemaniacs behind terminal windows 100 yards away.
13 Sept 1964 - Teenagers with their own cars gave chase to the Beatles' caravan tailgating up to speeds of 80 mph into Baltimore.
13 Sept 1964 - One local photographer who had managed to stay with the Beatles until they got to their private room in the downtown Baltimore Holiday Inn received a swift kick from George when jokes of being 'kicked out' began. Paul took the photographer aside, promising 'conciliatory picture-taking' of the group excusing George by saying, "'E's not feeling well." George, however, refused to take part in any more pictures.
13 Sept 1964 - Beatlepeople outside the Baltimore Holiday Inn where the Beatles were staying.
13 Sept 1964 - The Beatles were to play two shows at the Baltimore Civic Center.
13 Sept 1964 - At the Baltimore Civic Center with the Beatles.
13 Sept 1964 - In-between shows in Baltimore, there was the now mandatory press conference.
13 Sept 1964 - "Do you ever get dandruff with all that hair?" "We have dandruff occasionally," said John, "like normal people."
13 Sept 1964 - "What do you think of all the Beatles imitators and people who wear Beatle wigs?" "They aren't imitating us--we don't wear Beatle wigs, you know, " said Paul.
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13 Sept 1964 - Backstage at the Baltimore Civic Center.
*Photos by Curt Gunther
George with a different guitar.
13 Sept 1964 - After the two shows in Baltimore, the Beatles enjoyed an all-night party at the Holiday Inn's La Ronde revolving restaurant on top of the building.
John Lennon with Larry Kane - 13 Sept 1964 [Audio Only]
En-route to Pittsburgh *Photo by Curt Gunther
14 September 1964 - There's not so much to tell about this day, except a few bits of information. The Beatles landed at the Greater Pittsburgh Airport at 4:40pm, with more than 4000 Beatle-people waiting.
14 Sept 1964 - Before disembarking, private detectives had boarded the plane. 20 in all, from the Allied Detective Agency, were to become personal body guards for the Beatles. A total of 120 County policemen and deputy sheriffs were called upon to patrol the airport on horseback, foot and motorcycles. The Allegheny County Mounted Police, 15 of them, stood between the Beatles and the fans.
14 Sept 1964 - By 6pm, the press conference was on in the basement of the arena.
14 Sept 1964 - Getting ready for the Beatles' Show in Pittsburgh.
14 Sept 1964 - Lucky fan, Barbara Shapiro, gets her photograph taken with the Beatles.
14 Sep 1964 - Ticket for the Beatles' Show at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena.
14 Sept 1964 - The Pittsburgh Civic Arena, where the Beatles played.
Will she make it?
Oh.... too bad!
14 Sept 1964 - It is unfortunate this photo is small. From inside the Pittsburgh Civic Arena, where the Beatles played, with the dome partially opened.
14 Sept 1964 - The Beatles start the show at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena.
14 Sept 1964 - Over 12,000 fans at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena to watch the Beatles perform.
14 Sept 1964 - The Beatles in Pittsburgh.
15 September 1964 - The Beatles arrived at Cleveland's Hopkins Airport about 12:30am, shrouded in secrecy, and directed to the southwest corner of the landing area near the Cleveland Ordnance District plant.
15 Sept 1964 - Some 500 uniformed men were dispatched to downtown Cleveland in the afternoon and evening, costing taxpayers $17,000 in police overtime pay to keep Cleveland intact during the Beatles' visit.
15 Sept 1964 - 500 people waiting on the other side of the airport never even knew they had landed. Later, a delayed announcement of the Beatles' departure for downtown Cleveland came over the public address.
15 Sept 1964 - Hundreds of people were awaiting the Beatles' arrival at the Sheraton in downtown Cleveland, but their motorcade slipped in the back end. The rest of the night was spent with John & Paul working on some new songs, Ringo watching television. By dawn they were all sleeping.
15 Sep 1964 - Perhaps Brian Epstein may have been feeling a little envious with how well things were being handled by Derek Taylor in his absence? I'm not certain, however, upon Brian's return to the tour group from a trip to New York, he lashed out at Derek for remarks he supposedly had said about Brian behind his back and in particular with John Lennon. "Absolute rubbish. I refuse to even argue about it. Why don't you ask the boys, then? They'll tell you if it's true." Afterwards no more was discussed about it.
After the American Tour of 1964, Derek Taylor left Brian and the Beatles, but he and Brian would remain friends...and it wasn't the last that John, Paul & George & Ringo would see of Derek, by any means.
15 Sept 1964 - Because radio station WHK was promoting the concert at the Cleveland Public Auditorium, and that rival station KYW had already established such a close relationship with the Beatles, two press conferences were held. The main press conference would be for station KYW, and all others who would legitimately have a reason to be there, and the second mini-conference would be for the WHK people only. Before all of that, the City of Cincinnati where the Beatles played 3 weeks prior, had their presentation to the Beatles of a gold key to their city.
[Video archived at my account on Dailymotion]
15 Sept 1964 - The Cleveland Public Auditorium, where the Beatles would be playing.
15 Sept 1964 - Getting ready for one of the wildest nights in their career. The Beatles in Cleveland.
15 Sept 1964 - Inside the Cleveland Public Auditorium, where the Beatles would be playing.
15 Sept 1964 - 10 minutes into the set the crowd charged the stage. 40 policemen tried to hold them back but they pushed through. A brass railing bolted to the floor 10 feet from the stage was ripped out. Half a dozen girls were trampled. Officers from everywhere ran to pull back the crowd and Deputy Carl C. Bare strode to center stage, grabbing the microphone from John shouting, "This show is over!"
15 Sept 1964 - The Beatles continued playing. Deputy Bare walked up to stand face-to-face with John, who did a little dance and made a face back at him. Wheeling around, glaring at the audience, Bare was joined by Inspector Michael J. Blackwell, in charge of the detail of 500 police.
15 Sept 1964 - Together Inspector Blackwell & Deputy Bare stared the crowd down as the curtain dropped. Bare had to drag George off the stage. "The police here are stupid!" Ringo annouced as they were led offstage. It was the first time a Beatles concert had been stopped in America.
The Beatles were furious, locking themselves up in their dressing room. Art Schreiber, who was grabbed by John, picked up the phone and began interviewing them live on KYW radio. Meanwhile Derek Taylor took it upon himself to address the crowd, appealing to the police that he could "probably control the crowd if I could just talk to them." Derek still had to persuade the Beatles to come back as well, as they were already changing and getting ready to leave. Nonetheless, Derek was able to persuade all to allow him his moment on stage: "This is the first time the Beatles have ever encountered a situation like this. The Beatles are standing just 100 feet away and they want to play for you, but you must not stand up. If you will not sit down the police will be back. Do you want the Beatles? Then sit down and I will bring you the Beatles! But if one more incident like this occurs, the show will be over. We can't risk any more injuries or the Beatles won't do the show."
[Video archived at my account on Dailymotion]
15 Sept 1964 - Although not entirely happy about it, the Beatles dressed again, resumed their positions on stage and picked up where they left off. One 16 year old girl, who had repeately beaten her head against a cement wall was taken to a hospital. "I guess I got carried away," she said, eyes rolling. "In 20+ years of concert-going, this music critic has often been moved, amused, charmed, and exalted by what he heard," reported Robert Finn of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "But this is the first time he was ever terrified." The Beatles finally escaped from Cleveland at 12:57am heading towards New Orleans.
[Video archived at my account on Dailymotion]
16 September 1964 - It was a comedy of errors awaiting the Beatles (shown with new opening act, Clarence "Frogman" Henry) when they headed to New Orleans, destination: Lakefront Airport. They were to be taken by helicopter to the Congress Inn, but a tire blew and so limousines were sent, but the limousines went to the wrong airport to get them, heading out to New Orleans' International Airport, Moisant Field. So the Beatles' plane was re-directed to New Orleans International. Although a specific route was planned for the motorcade, somehow the Beatles' car fell out of line and wound up on the wrong roadway shortly thereafter being surrounded by fans. Police came to the rescue forcing teenagers from the limousine, but as it was backing up it hit a patrol car. Fortunately the damage wasn't too serious and they got back on track to the hotel. By 4am they had made it to their hotel suite, Paul & George already sleeping and John & Ringo looking for something to eat.
16 Sept 1964 - The New Orleans Press Conference: "You've experienced both--what's the big difference between poverty and riches?" "Money," said John.
16 Sept 1964 - The New Orleans Press Conference: "What is your chief gripe against the United States?" "The quality of your tea," Paul said.
16 Sept 1964 - The New Orleans Press Conference: "What do you think of topless bathing suits?" "We Like them. We've been wearing them for years," said George.
16 Sept 1964 - The New Orleans Press Conference: "Don't you think it's morally wrong to be influencing your fans with your atheist views?" "We're not atheists," Paul declared. "We're agnostics. The story which said we're anti-Christ is not true. We simply don't know enough about it."
16 Sept 1964 - After the press conference, Brian & Derek headed for dinner at Antoine's, and the Beatles met backstage another Antoine - Fats Domino for a memorable moment. They were fascinated by his watch, a star-shaped timepiece of gold, silver, ivory, and set with diamonds, rubies, emeralds & pearls. When Derek heard of the meeting later he was quite disappointed at missing 'the great man'. "You can't have dinner with Brian Epstein and meet Fats Domino," said George. *Photo by Curt Gunther
[Video archived at my account on Dailymotion]
16 Sept 1964 - The Beatles in New Orleans. 15 minutes into the performance, some 700 teanagers jumped from the stands into the field. 225 Policemen & special patrol guards hit the field, and mounted policemen charged up to the stage area. "It was like watching the police play stickball with the kids," said Ringo.
16 Sept 1964 - The Beatles in New Orleans. "Whew, that was the closest we've come on the tour to getting worried," said Paul. "When I saw them coming for the stage, I wondered, would they stay at the barricades or rush the stage and we'd be massacred."
[Video archived at my account on Dailymotion]
17 September 1964 - The Beatles arrived in Kansas City, MO around 1:45am. Staying at the Hotel Muehlebach with 15 police officers stationed throughout the building, they launched into another game of poker. *Photo by Curt Gunther
17 Sept 1964 - More than 40% of the entire Kansas City police force was to be on hand for the show. *Photo by Curt Gunther
17 Sept 1964 - They played at the Kansas City Municipal Stadium for a $150,000 performance which was sponsored by Charles O. Finley in front of over 20,000 fans. *Photo by Curt Gunther
17 Sept 1964 - That evening the Beatles gave Kansas City a press conference. *Photo by Curt Gunther
*Photos by Curt Gunther
17 Sept 1964 - Backstage before the concert promoter Charles O. Finley pleaded for the Beatles to play two extra songs "for Kansas City". "We never do more than eleven, Chuck," John said. "You never should have paid all that money, Chuck." It was the largest take for a single show in the history of show business at that time. *Photo by Curt Gunther
17 Sept 1964 - In the end the Beatles did give Chuck, and Kansas City, that one extra song, "Kansas City".
17 Sept 1964 - The Kansas City audience did not fill the 41,000 seats that were available, nonetheless, the show remained one of the 4 or 5 largest on the Beatles' 1964 tour.
17 Sept 1964 - Charles O. Finley lost money, but his manager, Pat Friday gave a check for $25,000 to the Children's Mercy Hospital despite the fact no profit was made.
17 Sept 1964 - It was said that 28,000 tickets needed to be sold to break even, and the box office take was estimated at $100,000. Chuck O. Finley was however delighted with the performance and the audience behavior was commendable. At 11:13pm, the Beatles' plane took off headed for Dallas.
Listen to some talk with Paul in Kansas City, the boys in Dallas and some Dallas Concert Promotions here:
18 September 1964 - Because of what had happened with the assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas, no one wanted to stay any longer than necessary.
18 Sept 1964 - Moments after the Beatles arrived at the Cabana Motor Hotel in Dallas, a group of fans crushed up against a plate glass window breaking it, four of them getting cut up by the falling glass. Three were hospitalized. *Photo by Curt Gunther
18 Sept 1964 - Three American fans of the Dallas Beatle Fan Club were able to meet with the Beatles, talking for several hours, the last time such an intimate contact would be made this tour.
18 Sept 1964 - During the day, Neil Aspinall & Derek Taylor went to Neiman Marcus to purchase cowboy hats, shirts & boots for the Beatles. Brian Epstein received an antique telephone for his 30th birthday present. *Photo by Curt Gunther
18 Sept 1964 - There was another bomb threat, this one presumably planted inside the Dallas Memorial Coliseum, but the police only found fans hiding under the bandstand and in the washroom.
18 Sept 1964 - Also that day, one hospitalized 10 year old victim of a hit-and-run driver, Cheryl Howard, who was recovering at Methodist Hospital, received a phone call from Paul as did those who had fallen through the Cabana Hotel window. *Photo by Curt Gunther
18 Sept 1964 - The Dallas press conference, 7pm, backstage at the Dallas Memorial Coliseum. The last press conference in the United States....and they were relieved.
18 Sept 1964 - No matter what the Dallas police escort would do, the Beatles always seemed to wind up in the center of huge crowds.
18 Sept 1964 - Backstage, Ringo felt like he could "do another week" in the States as the others just stared at him, deadpan. (Beatles shown here with Clarence the Frog-man & Derek Taylor.) *Photo by Curt Gunther
18 Sept 1964 - Paul showing off his new look in Dallas. *Photo by Curt Gunther
18 Sept 1964 - The Beatles backstage in Dallas with Mal Evans, George & Brian. *Photo by Curt Gunther
18 Sept 1964 - Brian Epstein on the eve of his 30th birthday. *Photo by Curt Gunther
18 Sept 1964 - Taking photos backstage with the Beatles. *Photo by Curt Gunther
18 Sept 1964 - John kicked back but ready to rock in Dallas. *Photos by Curt Gunther
18 Sept 1964 - The 10,000+ fans in the Dallas audience set a record for polite behavior. The Beatles could actually, at some points, hear themselves play. In Derek Taylor's words it was "a sensational concert." While the Beatles' entourage would stay in Dallas for the next couple of nights, Brian, Neil, Mal, Derek & photographer Curt Gunther would join the Beatles on a real rest day away from the world.
19 September 1964 - Brian Epstein turns 30 years young, and the Beatles give him his birthday presents (including a classic antique telephone) en route to Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. This night the Beatles were particularly sentimental about the occasion and everyone on the aircraft visited with Brian in the lounge at the back of the plane. *Photo by Curt Gunther
19 Sept 1964 - Landing in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, Reed Pigman met them with his own small plane for a short trip to his ranch in southern Missouri. It was still night-time when they took off and George, in particular, was concerned. To him it felt like a 'little motorcycle in the sky' and at one point Mr. Pigman, with map on knee & small light overhead, lost track of their location. Rubbing the windshield to remove condensation, he had it under control nonetheless and set the plane down without incident as tin cans filled with burning candles guided them in. *Photo by Curt Gunther
19 Sept 1964 - It wasn't until 3:30am that the Beatles fell into the sofa and chairs of the Reed Pigman living room at his ranch in Alton, Missouri. They were tired but couldn't sleep and so another game of poker won out for their attention. *Photo by Curt Gunther
19 Sept 1964 - At 6am, photographer Curt Gunther went looking around for a special location in which he could photograph the Beatles. The tour was almost over and he wanted something really different, something unique and if it were to be found, it would be here. "If I can photograph them here, I'll die a happy man," he thought to himself. *Photo by Curt Gunther
19 Sept 1964 - Mrs. Pigman chose a horse for each of the Beatles and Brian (shown here being photographed by George, I think.) *Photo by Curt Gunther
19 Sept 1964 - Brian Epstein on his 30th birthday, with the Beatles on the Reed Pigman ranch in Alton, Missouri. *Photo by Curt Gunther
19 Sept 1964 - The Pigman family with Ringo on their ranch in Alton, Missouri. *Photo by Curt Gunther
19 Sept 1964 - At the Pigman Ranch, Alton, Missouri. *Photos by Curt Gunther
19 Sept 1964 - Coming upon a gate, 3 young boys took notice of them and as one opened it so they could pass through he slowly realized just who these cowboys were. The Beatles trotted through the gate, kicking up dust and heading into the changing colors of the early autumn, as the boys' faces froze with wonder. At the Pigman Ranch, Alton, Missouri. *Photo by Curt Gunther
19 Sept 1964 - As they toured the ranch, later in the day, they did run into some local fans and cheerfully offered their autographs. *Photo by Curt Gunther
19 Sept 1964 - Later in the evening they celebrated Brian's birthday with a cake Mrs. Pigman had made decorated with 30 candles. At the Pigman Ranch, Alton, Missouri. *Photos by Curt Gunther
19 Sept 1964 - By midnight all roads to the ranch were packed with carloads of teenagers driving in from as far away as St. Louis. *Photo by Curt Gunther
20 September 1964 - The Beatles stayed up most of the night playing cards and then went fishing in the morning. Later they loaded into vans and headed back to Walnut Ridge Airport to await their chartered Electra flight to New York. Back in Dallas, as their equipment was being loaded onto the Electra the Southwest Airmotive terminal received two bomb threat calls. Police searched all the luggage (including Ringo's drums) aboard the plane but found nothing. Back at the Walnut Ridge Airport, after the Electra had touched down, the mayor and other locals wanted autographs and photographs. This time the Beatles asked Derek to tell the public "...we want to go out there, but you won't let us because we're too tired." Had it not been the end of the tour, Derek may have made things happen. Instead, within minutes, the plane was taxiing down the runway and soon in flight to New York. *Photo by Curt Gunther
20 September 1964 - During the flight to New York, the Beatles presented gifts to all the members of the entourage. The men received gold-plated money clips and the ladies were given gold-plated ID bracelets, engraved "American Tour 1964" and on the back "With Love and Thanks, The Beatles".
20 Sept 1964 - They landed in New York around 5pm at a remote cargo area at Kennedy International Airport, guided to a helicopter pad lifting off for Manhattan around 5:30pm. It was a highlight of the tour for them and an enjoyable experience in the American air.
20 Sept 1964 - Norman Weis was waiting for them with limousines for the ride to the Paramount Theatre for one more performance, for charity, the money going to the Retarded Infants Service and Cerebral Palsy of New York. Tickets ranged from 5-100 dollars and the show was sold out.
20 Sept 1964 - Teenage girls lined Seventh Avenue between 43rd & 44th Street, causing traffic jams and confusion in the Times Square area.
20 Sept 1964 - While 240 police maintained order, by early evening the crowd had grown to an estimated 4000.
20 Sept 1964 - At 6:10pm, the Beatles' chauffeur maneuvered the rented Cadillac limousine through the crowd with 40 policemen forming a protective ring around the singers as they darted inside the theater.
Inside the Paramount Theater.
20 Sept 1964 - By 8pm the theater was filled with 3,862 seats occupied.
20 Sept 1964 - Although the Beatles were not scheduled to appear until 10:45pm there was so much cheering, screaming, stomping & thumping, "The kids were making these people with diamonds very nervous," recalls Bob Bonis. The girls yelled at the other acts, "Get off the stage! We want the Beatles!" Nobody mattered but the Beatles.
20 Sept 1964 - Shortly after 10pm, well ahead of schedule, the Beatles ran on stage. [Paramount Theatre, NYC]
20 Sept 1964 - As usual the Beatles never missed a beat, even when a stuffed rabbit fell onto Ringo's drum. [Paramount Theatre, NYC]
20 Sept 1964 - In the motorcade of 7 limousines, the Beatles and 14 members of their entourage sped off to the Riviera Idlewild Motel for their last night in America.
20 Sept 1964 - Arriving at the Riviera Idlewild Motel (in NYC) the Beatles found only two people in the lobby nonchalantly looking up from their newspapers as they passed by. It seemed strange that on their last night in America the Beatles would be able to walk into a motel like normal human beings. Though numerous guests were invited to their farewell party, by the time they had arrived, Paul had already gone to his room to sleep, George was nowhere to be found, John & Ringo were behind closed doors with Bob Dylan & his manager Albert Grossman. Only Neil Aspinall, Mal Evans & Derek Taylor were there to say a proper good-bye to all of the madness.
21 September 1964 - The American Tour finally comes to a close, and the Beatles were now catapulted past the point of no return. "There was just no way to have foreseen it, or to have guessed that it was going to happen like it did, because nothing like that had ever happened before," recalls Nat Weiss.
21 September 1964 - The Beatles had earned $992,716.97 in the USA & $194,906.84 in Canada. From that, expenses were deducted and the U.S. government withheld $297,815.09. This would happen again when the Beatles returned in 1965 & 1966. In the Autumn of 1967, Brian Epstein's New York attorney, Walter Hofer, contacted an expert in international taxation, J. Blake Lowe from Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. to help prove that the Beatles were not a permanent establishment in America. The Beatles finally received the 30% withheld from all of their American tours, plus 6% interest, in 1968.
21 Sept 1964 - Saying 'good-bye' to America. The Rock & Roll touring industry was born, taking concerts out of the small halls and theaters and putting them into baseball fields and huge coliseums and arenas. The advent of more sophisticated sound systems came about so the bands could be heard. The use of chartered aircraft for major continental tours was instituted. More detailed performance contracts were established with specific riders regarding the needs of the artists.
21 Sept 1964 - Arriving back home. "It always used to surprise me when we were together, the likes of de Gaulle, Khrushchev, the British Army and a lot of people in America all got on our case and we were just a rock 'n' roll band and there's all these world leaders shouting at these little guys playing music. It used to blow me away and I'd wonder, 'Why aren't you guys running your country instead of worrying about what we're playing?' That always did freak me out. We were just fighting to make something of ourselves. The touring, the screaming got to be a media situation. And in the end, we were playing the finest music any band at the time was playing." Ringo Starr.
21 Sept 1964 - Arriving back home. "It wasn't as much fun for us as it was for all of you," George Harrison remembers. "It was, I must admit, a privilege to have had that experience, of being one of the Fab Four, because there were only four of us who had that experience. It was fun. It was, however, that time. That period of history, and it will always be there."
21 Sept 1964 - "We always had some kind of faith in ourselves. We commented on the world as we saw it. We were honest and our approach was honest. We were straight and said what we thought and that shocked a lot of Americans. But it takes forever, and will take forever, to get used to the whole trip." -Paul McCartney
"If the Beatles, or the sixties, had a message, it was to learn to swim. Period. And once you learn to swim, swim." -John Lennon
Here's to hoping they come back next year!
*Almost all of the written information is from or inspired from the book "A Hard Day's Night in America" [Text by A.J.S. Rayl - Photographs by Curt Gunther] and where possible, credit is given via asterisk (*) to each photo taken by the author, Curt Gunther. Since I first read this great book in 1989, I marveled at all of the adventures the Beatles and their entourage encountered while on this American Tour and with the advent of the internet, I have satisfied a long-term dream of being able to fit a few more pieces of the story together via photographs located from a variety of sources. Not all credit is given, much I'm not able to find, however, the intention is simply to present a photographic memory of the Beatles' journey that Summer of 1964 by collecting all of these great photos into one place along with recorded interviews and surviving film found on YouTube. It is a piece of history that will never be repeated and my hopes are that this post only ignites more interest in the Beatles, and the book.
*********
*please see note at the end of this post
5 Sept 1964 - After checking into the Stockyards Inn in Chicago, and having a meal, came the press conference.
5 Sept 1964 - The Beatles' Show at the Chicago International Amphitheater in front of 15,000 fans.
George waving at the cameraman. What a thrill that must have been!
[Video archived at my account on Dailymotion]
6 September 1964 - The Beatles landed at Metropolitan Airport in Detroit at 12:30am. 3,000 cheered, screamed and surged toward the Beatles when they deplaned. 60 sheriff's deputies & 40 state police held the crowd back. They checked into the Whittier Hotel in Detroit and spent a quiet night with 2 shows scheduled that day at the Olympia Stadium. At 3pm they were on their way headed for the stadium.
6 Sept 1964 - One of two shows the Beatles played at the Olympia Stadium, Detroit, MI.
6 Sept 1964 - Local radio station WKNR sponsored both shows at the Olympia Stadium in Detroit.
6 Sept 1964 - Meeting Miss Michigan before the press conference begins.
6 Sept 1964 - Detroit press conference, Olympia Stadium.
*Photo by Curt Gunther
*Photo by Curt Gunther
6 Sept 1964 - Detroit press conference, Olympia Stadium. You can hear much of it at this location: Motor City Radio Flashbacks
6 Sept 1964 - Between shows a long line of men in blue lined the hallway leading to the dressing room where the four were resting. *Photo by Curt Gunther
6 Sept 1964 - One of two shows the Beatles played at the Olympia Stadium, Detroit, MI.
7 September 1964 - 12:15am, the Beatles land at Malton Airport, Toronto International with nearly 10,000 waiting and 110 policemen ready. Entering the King Edward Hotel and making a run for the lobby had John struggling to break from from one fan hanging around his neck, Paul having his shirt ripped with others latching onto Ringo's jacket. Entering their suite they found a 14 year old girl in the linen closet. *Photo by Curt Gunther
7 Sep 1964 - John, wearing a red & black striped nightshirt, a gift from a fan, possibly ponders the fact that Richard Burton & Elizabeth Taylor had recently stayed in the same suite of rooms. *Photo by Curt Gunther
7 Sep 1964 - Another day, another two performances, this time in Toronto. Shown up front, road manager Mal Evans with tour managers Ira Sidelle & Bob Bonis. Behind are the Beatles & the Bill Black Combo. The 16,761 people at the matinee broke an attendance record set in 1946 at the Toronto-Montreal hockey game. *Photo by Curt Gunther
7 Sep 1964 - One of the two shows at the Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto.
7 Sep 1964 - In-between shows in Toronto posing for photographs and another press conference.
7 Sep 1964 - Meeting Canadian starlet Michele Finney
7 Sep 1964 - Meeting Miss Canada in Toronto. *Photo by Curt Gunther
7 Sep 1964 - One of the two shows at the Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto.
[Video archived at my account on Dailymotion]
8 September 1964 - 1:30am, the Toronto mayor Philip Givens and his wife knock on the door of the Beatles' suite wanting to see them. Paul & John were already asleep and George & Ringo were in the back room talking. Bess Coleman, in her nightgown & bathrobe had to tell the mayor that the Beatles wouldn't be seeing anyone that night. The mayor found the reception 'rude'. The tour managers, however, found the mayor and his party rude. *Photo by Curt Gunther
8 Sept 1964 - Although George remained on board the aircraft, John, Paul & Ringo went over to the 8 foot fence separating them from the fans to wave and shout and say good-bye. On their flight to Montreal, a hurricane had hit Jacksonville, Florida, next on their schedule after Montreal. It wasn't certain they'd be able to play there. Also, someone, somewhere out there, had sent a threat to the police saying they were going to murder Ringo for being an English Jew, which of course he was not. "We'll not be anybody's pawns," said John, "We're here to play music." *Photo by Curt Gunther
8 Sept 1964 - The Beatles touch down at Montreal's Dorval Airport at 2:20pm. There were about 5,000 awaiting them on the second-story observation gallery. "We sometimes wondered after we stepped off the plane," Ringo recalled, "if we'd walk to Customs or be carried..." He was reflecting on some of the threats they would receive, in particular a threat on this day to shoot him that was relayed directly to the police in Montreal.
8 Sept 1964 - It was decided that no one wanted to stay in Montreal any longer than necessary, so the Beatles went straight to the Montreal Forum.
8 Sept 1964 - Inside the Montreal Forum. *Photos by Curt Gunther
8 Sept 1964 - From one of two shows that day at the Montreal Forum.
8 Sept 1964 - Still managing to pose for photos in-between shows at the Montreal Forum. *Photo by Curt Gunther
[Video archived at my account on Dailymotion]
8 Sept 1964 - From one of two shows that day at the Montreal Forum.
9 Sept 1964 - That day, John, Derek & Neil, went for a drive along the Keys, stopping for breakfast and a little shopping along the way. Wearing sunglasses, John went unnoticed.
9 Sept 1964 - George & Paul went for a walk out to the water's edge that morning in Key West. *Photos by Curt Gunther
9 Sept 1964 - George, Derek & Neil enjoying Key West. *Photo by Curt Gunther
10 September 1964 - Tony Martinez, a Key West millionaire, offered the Beatles his pool and they spent the afternoon at his place. They later learned that the water from the pool had been bottled and packaged for sale as "Beatle Water". *Photo by Curt Gunther
10 Sept 1964 - George perhaps showing the gardener he was to become later in life. (Key West, FL) *Photos by Curt Gunther
11 September 1964 - Some of the devastation Florida faced in the wake of hurricane Dora during the Beatles' visit in Jacksonville. They arrived, 5:30pm as President Johnson's plane was taking off.. The President was visiting to investigate the storm damage. The Beatles' plane circled the area until his plane was clear and gone. Then when they landed, the President's police escort remained with the Beatles speeding away with them to the George Washington Hotel.
11 Sept 1964 - The Beatles' press conference at the George Washington Hotel, Jacksonville, FL (shown with Cyril Brennan's wife Louise. Cyril was associated with radio station WBAM at the time.) Questions: "What do you think you've contributed to the musical field?" "Records," said John. "And a laugh and a smile," added George. "Why do you avoid the press?" "We don't. We do what the police, the sheriffs - the posse - tell us," said Paul.
11 Sept 1964 - Paul at Press Conference, Jacksonville. At 8:30pm, the opening acts started the show while 40mph winds ripped through the Gator Bowl. Cameramen from an L.A. based newsreel-making company were out in force, eight of them with movie cameras ready. They weren't moving from their posts and neither were the Beatles.
11 Sept 1964 - Dan Brennan, associate at WBAM radio announces the Beatles. But before that happened, Derek Taylor had gone on stage alone stating: "The Beatles are 100 feet away. They came thousands of miles to be here and the only thing preventing their appearance are those nasty cine-cameramen." The crowd roared. "Silence!" reveled Derek, "Now if you want the Beatles to perform here tonight, tell the police to make the cameramen leave." The camera crew were ushered out and Derek became famous amongst his peers with his speech that would be remembered as the "Jacksonville Address."
11 Sept 1964 - Paul & George and the Beatles at the Gator Bowl.
12 September 1964 - The Beatles were supposed to land at Logan International, but instead diverted to Hanscom Field in Bedford, MA, arriving 3:15am.
12 Sept 1964 - As soon as their plane arrived, the police were on board issuing orders. John, Paul, George, Neil & Mal were shoved into cars and driven 15 miles to the Hotel Madison. Ringo & Derek were left behind and Derek began to fight back over what he considered rough & rude treatment from the Boston police.
12 Sept 1964 - The Beatles' show, sold out - 13,909 tickets - and thousands without tickets roamed the grounds searching for a way in.
12 Sept 1964 - Fans happy they are going to see the Beatles. (They would be playing at the Boston Gardens.)
12 Sept 1964 - At one point, because of the mayhem, the Beatles did actually wonder if the Boston police would allow them to perform. Later, the Boston Police earned kudos from the Massachusetts State Chamber of Commerce for a job well done in handling, "the potentially dangerous appearance of the Beatles at the Boston Garden. The important factor is that there is this dangerous and widespread phenomenon involving today's youth that finds expression in senseless demonstrations of varying degrees of seriousness."
12 Sept 1964 - Playing at the Boston Gardens. One escapee from a reform school pulled a knife on another boy and stole his ticket. The victim remembered the seat number and the police seized the offender, turning him back over to juvenile authorities.
12 Sept 1964 - After the Boston Gardens' show, John turned to Ed Leffler and asked, "How'd we sound tonight?" Leffler just laughed.
12 Sept 1964 - The Beatles arrived at Hanscom Field at 10:15pm, and after an hour's wait for instruments and remaining cast and crew members, they took off for Maryland.
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[Video archived at my account on Dailymotion]
15 Sept 1964 - The Cleveland Public Auditorium, where the Beatles would be playing.
15 Sept 1964 - Getting ready for one of the wildest nights in their career. The Beatles in Cleveland.
15 Sept 1964 - Inside the Cleveland Public Auditorium, where the Beatles would be playing.
15 Sept 1964 - 10 minutes into the set the crowd charged the stage. 40 policemen tried to hold them back but they pushed through. A brass railing bolted to the floor 10 feet from the stage was ripped out. Half a dozen girls were trampled. Officers from everywhere ran to pull back the crowd and Deputy Carl C. Bare strode to center stage, grabbing the microphone from John shouting, "This show is over!"
15 Sept 1964 - The Beatles continued playing. Deputy Bare walked up to stand face-to-face with John, who did a little dance and made a face back at him. Wheeling around, glaring at the audience, Bare was joined by Inspector Michael J. Blackwell, in charge of the detail of 500 police.
15 Sept 1964 - Together Inspector Blackwell & Deputy Bare stared the crowd down as the curtain dropped. Bare had to drag George off the stage. "The police here are stupid!" Ringo annouced as they were led offstage. It was the first time a Beatles concert had been stopped in America.
The Beatles were furious, locking themselves up in their dressing room. Art Schreiber, who was grabbed by John, picked up the phone and began interviewing them live on KYW radio. Meanwhile Derek Taylor took it upon himself to address the crowd, appealing to the police that he could "probably control the crowd if I could just talk to them." Derek still had to persuade the Beatles to come back as well, as they were already changing and getting ready to leave. Nonetheless, Derek was able to persuade all to allow him his moment on stage: "This is the first time the Beatles have ever encountered a situation like this. The Beatles are standing just 100 feet away and they want to play for you, but you must not stand up. If you will not sit down the police will be back. Do you want the Beatles? Then sit down and I will bring you the Beatles! But if one more incident like this occurs, the show will be over. We can't risk any more injuries or the Beatles won't do the show."
[Video archived at my account on Dailymotion]
15 Sept 1964 - Although not entirely happy about it, the Beatles dressed again, resumed their positions on stage and picked up where they left off. One 16 year old girl, who had repeately beaten her head against a cement wall was taken to a hospital. "I guess I got carried away," she said, eyes rolling. "In 20+ years of concert-going, this music critic has often been moved, amused, charmed, and exalted by what he heard," reported Robert Finn of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "But this is the first time he was ever terrified." The Beatles finally escaped from Cleveland at 12:57am heading towards New Orleans.
[Video archived at my account on Dailymotion]
16 September 1964 - It was a comedy of errors awaiting the Beatles (shown with new opening act, Clarence "Frogman" Henry) when they headed to New Orleans, destination: Lakefront Airport. They were to be taken by helicopter to the Congress Inn, but a tire blew and so limousines were sent, but the limousines went to the wrong airport to get them, heading out to New Orleans' International Airport, Moisant Field. So the Beatles' plane was re-directed to New Orleans International. Although a specific route was planned for the motorcade, somehow the Beatles' car fell out of line and wound up on the wrong roadway shortly thereafter being surrounded by fans. Police came to the rescue forcing teenagers from the limousine, but as it was backing up it hit a patrol car. Fortunately the damage wasn't too serious and they got back on track to the hotel. By 4am they had made it to their hotel suite, Paul & George already sleeping and John & Ringo looking for something to eat.
16 Sept 1964 - The New Orleans Press Conference: "You've experienced both--what's the big difference between poverty and riches?" "Money," said John.
16 Sept 1964 - The New Orleans Press Conference: "What is your chief gripe against the United States?" "The quality of your tea," Paul said.
16 Sept 1964 - The New Orleans Press Conference: "What do you think of topless bathing suits?" "We Like them. We've been wearing them for years," said George.
16 Sept 1964 - The New Orleans Press Conference: "Don't you think it's morally wrong to be influencing your fans with your atheist views?" "We're not atheists," Paul declared. "We're agnostics. The story which said we're anti-Christ is not true. We simply don't know enough about it."
16 Sept 1964 - After the press conference, Brian & Derek headed for dinner at Antoine's, and the Beatles met backstage another Antoine - Fats Domino for a memorable moment. They were fascinated by his watch, a star-shaped timepiece of gold, silver, ivory, and set with diamonds, rubies, emeralds & pearls. When Derek heard of the meeting later he was quite disappointed at missing 'the great man'. "You can't have dinner with Brian Epstein and meet Fats Domino," said George. *Photo by Curt Gunther
[Video archived at my account on Dailymotion]
16 Sept 1964 - The Beatles in New Orleans. 15 minutes into the performance, some 700 teanagers jumped from the stands into the field. 225 Policemen & special patrol guards hit the field, and mounted policemen charged up to the stage area. "It was like watching the police play stickball with the kids," said Ringo.
16 Sept 1964 - The Beatles in New Orleans. "Whew, that was the closest we've come on the tour to getting worried," said Paul. "When I saw them coming for the stage, I wondered, would they stay at the barricades or rush the stage and we'd be massacred."
[Video archived at my account on Dailymotion]
17 September 1964 - The Beatles arrived in Kansas City, MO around 1:45am. Staying at the Hotel Muehlebach with 15 police officers stationed throughout the building, they launched into another game of poker. *Photo by Curt Gunther
17 Sept 1964 - More than 40% of the entire Kansas City police force was to be on hand for the show. *Photo by Curt Gunther
17 Sept 1964 - They played at the Kansas City Municipal Stadium for a $150,000 performance which was sponsored by Charles O. Finley in front of over 20,000 fans. *Photo by Curt Gunther
17 Sept 1964 - That evening the Beatles gave Kansas City a press conference. *Photo by Curt Gunther
*Photos by Curt Gunther
17 Sept 1964 - Backstage before the concert promoter Charles O. Finley pleaded for the Beatles to play two extra songs "for Kansas City". "We never do more than eleven, Chuck," John said. "You never should have paid all that money, Chuck." It was the largest take for a single show in the history of show business at that time. *Photo by Curt Gunther
17 Sept 1964 - In the end the Beatles did give Chuck, and Kansas City, that one extra song, "Kansas City".
18 September 1964 - Because of what had happened with the assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas, no one wanted to stay any longer than necessary.
18 Sept 1964 - Moments after the Beatles arrived at the Cabana Motor Hotel in Dallas, a group of fans crushed up against a plate glass window breaking it, four of them getting cut up by the falling glass. Three were hospitalized. *Photo by Curt Gunther
18 Sept 1964 - Three American fans of the Dallas Beatle Fan Club were able to meet with the Beatles, talking for several hours, the last time such an intimate contact would be made this tour.
18 Sept 1964 - During the day, Neil Aspinall & Derek Taylor went to Neiman Marcus to purchase cowboy hats, shirts & boots for the Beatles. Brian Epstein received an antique telephone for his 30th birthday present. *Photo by Curt Gunther
18 Sept 1964 - There was another bomb threat, this one presumably planted inside the Dallas Memorial Coliseum, but the police only found fans hiding under the bandstand and in the washroom.
18 Sept 1964 - Also that day, one hospitalized 10 year old victim of a hit-and-run driver, Cheryl Howard, who was recovering at Methodist Hospital, received a phone call from Paul as did those who had fallen through the Cabana Hotel window. *Photo by Curt Gunther
18 Sept 1964 - The Dallas press conference, 7pm, backstage at the Dallas Memorial Coliseum. The last press conference in the United States....and they were relieved.
18 Sept 1964 - No matter what the Dallas police escort would do, the Beatles always seemed to wind up in the center of huge crowds.
18 Sept 1964 - Backstage, Ringo felt like he could "do another week" in the States as the others just stared at him, deadpan. (Beatles shown here with Clarence the Frog-man & Derek Taylor.) *Photo by Curt Gunther
Here's to hoping they come back next year!
*Almost all of the written information is from or inspired from the book "A Hard Day's Night in America" [Text by A.J.S. Rayl - Photographs by Curt Gunther] and where possible, credit is given via asterisk (*) to each photo taken by the author, Curt Gunther. Since I first read this great book in 1989, I marveled at all of the adventures the Beatles and their entourage encountered while on this American Tour and with the advent of the internet, I have satisfied a long-term dream of being able to fit a few more pieces of the story together via photographs located from a variety of sources. Not all credit is given, much I'm not able to find, however, the intention is simply to present a photographic memory of the Beatles' journey that Summer of 1964 by collecting all of these great photos into one place along with recorded interviews and surviving film found on YouTube. It is a piece of history that will never be repeated and my hopes are that this post only ignites more interest in the Beatles, and the book.
*********
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