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 Beatles,
The - The collective nickname
for British rock musicians John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George
Harrison and Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey), a.k.a. "The Fab
Four" who made their television debut on the CBS Network on
February 9, 1964 during a musical segment of the ED SULLIVAN
SHOW. The Trendex popularity poll calculated that 73,700,000
viewers watched The Beatles' historic debut on American
television. Their thirteen and a half minute performance
included the songs "All My Loving," "Till There Was You," "She
Loves You," "I Saw Her Standing There," and "I Want to Hold
Your Hand." The Beatles returned on February 16, 1964 with
similar ratings results. Their performance helped change the
attitudes of Americans to accept Rock and Roll as more
mainstream entertainment rather than the music of rebellious
teens and helped divert the American public from the tragedy
of President Kennedy's recent assassination.
Copies of this
historic performance are available to the public at the Museum
of Broadcasting in New York City. Of the 25,000 plus recorded
programs available to view at the museum, the Beatles debut is
consistently the most requested videotape recording.
The popularity
of The Beatles got them a gig on their own Saturday morning
cartoon series THE BEATLES/ABC/1965-69. Each five minute
episode featured the performance of two Beatles songs as our
lovely British lads had numerous adventures which included an
ocean cruise, a trip to Paris, rehearsal in a haunted caste,
an encounter with a leprechaun in a Dublin Ireland cottage,
being kidnapped by a mad scientist, a visit to a Texas ghost
town, a safari in Africa, a trip to an Indian reservation, a
visit to a museum in New York and a party in Greenwich
Village, a vacation in Bavaria and the Swiss Alps, and a
picnic in Spain. The voices of the Fab Four were provided by
Paul Frees as John and George and Lance Percival as Paul and
Ringo. The series (26 animated color episodes in 30 minute
format) was created by Al Brodax and Sylban Buck.
Ringo, John, Paul and George
Years later,
the NIKE footwear company used the group's song "Revolution"
(the fast version) on one of their 1987 commercials. This was
the first time a Beatle's song was used on television to
promote an advertiser.
At the age of
43, Ringo Starr was the first Beatle to appear in a US TV
commercial. He starred in the 1987 TV ads touting the Sun
Country Wine Classics in head-to-head competition with the
Bartles & Jaymes wine cooler commercials. The spots were
filmed in Nassau in December, 1986.
Ringo later
starred in the PBS children's program SHINING TIME STATION as
a tiny train conductor who lived inside an enchanted train
station painting.
In 1989-90,
Paul McCartney went on a world tour. He was seen on a Visa
Card commercial which promoted the tour.
In 1995 Ringo
Starr resurfaced in commercials for both a Discover "Private
Issue" designer credit card and a Pizza Hut spot where he
fools the audience into believing the Beatles are planning a
reunion. Of course, the musicians who show up are none other
than Davy Jones, Peter Tork and Mickey Dolenz of the Monkees.
Surprised, Ringo remarks "The wrong lads!"
And finally,
but sadly it must be remembered John Lennon was shot to death
in 1980 by a crazed fan across the street from his home at the
Dakota in New York City. A stone memorial displaying the
single word "Imagine" now rests in an area of Central Park
known as Strawberry Fields.
TRIVIA NOTE: Before "The
Beatles" were the "The Beatles" the group went though a number
of name changes. They began as
the Black Jacks, then
they were the Quarry Men,
Johnny and the Moondogs, the
Beatals (a play on Buddy Holly's Crickets),
the Nerk Twins (John and Paul duo),
the Silver Beetles,
the Silver Beats,
the Silver Beatles and finally they settled on name that
would gain them international fame...The Beatles.
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