Lot 219
219
The Beatles
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The Beatles

Details
The Beatles
An interesting collection of material relating to The Beatles' concert at the Empire Theatre Liverpool, Saturday, 7th December, 1963, comprising:
- two mimeographed typescript rehearsal schedules for the BBC's It's The Beatles and Juke Box Jury programmes, Empire Theatre, Liverpool, Saturday 7th December, 1963, 33pp., the first page of the It's The Beatles schedule signed in pencil by all four Beatles -- 11½x7in. (29.2x17.8cm.), in common mount with a colour machine-print photograph of The Beatles on stage and a reproduction of a flyer, overall measurements -- 17¼x22¾in. (43.8x57.7cm.) framed;
- programme director, Barney Colehan's, copy of the floor plan of the Empire Theatre -- 40x30in. (101.6x76cm.);
- correspondence between Colehan and the H.N.R.P. concerning post-show reviews including two file copies of a 2pp. typescript memo from Colehan to the H.N.R.P. concerning the ...extreme adverse comment on The Beatles programme... caused primarily by lack of rehearsal time....I had worked out a complete shooting script, but when the actual recording started it was obvious from the wild behaviour and frantic screaming of the fans, that this sadly under-rehearsed programme would not go according to plan. The noise in the theatre was so deafening that The Beatles could not hear their own internal balance, and were therefore singing out of tune for some of the time. The camera crew could not hear my instructions due to the ear-splitting noise during "It's The Beatles"...I had to resort to bellowing down my microphone in order to convey any instructions whatsoever...; and the H.N.R.P.'s response in the form of a memo, 19th December, 1963, noting that Colehan's direction of the programme was...commended particularly in view of the difficulties...; and a memo from the BBC Head of Light Entertainment, reassuring Colehan...The conditions under which you had to work were obviously most difficult, and I would say totally unexpected, since I do not believe any of us had any idea of the disorganised frenzy that could take place during such a performance....this was an instant documentary showing a slice of life which, whether we like it or not, exists...; and
- a copy of the Radio Times, December 7-13th, 1963 featuring The Beatles on the cover advertising the It's The Beatles and Juke Box Jury shows, framed
Literature
M. Lewisohn, op. cit, 1992, p.132
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis

Lot Essay

The BBC's programme It's The Beatles was filmed during the afternoon concert at the Empire Theatre, Liverpool in front of an audience of 2,500 members of the Northern Area Fan Club. The same audience witnessed the BBC filming of the special edition of Juke Box Jury earlier in the afternoon featuring The Beatles as the panelists. The programme director, Barney Colehan, had been dismayed at the way in which he felt the concert had been organised purely for the benefit of the Fan Club members and that little or no attention had been paid by the organizers to the requirements of the film crew.

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