1963, August

The Mercy Sound was well received as a sharply-observed documentary by critics and public alike, and at least 2 requests for copy prints were received, and complied with one being presented to the Lord Mayor of Liverpool for preservation in the city archive, the other going to what has siince become known as the National Film Archive, in London. Extracts have also been fed into numerous subsequent programs and documentaries around the world. And sound-only excerpts from the Beatles' speech element were also broadcast on radio - in the home service program "Pick of the week" on Friday, October 11, 1963.

One further extract transmission from "The Mersey Sound" as made in January 1964, a very important one, for it served as the Beatles' television debut in the USA, outside of news coverage.

The Beatles filmed outside Ringo's house, 10 Admiral Grove, Liverpool S. Ringo was filmed coming out through the front door, battling his way through a horde of kids (most of whom loooked around seven-years-old and seemed to have been put there by the television crew) and getting into George's open-top sports car, which then sped away with kids hanging onto the back. (Paul and John were at this shoot too, but did not participate in the sequence used). Ringo then shot a solo scene, in which - to realize his oft-stated long-term aspiration to become a ladies' hairdresser - was filmed walking along a line of women sitting under hair dryers in the salon situated within Horne Bros. clothing store in Lord Street, Liverpool City Centre.

During production, the documentary went under the working title "The Beatles", but this was altered before transmission to "The Mersey Sound", a more accurate reflection of its content, which also featured footage of an interview with many other groups and participants in the local beat scene. The first broadcast of Don Haworth's film was on Wednesday, October 9, 1963, between 10:10 and 10:40 pm, although it was screened only in London and the north on this occasion. A national transmission then took place on Wednesday, November 13, 1963 between 7:10 and 7:40 pm. Executives of the commercial station ATV were upset at the scheduling of the October 9th broadcast, being only four days before the Beatles would star in that comany's live variety show "Val Parnell's Saturday Night At the London Palladium", and they made their anger clear to Brian Epstein.

The Beatles filmed walking on the top deck of a ferry boat travelling between Liverpool Pier Head and Wallasey, signing autographs and looking over the bow. Then they shot footage at Speke Airport, South Liverpool, where they acted out an airport arrival, descending the steps of an airplane.

Again from 9:30 am, the Beatles filmed in a dressing room at the BBC's Dickenson Road premises in Manchester, frankly discussing their past and their aims and hopes for the future, considering that the present boom probably couldn't last much longer. They were also filmed applying theatrical make-up, as if they were about to go on stage for the previous day's "concert" shoot, and intently walking around backstage with their guitars, as if they were about to make a BBC television appearance.

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.

The Beatles - Odeon Cinema, Southport

The Beatles - ABC Theatre, Blackpool

Southern Independent Television Centre, Northam, Southampton, Hampshire

Six nights in Bournemouth, two shows each. It was during this week, athe their hotel in town, the Palace Court, that photographer Robert Freeman took the "half-shadow" cover photo for their next album, "With The Beatles".

On Wednesday, editing and mono mixing for the new LP took place back at EMI Studios, of songs (There's a devil in her heart), "Money (That's all I want)", "You really got a hold on me", "Please Mister Postman", "Till there was you", "Roll Over Beethoven", "All my Loving", and "It won't be long". The work was carried out from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00-5:30 pm, although the Beatles may have been present during the first session and part of the second, but they would have left by mid-afternoon to be back in Bournemouth by the evening.

On Thursday (lunchtime), the Beatles (again with Freeman) drove across to the Southampton studios of Southern Television, where - miming to "She Loves You", they taped an appearance on Southern's local news-magazine program, "Day By Day", broadcast that same evening between 5:55 and 6:40 pm.

Studio Three, EMI Studios, London

Gaumont Cinema, Westover Rd. Bournemouth, Hants

Alpha Telivision Studios, Aston, Birmingham

and Princess Theatre, Torbay Rd. Torquay, Devonshire

The Beatles drove south from Llandudno to Torquay, where they played two shows this evening, by way of the Alpha Television Studios in Aston, Birminham. Here, they rehearsed and taped an appearance on ABC Television's Lucky Stars (Summer Spin), hosted by Pete Murray and transmitted across most of Britain on Saturday, August 24, 6:05-6:45 pm. They mimed to both sides of their forthcoming single, "She Loves You" and "I'll Get You".

Studio Four, Granada TV Centre, Manchester

Six nights in concert on the north Wales coast, two "Houses" each. After the 2nd show on Tuesday, the Beatles returned to Liverpool and the next morning drove out across to the Granada TV Centre in Manchester, where - dressed not in suits but, unusually, in black polo-neck sweaters and jeans, they taped 2 separate song performances for broadcast in Granada's north-area news-magazine program "Scene At" 6:30. The first, "Twist and Shout", was transmitted this day (6:30-7:00 pm). The 2nd, "She Loves You", was retained for broadcast on Monday, August 19th at the same times.

Following the taping, the Beatles went back to Wales for the first Llandudno "House" of the evening.

The Beatles appeared August 12 to August 17th at The Odeon Cinema, Gloddeath Ave. Llandudno, Caernarvonshire

ABC Theatre, Blackpool

Springfield Ballroom, St. Saviour, Jersey

Back to Jersey for the last two nights of the Tuesday to Saturday Channel Islands engagement.

Auditorium, Candie Gardens, Candie Rd. St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands

The Beatles made the 30 mile journey across from Jersey to Guernsey in a 12 seater plane while their equipment was transported by ferry.

Springfield Ballroom, Janvrin Rd., St. Saviour, Jersey, Channel Islands

These nights were played in Jersey, promoted by John Smith. The Beatle's five nights in the Channel Islands earned them £1,000.

Urmston Show, Abbotsfield Park, Chassen Rd. Urmston, Lancashire

An interesting engagement - The Beatles headed a four act bill playing inside a huge marquee at this annual South Manchester "Bank Holiday" event, compered by David Hamilton.

Queen's Theatre, Blackpool

There were so many fans outside the Queen's, blocking all entrances front and back, the Beatles had to go through a builder's yard, up and across scaffolding, and across to the roof of the theatre, from which they were lowered into the wings through a trap in the roof.

Night Cavern Club, Liverpool

After close to 300 Beatles appearances at the Cavern Club, spanning two and a half years, this was the last! The venue had played perhaps the vital role in preparing them for "The Big Time" and now that time had come. Bob Wooler, the Cavern Club compere, remembers Brian Epstein promising that one day the Beatles would be back, but it was not to be.

Tickets for the performance went on sale on July 21st at 1:30 pm and by 2:00 pm were sold out. The Beatles fee was £300 - The first time they played at the Cavern it was £5.

Grafton Rooms, Liverpool

The Beatles returned to Merseyside after a 7-week absence to play for the last time at Grafton.

Playhouse Theatre, Manchester

Two more sessions for Pop Go The Beatles - editions 11 and 12 - broadcast in the BBC radio Light Programme on Tuesdays, August 27th and September 3rd between 5:00 and 5:29 pm. (The Beatles guests were Cyril Davie's Rhythm & Blues All-Stars featuring Long John Baldry, and Brian Poole and the Tremeloes.)

The recordings were made at the Playhouse Theatre in Manchester (without an audience, like all the shows in the series). They arrived at 12:00 noon for a rehearsal and then taped Program 11 between 1:30 and 4:00 and Program 12 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm.

In the eleventh show the Beatles performed "Twist and Shout". "Ohh! My Soul", "Don't Ever Change", "She Loves You", "Anna (Go to him)" and "A Shot of Rhythm and Blues".

For Program 12, the group taped "Lucille", "From Me To You", "I'll Get You", "Money (That's What I Want)", "Baby It's You", "There's a Place", "Honey Don't (John singing lead vocal) and "Roll Over Beethoven". "Lucille" and "Baby It's You" were omitted from the broadcast, however.