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Do not leave lights burning
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Grabbing a drink
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You could meet Paul!
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photo taken by Sara Schmidt |
So I got this come across my email and I knew that some of you would be interested in it, so I thought I would share the information. Best of luck!!!
http://www.prizeo.com/prizes/paul-mccartney/the-ultimate-concert-experience
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Memories of the Beatles "a Hard Day's Night" by Sara
During the month of July, when I am around, I am going to be focusing on the Beatles classic film, "a Hard Day's night." I have some great photos to share as well as fans memories that have been sent in to me over the past few months. If you have any memories of the film that you would like to share, it isn't too late! Just drop me an email. I am going to begin with my own memories of the film because hey, this is my blog.
We are all familiar with it. The opening chord and then the image of the boys running down the side-walk. It makes my heart race and for reasons I will never understand, I just want to let out a loud scream. After 25 years of being a Beatlemaniac, the movie A Hard Day’s Night still excites me. I must have seen it over 100 times by now and I have most of the dialogue memorized. I have bought it twice on VHS, once on DVD and plan on getting the new Blu-Ray DVD combo.
The first time I ever saw the classic Beatles movie was in 1989. I was in the 7th grade and it was the end of the school year. Like many teachers, my music teacher ended the school year by showing movies. He showed A Hard Day’s Night and Help! to finish off the year. While I wasn’t able to watch the film in one sitting and I had a difficult time hearing it over the chatter of middle school kids as well as being unfamiliar with the Liverpudlian accent, there was just something about it that I really enjoyed. I thought it was funny and the music was great. I knew I had to watch it again.
It must have been shown on the Disney channel or PBS or somewhere, because I recorded it off the TV and the tracking was terrible, but it was that bad VHS copy that I watched over and over again. I learned the lines, laughed and sang along. Then for the 30th anniversary of the Beatles coming to America, a home video collection box set was released. I was able to get “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Help!” and “Magical Mystery Tour” all on VHS in a box set. It was sort of confusing to me because it started with “I’ll Cry Instead” and I was not sure if it was supposed to begin with that song, as I hadn’t recorded it off the television that way. It was also around this time that I bought the book version of the script from a used book store and I would follow along while watching the film. In the summer after I graduated from high school I went to my first Beatle convention and they were showing all of the Beatles movies during the weekend. It was so much fun to watch “A Hard Day’s Night” on the big screen with other fans and to my amazement, they were screaming and cheering and participating with the movie. When I was 18, I had to get my wisdom teeth taken out and I was in a lot of pain. My mom put in my good old VHS copy of A Hard Day’s Night and remember wanting to laugh, but it hurt too much.
I brought the movie with me to college and my friends and I enjoyed watching it and my other Beatle films over and over again. We began quoting the movies and “grotty” quickly became part of our daily vocabulary as well as other “Beatleisms.” It really was amazing that “A Hard Day’s Night” was something that I could watch and not get tired of. I knew exactly what was going to happen and yet I still found it fresh and funny. When the “Making of A Hard Day’s Night” VHS came out, I loved hearing about some of the inside stories and jokes around the movie.
And so basically “AHDN” became part of my Beatle-fan life. I would watch it at Beatle conventions and a couple of times at home. And whenever it was re-released, I would watch it and buy it. The scenes are ingrained into my brain.
In early 2001, I went to a movie theater in St. Louis and for the first time ever I actually paid to see A Hard Day’s Night on the big screen. It was really amazing! The excitement was still there and everyone applauded when the film was over. This re-release came out on DVD a few years later and I had to get it in this new format.
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Photo from the 2001 re-release |
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Poster from the 2001 re-release |
In 2010 and again in 2013, I traveled to London and some of my favorite spots were locations where A Hard Day’s Night was made in 1964. Places such as Marylebone Station and the Turk’s Head pub look almost identical to how they looked in the movie.
This past Saturday I went again to see the film at the movie theater. There was only one theater in St. Louis that was showing the movie and thank goodness for GPS, because I couldn’t have found it otherwise. I went with my boyfriend, Shawn, who isn’t a Beatles fan and had never seen the movie before.
Sara with her Diet Coke and the poster for the movie |
The first thing I noticed about this remastered version was how crystal clear the movie looked. I noticed things that I had never noticed before. Nothing huge or earth shattering to report, but just little things. One thing I had always been told was that my favorite Beatle person, Mal Evans was seen in the movie carrying a bass during the scene where John is talking to a woman about looking like “him.” In watching this version, I came to think it might not be Mal after all. This fellow has different glasses and different hair than Mal did in 1964 and his jaw line doesn’t look the same. Now, I could be wrong, but it sure didn’t look like the gentle giant that I have came to adore.
It also was extremely clear that when asked about his hobbies, John wrote a word that ended in “its.” I remember debates going wild on line about that topic in the late 1990’s. The sound was also very clear and crisp. I would love to always hear the Beatles sing that way!
I do want to add that this was my first time watching “A Hard Day’s Night” with popcorn and I had to hand my popcorn over because was getting too excited and thought I would spill it.
My boyfriend overall enjoyed the film. He thought the acting was a little bad, but he said that he could appreciate it for what it was. He said that for a black and white older movie, it was one of the best that he had seen. He also said that if he had seen the movie alone, he would have given it a 5/10 but sitting next to me, who was so excited throughout the whole movie, moved it up to an 8/10. But then he has to say nice things about it, doesn’t he?
I would say that you do not need to go see the movie at the movie theater on the big screen unless you just want to see it for the fun of it. However, if the new DVD / Blu-ray is as clear as what I saw, then it is a necessity for all Beatle fans to include in their collections.
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Showing her stamp collection
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A Hard Day's Fish eye lens
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Action!
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A Beatle-eye view
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A Hard Day's Night in Liverpool
Today marks the 50th anniversary of when the Beatles came back to Liverpool for the Northern England premiere of a Hard Day's Night. I have typed up a story from a magazine that I found about this event.
The Beatles came back home to Liverpool to a civic welcome last night and it was a welcome fit for royalty. Thousands of men, women and children lined the eight-mile route from the airport to the town hall.
It was “yeah yeah yeah” all the way.
Teenage fans wearing multicoloured paper hats and waving flags and streamers jammed the city centre.
Traffic was halted as hundreds of police linked arms to hold back the screaming fans. Ringo, Paul, George and John, in a closed-in limousine, smiled and waved to the crowds with the typical gestures of a royal visitor.
Shop windows in the city centre were emptied of models and crowded with girls instead. Others leaned form office windows and shouted a welcome home from the rooftops. All police leave was cancelled and every available policeman was on duty. Said a police spokesman, “It is for all the world like a royal visit. The city has gone crazy.”
Twenty police outriders escorted the Beatles, driving at snail’s pace because of the crowds. They were followed by a procession of cars, motorcyclists and teenage boys and girls on cycles.
More than 1,500 people crowded the airport rooftop chanting a welcome home to the four Liverpool boys. As they stepped from the red and white Britannia aircraft at 5:25 the screams of the teenagers almost drowned the jet engines.
Each carried a bouquet of flowers given to them by hostesses on the British Eagles plane—a routine flight bringing 80 passengers from London. The Beatles were besieged and it took nearly 50 policemen to escort them to the airport reception room.
Paul’s father, Mr. James McCartney, talked to him about his new horse Drake’s Drum, and its chances at Chester today. Said Paul, “Don’t let the kids waste their money back that.”
Are the Beatles on the slide? Said Paul, “They have been saying that for nearly a year. But since then all our records have sold and we have made a film. We all love filming and will probably make another one.”
The Lord Mayor, Alderman Louis Caplan, and 500 guests were kept waiting at the town hall. Protocol was swept aside when the Beatles arrived. A cheer went up and aldermen and councilors, their wives and children had to fight to stay on their feet.
George’s mother, Mrs. Louise Harrison, stayed in the background sipping a drink, and said, “in my wildest dreams I did not think the reception would be anything like this. But the boys deserve it.”
Mrs. Bessie Braddock, M.P. was among the crowds and said, “They are a credit to the city. Juvenile delinquency would be almost non-existent if other boys took a leaf from the Beatles’ book.”
The Lord Mayor went on the balcony with the boys and said, “There is no doubt about how the city feels about these four great ambassadors of ours. I have had letters from all parts of the world about them. They are an inspiration to the youth of the city and throughout the world. “
Paul stepped forward first and said, “Thank you for the drinks and the magnificent reception. Aunty Millie and Uncle Joe are all here. This is our best ever welcome.”
Ringo shouted a “Hullo” to “fellow wackers”
John said the giant cake they had been given would go to a hospital because “we are slimming.”
And George simply said, ‘We are doing our best.”
The adulation carried on outside the Odeon Cinema, where the Beatles went for the Northern premiere of the film, A Hard Day’s Night. The Beatles were given a hysterical welcome inside the cinema with squeals even from the five-guinea seat elite.
Said Ringo, “People kept coming to us down in London saying we were finished in Liverpool. But we proved them wrong—didn’t we, kids?” There was uproar. Fortunately between the audience and the stage was the massed Liverpool City Police Band.
The premiere audience was held back after the show while attempts were made to sort out an argument in the foyer in which blows were struck. A gray-haired elderly man in an expensive lightweight suit, sleeves rolled up, was seen struggling on the staircase leading from the circle, held by four men. A smaller man in grey joined in the argument when it reached the foyer. When blows were exchanged he was cut on the side of the mouth.
Said a member of the cinema staff, “We had been trying to get both men to leave the staircase clear, but they refused to move and it developed into a scene.”
As the Beatles made their escape from the cinema, mounted police were called to help the attendants to deal with a crowd of more than 500 fans outside.
Paul shown a copy of a yellow leaflet which had been distributed in Liverpool all day, said “The matter is in the hands of my legal advisers. But I am surprised and distressed that this should happen on this, our most wonderful day.” The leaflet raid was discovered by Liverpool city police at 8 am yesterday. Copies of the printed anti-Beatle text directed against Paul McCartney were found on pavements in all parts of the city. Liverpool’s deputy chief constable Mr. Herbert Balmer said, “We are making inquiries.” Hundreds of members of the public telephoned the police about the leaflets, complaining of a disgraceful attack timed for the Beatles’ homecoming.
Police checked on the printer and publisher of the leaflet and found an address in Literland, near Liverpool, to be fictitious. Said Brian Epstein, the Beatles’ manager, “The matter is in the hands of our lawyers.” Mr. Bob Houghton, a 39 year old waiter said last night, “I have admitted to the police that I am the author of the leaflet.” He said that 20,000 leaflets had been printed and handed out in all parts of the city.
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Liverpool Fans
When you think about the sheer number of fans who came out to see the Beatles when they returned to Liverpool for the Northern premiere of their film, it is amazing. 200,000 people were in the town to welcome the Beatles back home. Pretty staggering amount, especially considering that the Beatles were worried about what type of reception they would get in Liverpool since they had left it for London.
There are some great quotes from people who were there at the Beatles Bible:
" I was only 7 years old at the time but my mum took me down to see the beatles coming home. We stood { i think) on the corner of William Brown St and I saw them go past in a car. One of the memories I have is John Lennon turning around and looking out of the back window." - Gary
"My sister took me down to Liverpool Town Hall to see them. I was 6 at the time. She didn’t want to take me, I think my mum made her because she had something to do. My sister lifted me on to the windowsill of the old Midland Bank opposite the Town Hall. It was a big, black sandstone building in those days. Anyway, she left me there amongst the thousands of screaming fans and I was very traumatised by the experience. I could see them quite clearly on the balcony and hear them speak but don’t remember what they said, think I was crying." -- Jan
"In 1964 I was 9 and I missed my friends going to see the Beatles at The Odeon in London Rd. arriving for the Premiere of a Hard Day’s Night and walked down on my own to London Rd to look for them. There was so many people and crowds and noise but I got a great spec., facing the Odeon. A double decker bus arrived and out got Violet Carson, Ena Sharples from Coronation St., Lionel Blair and Anita Harris one of his dancers, and I think Mike and Bernie Winters, I don’t remember any others now but I didn’t get to see the Beatles or my friends so I went home feeling very cheated!!" -- Maria
There are some great quotes from people who were there at the Beatles Bible:
" I was only 7 years old at the time but my mum took me down to see the beatles coming home. We stood { i think) on the corner of William Brown St and I saw them go past in a car. One of the memories I have is John Lennon turning around and looking out of the back window." - Gary
"My sister took me down to Liverpool Town Hall to see them. I was 6 at the time. She didn’t want to take me, I think my mum made her because she had something to do. My sister lifted me on to the windowsill of the old Midland Bank opposite the Town Hall. It was a big, black sandstone building in those days. Anyway, she left me there amongst the thousands of screaming fans and I was very traumatised by the experience. I could see them quite clearly on the balcony and hear them speak but don’t remember what they said, think I was crying." -- Jan
"In 1964 I was 9 and I missed my friends going to see the Beatles at The Odeon in London Rd. arriving for the Premiere of a Hard Day’s Night and walked down on my own to London Rd to look for them. There was so many people and crowds and noise but I got a great spec., facing the Odeon. A double decker bus arrived and out got Violet Carson, Ena Sharples from Coronation St., Lionel Blair and Anita Harris one of his dancers, and I think Mike and Bernie Winters, I don’t remember any others now but I didn’t get to see the Beatles or my friends so I went home feeling very cheated!!" -- Maria
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The Beatle dress
I am not sure if this was something special for the premiere of "A Hard Day's Night" in London on July 6 1964, or if it was something that happened in all of the major cities. But the girls that were hired (or volunteered) to be vendors at the movie and sell programs and souvenirs all wore these Beatles dresses.
For the London premiere, 12 girls in their late teens/early 20's were chosen to be the vendors where they wore the dresses that were either blue or pink. There appears to be 3 different styles. After the movie, they all were allowed to go back to the Dorchester and attend the party with the Beatles. Many of the girls got their dresses signed by the 4 Beatles (see photo). These dresses were sold at department stores and through catalogs later in 1964.
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My Three days with the Beatles
Tina Williams was one of the school girls in "A Hard Day's Night." This is a story that she wrote for "16" magazine about her experience working with the Beatles on the film. I do not always think that the things in "16" in the 1960's were true because they sugar-coated a lot of the stories and told just false information, but this seems like a pretty good telling.
My 3 Days with the Beatles
By Tina Williams
September 1964 16 Magazine
It was almost like a dream come true – in fact it was – the morning I heard that I was one of the girls chosen to make a film with those fabulous Beatles!
How did it all start?
Well, as a student of the Aida Foster School, I was asked to attend an audition with the producer, director and cast director of the film. But when I saw the number of girls on a list who were also to be auditioned, I gave up all hopes of getting the job. Nevertheless, I put on my best bib and tucker and sallied forth.
At the film company’s plush Mayfair headquarters, I was shown into the producer’s office. I was asked all sorts of questions -- “What work have you done before?” “Do you like the Beatles?” Just ordinary questions. And that was that! To be honest, I didn’t give the matter another thought. That was until the morning I heard that I had been give the role. I couldn’t believe it! I was even more pleased when I heard that my friend, Susan (who attends the same acting school I do), had also been selected. We had both waited three weeks to hear that we were in. But it didn’t seem that long because we didn’t worry about it. It’s no good biting your fingernails all the time. What was the point?
Then we were told, very casually, to report for filming in three days’ time! Those three days seemed like three weeks! I was so excited; I couldn’t wait to get started. Then we heard that we were all to be crowded on a train which had been hired for the filming – destination unknown! All we were told was to report to the Paddington Station and that we would return about seven in the evening.
Came the big day, I’d hardly slept all the night before! Later, I discovered that in my colossal rush to get ready, I had left my purse, with my money inside, at home – which led to several embarrassments!
I said goodbye to my parents and joked, “Well, I’m off now. Gotta date with the Beatles!” I felt nine feet tall and actually I’m only five feet five!
So there I was on my way to Paddington. Then I realized I had no money with me! It was getting late and I just dared not miss that train. Can you imagine keeping the Beatles and everyone else waiting just for me? Luckily , I had some small change in my coat pocket which was enough to get me to Paddington Station.
Naturally, the first thing I looked for when I arrived were those four fabulous fringes. But they weren’t to be seen anywhere. I joined up with the other girls and we boarded the train. But still no sign of a Beatle anywhere. Hello, I thought to myself, you’re not even going to meet them. You know how films are made! All in little bits and pieces and all over the place. But then I thought, well, we must meet them sometime, because we are playing the parts of fans who discover in the film that they are on the train and we run up and down the corridors looking for them, until finally we corner them in a carriage.
The train started on its journey. “When are we going to meet the Beatles?” We asked someone. “Don’t worry, girls, you will!” He said. The train stopped at Westbourne Park, just outside Paddington, and at last we heard that the boys had boarded the train. It was all so secret. No one apart from a handful of people were to know of their movements that day. It was, of course, very necessary to keep things quiet. Can you imagine what might have happened if the Beatles had suddenly turned up at Paddington Station? British Railways would have been thrown into complete chaos!
But we still had to wait three hours before seeing the boys! Then all at once they burst into our compartment. “Hello girls!” They all shouted. I was dumb-struck for a second. I couldn’t say anything.
They all looked great, especially Paul. He’s so handsome when you meet him face to face. Almost immediately, I found myself talking to Paul, George John and Ringo as though I’d known them for a long, long time. It’s the way they make you feel. They’re all so warm and friendly. I thought that perhaps they wouldn’t talk to us, except in the scenes we play with them, but this wasn’t so. They have no “big star” temperament at all. They are just four ordinary fellas who enjoy life. And they proved to be so much fun!
We were to spend a whole day with tem and another two days at Twickenham studios. We had lunch and tea with them on the train and both meals were quite a riot. You know it’s almost impossible not to roar your head off when you’re in their company. The jokes seem to flow all the time. Those three days were really the craziest I have ever spent. I thought Ringo was the funniest and the most friendly. He says such funny things.
“I can do things for you, kid.” He said to me in an American accent.
“Like what?” I asked.
“Get you into films, make you a big movie star and all that jazz!”
So I said in return, “O.K., then I’ll get you onto a Beatles record. I know them, you know.” They we’d burst out laughing together.
One time, when Sue and I were leaving the carriage after completing one of the scenes, there was a sudden jolt of the train and we both fell over on top of the boys, catching our new nylons in the process. And you know how awful your skin looks when it comes poking out of the little holes in your stockings. Ringo took one look and said, “You ought to do something about them warts!”
John offered to buy us some new stockings and he even wrote down our sizes! Wonder if he’ll remember.
Came the time (on that first day) when I wanted to buy myself a coffee, and as I had left my money at home, I asked one of the girls if she would lend me a couple of bob. Ringo overheard. He called his personal assistant-secretary-casher and mall of all work over and told him to lend me some money.
That when I found out that the boys never carry money around with them! Mal carries it. He does everything to see that the boys are organized and well looked after. Mal is their road manager and a real sweetie. He took a whole wad of five-pound notes from his pocked! Actually I felt a bit of a Charlie—I only wanted five shillings, but I paid him back later. I hate ever to be in debt to the Beatles!
The film is going to be quite a riot. We watched several very amusing scenes being filmed on the train. For instance, John is involved in a very funny scene with us in a railway carriage, where he is mistaken for an escaped convict – and he’s even handcuffed.
Ringo also has some very amusing scenes, where he goes into a pub and everything goes wrong for him. He wants so much to join in on the fun that everyone else is having, but things don’t work out that way. At one point he joins in a game of darts and one of the darts lands up in somebody’s sandwich!
Actually, it’s been hilarious watching them during takes. In the middle of one scene, in the studios, John suddenly looked up at the hole in the roof and cried out, “There’s a man up there holding a mike,” in a goonish voice. On another occasion we had a dog on the set that wouldn’t do as it was told. The boys were very patient until the dog finally played the scene the way it was required. Then John turned to the dog, patted it and said, “Now the dog will sip sinc to my next number!” Everyone was in stitches.
Haven’t said much about George, have I? Well, George is a deeper character than the other three. He’s the quiet one. Poor fella can’t get a word in edgeways with Paul, John and Ringo around, anyway!
He’s so rugged looking, is George—even more so in person than in his pictures. He and Ringo share a Mayfair flat, but they were talking of moving soon. The other night a group of girls started signing outside their place. They sang “Glad all over” and whistled “Bits and Pieces” – you know Dave Clark’s hits. George said jokingly, “I rang up the police so Ringo could get a good night’s sleep. Of course, if they had been singing our songs, we wouldn’t have sent for bobbies. But Dave Clark? Well…”
You know it was quite flattering, leaving the studios after a day’s shooting. There were always a crowd of Beatle fans waiting outside. The girls would ask me all sorts of questions about the boys, and soon I got to know them quite well.
My father came down to the stuidios to pick me up by car at night, and ti was amusing on one occasion when the fans started talking to him while he waited. One of them went up to him and said, “The Beatles will be out soon.”
“How do you know?” asked my father.
“Tina says so,” she replied.
Dad smiled and said, “Tina who?”
Then the girls chorused, “Tina Williams, of course!” Can that be fame, at last?
Seriously, though, I really did have the time of my life working with them. They are, and I really do mean this, a fabulous bunch of boys when you get to know them as I did. On my last day’s filming, we were having pictures taken and I was asked, along with three other girls, to pose combing the boys’ hair. Ringo was my man. Afterwards, they offered us girls a job as their hairdressers. But again they were joking. At least I think so. That’s the uncertain thing about the Beatles. You can’t tell when they are joking or when they’re being serious.
The film is an experience I’ll never forget. I can’t wait to see it and neither, I except can you!
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Behind the scenes
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Horse Doggin' --- a book review
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John and Yoko (with 2 other people) in 1971--around the time Dave Morrell first talked to them. |
Luckily for us, Dave has began writing his stories in a new series of books. The first book has been released this summer and it is called Horse Doggin': Dave Morrell Archives Volume 1. It begins in 1971, when Dave graduated from high school and goes through 1973. In those three short years, Dave had more amazing things happen to him than you would imagine.
Dave tells the stories of his encounters with John Lennon in late 1971 and into 1972. They are the stories that you will find on this blog, but instead of someone else writing about what happened, Dave himself is telling the story. Many of the little questions I had about what happened were answered in this book because he was there.
What I liked about the book was that it was a time machine of sorts and really took me back in time to New York City in the early 1970's and what it was like to be a Beatles fan then. John Lennon and Yoko Ono were new to the city and fans were seeing them out and about for the very first time. The Beatles fandom of collecting rare music and films on bootlegs was beginning to really take off and no one was completely sure what was what. It must have been such a fun and exciting time for fans and I enjoyed being able to appreciate that through this book. Dave became a super collector and was getting rare Beatles materials and collectables at every chance.
Overall it was an easy book to read. There is a lot of great humor in the book and you will laugh on several occasions. Being a reading teacher and all, I tend to read quickly, so I was able to read this book in one sitting. It really is a good book to add to your summer reading list and grab it to take with you to the beach or to read while on a plane or car (if you can read in the car....I can't). While a lot of the focus is on the Beatles, there are some stories about other performers in New York during the early 1970's.
I am anxious to read the rest of Dave's books and I am especially looking forward to Volume IV "The Photograph book." Doesn't that sound awesome? But next volume is 1974, which is a great year for more John Lennon stories!
If you would like to buy Dave Morrell's book Horse Doggin' it is available from amazon in paperback and on ebook.
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Vending
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Fans on the set
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The Original Fans on the run
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Mystery poster
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Paul stops for ice cream
Once again here is the proof that you never know when you might spot one of the Beatles out and about. Just last night, Paul McCartney was seen at an ice cream shop in Omaha, Nebraska. He had already had diner at an Italian place and then went to the ice cream shop for some vanilla ice cream for desert. And he just stood there in line like anyone else and sat on a bench outside and enjoyed the treat with Nancy and Waren Buffet (of all people). I can't make this stuff up! There is an article about it here.
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Paul appears to be asking for directions |
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Yeah---we know who it is. |
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I love this kid and his "sneaky" photo with Paul. Paul knows what he is doing. |
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Gas is a lot cheaper in Omaha than it is here in Illinois! |
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Just waiting in line to buy ice cream. |
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A Hard Day's Night in London
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