I thought this newspaper article from 50 years ago today was quite interesting!
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| Photo by Henry Grossman |
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| photo by Henry Grossman |
Beatles Love Bahamas, but Feeling far from mutual
Tuesday March 9, 1965
Ocala Star-Banner
Back home in England the Beatles may be great, but since their arrival here they’ve done little to endear themselves to the press or public.
The entertainers got off to a bad start last December when Beatles George Harrison arrived with his girlfriend, Patti Boyd for a hush-hush week’s stay with Dr. W.T. Strach, the Beatles’ business manager.
Efforts by local officials then to keep reporters and fans away led to a near-riot at the airport.
When the four mop-tops arrived Feb. 22 to film a movie, they gave local fans the slip by being whisked from their plane in an automobile, not allowing even a glimpse of them.
Charges of “ignoring their fans” were denied by Brian Epstein, the Beatles’ personal manager, who claimed this was an arrangement by local authorities.
But the Beatles’ behavior here is generally resented. They’ve refused to pose for any photographers and fans have been unable to get autographs as the entertainers rush back and forth in fast cars and dodge autograph seekers.
Photographers have been subjected to foul language and the public generally has come in for similar treatment.
Tony Howard, their publicity manager, today denied reports that Ringo had burned the hand of Pete Gardner, manager of a restaurant, with a lighted cigarette.
“When I told Ringo about it, he went into a fit of laughter, saying he couldn’t understand how anyone would think he could do such a thing,” Howard said. “The whole thing was just a joke.”
Howard admitted that Ringo did gesture toward Gardner’s hand with a cigarette but he said he had no intentions of burning him.
In spite of the bad press they have received here, Howard said the Beatles loved the Bahamas and plan to return for a holiday as soon as their schedule permits.
Commenting on adverse publicity, Howard said, “I think they’ve come to expect this kind of thing. It probably happened because the people were getting a bit bored with all the nice things which have been said about the Beatles and the newspapers were just looking for a new angle. The boys feel that recent statements about them in print are quite wrong or vastly exaggerated and as far as they are concerned, they’ve clear consciences and nothing to regret.”
Filming of the movie, so far unnamed, has proceeded on schedule and the Beatles are due to leave Wednesday. Full preparations are being made to allow fans a good view of the Beatles on their departure. They will arrive at the airport an hour before scheduled takeoff
During the weekend the Beatles broke their daily “work and bed’ routine and dined with Sir Harold and Lady Christie on Friday and tourist minister Sir Stafford Sands on Saturday when they met the governor of the British Crown Colony, Sir Ralph and Lady Grey.