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The Beatles

 
 

 

 
 

Prod. Notes:


 

September 1965 - September 1968,  ABC

King Features Syndicate

 

Cast:

 

John Lennon ................................................................................ Paul Frees

George Harrison ........................................................................ Paul Frees

Paul McCartney .................................................................. Lance Percival

Ringo Starr .......................................................................... Lance Percival

 

 

Synopsis:

 


 
As if they needed more exposure in the year that "Help!" and "Yesterday" hit number one, The Beatles became more animated than ever when they hit the small screen in 1965. In doing so, they became the first living individuals to become regular cartoon characters on a network TV show. Perhaps not the distinction that the Fab Four were most proud of, but a distinction nonetheless.

The Beatles was short on plot, but big on music. Though the speaking voices were not authentic, each episode did feature a few actual Beatles recordings performed as music videos. For younger viewers, or for those who lived in a vacuum, the lyrics were shown on the bottom of the screen.

Almost every song the group had recorded through 1966 was used on the show, even the German version of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand." When not singing, John, Paul, George, and Ringo engaged in the cheeky Liverpoolian behavior that had come to be associated with the beloved group through their feature films A Hard Day's Night and Help!

The show, whose animation was done in the UK and Australia, shot to the top of the ratings in its first season, but fell into a “sophomore slump” the next. Unable to beat CBS' new Space Ghost, the show was moved and renamed The New Beatles, an ironic title considering that it consisted mostly of reruns. Unfortunately, moving the show to Sundays didn't do the trick, and finally, the producers decided to let it be.

Interestingly enough, the same company that provided the none-too-radical animation of the series, King Features, won the privilege of animating the beautiful 1968 Beatles feature, Yellow Submarine.

 


 

 
 
Episodes:
 

 

A Hard Day's Night / I Want To Hold Your Hand

Do You Want To Know A Secret / If I Fell

Please Mr. Postman / Devil In Her Heart

Not A Second Time / Slow Down

Baby's In Black / Misery

You've Really Got A Hold On Me / Chains

I'll Get You / Honey Don't

Any Time At All / Twist And Shout

Little Child / I'll Be Back

Long Tall Sally / I'll Cry Instead

I'll Follow The Sun / When I Get Home

Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby / I Should Have Known Better

I Wanna Be Your Man / I'm A Loser

Don't Bother Me / No Reply

I'm Happy Just To Dance With You / Mr. Moonlight

Can't Buy Me Love / It Won't Be Long

Anna / I Don't Want To Spoil The Party

Matchbox / Thank You Girl

With Love From Me To You / Boys

Dizzy Miss Lizzy / I Saw Her Standing There

What You're Doing / Money

Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand / She Loves You

Bad Boy / Tell Me Why

I Feel Fine / Hold Me Tight

Please Please Me / There's A Place

Roll Over Beethoven / Rock And Roll Music

Eight Days A Week / I'm Looking Through You

Help / We Can Work It Out

I'm Down / Run For Your Life

Drive My Car / Tell Me What You See

I Call Your Name / The Word

All My Loving / Day Tripper

Nowhere Man / Paperback Writer

Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields

And Your Bird Can Sing / Got To Get You Into My Life

Good Day Sunshine / Ticket To Ride

Taxman / Eleanor Rigby

Tomorrow Never Knows / I've Just Seen A Face

Wait / I'm Only Sleeping

 

 

 

 

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