The Beatles (animated series)
Encyclopedia
The Beatles is an American
animated television series featuring the fanciful and musical misadventures of the popular English
rock band of the same name
. It ran from 1965 to 1969 on ABC
in the US (only 1965 to 1967 was first run; later transmissions were reruns). The series debuted on September 25, 1965 and ended on September 7, 1969. A total of 39 episodes were produced. The series was shown on Saturday mornings at 10:30 AM EST until the 1967 third season when it was moved to 12:00 PM EST. For the fourth season, which consisted of reruns, the series was shown at 9:30 AM EST on Sunday mornings. Each episode has a name of a Beatles song, so the story is based on its lyrics and it is also played at some time in the episode. The original series was rebroadcast in syndication by MTV
in 1986 and 1987 and on the Disney Channel
. The series was a historical milestone as the first weekly television series to feature animated versions of real, living people.
The series became notorious for its static depiction of the band in their early "moptop-and-suit" look as depicted in the live action film, A Hard Day's Night
, even though the band moved beyond it during the series' run. The producers did attempt to acknowledge the band members' contemporary appearances with photographs of them in the series' title sequence
s during its production run.
The band members themselves had nothing to do with the series' production beyond the use of their music recordings. American actor Paul Frees
did the voices of John
and George
while Lance Percival
(of the Carry On
series) did the voices of Paul
and Ringo
. Frees had been the voice of Boris Badenov
in the Rocky and Bullwinkle series. At first, The Beatles disliked the series. It is reported, however, that the band members enjoyed the cartoons in later years. Their views of the cartoon series discouraged them from participating significantly in the later animated feature film, Yellow Submarine. Only when the band saw and were impressed by the Yellow Submarine' s finished footage did they realize the film was a more ambitious creation. As a result, they agreed to appear in a short live action epilogue for it. In fact, Yellow Submarine producer Al Brodax
and director George Dunning
were involved in the production both of the animated series and of Yellow Submarine.
Initially, the open credits theme was a guitar riff from "A Hard Day's Night
" segueing into "Can't Buy Me Love
", over a cartoon sequence of the group running down a fire escape, echoing a scene in A Hard Day's Night. The second season's opening theme was "Help!
", while the third season's theme was "And Your Bird Can Sing
", over a different cartoon sequence.
Although uncredited, Dennis Marks
, along with Jack Mendelsohn
, Heywood Kling and Bruce Howard, wrote all 39 episodes of The Beatles series.
Most of the episodes of the series were produced by Artransa Park Studios in Sydney
, New South Wales
, Australia
and George Dunning's company TVC Animation in London, with a handful of episodes made in Hollywood, with a crew supervised by veteran cartoon writer John W. Dunn
.
and Paul
wearing a blue collar-less suit and tie while George
and Ringo
wore navy blue shirts and light blue, blue blazer jackets, all of them wearing matching drainpipe trousers and Beatle Boots
.
He tends to use sarcastic, dry, cheeky humor. He is extremely lazy and overly laid-back. Yet he truly cares about the band members and will do anything for them. John comes out with funny comments that are bound to make children laugh such as:
John: "You better lie down, Ringo. You look white as a sheet!"
The sheet: "Did someone call me?"
He uses his hands, with his fingers spread apart, to express himself when talking. He is the one to get excited whenever John suggests something. He always looks straight at whoever he's talking to. His face is very fine, with his eyebrows wide and far apart and his eyes partly closed in an almost mockingly sad expression and they will only open fully when he is excited. Paul sits like he's about to jump out and get on with whatever is happening. He does not really walk, he skips. When he is making his own suggestions or comments, especially when suggesting mischief, he covers up by assuming a mockingly innocent look; eyes wide and head tilted to one side. Whenever he gets especially excited he will put his hand in his mouth.
Being John's "follower", he, like John, is often malicious and cynical especially towards George and Ringo. Also like John, Paul uses a dry and sarcastic humour and is extremely lazy and overly laid-back. In spite of this, he will always help somebody when needed. Paul, along with Ringo, are the only Beatles who sound closest to their real-life counterparts.
His character is the only left-handed, while in real life both he and Ringo use their left hands.
He often uses dry, witty humour and succumbs to peer pressure. George is the only Beatle with a diverse accent that does not really fit with any accent in particular. George has been shown to be fascinated with various cultures and is occasionally superstitious. He and Ringo are almost always made to do the work for John and Paul, such as in the episode Do You Want to Know a Secret, they were the only ones carrying in the bands' extensive luggage into their vacation cottage. He cares a lot about the group members and will help them when they need him.
He is the smallest Beatle with a disjointed Groucho Marx
-like figure. His neck is thin and gets smaller as it reaches the base of his neck, with his small chin sticking out a little, which is evidence of his disjointed figure. When he walks, his feet, legs, knees, arms and hands move loosely. Being responsible for the show's light-hearted humorous, or slapstick comical relief, after having bodily harm of any kind, his figure is crooked, bent or twisted into an, sometimes, unusual position. His clothes also often look a bit too big, especially his Beatle Boots and Blue Blazer Jacket.
During the song portions of the episodes (not the sing-along segments), he often shakes his head and mop-top around with a goofy expression when drumming. He gets along best with George, and he, like George, shows interest in various cultures. He often makes bad puns and jokes (usually he's the only one laughing). During the introductions to the Sing-Along segments he substitutes for the prop-man (who is either on vacation, out sick or just not there) and sets the stage, literally, to John, Paul, or George's description, and more often than not, to their surprise or chagrin.
He is often the butt of the joke, victim of a prank, or just simply has bad luck. Ringo's character tends to have bad luck, often because of his naivety, curiosity and being unaware of the danger, mistake or threat. In the episode "Good Day Sunshine", he becomes depressed and upset, thinking he is a jinx
for misfortunes, such as that it rained at Carny Island on The Beatles' weekends, (i.e. it rained at the piers fair every time Ringo arrived) and was described in that episode as being a "sourpuss". He felt better after John, Paul, and George sang "Good Day Sunshine
" for him, and showed him how to have fun again.
It is revealed in "Money" that Ringo's mother dropped him as a baby.
Ringo, like Paul, is also left-handed, although in 'I'll Be Back' Ringo plays a guitar right-handed.
as he grounds the Beatles for gaining so much weight after dining on the French cooking. Brian, himself, along with the other real-life Beatles, appear in a lost deleted scene featuring the production of the animated Beatles cartoons at the end.
His fictionalized animated version of himself's appearance and habit of smoking is a homage and based on the animated series' creator, Al Brodax
.
The Beatles are in Transylvania rehearsing in a haunted house with
"monstrous" visitors; To hide from their fans, The Beatles run inside a diving bell
which drops them into the ocean with a lovesick octopus.
Sing Along: Not A Second Time/Devil In Her Heart
2. Do You Want To Know A Secret/If I Fell:
The Beatles go to Dublin, Ireland for the weekend where they meet
a leprechaun named Willomena Morris; John is kidnapped by Dr.
Dora Florahyde and Igor, both of whom want John's brain for their
monster.
Sing Along: A Hard Day's Night/I Want To Hold Your Hand
3. Please Mr. Postman/Devil In Her Heart:
Ringo loses 15 rings he bought with all of the Beatles' spendings and
they are expecting a telegram from their manager Brian Epstein
for
more money; Ringo wanders into the woods in Transylvania where
he meets a witch who wants Ringo for a husband.
Sing Along: If I Fell/Do You Want To Know A Secret
4. Not A Second Time/Slow Down:
The Beatles abandon their flight and land in Africa while trying to
get away from their fans, but three girls keep tracking them down.
They later encounter a few crocodiles; The Beatles are on the way to
the town Ringo Ravene (named after Ringo) until they encounter a donkey
that smells gold named "Gold Nose".
Sing Along: Baby's In Black/Misery
5. Baby's In Black/Misery:
Paul gets kidnapped by Professor Psycho who wants Paul to marry his
creation Vampiress, half girl and half bat; The Beatles go to a wax
museum where a vampire follows them.
Sing Along: I'll Get You/Chains
6. You've Really Got A Hold On Me/Chains:
In Africa, Ringo asks a medicine maker named Jack to help fix the
Beatles' flat tire. He then turns a worm into a snake and it lusts
for Ringo; After getting knocked out, Ringo dreams about himself as
Captain William Bligh
from the movie Mutiny on the Bounty
(1962).
Sing Along: Slow Down/Honey Don't
7. I'll Get You/Honey Don't:
The Beatles run into hunter Alan Watermain in Africa after escaping from their
fans and go out hunting for a lion; Ringo is mistaken as a bull rider,
and the cowboys send him to ride on a toughest bull named Honey.
Sing Along: You've Really Got A Hold On Me/Any Time At All
8. Anytime At All/Twist And Shout:
The Beatles imagine themselves as the Three Musketeers (Plus One) while
they are on a tour at a museum in France; The Beatles attend an art show
where a girl tries to be like other artists. They inspire her with music.
Sing Along: I'll Be Back/Little Child
9. Little Child/I'll Be Back:
An Indian girl on a Texas reservation wants to prove that girls are as good at trapping
as boys are by trapping the Beatles; The mayor of a Texas town gives Ringo
a golden guitar as a gift, only to be stolen by three men, prompting the
Fab Four to hunt for the thieves and get the guitar back.
Sing Along: Long Tall Sally/Twist And Shout
10. Long Tall Sally/I'll Cry Instead:
The Beatles stay at a castle for the night during a fog. John and Ringo
try on a couple of cursed armor suits and start to fight each other;
After signing too many autographs in Japan, George's hand gets swollen and suffers "autographitis". His bandmates take him to a hand doctor but end up in a karate class by mistake.
Sing Along: I'll Follow The Sun/When I Get Home
11. I'll Follow The Sun/When I Get Home:
The Beatles' car breaks down and they are captured by a highwayman who
happens to be a car repair man; The Beatles explore the Notre
Dame in France where they later meet its famous hunchback Quasimodo
.
Sing Along: I'll Cry Instead/Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby
12. Everybody's Trying To be My Baby/I Should Have Known Better:
The Beatles, spending the night at a temple in Japan during a rainstorm, are
mistaken for Japanese ancestors of four girls; The Beatles are in
Rome trying to find a theatre to rehearse. Their last choice is the Coliseum.
Sing Along: I'm A Loser/I Wanna Be Your Man
13. I'm A Loser/I Wanna Be Your Man:
In Hollywood, Ringo gets hired as a stuntman by Incredible Pictures Inc. and ends up in the
hospital after getting pulverized in many scenes; In Rome, The Beatles
buy a statue of the Goddess of Musica made from stolen gold
coins melted down and sculptured.
Sing Along: No Reply/I'm Happy Just To Dance With You
14. Don't Bother Me/No Reply:
In Rome, Italy, The Beatles are being followed by two spies who are
after their songbook, "New Beatle Songs", marked "Top Secret". The Beatles movie Help!
and Oddjob from the James Bond
movie Goldfinger
are spoofed; In Japan, The Beatles are warned about a jewel
thief named Anyface who comes in disguised as Paul, which causes
double trouble. There is a spoof of detective Charlie Chan
.
Sing Along: It Won't Be Long/I Should Have Known Better
15. I'm Happy Just To Dance With You/Mr. Moonlight:
The Beatles are in a Roman Street Festival where Paul wins a dancing
bear named Bonnie; The Beatles meet Professor Ludwig Von Brilliant
who is on a mission to view an eclipse. After being adrift at sea, they escape from an island on a submarine.
Sing Along: Don't Bother Me/Can't Buy Me Love
16. Can't Buy Me Love/It Won't Be Long:
John is given a friendship ring from a Polynesian tribal chief, which means he has
to marry the chief's daughter, who dislikes pineapples; While picnicing in Japan, John goes
for a swim in a pond with shrinking potion in it and gets shrunk. The
other Beatles think John is a doll and chase after him.
Sing Along: Anna/Mr. Moonlight
17. Anna/I Don't Want To Spoil The Party:
In Japan, Paul gets lured into a ghost ship called "Ah-Nah". The other Beatles
dash off to the rescue before they might lose Paul for good; Paul, George
and Ringo sneak away from John and go to Greenwich Village for some
fun time at a Beatnik
party rather than going to a museum.
Sing Along: Matchbox/Thank You Girl
18. Matchbox/Thank You Girl:
In Hawaii, John buys a trailer for the group to stay in rather than staying at a
hotel so many times. They later encounter a group of Hawaiians who
are evacuating from a volcano; The Beatles sneak away from their manager
to get something to eat at a French bakery by enrolling in a cooking course.
Sing Along: I Don't Want To Spoil The Party/Help!
19. From Me To You/Boys:
In Hawaii, a surfer named Surf Wolf challenges George to a surfing
duel; The Beatles participate in a Mr. Hollywood Contest in California.
Sing Along: Please Mr. Postman/I Saw Her Standing There
Note: The opening title erroneously shows "With Love From Me To You"
20. Dizzy Miss Lizzy/I Saw Her Standing There:
John and Paul secretly sign George up to an ice boat race, and he
partners up with a girl named Lizzy; In Madrid, John and Paul visit a
restaurant where John develops a hot foot with ashes in his boot. Rosita
falls for John, and her boyfriend Jose challenges John to a duel.
Sing Along: Ticket To Ride/From Me To You
21. What You're Doing/Money:
The Beatles are on a fishing trip, and Ringo runs into gypsies. One of them
falls for Ringo and wants to marry him. George comes in as a woman claiming he's
engaged to Ringo to get him back; John puts Ringo in charge to keep their money
safe in his jacket pocket. Later Ringo is being followed by a mystery man at a carnival who
is after the money.
Sing Along: Dizzy Miss Lizzy/All My Loving
22. Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand/She Loves You:
The Beatles visit the bavarian alps mission is to climb up a mountain with the dog Gunthar to put
up their own flag on top; The Beatles are about to rescue a girl who they
think is held as a prisoner on a ship. As a result, her boyfriend, a knife thrower, comes to
her defense...with knives.
Sing Along: Bad Boy/Tell Me Why
23. Bad Boy/Tell Me Why:
The Beatles visit the bavarian alps. A boy named Hans plans to run away from home and be a Beatle. The Fab
Four run after Hans to bring him back with their music (Paul is playing the bass right-handed); In Spain, Ringo is the jockey of a donkey that can run like a horse whenever she hears loud music.
Sing Along: Please Please Me/Hold Me Tight
24. I Feel Fine/Hold Me Tight:
Paul thinks Hollywood's a phony. Actor Dick Dashing wants to prove Paul he
is wrong by putting him in some different movie scenes; In New York, George and Ringo visit
the Statue Of Liberty until they have spotted a man with a package which
they think is a bomb.
Sing Along: What You're Doing/There's A Place
25. Please Please Me/There's A Place:
In Madrid, a bull named El Taco gets knocked out, and the Beatles decide to help
out with the bullfight with Ringo as the matador, and John and Paul as the bull;
John's sympathy helps a trained ape named Mr. Marvelous escape from the
television studio and go out to explore the outside world.
Sing Along: Roll Over Beethoven/Rock And Roll Music
26. Roll Over Beethoven/Rock And Roll Music:
The Beatles are on their way home after visiting New York City until Paul got
grabbed by an elephant named Beethoven; The Beatles are invited to play at the
Duke's Palace, but they are mistaken for a string quartet.
Sing Along: I Feel Fine/She Loves You
A great movie lover named Lips Lovelace loses his ability to kiss. Paul
decides to take his place in the studio with a leading lady who falls
for him; The Beatles are in Egypt. They are wandering around in the
pyramid until Ringo encounters a ghost who wants a body, and he
chooses Ringo's.
Sing Along: Run For Your Life/Girl
28. Help!/We Can Work It Out:
Paul and Ringo go to a fashion show in Paris. Later the designs are
stolen by Jaque Le Zipper. Paul chases Jaque to the Eiffel Tower, and
has trouble with heights; George becomes superstitious. The Beatles
encounter the Lucky Wizard who is really a thief trying to give them
bad luck and rob their money.
Sing Along: The Night Before/Day Tripper
29. I'm Down/Run For Your Life:
The Beatles are on a tour at a wine factory in France where Ringo accidentally
knocks down a vat of wine. If it does not get fixed in two hours, the
factory will go out of business; The Beatles are on a tour at the
Palace of Versailles
. Ringo gets knocked out by a statue, and
dreams about the days of Marie Antoinette
.
Sing Along: Eight Days A Week/Paperback Writer
30. Drive My Car/Tell Me What You See:
The Beatles help a young man and his girlfriend get their
old jalopy running in a car race, the Popsville Hot Rod Race; While visiting "the man
of a thousand faces", The Beatles fool around with his makeup
machine and change into different characters. (Look for Jimmy Durante
and Swee'Pea
from "Popeye
" in it)
Sing Along: Yesterday/We Can Work It Out
31. I Call Your Name/The Word:
Ringo is convinced to release his pet frog Bartholomew in the
swamp. Later a movie producer offers a filming deal to Ringo
and the frog, and the Fabs have dashed off to find Bartholomew (George Harrison is briefly seen playing left-handed in one scene); The Beatles are being punished after gazing at the girls' unveiled faces. The only way to get out of the situation is to say the password: "love".
Sing Along: I Feel Fine/Wait
32. All My Loving/Day Tripper:
The Beatles are in India where they learn how to charm
an animal at an "Indian Charm Skool". When the animal is revealed to be a tiger, they use
music to tame it when it's about to claw John and Ringo; After watching the movie The Way Out Creatures From Planet Glom, The
Beatles take a trip out into space with a beautiful woman who
is actually an alien taking them on a one-way trip 23 billion miles from Earth.
Sing Along: I'm Looking Through You/Nowhere Man
33. Nowhere Man/Paperback Writer:
The Beatles walk into a cave for some exploring which is a home
of a hermit who wants to be alone. He tries to get rid of them, but
no luck; Each of The Beatles write fictional stories of how they met
with Ringo as a theatre actor, Paul as a scientist, George as a secret
agent, and John as a war pilot.
Sing Along: And I Love Her/Michelle
In a spoof of James Bond
, The Beatles are jealous of a detective named James Blonde who
gets more attention from many women, so the Fabs plan to go to their hometown of Liverpool
to
stop thieves from robbing Penny Lane so they can be heroes; Traveling with their driver James, The
Beatles use music to add some color and happiness to the
children at an orphanage, a reference to Strawberry Field
in Woolton
, a suburb of Liverpool. John tells them: "It's all in the mind, you know."
Sing Along: Good Day Sunshine/Rain
35. And Your Bird Can Sing/Got To Get You Into My Life:
The Beatles and a couple of hunters hunt for a rare
bird called a green double-breasted tropical woosted that can sing
anything, including "Hound Dog
" and "She Loves You
"; The Beatles are in India, learning how to escape from
their bodies from Swami Rivers. It works, but the problem is that the souls' bodies
are moving by themselves, and they must get them before it's
too late. ("Love You To" is heard in the background)
Sing Along: Penny Lane/Eleanor Rigby
36. Good Day Sunshine/Ticket To Ride:
Ringo thinks he's a jinx. When the Beatles arrive at Carney Island,
it starts to rain. Their music turns a rainy day into a sunny day
again, and makes Ringo happy; The Beatles each have their own
hobby. Paul paints. George builds a three-eyed robot. John writes. Ringo's hobby is collecting "birds": An English slang term for girls. Paul
releases the only one Ringo caught, and he runs after her.
Sing Along: Strawberry Fields Forever/And Your Bird Can Sing
37. Taxman/Eleanor Rigby:
The Beatles get knocked out while carrying tons of money to the bank,
and dream about the days of Robin Hood
. Paul exclaims: "It never happened"; A group of children claim that
an elderly woman named Eleanor Rigby is a witch. The Fabs tell them
the true story about Eleanor Rigby in a song.
Sing Along: Got To Get You Into My Life/Here, There And Everywhere
38. Tomorrow Never Knows/I've Just Seen A Face:
The Beatles fall into a well and end up in the inner world with
foreign natives. The chief wants the Fabs to marry his daughters, and
they began to run away; Ringo loses his singing voice. For treatment,
his three mates send Ringo to a haunted house to scare his voice
back.
Sing Along: She Said She Said/Long Tall Sally
39. Wait/I'm Only Sleeping:
The Prince of Krapotkin's girlfriend is in grave danger. The Beatles help
him to save her from the Prime Minister who wants to marry
her; John falls asleep while telling a story to a couple of children. In his dream
he volunteers to help King Arthur and Merlin slay a vicious dragon. However,
John and his mates opt instead to play music to put the dragon to sleep.
Sing Along: Penny Lane/Eleanor Rigby
, the Quaker Oats Company
and the Mars Candy Company
. For the third season in 1967, the series was moved to Saturdays at noon. For the fourth season, the series was moved to 9:30 AM EST on Sunday mornings.
Originally, The Beatles disliked the cartoon; however, as time went on they grew to like it. In 1972, Lennon commented, "I still get a blast out of watching the Beatles cartoons on TV." In 1999, Harrison said, "I always kind of liked [the cartoons]. They were so bad or silly that they were good, if you know what I mean. And I think the passage of time might make them more fun now."
The series was syndicated worldwide on television and cable after the original run ended in 1969. In 1986 and 1987, new generations were introduced to the series when it was rebroadcast in syndication by MTV and also by the Disney Channel. On MTV, the series was shown on Saturday and Sunday mornings at 10 AM EST or 7 AM PST. Mark Hamill
was a guest host of the MTV run of the series in 1987.
released a line of figures based on the cartoon series featuring all four band members with instruments. In October, 2005, McFarlane released a boxed set featuring cartoon figures of all four band members with instruments, plus an alligator figure, speakers, and a radio. Apple Corps, Ltd. purchased the rights to the series in the early 1990s. There has been popular demand for the remastered release of the series on DVD by Apple.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
animated television series featuring the fanciful and musical misadventures of the popular English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rock band of the same name
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
. It ran from 1965 to 1969 on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
in the US (only 1965 to 1967 was first run; later transmissions were reruns). The series debuted on September 25, 1965 and ended on September 7, 1969. A total of 39 episodes were produced. The series was shown on Saturday mornings at 10:30 AM EST until the 1967 third season when it was moved to 12:00 PM EST. For the fourth season, which consisted of reruns, the series was shown at 9:30 AM EST on Sunday mornings. Each episode has a name of a Beatles song, so the story is based on its lyrics and it is also played at some time in the episode. The original series was rebroadcast in syndication by MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
in 1986 and 1987 and on the Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
. The series was a historical milestone as the first weekly television series to feature animated versions of real, living people.
Production overview
The series consisted of short animated stories that essentially were intended to set up the visual illustration of Beatles songs that were played in their entirety. In addition, there were sing along sequences with simpler imagery complementing the full lyrics of particular songs.The series became notorious for its static depiction of the band in their early "moptop-and-suit" look as depicted in the live action film, A Hard Day's Night
A Hard Day's Night (film)
A Hard Day's Night is a 1964 British black-and-white comedy film directed by Richard Lester and starring The Beatles—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr—during the height of Beatlemania. It was written by Alun Owen and originally released by United Artists...
, even though the band moved beyond it during the series' run. The producers did attempt to acknowledge the band members' contemporary appearances with photographs of them in the series' title sequence
Title sequence
A Title Sequence is the method by which cinematic films or television programs present their title, key production and cast members, or both, utilizing conceptual visuals and sound...
s during its production run.
The band members themselves had nothing to do with the series' production beyond the use of their music recordings. American actor Paul Frees
Paul Frees
Paul Frees was an American voice actor and character actor.-Biography:He was born Solomon Hersh Frees in Chicago...
did the voices of John
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and George
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
while Lance Percival
Lance Percival
Lance Percival is an English actor, comedian and after-dinner speaker.-Biography:Educated at Sherborne School, Percival first became well known for performing topical calypsos on television satire shows such as That Was The Week That Was. He appeared in the Carry On film, Carry On Cruising...
(of the Carry On
Carry On films
The Carry On films are a series of low-budget British comedy films, directed by Gerald Thomas and produced by Peter Rogers. They are an energetic mix of parody, farce, slapstick and double entendres....
series) did the voices of Paul
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
and Ringo
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
. Frees had been the voice of Boris Badenov
Boris Badenov
Boris Badenov is a fictional character in the 1960s animated cartoons Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, collectively referred to as Rocky and Bullwinkle for short. He is voiced by Paul Frees....
in the Rocky and Bullwinkle series. At first, The Beatles disliked the series. It is reported, however, that the band members enjoyed the cartoons in later years. Their views of the cartoon series discouraged them from participating significantly in the later animated feature film, Yellow Submarine. Only when the band saw and were impressed by the Yellow Submarine
Al Brodax
Al Brodax is an American film and television producer. He was sometimes credited as "Al Broadax."-Career:At the age of eighteen, Brodax enlisted in the US Army and served in World War II...
and director George Dunning
George Dunning
George Garnett Dunning was a Canadian film maker and animator. He is best known for animating and directing the 1968 Beatles' film Yellow Submarine.-Biography:...
were involved in the production both of the animated series and of Yellow Submarine.
Initially, the open credits theme was a guitar riff from "A Hard Day's Night
A Hard Day's Night (song)
"A Hard Day's Night" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles. Written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was released on the movie soundtrack of the same name in 1964...
" segueing into "Can't Buy Me Love
Can't Buy Me Love
"Can't Buy Me Love" is a song composed by Paul McCartney and released by The Beatles on the A-side of their sixth British single, "Can't Buy Me Love"/"You Can't Do That".-Interpretation:...
", over a cartoon sequence of the group running down a fire escape, echoing a scene in A Hard Day's Night. The second season's opening theme was "Help!
Help! (song)
"Help!" is a song by The Beatles that served as the title song for both the 1965 film and its soundtrack album. It was also released as a single, and was number one for three weeks in both the United States and the United Kingdom....
", while the third season's theme was "And Your Bird Can Sing
And Your Bird Can Sing
"And Your Bird Can Sing" is a song by The Beatles, released on their 1966 album Revolver in the United Kingdom and on Yesterday...and Today in the United States. The songwriting credit is Lennon–McCartney, though the song was written primarily by John Lennon, with contributions by George Harrison...
", over a different cartoon sequence.
Although uncredited, Dennis Marks
Dennis Marks
Dennis Marks was an American screen writer, producer and voice actor, mainly for children's animations. Marks wrote for several big production companies during the 1960s through to the 1990s, including Hanna-Barbera, DC and Marvel...
, along with Jack Mendelsohn
Jack Mendelsohn
Jack Mendelsohn is a writer-artist who has worked in animation, comic strips and comic books. An Emmy-nominated television comedy writer and story editor, he has numerous credits as a TV scripter, including Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Three's Company, The Carol Burnett Show and Teenage Mutant Ninja...
, Heywood Kling and Bruce Howard, wrote all 39 episodes of The Beatles series.
Most of the episodes of the series were produced by Artransa Park Studios in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and George Dunning's company TVC Animation in London, with a handful of episodes made in Hollywood, with a crew supervised by veteran cartoon writer John W. Dunn
John W. Dunn
John W. Dunn was a Scottish writer and animator for animated cartoons from 1955 to 1983.Dunn began his career at the Walt Disney cartoon studio, where his first story credit—Man in Space—received an Oscar nomination...
.
Depiction of The Beatles
Each Beatles figure was a loose, rough, exaggerated description of them with JohnJohn Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Paul
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
wearing a blue collar-less suit and tie while George
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
and Ringo
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
wore navy blue shirts and light blue, blue blazer jackets, all of them wearing matching drainpipe trousers and Beatle Boots
Beatle boots
Beatle boots are a style of boot that have been worn since the 1960s. The boots are tight-fitting, Cuban-heeled, ankle-high boots with a sharp pointed toe, made popular by the English rock group The Beatles, for whom they were originally made. The style can feature either zipped or elastic sides...
.
John Lennon
John is described as being the leader. His mop-top is slightly shorter than that of the rest of the band. He has his chin up, looking down his nose, feet apart and hands on hips, and points and poses with his hands with a 'showbiz' expression with a mocking gesture, especially when giving orders (showing John does not take his job as leader seriously), and is often malicious - especially towards George and Ringo. He slouches rather than sits. He will often pull funny faces and immediately wipe it off. John's movements are described as being short and slightly aggressive. His chin is rather large, chubby and rounded and his eyes are rather small. Whenever he looks to the front he uses a sideways look to talk to somebody and looks away after giving an order. John's right eyebrow is connected to his nose and gives him a look suitable to his 'real life' appearance.He tends to use sarcastic, dry, cheeky humor. He is extremely lazy and overly laid-back. Yet he truly cares about the band members and will do anything for them. John comes out with funny comments that are bound to make children laugh such as:
John: "You better lie down, Ringo. You look white as a sheet!"
The sheet: "Did someone call me?"
Paul McCartney
Paul is shown as second-in-command of the band, or as John's "follower". Paul is the most poised and stylish of the cartoon Beatles, and his mop-top is the neatest of the four of them.He uses his hands, with his fingers spread apart, to express himself when talking. He is the one to get excited whenever John suggests something. He always looks straight at whoever he's talking to. His face is very fine, with his eyebrows wide and far apart and his eyes partly closed in an almost mockingly sad expression and they will only open fully when he is excited. Paul sits like he's about to jump out and get on with whatever is happening. He does not really walk, he skips. When he is making his own suggestions or comments, especially when suggesting mischief, he covers up by assuming a mockingly innocent look; eyes wide and head tilted to one side. Whenever he gets especially excited he will put his hand in his mouth.
Being John's "follower", he, like John, is often malicious and cynical especially towards George and Ringo. Also like John, Paul uses a dry and sarcastic humour and is extremely lazy and overly laid-back. In spite of this, he will always help somebody when needed. Paul, along with Ringo, are the only Beatles who sound closest to their real-life counterparts.
His character is the only left-handed, while in real life both he and Ringo use their left hands.
George Harrison
George's character has a more angular, pie-limbed and wry figure, especially when it walks, his legs are long and thin (emphasis on the knees keeps his angular appearance). His mop-top is rather longer in the back compared to the other members of the band. He always leans against something, shoulders hunched, hands in pocket, legs crossed. He is also the same height as Paul. His shoulders are hunched when he is in a standing or a leaning pose, which can indicate direction and his head tilted forward. He has a crooked smile and is almost always giving the impression of frowning due to his characters eyebrows becoming thicker as they reach his nose. His chin is long and thin, with sunken cheeks, and his nose is tall and thin. He never looks at who he's speaking to and will close his eyes for short periods when talking. Notice the distance between his nose and his mouth; his mouth is lopsided.He often uses dry, witty humour and succumbs to peer pressure. George is the only Beatle with a diverse accent that does not really fit with any accent in particular. George has been shown to be fascinated with various cultures and is occasionally superstitious. He and Ringo are almost always made to do the work for John and Paul, such as in the episode Do You Want to Know a Secret, they were the only ones carrying in the bands' extensive luggage into their vacation cottage. He cares a lot about the group members and will help them when they need him.
Ringo Starr
Ringo is the most sympathetic, naive, silly and misfortunate Beatle. His mop-top is the longest and shaggiest (sometimes almost completely covering his eyes) of the four of them. He is the more calm, gentle, least aggressive, innocent, and more lovable Beatle. Ringo's nose and sad, goofy, expressive eyes are among his most prominent features along with his trademark, rather deep, goofy laugh, which is highly exaggerated. His face usually has a sad or goofy expression with his upper lip protruding in a wavy line. He does smile a lot, but when he does not he has a look of curiosity or sadness on his face. Ringo's expressions and humour are usually deadpan, but when expression is required, his eye position (eyes arched) are used to make a goofy expression whenever he laughs. Whenever he laughs, having made a funny remark, he squints.He is the smallest Beatle with a disjointed Groucho Marx
Groucho Marx
Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx was an American comedian and film star famed as a master of wit. His rapid-fire delivery of innuendo-laden patter earned him many admirers. He made 13 feature films with his siblings the Marx Brothers, of whom he was the third-born...
-like figure. His neck is thin and gets smaller as it reaches the base of his neck, with his small chin sticking out a little, which is evidence of his disjointed figure. When he walks, his feet, legs, knees, arms and hands move loosely. Being responsible for the show's light-hearted humorous, or slapstick comical relief, after having bodily harm of any kind, his figure is crooked, bent or twisted into an, sometimes, unusual position. His clothes also often look a bit too big, especially his Beatle Boots and Blue Blazer Jacket.
During the song portions of the episodes (not the sing-along segments), he often shakes his head and mop-top around with a goofy expression when drumming. He gets along best with George, and he, like George, shows interest in various cultures. He often makes bad puns and jokes (usually he's the only one laughing). During the introductions to the Sing-Along segments he substitutes for the prop-man (who is either on vacation, out sick or just not there) and sets the stage, literally, to John, Paul, or George's description, and more often than not, to their surprise or chagrin.
He is often the butt of the joke, victim of a prank, or just simply has bad luck. Ringo's character tends to have bad luck, often because of his naivety, curiosity and being unaware of the danger, mistake or threat. In the episode "Good Day Sunshine", he becomes depressed and upset, thinking he is a jinx
Jinx
A jinx, in popular superstition and folklore, is:* A type of curse placed on a person that makes them prey to many minor misfortunes and other forms of bad luck;...
for misfortunes, such as that it rained at Carny Island on The Beatles' weekends, (i.e. it rained at the piers fair every time Ringo arrived) and was described in that episode as being a "sourpuss". He felt better after John, Paul, and George sang "Good Day Sunshine
Good Day Sunshine
"Good Day Sunshine" is a song by The Beatles on the 1966 album Revolver. It was written mainly by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. Leonard Bernstein praised the song for its construction in a 1967 CBS News documentary...
" for him, and showed him how to have fun again.
It is revealed in "Money" that Ringo's mother dropped him as a baby.
Ringo, like Paul, is also left-handed, although in 'I'll Be Back' Ringo plays a guitar right-handed.
Brian Epstein
The Beatles' manager. He is rarely seen or mentioned but he was mostly mentioned in the episode "Please Mr. Postman" because the Beatles ran out of money because Ringo bought 15 rings which were later snapped by autograph collectors and they needed to contact him for money. Brian finally makes his appearance in the episode "Thank You Girl" in the beginning of the episode, but only his arm is seen, again voiced by Paul FreesPaul Frees
Paul Frees was an American voice actor and character actor.-Biography:He was born Solomon Hersh Frees in Chicago...
as he grounds the Beatles for gaining so much weight after dining on the French cooking. Brian, himself, along with the other real-life Beatles, appear in a lost deleted scene featuring the production of the animated Beatles cartoons at the end.
His fictionalized animated version of himself's appearance and habit of smoking is a homage and based on the animated series' creator, Al Brodax
Al Brodax
Al Brodax is an American film and television producer. He was sometimes credited as "Al Broadax."-Career:At the age of eighteen, Brodax enlisted in the US Army and served in World War II...
.
Season 1 (1965-3/1966)
1. A Hard Day's Night/I Want To Hold Your Hand:The Beatles are in Transylvania rehearsing in a haunted house with
"monstrous" visitors; To hide from their fans, The Beatles run inside a diving bell
which drops them into the ocean with a lovesick octopus.
Sing Along: Not A Second Time/Devil In Her Heart
2. Do You Want To Know A Secret/If I Fell:
The Beatles go to Dublin, Ireland for the weekend where they meet
a leprechaun named Willomena Morris; John is kidnapped by Dr.
Dora Florahyde and Igor, both of whom want John's brain for their
monster.
Sing Along: A Hard Day's Night/I Want To Hold Your Hand
3. Please Mr. Postman/Devil In Her Heart:
Ringo loses 15 rings he bought with all of the Beatles' spendings and
they are expecting a telegram from their manager Brian Epstein
Brian Epstein
Brian Samuel Epstein , was an English music entrepreneur, and is best known for being the manager of The Beatles up until his death. He also managed several other musical artists such as Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, The Remo Four & The Cyrkle...
for
more money; Ringo wanders into the woods in Transylvania where
he meets a witch who wants Ringo for a husband.
Sing Along: If I Fell/Do You Want To Know A Secret
4. Not A Second Time/Slow Down:
The Beatles abandon their flight and land in Africa while trying to
get away from their fans, but three girls keep tracking them down.
They later encounter a few crocodiles; The Beatles are on the way to
the town Ringo Ravene (named after Ringo) until they encounter a donkey
that smells gold named "Gold Nose".
Sing Along: Baby's In Black/Misery
5. Baby's In Black/Misery:
Paul gets kidnapped by Professor Psycho who wants Paul to marry his
creation Vampiress, half girl and half bat; The Beatles go to a wax
museum where a vampire follows them.
Sing Along: I'll Get You/Chains
6. You've Really Got A Hold On Me/Chains:
In Africa, Ringo asks a medicine maker named Jack to help fix the
Beatles' flat tire. He then turns a worm into a snake and it lusts
for Ringo; After getting knocked out, Ringo dreams about himself as
Captain William Bligh
William Bligh
Vice Admiral William Bligh FRS RN was an officer of the British Royal Navy and a colonial administrator. A notorious mutiny occurred during his command of HMAV Bounty in 1789; Bligh and his loyal men made a remarkable voyage to Timor, after being set adrift in the Bounty's launch by the mutineers...
from the movie Mutiny on the Bounty
Mutiny on the Bounty (1962 film)
Mutiny on the Bounty is a 1962 film starring Marlon Brando and Trevor Howard based on the novel Mutiny on the Bounty by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall. The film retells the 1789 real-life mutiny aboard HMAV Bounty led by Fletcher Christian against the ship's captain, William Bligh...
(1962).
Sing Along: Slow Down/Honey Don't
7. I'll Get You/Honey Don't:
The Beatles run into hunter Alan Watermain in Africa after escaping from their
fans and go out hunting for a lion; Ringo is mistaken as a bull rider,
and the cowboys send him to ride on a toughest bull named Honey.
Sing Along: You've Really Got A Hold On Me/Any Time At All
8. Anytime At All/Twist And Shout:
The Beatles imagine themselves as the Three Musketeers (Plus One) while
they are on a tour at a museum in France; The Beatles attend an art show
where a girl tries to be like other artists. They inspire her with music.
Sing Along: I'll Be Back/Little Child
9. Little Child/I'll Be Back:
An Indian girl on a Texas reservation wants to prove that girls are as good at trapping
as boys are by trapping the Beatles; The mayor of a Texas town gives Ringo
a golden guitar as a gift, only to be stolen by three men, prompting the
Fab Four to hunt for the thieves and get the guitar back.
Sing Along: Long Tall Sally/Twist And Shout
10. Long Tall Sally/I'll Cry Instead:
The Beatles stay at a castle for the night during a fog. John and Ringo
try on a couple of cursed armor suits and start to fight each other;
After signing too many autographs in Japan, George's hand gets swollen and suffers "autographitis". His bandmates take him to a hand doctor but end up in a karate class by mistake.
Sing Along: I'll Follow The Sun/When I Get Home
11. I'll Follow The Sun/When I Get Home:
The Beatles' car breaks down and they are captured by a highwayman who
happens to be a car repair man; The Beatles explore the Notre
Dame in France where they later meet its famous hunchback Quasimodo
Quasimodo
Quasimodo is a fictional character in the novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo. Quasimodo was born with a hunchback and feared by the townspeople as a sort of monster but he finds sanctuary in an unlikely love that is fulfilled only in death. The role of Quasimodo has been played by...
.
Sing Along: I'll Cry Instead/Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby
12. Everybody's Trying To be My Baby/I Should Have Known Better:
The Beatles, spending the night at a temple in Japan during a rainstorm, are
mistaken for Japanese ancestors of four girls; The Beatles are in
Rome trying to find a theatre to rehearse. Their last choice is the Coliseum.
Sing Along: I'm A Loser/I Wanna Be Your Man
13. I'm A Loser/I Wanna Be Your Man:
In Hollywood, Ringo gets hired as a stuntman by Incredible Pictures Inc. and ends up in the
hospital after getting pulverized in many scenes; In Rome, The Beatles
buy a statue of the Goddess of Musica made from stolen gold
coins melted down and sculptured.
Sing Along: No Reply/I'm Happy Just To Dance With You
14. Don't Bother Me/No Reply:
In Rome, Italy, The Beatles are being followed by two spies who are
after their songbook, "New Beatle Songs", marked "Top Secret". The Beatles movie Help!
Help! (film)
Help! is a 1965 film directed by Richard Lester, starring The Beatles—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr—and featuring Leo McKern, Eleanor Bron, Victor Spinetti, John Bluthal, Roy Kinnear and Patrick Cargill. Help! was the second feature film made by the Beatles and is a...
and Oddjob from the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
movie Goldfinger
Goldfinger (film)
Goldfinger is the third spy film in the James Bond series and the third to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Released in 1964, it is based on the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming. The film also stars Honor Blackman as Bond girl Pussy Galore and Gert Fröbe as the title...
are spoofed; In Japan, The Beatles are warned about a jewel
thief named Anyface who comes in disguised as Paul, which causes
double trouble. There is a spoof of detective Charlie Chan
Charlie Chan
Charlie Chan is a fictional Chinese-American detective created by Earl Derr Biggers in 1919. Loosely based on Honolulu detective Chang Apana, Biggers conceived of the benevolent and heroic Chan as an alternative to Yellow Peril stereotypes, such as villains like Fu Manchu...
.
Sing Along: It Won't Be Long/I Should Have Known Better
15. I'm Happy Just To Dance With You/Mr. Moonlight:
The Beatles are in a Roman Street Festival where Paul wins a dancing
bear named Bonnie; The Beatles meet Professor Ludwig Von Brilliant
who is on a mission to view an eclipse. After being adrift at sea, they escape from an island on a submarine.
Sing Along: Don't Bother Me/Can't Buy Me Love
16. Can't Buy Me Love/It Won't Be Long:
John is given a friendship ring from a Polynesian tribal chief, which means he has
to marry the chief's daughter, who dislikes pineapples; While picnicing in Japan, John goes
for a swim in a pond with shrinking potion in it and gets shrunk. The
other Beatles think John is a doll and chase after him.
Sing Along: Anna/Mr. Moonlight
17. Anna/I Don't Want To Spoil The Party:
In Japan, Paul gets lured into a ghost ship called "Ah-Nah". The other Beatles
dash off to the rescue before they might lose Paul for good; Paul, George
and Ringo sneak away from John and go to Greenwich Village for some
fun time at a Beatnik
Beatnik
Beatnik was a media stereotype of the 1950s and early 1960s that displayed the more superficial aspects of the Beat Generation literary movement of the 1950s and violent film images, along with a cartoonish depiction of the real-life people and the spiritual quest in Jack Kerouac's autobiographical...
party rather than going to a museum.
Sing Along: Matchbox/Thank You Girl
18. Matchbox/Thank You Girl:
In Hawaii, John buys a trailer for the group to stay in rather than staying at a
hotel so many times. They later encounter a group of Hawaiians who
are evacuating from a volcano; The Beatles sneak away from their manager
to get something to eat at a French bakery by enrolling in a cooking course.
Sing Along: I Don't Want To Spoil The Party/Help!
19. From Me To You/Boys:
In Hawaii, a surfer named Surf Wolf challenges George to a surfing
duel; The Beatles participate in a Mr. Hollywood Contest in California.
Sing Along: Please Mr. Postman/I Saw Her Standing There
Note: The opening title erroneously shows "With Love From Me To You"
20. Dizzy Miss Lizzy/I Saw Her Standing There:
John and Paul secretly sign George up to an ice boat race, and he
partners up with a girl named Lizzy; In Madrid, John and Paul visit a
restaurant where John develops a hot foot with ashes in his boot. Rosita
falls for John, and her boyfriend Jose challenges John to a duel.
Sing Along: Ticket To Ride/From Me To You
21. What You're Doing/Money:
The Beatles are on a fishing trip, and Ringo runs into gypsies. One of them
falls for Ringo and wants to marry him. George comes in as a woman claiming he's
engaged to Ringo to get him back; John puts Ringo in charge to keep their money
safe in his jacket pocket. Later Ringo is being followed by a mystery man at a carnival who
is after the money.
Sing Along: Dizzy Miss Lizzy/All My Loving
22. Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand/She Loves You:
The Beatles visit the bavarian alps mission is to climb up a mountain with the dog Gunthar to put
up their own flag on top; The Beatles are about to rescue a girl who they
think is held as a prisoner on a ship. As a result, her boyfriend, a knife thrower, comes to
her defense...with knives.
Sing Along: Bad Boy/Tell Me Why
23. Bad Boy/Tell Me Why:
The Beatles visit the bavarian alps. A boy named Hans plans to run away from home and be a Beatle. The Fab
Four run after Hans to bring him back with their music (Paul is playing the bass right-handed); In Spain, Ringo is the jockey of a donkey that can run like a horse whenever she hears loud music.
Sing Along: Please Please Me/Hold Me Tight
24. I Feel Fine/Hold Me Tight:
Paul thinks Hollywood's a phony. Actor Dick Dashing wants to prove Paul he
is wrong by putting him in some different movie scenes; In New York, George and Ringo visit
the Statue Of Liberty until they have spotted a man with a package which
they think is a bomb.
Sing Along: What You're Doing/There's A Place
25. Please Please Me/There's A Place:
In Madrid, a bull named El Taco gets knocked out, and the Beatles decide to help
out with the bullfight with Ringo as the matador, and John and Paul as the bull;
John's sympathy helps a trained ape named Mr. Marvelous escape from the
television studio and go out to explore the outside world.
Sing Along: Roll Over Beethoven/Rock And Roll Music
26. Roll Over Beethoven/Rock And Roll Music:
The Beatles are on their way home after visiting New York City until Paul got
grabbed by an elephant named Beethoven; The Beatles are invited to play at the
Duke's Palace, but they are mistaken for a string quartet.
Sing Along: I Feel Fine/She Loves You
Season 2 (9-10/1966)
27. Eight Days A Week/I'm Looking Through You:A great movie lover named Lips Lovelace loses his ability to kiss. Paul
decides to take his place in the studio with a leading lady who falls
for him; The Beatles are in Egypt. They are wandering around in the
pyramid until Ringo encounters a ghost who wants a body, and he
chooses Ringo's.
Sing Along: Run For Your Life/Girl
28. Help!/We Can Work It Out:
Paul and Ringo go to a fashion show in Paris. Later the designs are
stolen by Jaque Le Zipper. Paul chases Jaque to the Eiffel Tower, and
has trouble with heights; George becomes superstitious. The Beatles
encounter the Lucky Wizard who is really a thief trying to give them
bad luck and rob their money.
Sing Along: The Night Before/Day Tripper
29. I'm Down/Run For Your Life:
The Beatles are on a tour at a wine factory in France where Ringo accidentally
knocks down a vat of wine. If it does not get fixed in two hours, the
factory will go out of business; The Beatles are on a tour at the
Palace of Versailles
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles....
. Ringo gets knocked out by a statue, and
dreams about the days of Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
.
Sing Along: Eight Days A Week/Paperback Writer
30. Drive My Car/Tell Me What You See:
The Beatles help a young man and his girlfriend get their
old jalopy running in a car race, the Popsville Hot Rod Race; While visiting "the man
of a thousand faces", The Beatles fool around with his makeup
machine and change into different characters. (Look for Jimmy Durante
Jimmy Durante
James Francis "Jimmy" Durante was an American singer, pianist, comedian and actor. His distinctive clipped gravelly speech, comic language butchery, jazz-influenced songs, and large nose helped make him one of America's most familiar and popular personalities of the 1920s through the 1970s...
and Swee'Pea
Swee'Pea
Swee'Pea is a character in E.C. Segar's comic strip Thimble Theatre/Popeye and in the cartoon series derived from it. His name refers to the flower known as the Sweet Pea...
from "Popeye
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
" in it)
Sing Along: Yesterday/We Can Work It Out
31. I Call Your Name/The Word:
Ringo is convinced to release his pet frog Bartholomew in the
swamp. Later a movie producer offers a filming deal to Ringo
and the frog, and the Fabs have dashed off to find Bartholomew (George Harrison is briefly seen playing left-handed in one scene); The Beatles are being punished after gazing at the girls' unveiled faces. The only way to get out of the situation is to say the password: "love".
Sing Along: I Feel Fine/Wait
32. All My Loving/Day Tripper:
The Beatles are in India where they learn how to charm
an animal at an "Indian Charm Skool". When the animal is revealed to be a tiger, they use
music to tame it when it's about to claw John and Ringo; After watching the movie The Way Out Creatures From Planet Glom, The
Beatles take a trip out into space with a beautiful woman who
is actually an alien taking them on a one-way trip 23 billion miles from Earth.
Sing Along: I'm Looking Through You/Nowhere Man
33. Nowhere Man/Paperback Writer:
The Beatles walk into a cave for some exploring which is a home
of a hermit who wants to be alone. He tries to get rid of them, but
no luck; Each of The Beatles write fictional stories of how they met
with Ringo as a theatre actor, Paul as a scientist, George as a secret
agent, and John as a war pilot.
Sing Along: And I Love Her/Michelle
Season 3 (9-10/1967)
34. Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields:In a spoof of James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
, The Beatles are jealous of a detective named James Blonde who
gets more attention from many women, so the Fabs plan to go to their hometown of Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
to
stop thieves from robbing Penny Lane so they can be heroes; Traveling with their driver James, The
Beatles use music to add some color and happiness to the
children at an orphanage, a reference to Strawberry Field
Strawberry Field
Strawberry Field was a Salvation Army children's home in Woolton, a suburb of Liverpool, England.The earliest reference to 'Strawberry Field' dates from 1870. In 1912 it was transferred to a wealthy merchant whose widow sold the estate to the Salvation Army in 1934. It opened on 7 July 1936...
in Woolton
Woolton
Woolton is a suburb of Liverpool, Merseyside, England and a Liverpool City Council Ward. It is located at the south of the city, bordered by Gateacre, Hunts Cross, Allerton and Halewood. At the 2001 Census the population was recorded as 14,836.-History:...
, a suburb of Liverpool. John tells them: "It's all in the mind, you know."
Sing Along: Good Day Sunshine/Rain
35. And Your Bird Can Sing/Got To Get You Into My Life:
The Beatles and a couple of hunters hunt for a rare
bird called a green double-breasted tropical woosted that can sing
anything, including "Hound Dog
Hound Dog (song)
"Hound Dog" is a twelve-bar blues written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and originally recorded by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton in 1952. Other early versions illustrate the differences among blues, country, and rock and roll in the mid-1950s. The 1956 remake by Elvis Presley is the best-known...
" and "She Loves You
She Loves You
"She Loves You" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney based on an idea by McCartney, originally recorded by The Beatles for release as a single in 1963. The single set and surpassed several records in the United Kingdom charts, and set a record in the United States by being one of the...
"; The Beatles are in India, learning how to escape from
their bodies from Swami Rivers. It works, but the problem is that the souls' bodies
are moving by themselves, and they must get them before it's
too late. ("Love You To" is heard in the background)
Sing Along: Penny Lane/Eleanor Rigby
36. Good Day Sunshine/Ticket To Ride:
Ringo thinks he's a jinx. When the Beatles arrive at Carney Island,
it starts to rain. Their music turns a rainy day into a sunny day
again, and makes Ringo happy; The Beatles each have their own
hobby. Paul paints. George builds a three-eyed robot. John writes. Ringo's hobby is collecting "birds": An English slang term for girls. Paul
releases the only one Ringo caught, and he runs after her.
Sing Along: Strawberry Fields Forever/And Your Bird Can Sing
37. Taxman/Eleanor Rigby:
The Beatles get knocked out while carrying tons of money to the bank,
and dream about the days of Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
. Paul exclaims: "It never happened"; A group of children claim that
an elderly woman named Eleanor Rigby is a witch. The Fabs tell them
the true story about Eleanor Rigby in a song.
Sing Along: Got To Get You Into My Life/Here, There And Everywhere
38. Tomorrow Never Knows/I've Just Seen A Face:
The Beatles fall into a well and end up in the inner world with
foreign natives. The chief wants the Fabs to marry his daughters, and
they began to run away; Ringo loses his singing voice. For treatment,
his three mates send Ringo to a haunted house to scare his voice
back.
Sing Along: She Said She Said/Long Tall Sally
39. Wait/I'm Only Sleeping:
The Prince of Krapotkin's girlfriend is in grave danger. The Beatles help
him to save her from the Prime Minister who wants to marry
her; John falls asleep while telling a story to a couple of children. In his dream
he volunteers to help King Arthur and Merlin slay a vicious dragon. However,
John and his mates opt instead to play music to put the dragon to sleep.
Sing Along: Penny Lane/Eleanor Rigby
Reception
The series was an instant ratings hit on ABC in the Saturday morning time slot after it debuted on September 25, 1965 at 10:30 AM EST. It racked up a 13 score (or 52 share), then unheard of in daytime television. The series was sponsored by the A. C. Gilbert CompanyA. C. Gilbert Company
The A. C. Gilbert Company was an American toy company, once one of the largest toy companies in the world. It is best known for introducing the Erector Set to the marketplace....
, the Quaker Oats Company
Quaker Oats Company
The Quaker Oats Company is an American food conglomerate based in Chicago. It has been owned by Pepsico since 2001.-History:Quaker Oats was founded in 1901 by the merger of four oat mills:...
and the Mars Candy Company
Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated is a worldwide manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products with US$30 billion in annual sales in 2010, and is ranked as the 5th largest privately held company in the United States by Forbes. Headquartered in McLean, unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia,...
. For the third season in 1967, the series was moved to Saturdays at noon. For the fourth season, the series was moved to 9:30 AM EST on Sunday mornings.
Originally, The Beatles disliked the cartoon; however, as time went on they grew to like it. In 1972, Lennon commented, "I still get a blast out of watching the Beatles cartoons on TV." In 1999, Harrison said, "I always kind of liked [the cartoons]. They were so bad or silly that they were good, if you know what I mean. And I think the passage of time might make them more fun now."
The series was syndicated worldwide on television and cable after the original run ended in 1969. In 1986 and 1987, new generations were introduced to the series when it was rebroadcast in syndication by MTV and also by the Disney Channel. On MTV, the series was shown on Saturday and Sunday mornings at 10 AM EST or 7 AM PST. Mark Hamill
Mark Hamill
Mark Richard Hamill is an American actor, voice artist, producer, director, and writer, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy of Star Wars. More recently, he has received acclaim for his voice work, in such roles as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Firelord...
was a guest host of the MTV run of the series in 1987.
Legacy
While the series remained popular in syndication globally, the internet has allowed for even more exposure. The series is available on YouTube and on online websites. In December, 2004, McFarlane ToysMcFarlane Toys
McFarlane Toys, a subsidiary of Todd McFarlane Productions, Inc., is a company started by Todd McFarlane that makes highly detailed models of characters from movies, comics, musicians, video games, and sport figures...
released a line of figures based on the cartoon series featuring all four band members with instruments. In October, 2005, McFarlane released a boxed set featuring cartoon figures of all four band members with instruments, plus an alligator figure, speakers, and a radio. Apple Corps, Ltd. purchased the rights to the series in the early 1990s. There has been popular demand for the remastered release of the series on DVD by Apple.
Sources
- Axelrod, Mitchell. Beatletoons: The Real Story Behind The Cartoon Beatles. Wynn, 1999.
- Lenburg, Jeff. Encyclopedia Of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books, 1999.
- Lehman, Christopher P. American Animated Cartoons of the Vietnam Era: A Study of Social Commentary in Films and Television Programs, 1961-1973. McFarland, 2007.
- TV.com.
- The Big Cartoon Database.