Beat The Meatles

From the AP archive:
Feb. 9, 1964

Beatles debut on American TV

NEW YORK (AP)- The Beatles - four British Lads who sing when they are not busy running away from barbers - made their American Television debut tonight - and some things may never be the same.

The seats in the Columbia Broadcasting System studio where they appeared live on the Ed Sullivan variety show were given more of a workout by jumping and squirming teenaged girls than were the singers in their fast-moving routine.

The four mop-topped entertainers, who came here Friday from London, provided their own musical background with string and percussion instruments.

Throughout their two appearances during the show, the 721 members of the audience - mostly young girls - kept up a steady stream of squeals, sighs and yells.

The four British imports, appearing for a total of about 20 minutes on the hour-long show, may well have ended up with second billing.

Camera crews were lavish in their shots of the audience, showing young girls leaping from their seats, throwing their arms into the air and staring bug-eyed. Some appeared as if on the verge of coma, staring open-mouthed.

At one point before the program, there was some doubt that the four singers would be able to make their way into the studio through the masses of teenage fans trying for a glimpse of their idols.

But hundreds of Manhattan Police, including mounted officers, shoved back the eager fans and cleared a path for the four entertainers.

Fans also gathered outside the Plaza Hotel in sunny, freezing weather as the performers went back and forth earlier in the day to rehearse at the studio.

Following the afternoon rehearsal, the Beatles recorded three numbers for an Ed Sullivan show to be aired Feb. 23. They will be on the show next Sunday, live from Miami Beach, Fla. The Beatles will also give concerts in Washington, D.C., and in New York.

On Saturday, George Harrison, lead guitarist of the Beatles, was confined to the hotel with a sore throat while drummer Ringo Starr and guitarists John Lennon and Paul McCartney rehearsed and toured New York by car.

The Beatles wear mushroomed shape hairdos down to their eyebrows and tight black suits. In America they currently have the top selling album and the number one and three top selling single records, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You."