Filming of “Magical Mystery Tour”
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About
Production of The Beatles’ “Magical Mystery Tour” TV special took place throughout September 1967, with some additional scenes filmed in late October / early November. The first leg of filming occurred from September 11 to 15 in and around Newquay. On September 18, filming resumed with the crew choosing the Raymond Revuebar strip club in London’s Soho district as the location for the day’s shoot. From September 19 to 24, the Beatles relocated to West Malling Air Station in Maidstone, Kent, where they filmed interior and exterior shots for the project.
On the fifth day of filming at West Malling Air Station, the Beatles filmed the “Magical Mystery Tour Marathon” sequence. The sequence was set on the main runway and perimeter road of the air base, and featured a variety of scenes, including:
- A tug-of-war between children and blindfolded vicars
- The main cast and extras lining up for the start of a race
- A variety of vehicles, including a racing motorcycle, some painted mini coopers, and the “Magical Mystery Tour” coach, being used in the race
- A group of people, including Mal Evans and Neil Aspinall, having their picture taken by Little George the photographer
Those scenes were filmed with the help of a number of extras, including a rugby team, ten children, six miniature wrestlers, and three vicars. The Beatles also requested a number of props, including a winner’s cup, a starting pistol, a Victorian camera, and a tug-of-war rope.
Filming at West Malling Air Station continued the following day.
| Date | Scenes filmed |
|---|---|
| September 19 | Aunt Jessie’s dreadful dream, including the scene where John Lennon serves spaghetti using a shovel. |
| September 20 | “I Am The Walrus” sequence and the scenes with the Beatles wearing wizard outfits |
| September 21 | “Blue Jay Way” sequence |
| September 22 | “Barking Seargent” sequence with Victor Spinetti. The sequence where Jolly Jimmy welcomes people who have crawled inside the magic tent to watch “Blue Jay Way“ The sequence where Ringo Starr buys his ticket for the Magical Mystery Tour. |
| September 23 | “Magical Mystery Tour Marathon” scenes, with the cheating vicars, the mini-coopers… |
| September 24 | Scene with Mr. Bloodvessel performing “I’m Going In A Field” at the organ (unused) Scene for “Your Mother Should Know“ |
Last updated on May 15, 2023
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The Beatles Diary Volume 1: The Beatles Years
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