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Thursday, November 23, 1967

“Hello, Goodbye” is broadcast on Top Of The Pops

Last updated on May 10, 2023

On November 10, 1967, The Beatles filmed three promotional videos for the single “Hello, Goodbye”. However, the absence of viola players in the videos violated the Musicians’ Union’s rules against miming, which required that all music be performed live.

To avoid breaking the rules, a new mono mix was created on November 15 without the viola parts. The modified audio was added to the BBC’s copy of the video, but it was ultimately not shown in the UK because The Beatles’ performance made it clear that they were also miming.

The BBC had originally planned to air the video on Top Of The Pops on November 23, but the broadcast was cancelled on November 20 due to the Musicians’ Union’s regulations against miming. To replace the video, the BBC sent cameramen to an editing session for The Beatles’ “Magical Mystery Tour” film on November 21 to gather new footage.

However, on November 23, the BBC aired footage from The Beatles’ 1964 film “A Hard Day’s Night” instead. Eventually, a combination of footage from the edit suite and still photographs was used in the December 7, 1967 edition of Top Of The Pops.


BEATLES BACK ‘TOP OF THE POPS’ TONIGHT

BEATLES on tonight’s (Thursday) “Top Of The Pops” in their first TV appearance – apart from repeats – since the world hook-up “Our World” on June 25.

Then, The Beatles launched their “All You Need Is Love” hit. Tonight they will seen in a film specially made to tie-in with the TV presentation of their new single, “Hello, Goodbye.” The disc is released tomorrow (Friday).

A total of three TV film “clips” have been made for “Hello, Goodbye.” They were shot at London’s Saville Theatre for simultaneous showing 12 countries throughout the world.

Beatles themselves directed the films, in which they appear with six dancers. Boys are seen in their “Sgt. Pepper” uniforms. and also in the collarless Cardin-style suits they wore on stage some four years ago. […]

From Disc And Music Echo – November 23, 1967
From Disc And Music Echo – November 23, 1967

CENSORED! THE NEW BEATLES PICTURE MISSED BY 15 MILLION TV VIEWERS!

HERE IT IS! Exclusive to Disc. The picture they wouldn’t let you see – banned from TV last week. John, Paul, George and Ringo onstage at London’s Saville Theatre, where they made three promotion films for their new single. “Hello, Goodbye,” which enters the chart at number three this week.

The Beatles singing and playing – and a troupe of pretty girls in Hawaiian costume dancing – would have been seen on “Top Of The Pops” last Thursday, BUT for a ban by show producer, Johnnie Stewart. He turned down the film clip because of the Musicians Union ruling on miming.

Being asked to dance for the Beatles was an envied experience for the girls. And Disc spoke to the three in our picture – Jenny Rufus (seen with Paul), Christine Schiefinger (near Ringo) and Karen Collette (with John) – for their impressions.

It all happened about three weeks ago when the group were shooting movie inserts to promote their latest single. Half-a-dozen dancing dollies were swiftly recruited, draped in grass skirts and adorned with flowers.

And as John, Paul, George and Ringo sang their way to another hit in front of the cameras the girls ran through a specially-prepared routine to suit the song.

“It was an exciting experience for us,” explained 23-year-old Karen Collett. “We were thrilled at the opportunity to meet the boys. It’s a nice thing to look back on — after hearing so much about them.”

Said Brighton belle Christine Schiefinger, also 23: “It was a lovely day. There was a lot of banging around and the Beatles were very sweet. They bought us coffees and Cokes and handed out cigarettes. We all chatted freely. There was nothing high and mighty about them.”

“Paul was obviously the one in charge,” added Austrian-born Karen. “Very charming, very nice. He took charge of the business side. Arranging the camera angles and all that.”

Third girl in Disc’s exclusive cover picture is Jenny Rufus (26). “I’ve never been a particular fan of theirs,” she grinned. “But I like them a lot more now. They were simply charming. Frightfully easy to talk to.”

Why the eye-catching Hawaiian costumes?

Explained Karen: “The last 20 seconds of the song has a sort of Hawaiian beat to it and we made up a little dance to go with it. We just had to dance in and out and around them as they played.

After their day with the Beatles, the gorgeous girls trooped off to London’s “Talk Of The Town” where they start in the “Wild West End” cabaret revue.


BEATLES BAN; SGT. PEPPER CLUB; SILVER DISC

BEATLES film specially made for a TV tie-in with their new single, “Hello, Goodbye,” was banned from last Thursday’s “Top Of The Pops”!

A scene from one of the three TV films shot for these TV inserts is featured on the front cover of this week’s Disc.

Ban was imposed by BBC-TV producer Johnnie Stewart, who sho»ed instead scenes from the Beatles’ four-year-old film, “A Hard Day’s Night” when *Hello, Goodbye” was played on his “Top Of Pops” show.

Johnnie told Disc On Tuesday: “I went to see the three films in Wardour Street (London) on Tuesday night of last week. I realised, because of the Musicians’ Union ban on miming, we would run into a problem right away.

“The first two films were absolutely out of the question. They were mimed from start to finish. The third features part miming, and I thought there might be a change of using it. But when I looked at it again later, I realised we could have to make so many cuts, it would spoil the production.

“I had taken a chap along for some shots of the Beatles while they were editing “Magical Mystery Tour” in Soho. But there wasn’t time to prepare this for the show on Thursday. However, we may be able to use this film at a later date.

“Frankly, I am surprised the Beatles should have made such miming films for TV. They must know about the MU ban. Everybody else does.”

Tony Barrow, press officer for NEMS Enterprises, commented: “The Beatles were disappointed rather than amazed that the film was not shown on ‘Top Of The Pops’.”

Film should also have been seen in colour later that same evening on BBC-2’s “Late Night Line-up.” But again the MU ban prevented it. Instead the Condon Jazz Four played Lennon/McCartney numbers.

Footnotes Tony Barrow: “A coast-to-coast American audience saw the Beatles film on ‘Ed Sullivan’s Show’ on Sunday night.” […]

From Disc And Music Echo – December 2, 1967
From Disc And Music Echo – December 2, 1967
From Disc And Music Echo – December 2, 1967

Going further

The Beatles Diary Volume 1: The Beatles Years

"With greatly expanded text, this is the most revealing and frank personal 30-year chronicle of the group ever written. Insider Barry Miles covers the Beatles story from childhood to the break-up of the group."

We owe a lot to Barry Miles for the creation of those pages, but you really have to buy this book to get all the details - a day to day chronology of what happened to the four Beatles during the Beatles years!

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