“Yellow Submarine” world premiere

Pages: 1 2

On this day, the world premiere of the animated film “Yellow Submarine” took place at the London Pavilion on Piccadilly Circus, London. The four Beatles attended the event (and the after-party). George Harrison and Ringo Starr were joined by their wifes, John Lennon by his new girlfriend Yoko Ono, but Paul McCartney was the only one arriving alone. His fiancée Jane Asher was absent and would announce the end of their relationship three days after.

Among the other guests were Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones, Ginger Baker from Cream, some members of The Who, Status Quo, The Bee Gees, Grapefruit, Twiggy.

Afterwards, they attended the celebration party at the Royal Lancaster Hotel and ended up at the Revolution Club. Paul spent some time talking to Clem Curtis, lead singer of The Foundations, and promised to write a song for this group. This promise never materialized.

The film had its West End world premiere at the London Pavilion, Piccadilly Circus, on Wednesday July 17th 1968. Shortly before 8pm that evening, wild scenes of Beatlemania were seen in the centre of the capital — the first for a couple of years — as thousands of fans gathered to welcome John, Paul, George and Ringo. All down Shaftesbury Avenue and Coventry Street, traffic came to a standstill. This hadn’t happened since the premieres for A Hard Day’s Night and Help!

The Beatles had suggested that guests might come attired all in yellow, and a few obliged. Outside the cinema, Blue Meanies jumped up and down on the pavement for the amusement of the crowds, and yellow-clothed promotion people handed out apples, symbolic not only of the apples dropped in the film but also of the Beatles’ new business ventures.

Members of the Bee Gees, Eric Clapton’s Cream and the Rolling Stones rubbed shoulders with Ringo and Maureen, Mary Hopkin, James Taylor and Twiggy in the foyer. George Harrison arrived in a bright yellow suit and floppy yellow hat, while Paul went for a yellow tie. Making his first public appearance with Yoko Ono at an ‘official’ event, John wore a white suit. Television crews followed the boys into the auditorium and had to be chased out before the film began.

Afterwards, 200 VIP guests, including some of the cream of the pop world’s most fashionable in-crowd at the time, made their way to the Royal Lancaster Hotel on Bayswater Road, where a midnight celebrity champagne party was held in the hotel’s new ‘Yellow Submarine’ disco. Intended for about 50 people, the venue’s tiny dance area was soon heaving with at least 100 happy bodies, including the Beatles.

Tony Barrow – From The Beatles Monthly Book – April 1993

Pages: 1 2

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.

Buy on Amazon