September 1970
Paul McCartney declines a role in the film “The Second Coming Of Suzanne”
Last updated on September 26, 2025
September 1970
Last updated on September 26, 2025
Article September 1970 • John Lennon and Paul McCartney issue a writ to retrieve Northern Songs monies
Interview Sep 05, 1970 • Paul McCartney interview for Mirabelle
Article September 1970 • Paul McCartney declines a role in the film "The Second Coming Of Suzanne"
Article Late September - October 2, 1970 • French holiday
Article October 2-7, 1970 • Paul and Linda McCartney travel to New York to record "Ram"
The Beatles get in touch with Motown
December 1965
A TV ad project to promote “The Beatles” double-album is called off
End of October / early November 1968
The Beatles reject offers to perform live
December 1969
The Beatles receive a $230 million reunion offer
Sep 19, 1976
In early September 1970, the press reported that Mickie Most intended to offer Paul McCartney a role in his first film as a producer, “The Second Coming of Suzanne.” This was not the first time Paul had been approached for a film role — in 1967, director Franco Zeffirelli had invited him to appear in “Romeo and Juliet.” Paul declined Zeffirelli’s offer in 1967, and also turned down Most’s proposal in 1970.
On September 13, Apple issued an official statement denying that Paul would appear in the film.
Mickie Most would later say he had found Paul “a bit like Jim Morrison after a bender“.
Paul’s a hard guy to contact, but Apple are trying to get him for me. The chances are if he likes the script, he’ll do it. Paul once told me that every film script offered to The Beatles was another Help! and that he wanted to do something different. This film is different.
Mickie Most – From “The Beatles: Off the Record 2 – The Dream Is Over” by Keith Badman, 2009
I’m hoping that [Led] Zeppelin, Julie and Jeff [Beck] will all contribute with music and songs. The story is a challenge both musically and acting-wise. […] I haven’t thought about Paul as a writer, actually. The part of ‘Lee Simon’ in the film fits Paul so perfectly that I’m more concerned with persuading him to act than write music.
Mickie Most – From Disc And Music Echo – September 12, 1970
McCartney film? Hendrix tour?
PAUL McCARTNEY may be in line for his first solo film… if plans by ace record producer Mickie Most are successful.
Mickie is set to produce his first film — “The Second Coming Of Suzanne” — said to be “a hip version of 2001” — and wants McCartney to play the lead role.
Script was written by Michael Barry, brother of American actor Gene “Burke’s Law” Barry, and says Mickie: “I’m sure that when Paul reads it he will want to play the part.” Most is hoping to find a complete unknown to play female lead opposite McCartney.
From Disc And Music Echo – July 25, 1970
WANTED: BASTEDO FOR BEATLE PAUL
WATCH OUT for the year’s most sensational casting scoop… Paul McCartney and shapely Alexandra Bastedo. Pop millionaire Mickie Most is determined to clinch their signatures for his first film, “The Second Coming of Suzanne.”
Miss Bastedo — the stunner from TV’s “The Champions” — would play Christ reincarnated as a swinging female; and Paul’s role would be that of a boy named Lee Simon, poet and romantic, who “feels the world is against him.”
Most says: “I am flying to Scotland to see Paul McCartney next week to invite him to consider the part.”
Of Miss Bastedo he says: “I switched on the television set one night and she suddenly appeared. I was knocked out. I hope to meet her very soon.”
Most will start shooting the picture in the Spring. The most remarkable thing about it is how he came to buy the screenplay.
“I was on a plane to America and this fellow was telling me of a story he was writing,” says Most. “Later, when I was unpacking in my hotel, it hit me that here was a sensational screen-play. The only problem was how could I contact him?”
Most’s answer was to insert £1,000 worth of adverts in Los Angeles newspapers. It didn’t take long to trace the writer. He surfaced within a day. His name is Michael Barry — the son of television star Gene Barry.
Not content with trying to sign Paul McCartney and Miss Bastedo, Most wants the public in it as well.
He says: “It’s going to be a film with audience participation…”
From Daily Mirror, September 5, 1970
Beatle Paul in “Christ” film?
PAUL McCARTNEY’S solo acting debut — if he approves a script he will see soon — will be a film featuring music by Led Zeppelin, Julie Felix and Jeff Beck.
Ace record producer Mickie Most, man behind the movie — exclusively reported in Disc seven weeks ago — was hoping this week to visit Paul in his Scottish Highlands home to discuss the project.
And Most revealed also that soundtrack score and incidental songs for the film — called “The Second Coming Of Suzanne,” and described as a “hip version of 2001” — would be composed and played by Led Zeppelin, Julie Felix and Jeff Beck… all artists in his company.
Mickie told Disc: “I haven’t thought about Paul as a writer, actually. The part of ‘Lee Simon’ in the film fits Paul so perfectly that I’m more concerned with persuading him to act than write music.”
“The Second Coming Of Suzanne,” written by Michael Barry, son of actor Gene “Burke’s Law” Barry, is a modern fairy tale with the girl “Suzanne” cast as a female “Christ.”
Most is hoping to get “Champions” TV actress Alexandra Bastedo for the title role.
“I’m hoping that Zeppelin, Julie and Jeff will all contribute with music and songs,” added Most. “The story is a challenge both musically and acting-wise.”
From Disc And Music Echo – September 12, 1970
Film offer for Paul
RECORD producer Mickie Most was due to fly to see Paul McCartney in his Scottish hide-away farm this week, about a possible film part.
Mickie hopes to get Paul to play the part of a poet, Lee Simons, in “The Second Coming Of Suzanne,” his debut as a film producer. The script of the film, which is about the second coming of Christ as a girl, has been written by Michael Barry, son of actor Gene Barry.
Mickie Most commented this week, “He’s a hard guy to contact, but Apple are trying to get him for me. The chances are, if he likes the story and the script, he will do it. He once told me that every film script offered to the Beatles was another Help, and that he wanted to do something different. This film is different.“
From Melody Maker – September 12, 1970
The McCartney Legacy: Volume 1: 1969 – 73
In this first of a groundbreaking multivolume set, THE MCCARTNEY LEGACY, VOL 1: 1969-73 captures the life of Paul McCartney in the years immediately following the dissolution of the Beatles, a period in which McCartney recreated himself as both a man and a musician. Informed by hundreds of interviews, extensive ground up research, and thousands of never-before-seen documents THE MCCARTNEY LEGACY, VOL 1 is an in depth, revealing exploration of McCartney’s creative and personal lives beyond the Beatles.
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.
The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After The Break-Up 1970-2001
An updated edition of the best-seller. The story of what happened to the band members, their families and friends after the 1970 break-up is brought right up to date. A fascinating and meticulous piece of Beatles scholarship.
Maccazine - Volume 40, Issue 3 - RAM Part 1 - Timeline
This very special RAM special is the first in a series. This is a Timeline for 1970 – 1971 when McCartney started writing and planning RAM in the summer of 1970 and ending with the release of the first Wings album WILD LIFE in December 1971. [...] One thing I noted when exploring the material inside the deluxe RAM remaster is that the book contains many mistakes. A couple of dates are completely inaccurate and the story is far from complete. For this reason, I started to compile a Timeline for the 1970/1971 period filling the gaps and correcting the mistakes. The result is this Maccazine special. As the Timeline was way too long for one special, we decided to do a double issue (issue 3, 2012 and issue 1, 2013).
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