A Dodgy Day for the Beatles 2.0

I never met the Beatles.

They released their first single 50 years ago in the UK on October 5, 1962, “Love Me Do” and “P.S. I Love You” on the flip side. It went to number 17 on the British charts and was later released in the US. All my girlfriends in high school loved the Beatles from the start and we got our first glimpse of them in Life magazine and were blown away by the moptops!

Because I never got to meet the Beatles this is another “Six Degrees” story, although I did get within a few feet of them. Here’s what happened: My older brother was in his third year of studies at the University of Southern California in preparation for Dental School and then Oral Surgery specialty. He and his best friend, Jimmy Christ, worked at Disneyland during the summer and one of their friends mentioned that they had heard a security firm was looking for young men to guard the Rolling Stones at their Hollywood Bowl appearance on July 25, 1966. They signed up and were instant rent-a-cops.

After that job, the supervisor at the security firm was looking for guards for an even bigger job: guarding the Beatles. Only a week before John Lennon had made his infamous comment, “the Beatles are more popular than Jesus,” so the supervisor was skimming the list of new part timers and came across my brother and Jim’s names: Jim Christ (pronounced krist, but looks likes Jesus Christ) and Jack Moses. He called their supervisor at Disneyland to speak to them immediately and he told them he needed them right away. On August 24th they were told to be at the iconic round building that looked like a stack of records, Capitol Records in Hollywood. They went to their posts and were suddenly in front of a throng of reporters and photographers as they flanked each side of the four podiums on stage. The Beatles were introduced and they sat on stools, left to right, George, Paul, John and Ringo. Jim was to George’s right, Jack was to Ringo’s left.

I attended the press conference for Tiger Beat and made sure I was in my seat early, a seat in the front row, just 3 feet from the podiums. Because John’s quote about Jesus was still so fresh, he was hammered at every press conference and interview as they went about their summer tour. I didn’t have the opportunity to ask any questions, as the conference was dominated by male reporters, mostly from TV and radio stations. You can watch the You Tube video of the conference:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8MgItRRaTo

I was enthralled to be so close to the Beatles. This was one of those times when I was more a fan than a professional, because, after all, this was the Beatles! But while I was disappointed that I didn’t get to ask a question, at one point when John Lennon was trying for the umpteenth time to explain why he had said what he said, Paul McCartney looked over at me and winked! That was more precious to me than having my reporters questions answered!

I called my brother that evening and he said they really didn’t get to interact with the Beatles much, that it

was just getting them in and out of the building to the armored truck safely, but he, too, was super excited that he had experienced them up close and personal.

He was called two days later by the security firm and told they had another assignment for them on August 28. They had to report to the security firm’s headquarters in Los Angeles, so Jimmy and Jack drove together. When they arrived they received their itinerary: that’s when they realized they had been given the plum assignment of all time. They were to be a part of the crew of security guards escorting the Beatles to Dodger Stadium for their Los Angeles concert before 56,000 fans.

Jack remembers, “When we first saw the Beatles they were eating dinner at their house. After about half an hour I left in an armored car without the Beatles. We were followed by a limousine full of security men and people from the house. As we drove out almost all the kids followed us. They were screaming, honking their horns, making wild turns and almost getting in accidents at every corner. As we headed onto the freeway, the limo behind us blocked all the fans that were following, so we got to our secret location just 2 miles from Dodger Stadium. ”

Jim, meanwhile, was at the house waiting for John, Paul, George and Ringo. Jim recalls, “While I was waiting, John came out and he had a little rubber ball and was bouncing it against the wall while he talked to David Crosby (of the Byrds). Then they got into the van with their road managers and we rendezvoused with the armored truck in the parking lot.” Jim and Jack helped the Beatles into the truck.

Jack continues the story: “There were no chairs, so we all just sat on the floor. As we approached the stadium they got really bugged because fans were getting through the barriers.” George joked, “That’s right, let ‘em through. Don’t hold that one back, let ‘em get us and rip us apart!” Finally they made it to the back side of the stadium and safely into their “dressing rooms,” which, at this venue, was the Dodger’s locker room!

Jack said, “The first thing they did was pick up regular guitars (Paul, George and John) and they each went to different corners of the huge room and played to themselves. Then they picked up the instruments they were going to play on stage, plugged them into small amps and began to rehearse the songs they were going to do in the show.”

Jim interrupted, “It sounded fantastic! They were just working out, it was groovy! The whole time Ringo just sat in the one corner not saying a word. And what was really odd was that he only had one ring on!” After they dressed, they were behind the opening doors to the field and they were really disgusted at how long the dj’s kept saying things like “Here’s the guy who made it all possible, Rodney J. Feathersmith. . .” Finally John just blurted out, “I’m going on” and started toward the field. Paul and George pulled him back and finally the dj shouted “And here they are – the Beatles!” and then John sat down on the concrete floor. Ringo and George pulled him up and they all ran out onto the field.

The stadium scene was absolute pandemonium. The Beatles dressed in green sharkskin bell-bottomed suits

with velvet lapels. Their coats were six-button, double-breasted jackets over shirts of white and green printed flowers. Paul wore boots, the rest wore loafers. It was Jim and Jack’s assignment to stand below the stage in the center of the stadium and they both said, ‘It was so exciting standing just four feet from them as they performed.” In the video of this performance you can see Jack in front of the K and Jim in front of the A in the radio station call letters KRLA fronting the stage. They are dressed in gray shirts with black ties.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsYQpGVhTiM

Coming in part two – Jim and Jack are trapped for two hours under Dodger Stadium. They tell all in part two, plus a new ending that brings this amazing story full circle.