Full docuentary from 1978 on how the Broadway musical revue was created; ran from 1977-79. Featuring cast members: Joe Pecorino, Mitch Weissman, Les Fradkin, and Justin McNeill. -apologies for the VHS scratches in between
It was in the spring of 1979. I was in the 6th grade, and our class was given permission slips from our teacher for our parents to fill out for this field trip called Beatlemania. I begged my mother to let me stay home that day. “I don’t want to see a show about BUGS!”, I recall reasoning with mom. She would not give in no matter how hard I tried to persuade her. All she kept saying was that I would LOVE it. I was so bummed out the whole way on the long bus ride from Long Island to NYC’s Wintergarden theater. We finally get there and get our seats. “Ok, let’s get this stupid BUG show over with.”, I remember thinking to myself as we waited for the curtain to rise. All of a sudden, the banging of drums and the sound of the three part harmony as the curtain rises and this band starts playing, “She Love You” to open up the show. Now, all I can say is that’s about as close to an out-of-body experience that I’ve ever had! A moment I will never forget! I instantly became a BEATLEMANIAC and have been ever since! Thanks Mom!
You prolly dont care but if you are bored like me atm then you can stream pretty much all of the new series on InstaFlixxer. Have been watching with my girlfriend for the last few days :)
I worked on this show for Lieber and Krebs in 77-78 and was involved with the opening in NYC which was chaos on Broadway and the after party a total blur!
Beatlemania was the first Broadway show I ever saw, I was somewhere between 7-8 years old when we took our seats at the Winter Garden Theater. I remember my little brain trying to comprehend some of the more psychedelic images, especially during "Lucy in the Sky". I also remember being so impressed when they stood behind a scrim that had a giant TV screen on it so it looked like we were watching them on TV, and then the scrim lifted and they were there, live and in real life. I also remember "Paul" coming downstage and sitting on the edge and singing "Yesterday". Not a bad first theatrical experience.
I saw this at the Schubert Theater in Chicago! The Schubert is gone now, but this is my first experience in seeing a tribute show in 1980!! I was 15, and there was all this talk about the 4 of them reuniting, and then months later, John was killed. This brings back a lot of memories!!
I remember my parents taking me to a showing of Beatlemania at the Orpheum theater in San Francisco in 1979. It was quite a experience. Very beautifully made with screen visuals you would trip out at.
I was fortunate enough to see Beatlemania at the State Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota - even though I could only afford a cheaper seat, I had a wonderful time. Also I remember they did "I Feel Fine" as an encore... that song still holds a lot of sentimental value because of this.
Interesting how the Beatle tribute band business has rocketed after these guys. And many improvements have been made over the many years (1978 until now): left-handed bass players (even though most were actually right-handed), more accurate hair styles, better British accents, overall look improvements, etc. But these original guys certainly had the talent and started this thing off very well. Congratulations and a BIG "thank you" for that.
My first concert, in 1978 with my parents. Now, the tribute band industry has created some much better "simulations," like The Fab Four, for example. But back then, this was incredible. I even remember right before the show an announcement over the speakers "Ladies and gentlemen a reminder, there is no smoking- of ANYTHING- allowed in the theater." Got a good laugh from the crowd. Also, when "Paul" sang "Yesterday," right at the end of the song, some lady in the audience yelled out "all right, white boy!"
First saw them at Pantages Theater in Hollywood, in August 78. That was after hitchhiking 13 hours from Phoenix. Got to see this cast an others many times. I first saw this video on TV in 78. Thanks for the upload. Mitch Weissman is now playing with Liverpool at Beatlefest. Far Out Man
Mitch Weismann was incredible but seriously the John and George are like the furthest you could have gotten to the real George and John. Nothing in them is close.
My Dad died in April 1990 , he left money, I hated my job at the railway .I hated my job so much , that I started my own production company with my heritance , so I could quit the railway.I was trying to find a booking agent , no internet back then,so I went and looked in the yellow pages , all I could find were agents that booked strippers.The railway owned a hotel and I called the agent that booked the big names in the hotel's big showroom , he did not have a good reputation.He gave me a list of famous has been acts and when he reached Beatlemania , I said stop . I booked the Niagara Falls Arena for New Years 1990/91 what a job, it was any way Les Fradkin showed up as George Harrison , I thought WTF is this ? He is in this documentary , Les worked for Apple in the late 60's in London ,perhaps that is why he is in Beatlemania , he does not look anything like George , Billy Ray as Paul overweight for Paul but a nice guy, Lennie Colacino as John a bit arrogant , Bobby Taylor as Ringo he arrived with a moustache on his face .I thought I had been sold a bill of goods , anyway I lost money on the show .New Years Eve is never a good time to do a show , way too much competition , plus it was over 10 years after the opening of Beatlemania and people's tastes had changed .I never did get to quit my job , I did a few money losing shows after that.I wished Co-Vid was around back then ,to show me how unimportant entertainment can be .I am still working , but not for the railway , when I run for the bus and I am on my way to work , I think to myself that I a lowly employee booked and promoted a Broadway Show.
Amazing how things have got.so.much better since this time...Mitch Weissman is the best here....don't forget that Marshall Crenshaw played John for a stint
I watched this in first run 43 years ago! Was a big fan, but I never got to see the show live. My parents weren't exactly in favor of it. Personally, I give them a lot of credit. I'm not a purist. When you can't have the real thing, why not go for the best alternative? I've seen a lot of Beatles tribute groups, and I don't think any offered such an intense experience.
I saw Beatlemania summer 1979 at the Greek Thaetre. I don’t know what cast that was, but I remember a Hare Krishna lady who I also saw at the Cerritos Mall also in the Los Angeles area who gave me a book for a 5 dollar donation. My sister saw me hide it in our mailbox and threw it away. I was13. After and before the show, there were these Bible Thumpers, “READ THE BIBLE!” They were screaming. WOW. My dad wanted to get my 5 bucks back from the Krishna lady but we couldn’t find her.
So remember seeing this show. Mitch was the bassist (the first time I ever saw a right-handed Paul!). Used to see him years later playing at the area Beatlefest. Great musician. Does anyone know if this can be considered the first juke-box musical?
Hello, I went to see Beatlemania on Broadway...I went to use the rest room....some girl got my seat...I had to sit in another seat.....John from North Carolina...
@@Mike-0201 There's Tony again at the 5:12 mark... and is that Bob Wirth next to him? And maybe Sy at 5:54?? Jimmy Pou at 7:10... Ralph Castelli @ 7:25
Gene M Thompson. How Jimmy wasn’t picked over Leslie for the original cast blows my mind. Jimmy was always the best George in Beatlemania, with Bob Miller a close second.
Mike 201 I didn’t think Jimmy auditioned for the initial run of the show... was always under the impression he came along a little later. Certainly Bob was ever later after that... I saw them both during their time with 1964, and yeah, they’re both great “George’s” - among the best I’ve seen over the years
Beatlemania had many cast members throughout their run. Some were very good look a likes, some were okay, while others vocals were dead on some not. While the cast picked for the movie was very good on looks and vocals, I wish Mitch played left handed. Lenny was a left handed bass player and back then looked a lot like Paul. As for George, Jimmy Poe and Bob Miller were great George look a likes and great guitar players. David was great as John in the movie, and Ralph was a great Ringo. The movie’s George, Tom Teely was probably the 3 best George behind Jimmy and Bob. As for the original John here, Joe was great vocally but he really did not look the part of early John. There is a great website dedicated to the broadway show and all the cast. Check it out...beatlemaniaalumni.com
OMG Tony Kishman was almost unrecognizable to me at first! Does anyone know if the George during David Corbin's audition was Jimmy Pou??? It looks a lot like him!
@Mike-0201 I've known Jimmy for many years and I asked him the same thing and he told me that even though he auditioned in NYC, he along with Bob Miller, Tony Kishman and Lenie Colocino were finalists in the auditions but were kept on call at the time. Then once the show hit it big companies in Chicago and Los Angeles merged with the New York company to form 2 other casts. Jimmy became part of the LA cast and the company also cast other members who have now become synonymous with the Beatlemania industry and more such as Glen Burtnik and Marshall Crenshaw. People who are fans of Marshall's actually don't know that he got his start as John in Beatlemania
@@theincredibleimpression I was lucky enough to see him once with 1964! Also I have met Lenie many times. He plays in my friend’s band, The Cast of Beatlemania. He is my favorite Paul from the old days of Beatlemania. He’s a real cool guy!!
14:35 One of the reasons it was hard to "learn songs" way back when....especially before CD players and the internet - play it...guess....play it over....figure out some....teach it (wrong) to someone else
