The Beatles Go to a Party

I knew that while the Beatles were in L.A. in 1965, George went to a Byrd's recording session.  I just assumed that the other three stayed behind at the borrowed house.  Well now I know that they were to a dud of a party thrown by Alan Livingston that had a load of famous people there.  This newstory and photos come from the September 18, 1965 issue of the KRLA BEAT magazine/newspaper.

When Alan Livingston, president of Capitol Records tossed a Hollywood party in honor of The Beatles, during their recent stay in California, all stops were pulled to make the event – hosted by Livingston at his Hollywood Hills Home – as snotty and glamorous as they come in Tinseltown.

Crème de la crème was the guest list:  Vince Edwards and wife Kathy Kersh (they’re back together again and Mrs. Edwards is expecting), Dean Martin, Jack Benny, Bill Cosby, Polly Bergen, Haley Mills, Suzanne Pleshette, Groucho Marx, Jimmy Stewart, Rock Hudson, and Gene Barry to mention a mere few.  Press was barred and Beatle fans were kept at a distance by courteous but firm police.

From all indications the planned event had earmarks of a whale of an evening in a town that’s had more than its share of gay parties.

But something must have backfired.

 Only three Beatles attended.  George Harrison, in fact, was discovered by BEAT reporters at the Columbia Records Hollywood Studios, an interested spectator at a recording session by the Byrds.  John Lennon was observed leaving in evident boredom (see photo) before 9:30 p.m.  Around 9:45, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney followed John back to their secluded mansion on Benedict Canyon Road – or elsewhere, perhaps, to livelier happenings?

What happened?  We probably shall never know.  But we can conjecture that the boys weren’t any too happy to see fans shivering outside the Livingston house in the night chill while they had to endure the boredom inside.



Police guard Alan Livingston's home where the party was held.

elated fans and amused policemen await the arrival of the boys

Bored, John Lennon leaves alone - and before 9:30 pm too.

In car,  hard on John's heels, a dejected Ringo and blase Paul take off too.

With the press barred, how then did the BEAT obtain these exclusive photos?  Easy.  BEAT photographer, Chuck Boyd, intrepid and resourceful, merely disguised himself as a punch bowl.   He returned empty, of course, but certainly not empty-handed.