The Beatles Bobbies meet the Beatles

I had never heard of "The Beatle Bobbies" and I bet most of you haven't either.   They were sort of a neat idea, but I doubt it worked.    During the 1964 tour, some girls worked together as "The Beatle Bobbies."  Their job was to try to keep the screaming and fainting and insanity around the Beatles at a minimum while the guys were in their hotel room.   So they would get the girls into singing "We love you Beatles" or some Beatles song while they were standing outside, so that they weren't pushing and shoving.   At the Beatles concert, they would remind the fans not to stand on their chairs or rush up to the stage.   It wasn't a bad idea because maybe just maybe they would be more willing to listen to their peers than to the adults.   

I found this article about when the founders of the Beatles Bobbies in Baltimore met the Beatles in 1964 in a newspaper like Beatles magazine that was from 1965 and cost $15 cents (from what was on the cover).   I am not sure where it originated from.   But it is full of neat things about the Beatles.   

Jo, the president of the Beatle Bobbies

Fans outside the Holiday Inn in Baltimore

Baltimore 1964

We met and Protected the Beatles

By Jo Kandalis

We met and Protected the Beatles

By Jo Kandalis

“They’re here, my God, they’re here!”  We had been waiting eight months to meet the four wonderful boys.  We had worked for them silently all that time.  We had devoted our time, effort, respect, determination, and money to making a success of an organization designed to protect the Beatles from over-enthusiastic fans and over-protective police.  And today, September 14, 1964, at 2:30pm, we would meet the Beatles to be thanked for the job we had done.

In two weeks, 250 responsible girls were chosen and instructed in their task for the day, dubbed “Beatles Day” in Baltimore.  At this time, the girls were merely told the importance of keeping themselves in tact that they might assist others.  Unfortunately, because our plans were so hazy as to the actual help we would offer, the police were skeptical, and although they could not stop us from trying to help, they would not give us authority to do so either.  It was most important  that they realize we were truly trying to help, that this was not merely a Beatle worshipper’s elaborate plan to get to them .  The result of our efforts was that on that glorious day, The Beatle Bobbies were assembled, outlining the Holiday Inn where the Beatles stayed.  From our roost on the 8^th floor of the hotel, we watched our girls, directing the crowd in singing Beatles songs to keep them calm, as they linked arms to keep the girl from standing in the street.  This strong attempt was not a hug success, but did cut down on quite a lot of the confusion.  Later our co-workers moved on, for it was performance time.

I attended the first show, and between moments of watching the Beatles, I watched some of our more successful bobbies instructing girls to stay seated and others to not stand on their seats, because others were trying fruitlessly to see.  After the first performance, which y opinion rather pleasant, considering all you hear about the behavior at the Beatles’ performances, the Beatle Bobbies resumed their positions outside of the Holiday Inn.  Some of our girls remained at the civic center to attend the second performance.  As I was leaving, I asked some reporters where Bess Coleman (the Beatles press representative) was.  When they asked why I wished to find her, they questioned me about the Beatles Bobbies, jotting down what I said.  One reporter taped my statement.   I was unable to locate Miss Coleman, and was soon ushered out of the Civic Center.  It was unbelievable, walking away from the Beatles!

After strolling around the hotel, awaiting our two companions return form the second performance, Ellen and I found ourselves with nothing to do.  It was a restless time, trying to call Bess Coleman, and trying not to be upset.  At last the second performance had ended and a few clusters of people began descending the walk form the Civic Center.  Suddenly, like a gust of wind appears from nowhere, there were swarms of people running in every direction.   Within seconds, the entire intersection, every square inch of sidewalk and street space in the entire area, as far as I could see from the window as covered with confused, frantic people.  Not just teens as you would expect.  Thousands of people, who, in the next mirage of minutes were gone, as quickly as they had appeared.  This, was my first sight of Beatlemania…the Beatlemania I had heard about every day of my life but had not until this moment experienced.   After spending the entire weekend in the hotel the Beatles stayed in, two floors above us and seven rooms to the right, we became quite qualified to know what it feels like to be so close to them, yet so far away.  We had tried countless times to get to the tenth floor, and teach time we got the same “brass” reception.  But this day we were walking out of the elevator into Bess Coleman’s room, asking monotonous and annoying questions, looking out the window at the street below, where we had looked upward the day before, and singing Beatle songs, while Ringo slept in the next room.  And with all the excitement, thrill, worry, tears, and satisfaction, which had been conglomerated into the weekend, we were at last ushered into room 1013.

Paul McCartney stood combing his hair, and when he saw us, offered a warm, friendly greeting.  My two companions and I presented him with the Beatles Bobbie pledges the girls had written, promising to do their best to help with the organization.  During these moments, speaking with George and Paul, it wasn’t The Beatles anymore.  It was two nice guys who were just human beings.  Trying to take in everything that was happening around us I was totally lost, and I remember little myself of what happened.  Just the fragments of sentences I remember saying to George and Paul.

Vicki and Ellen describe their thoughts on meeting George and Paul:

“You would think that someone who had met the Beatles two times previously would be as calm as possible.  It just doesn’t work out that way!  Although I kept a rather calm appearance, I was a bundle of nerves inside.  As we entered the room containing Paul and George, I felt a sudden excitement come over me.  There in front of my very eyes was Paul, combing his dark brown hair neatly across his forehead.  We walked up to him shakily and stood behind him (He’s even beautiful from behind).  He turned around suddenly and said, “Hello, girls!”  As he shook my hand, he said, “Hello, Vicki!”  I melted all over again.   After Jo gave him the Beatle Bobbie pledges, he read a couple aloud then called George to come out to meet us.  George was indeed very handsome, but could never, in my opinion, be as perfect in facial appearances as Paul.   George was very shy, and although he didn’t say much, he managed to keep from being rude by answering any questions we asked him.  He acted very interested, and was a good listener to what we said about Beatle Bobbies Inc., although I do think he was a bit confused.  After spending about 15 minutes in the wonderful company of Paul and George, we said good-bye and went in, to meet Ringo and John.   I can remember not being as nervous as we walked into their bedroom.  They were standing in front of the TV giggling at a well-known commercial.  They shook our hands, and Ringo offered us “ciggies”, which we refused.   John sang us a few bars of “A Hard Day’s Night” and danced around in a funny manner.  As we left their room that day, I felt a little sadness creep into the empty space where all the excitement had been before and I realized that this was the end of an experience I would never forget. “

As for me, we were in room 1015, with Ringo and John.  Here was more chance to talk.  There was no rush, and no photographs.  Just the three of us, and John and Ringo.  I remember asking John if he had enjoyed doing the movie and he said he had, very much.  They commented on the work we had done and John danced around and being as witty as we had imagined.   Even when we had entered the room, we could hear the “wedding white” commercial, on TV, and John and Ringo in the other room watching it were laughing.   Soon, Derek Taylor came in and told us if we would go down to the basement, we could watch them leave.  There was much hustling and moving, and soon we were past rooms 1013 and 1015 and in the elevator.   We were soon pushed out of the elevator on the basement floor.  A line of policemen were strung across the hallway, arms linked, holding back the fair sized crowd, just in time to watch the four lead out on the next stop….with a trail of hearts following behind them.  And in those few seconds, I knew they were gone.

So many people have written articles which tell their encounters with the Beatles.  Perhaps mine was not fabulous or exciting to someone else, and I didn’t date a Beatles, or kiss one, or even spend a lot of time with them.  I have nothing to exaggerate.  But the day I met the Beatles I met them with pride.  We had accomplished it all ourselves, and it wasn’t connections that got us to them, just our own sincerity and drive.  We started with just a wish, as four typical tees, and now we are holding a responsibility running this organization.  I hope girls who read this will believe that there is no such word as impossible in getting to the Beatles.  Vicki, Ellen and I can tell you, we know.