I don't really expect for anyone to know the answer to this, but you never know. I recently won the Omega auctions for a large lot of Beatles scrapbooks and clippings. Well most of the clippings and scrapbooks are of these "Beatle Box" part of Valentine magazine. I have these from 1965-1967. Let me tell you, they are really interesting. Some of the photos are new to me and the questions and answers are really insightful at times.
What I am wondering is who answered these questions? I usually assume that editors of the teen magazines answer the questions the fans send in and pretend to be the Beatles. However, the answers to these questions are too good and too detailed to just be magazine editors. For example, one of them I was reading was asking Paul if he had any pets. He said, "I just got a new sheepdog puppy that is named Martha." Now that isn't something that I think just anyone would know. So either the actual Beatles answered these letters or Mal or Neil or some insiders answered them. If it wasn't the guys themselves, then I think it was Mal, because the answers about Paul's trip to Kenya was just too detailed for anyone else to know.
Who do you think answered this column?
The answers were written for Valentine every week by Tony Barrow, press officer at Nems Enterprises. The Valentine column was a continuation of one that had run in Marilyn, a similar weekly comic, which ended in September 1965.
ReplyDeleteMTBFR is a fantastic website, Sara. I check it every day. Thanks for all your dedicated love and labours.
Thank you Mark for your kind words!
DeleteI knew it had to be some Beatles "insider" and not just a magazine editor. I personally think that Tony had to have asked the Beatles a few of the questions because they truly are great answers. I should have guessed it was Tony Barrow. I think I have the whole set of "Valentine" question and answers. Pretty neat insights. Thanks for the answer. :)
Fascinating!
DeleteI was just wondering about something similar, the captions to the "Ringo's Photo Album" magazine that came out in '64! I'll bet that was Tony Barrow too!
(Thanks Mr. Lewisohn for the information!)