Four Brits and a flag

photos by Nicholas DeScoise

These iconic photos of the Beatles standing with a large American flag as a backdrop appeared on the cover of 16 magazine's Beatles special and is featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.   These photos are similar to the photographs Dezo Hoffman took in January 1964 of the Beatles in Paris, yet they have a less serious look about them.

They were taken in Denver  by a then 19 year old fan named Nick DeScoise.   Nick had been photographing the Beatles in Denver for the high school where he had recently graduated.   He had taken photographs of them during the press conference and was walking with them down a hall where they saw a very large American flag on display.    Nick said in a 1995 new story about the Beatles at Red Rocks, "The idea just hit us. This wold be the funniest picture -- in front of the American flag.  They gave me five shots and then they went out and did their songs."

An impromptu photo shoot with a teenage photographer ended up being a famous photo.   Great stuff!