November 20, 1965
An online Beatles fan club for and about Beatle fans
Thursday, November 20, 2025
I Want To Hold Your Hand... (1965)
I Want to Hold Your Hand
By Steve Nidetz
Hartford Courant
November 21, 1965
Miss Gisa Kothe is not a teenager. In fact, she will never see 20 again, but almost any one of 20 million teenagers would have eagerly traded places with her that late summer afternoon when Paul McCartney, one of Britain's four famed mop top Beatles, took her hand and said to her, "Thanks so much, luv, for the wonderful flight."
The momentous moment happened at the end of TWA Flight 703 from London to New York. Miss Kothe, 21, from East Heartland had just spent seven and a half hours as a transatlantic hostess for the Rock and Roll idols of the teen set. The attractive girl was chosen for the flight for two reasons. She was Miss New York press photographer and Queen of the Forest Hills festival for 1961
When she learned of her selection, she was terribly excited. "I took an extra uniform skirt and had my hair done," Miss Kothe said. Before the plane could take off from London's Heathrow Airport, the mop heads were shuttled aboard in secrecy. Miss Kothe's reaction when the Beatles stepped on board was one of surprise and excitement. Of McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, and John Lennon, the blue-eyed brunette said, "They were very reserved during the flight."
Besides eating Chateau Briand lobster and cheese and crackers with wine (George's favorite), the fearless foursome occupied its time playing games (Paul won the navigation game), drinking champagne, and watching a movie.
Excitement on board the flight was provided by 20 teenagers who formed a Beatles fan club on the spot. Most of them were tense and nervous trying to catch a glimpse of the Beatles Miss Kothe said the airline staff was prepared for the teenage assault on the first class section and handed out photographs and autographed records. But seven and a half hours is a long time for a teenager to be satisfied with just a picture or a record, especially when the live stuff was around. Many young ladies tried to catch glimpses of the Beatles by peering over the partition separating first-class and coach passengers. However, the alternating screaming and swooning eventually subsided.
But while the noise-making was going on in the coach department, the Beatles were very unconcerned. Miss Kothe said, "They were more typical than the typical first-class passenger."
The five other first-class passengers included a college professor and his wife, who were returning from Saudi Arabia, and three businessmen, one of whom passed out cigars. The Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein, his secretary, Wendy Hanson, and two of the Beatles' road managers also occupied seats in the first class section.
"Throughout the trip, John wore a pair of wild sunglasses that looked like mirrors." Miss Kothe said, "but when I asked to try them on, he said, 'No, I'm sorry. Maybe next time.'"
When the plane was near New York, the secret landing instructions were opened, and it headed for runway 31 at Kennedy International Airport. By the time the plane stopped on the runway to let the Beatles off so they could avoid the crowds, many Beatles souvenirs had been collected. The pursuer on the flight took all the towels and silverware off the flight and was auctioning them off to teenagers the next day.
Miss Kothe said her rewards included an autographed picture, a record, and, of course, a handshake. "They were just being the Beatles," Miss Kothe said when it was all over. "I enjoyed the trip and I'd do it again." So would any female between the ages of 10 and 18.
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
The Beatles Let Their Hair Down (1965)
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| Photographer Henry Presser interviews Ringo on the flight from Lyon to Paris about these questions |
The Beatles Let Their Hair Down
By Melinda McCracken
The Hamilton Spectator
November 20, 1965
What's behind a Beatle? Teenage fans have scratched, scuffed, screamed, and done everything to get close to their idols, but the mystery of the unknown Beatle remains unsolved. The public still doesn't know what really goes on underneath those thick mops of hair, that is, if their heads hold anything but more hair.
Well, even the genius of Marcel Proust, the great French thinker who died in 1922, couldn't fathom the Beatles. Proust, much admired for his brilliance at Paris salons during the Belle Époque, devised a set of questions to probe personalities. They were used as a parlor game to amuse salon people who quickly grew bored with one another's wit but had little to do except be clever. Imagine the flutterings and ooh la la's of perfumed ladies and intellectual dandies as they savor the delight of the first psychological quiz.
During a plane trip, the questions were given to the Beatles to fill out. John Lennon, the author, declined to answer, but George Paul and Ringo complied. The Liverpool lads, famous for their mastery of the flip retort and tired, perhaps of too many questions and interviews made hash of Proust, as you can see by their answers.
For which mistakes do you have the most indulgence?
George: I forgot just now. Sir.
Paul, mine.
Ringo, good ones.
Your favorite heroines in real life.?
George: Sophie Tucker and Ella Phant
Paul: Bernadette Chesakovitch and Marcel Proust
Ringo: Billy the Kid.
Your favorite painter?
George: Hitler
Paul: secret.
Ringo: John Lennon
Your favorite musician:
George Bert Kaemfart
Paul: Allan-a-Dale (one of Robin Hood's merry men who was also a minstrel.)
Ringo: Yussef Lateef
The quality you prefer in a girl.
George: loose morals.
Paul: a healthy mind.
Ringo: A lot of things.
Your favorite virtue?
George: The Three Stooges.
Paul: Goodness.
Ringo, the duck-billed virtue.
What do you appreciate most in your friends?
George: their lungs
Paul: togetherness.
Ringo: five feet, 11 inches.
Your main default.
George: brake lining and gearbox.
Paul: Pigeon, chest.
Ringo: five feet eight inches.
What would be your greatest misfortune?
George: having no limbs.
Paul: to live my life again another way.
Ringo: two feet, nine inches.
Your favorite poets:
George: Dobby and Gray Ltd ( an English company John Lennon made up)
Paul: Adrian Mitchell, Bob Danvers Walker (real poets)
Ringo: Bob Dylan
Your heroines in history
George: Jeff of Arc,
Paul: Elizabeth I, Marcel Proust
Ringo: Lady Godiver.
Your favorite names?
George: Tom, Albert, Sydney
Paul: Nathaniel, Anna, Relf, Gobbo, Belt, Corset.
Ringo: Roach, joint
A natural gift you would like to have.
George: speech
Paul: a watch.
Ringo: six feet one inch.
Who are your favorite heroes in novels?
George : Jimmy Olsen (Superman's pal)
Paul Juan in The Wayward Bus. Harris Tweed in The Eagle (an English comic book)
Ringo: Don't know
What is you for you the height of misery?
George: Having no sugar in my tea.
Paul: being woken up after two hours of sleep.
Ringo, nowhere to sleep.
Your heroines in fiction
George: Mrs. Biggles (she was just great)
Paul: Lois Lane (Superman's Girlfriend) Marcel Proust.
Ringo: Pansy Potter (an American pop singer.)
Your favorite occupation?
George: growing tall.
Paul mine.
Ringo: sleeping.
What would you like to be?
George: A corn flake
Paul: a church.
Ringo: six feet, one inch.
How would you like to die?
George: asleep, please.
Paul: gracefully with speed.
Ringo: quick.
Present state of your mind.
George: 10% alcohol.
Paul: puzzled.
Ringo: fuzzy.
Your motto:
George: non nobis solum sed toti mundo nati.
Paul: Have faith in God, and you will see his light make bright your day.
Ringo: Be kind to your dog, and you will always have a friend.
Does this impromptu display of Beatleish wit mean that the Beatles are clowns to the core, or is it a cover-up like their hair or their inability to take themselves seriously? Only their hairdresser knows for sure.
A day at the pool
This appears to be Ringo and I believe Maureen at a home in Los Angeles. If anyone know differently, please let me know.
War is Over - children's book Review
There is a new Beatles children's book available just in time for the December holidays. War Is Over is the book adaptation of the Academy Award-winning short animated film of the same name. This book is based on the Christmas song by John and Yoko and was created by Sean Lennon, Brad Booker, and Dave Mullins.
Many of us have never had the opportunity to see the film because it has not been streaming anywhere, but that is going to change on December 1. The story tells of two soldiers who are fighting on opposite sides. They participate in playing a chess game anonymously by passing notes through a messenger pigeon. A fight breaks out, and on the field, the two chess players come face to face. It is a very moving story, and the illustrations are beautifully done.
Beatle fans will appreciate the nods to Beatlesisms, such as the pigeon named "Julia" and one of the soldiers called "Winston."
In the afterward, Sean states that he hopes "this book will serve as a conversation starter for families and friends." The topic of war is very heavy for a children's book, and this book isn't meant to be one for a young person to read independently and put back on the shelf. I believe it should be read together as a family and used as a springboard to talk about hate and war. The book seems to be written at a 3rd-grade level, and I wouldn't read it with any child younger than 8.
As I stated, it is a beautiful book and very well done. It would make a great gift even for those who are not John Lennon fans.
If you would like to purchase this book, I would greatly appreciate it if you could use the Amazon affiliate link for your purchase. I get a small percentage of anything bought through this link, and I use that money to pay for the annual fees used to keep this site online.
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