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50 years ago, George Harrison performed on stage at the Hollywood Bowl. He dressed as a Canadian Mountie and sang with the Monty Python gang during the performance of "The Lumberjack Song." If you didn't know he was on stage, you might not have even noticed.
George Live at the Hollywood Bowl
By Kris Spackman
With a Little Help From My Friends
October 1980
George was live at the Hollywood Bowl in his only 1980 US concert appearance on September 29, 1980. Okay, so maybe it wasn't really a concert appearance, but to date, so far as we know, it was George's only US appearance this year. Thank you, Warner Bros., for not getting his prior approval on the LP artwork. And thank you, Pythons, for doing your shows at just the right time.
Three weeks earlier, we read with excitement the article in the LA Times announcing Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl, their only US appearance, four shows on four consecutive nights in late September. At the time, the faint possibility that George could be there flickered across the mind, but one never knows with him these days, especially since he's been such a hermit of late. No matter what, the shows would still have to be incredible.
We bought four tickets for Saturday night, September 27, and on that very day, a frantic phone call from good old Simmons sent our hope skyrocketing. Direct from the man himself, via London, and thanks to Dorothy, and from Scotland, thanks to Angela, came the incredible news that he was stopping in LA on his way to Hawaii. Oh, my God. Oh, my God! It sounded too good to be true, but how terribly logical. We speculated over whether he'd be carrying the master tapes for the LP or perhaps stopping over at the Grand Prix in Montreal, which was also happening that weekend. Heck, knowing George, he probably was coming for the Python shows.
At the show that night, we hung out at the artist entrance until just minutes before showtime, then inside, gazed anxiously about at the 6,000 gathered, and tried to spot that face in the crowd. The show was incredibly wonderful. Typical Python hysterics, from Cleese's crazy silly walks to Terry's incredible animation on the two large video screens, to Eric's marvelous raps, to the great "Lumberjack Song." (They got a standing ovation for that one). But there was no George after the show. We again returned to the artists' entrance and waited for the guys to leave. Almost an hour later, Eric was the last to go, and we stopped by his limo to sign autographs. We glanced quickly inside, no George. Then I looked up to find myself standing next to Derek Taylor! He was probably as surprise that someone recognized him as I was to see him! I was only able to quickly ask him how he was (fine) and tell him I met him in England several years ago before he was hustled into the car with Eric, and they were off. What a lovely surprise that was!
Meanwhile, we knew that if George were in town, he'd have to show up at least one night. We went back Sunday night and bumped into a friend with connections, who confirmed he was definitely in town. The artwork for his album had been sent off to WEA in error without his final approval, so he decided to stop in LA at a time that just happened to coincide with the Python shows. But no George.
We knew Monday night had to be the night! We were determined to get tickets to the show, whether we had to beg, borrow, or steal them. But luck was with us. We wound up with two return box seats bought at cost at the Bowl box office. Things were running smoothly from the start. My roommate Patty, our good friend Sue Webber, and I arrived early at the Bowl, once again, taking up position at the artist's entrance. We saw the guys wandering about getting ready for the show, but no George. At two minutes to show time, we reluctantly left Sue (a ticket, unfortunately, didn't fit into her budget), promising to call her should anything happen.
The show was just as great the second time around. During intermission, another very pleasant surprise, to say the least, occurred. We ran into some people we knew in their box seats. To find them there with Klaus Vormann! We were introduced to him, and he was very sweet and looked absolutely gorgeous, though he's gotten very gray. His eyes are as stunningly blue as ever. Then, to Patty's absolute astonishment, Klaus asked her if they hadn't met before. Yes, she admitted they had met several times years ago in England! We were just overwhelmed, as it had been at least seven years.
We went back to our seats, and the show went on. Still, no George, not even during the "Lumberjack Song." Afterwards, back at the artist's entrance, we bumped into a friend, Lynn, and her first words were, "Have you seen him?" No. I thought immediately she couldn't mean... "Who?" I said. "George! Who else?" She went on to tell us that he had been inside in a regular box seat in the audience. He was there with Olivia and another couple and was very much enjoying himself, being very friendly and signing autographs.
Lynn had spoken to him for a couple of minutes, but couldn't really remember much of what he said. A couple of moments later, there he was, walking into the tent outside the Bowl for the after-show party. He was carrying the stuffed parrot the Pythons use in the famous This Parrot Is Dead skit, and in the quick glimpse I caught of him as he went in, I thought he looked just wonderful, pretty much like he did in Long Beach in 1979, though his hair was a bit shorter.
As he disappeared inside, Patty grabbed my arm. "Come on." We circled around to the other side of the tent. Security people were all around. Patty walked away from me for a moment toward the back of the tent. A quick glance to see that the security guard had walked away. I turned to look for her, but she was gone. I knew right then that she had gotten inside-- a true graduate of the School of slinkology. That's my roommate. I was stunned and too much of a damn silly chicken to try to follow her, so I returned to the front of the tent to wait for him and Patty to come out.
Meanwhile, inside, Patty quickly found herself a drink to calm her sudden, violent case of nerves. To her astonishment at this burst of courage, she talked to George only to say hello to him and Olivia, and then tried to mingle while keeping a close eye on him. A couple of times, she found those eyes on her, and I speculated that George, of excellent memory, was also perhaps trying to recall where he had seen her before. But he seems to be thoroughly enjoying himself. He sat with Olivia and his friends at a corner table, and they were laughing and chatting together with all the friends who approached them. George was still holding onto the stuffed parrot, which he kept rapping against the table.
Patty said the nicest part of all was seeing him look so relaxed, obviously happy, and very healthy. Meanwhile, she kept running literally into Robin "Mork" Williams, who finally apologized for bumping into her. She stayed at the party for only half an hour or so, and the funny part was that he sneaked out the way Patty sneaked in, through the back of the tent. He came walking up the driveway past where we were waiting, so Lynn and I got a nice, long look at him. People approached him for autographs as he scooted up the driveway to the parking lot, and one rather weird character got him to sign a painting of The Beatles.
We followed at a discreet distance and watched him get into the car with his friends. Then they were off, and I stumbled back to find Patty, who'd raced out at discovering George had pulled one of his famous disappearing acts. We also discovered that no one even remembered what he'd been wearing. We were all too busy looking at his face. I seem to recall it was the tan trousers and jacket he'd been wearing at Long Beach. But don't take my word for it. By this time, we were all exhausted, exhilarated, overwhelmed, and blissfully happy —that special high you get at times like that. We felt like Mission Accomplished once again. Please, George, keep up your once a year in LA habit, because we love being spoiled like this.
By Joe Dojcsak
The Van Nuys News
August 31, 1965
There was a masterful security plan
to protect Britain's mop-haired Beatles amidst screaming, sobbing, pushing, and
instant hysteria. The Beatles quickly climbed the stairs leading from an
underground exit at the Capitol Records building and hurriedly jumped into an
armored truck after holding a press conference prior to their Hollywood Bowl
concert on Sunday.
As the armored truck headed toward the parking
lot exit, several Beatles fans grabbed for the side view mirror and held on for
dear life. Other emotionally drained girls ran alongside the armored vehicle
and started frantically pounding on the bulletproof glass window and shouting,
“Ringo, George, we love you.” The truck gained speed and headed toward the Bowl
and the sell-out crowd that awaited them.
Swarms of parents began arriving at the Bowl
with their sons, daughters, other relatives, neighbors and immediate friends
Sunday morning prior to the concert. By noon Sunday, such great numbers of
teenagers had arrived at the Bowl. One security guard said, “I bet this is one
day when the beaches are depleted of all girls.”
The area around the Bowl was surrounded by
approximately 100 police, and more than 260 security guards were prepared to
curb any instant outbursts of teenage affection during the Beatles' performance.
More than 100 fans without tickets were
arrested by police and security officers when they tried to storm the Bowl. While
17,600 Fans exhausted their emotions once the Beatles started their
performance, 10,000 additional fans milled around outside the Bowl, attempting
to guess from which direction the Beatles would exit after the performance.
“Parents stopped and asked us if there could
be a riot here, but we tried to reassure them and say we have everything under
control”, said one security officer. “Nevertheless, we have to be careful of a
few nuts who come looking for trouble at performances like this.”
One of these fanatics was walking in front of
the Bowl with a rifle on his shoulder. Fortunately, the gun was a toy, but it
sure disturbed many parents who were dropping off their kids near the Bowl.
At exactly 9:55 pm, after the
performance, 10 policemen plowed through the screaming fans and formed a human
wedge while the Beatles jumped to security in an armored car.
It was almost ironic that the mop-haired group
arrived and departed in an armored truck for their few hours of abnormal
excitement. Each of them earned a cool $45,000.
Although security officers kept a tight watch
on hundreds of fans who roamed the Hollywood Bowl area before the performance,
homeowners were not taking any chances. Sprinkling systems were kept going
during the day and evening to discourage overexuberant fans from romping
through the ivy bushes. “My tree has
become a favorite vantage point for Beatles fans”, said Mrs. Richard Jacobson
of Hollywood. “These kids would risk their lives just to see the Beatles”, she
added.
Following their final performance
at the Bowl last night, the Beatles headed towards San Francisco, where they
will present additional concerts before ending their American tour for another
year.
No writer listed
Conejo News
August 30, 1965
“People who go see the Beatles are
probably just as avid as they were in prior stormy years, but they are better
behaved because they want to hear as well as see them”, says a Thousand Oaks
teenager who just went through the experience.
Pam Starke celebrated her 14th birthday
yesterday by seeing the English singing group perform at the Hollywood Bowl. Her father, Paul Starke, 26 Van Dyke Street, Thousand Oaks, escorted Pam, her sisters Patty, 12, and Penny,11, and friend Deanna Brock, 14, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Don Brock, 16 Van Dyke Street, Thousand Oaks.
Pam, who will be a freshman at Thousand Oaks High
School this year, admits to letting go with one little scream when the Beatles
appeared on stage for the first time. “But we were quiet the rest of the time,
except to tell the screamers to shut up.”
Screamers, there were, she reported today, “One
girl just stood there with her fists over her mouth. One girl's mascara was
running down her face. One girl just stood there screaming, ‘George!’. And some
waved their arms and signs to try to get the Beatles' attention. But most of
the people were quiet while they were singing.”
It was Pam's first exposure to Beatlemania,
and she said it was well worth the half-hour traffic jam going into the Bowl
and the slow departure. She said, “The Beatles have talent, and my father
thinks they do too.” Her mother, she
reported, stood firm against going, though she willingly consented to the
girls' outing with Dad.
The other groups on last night's program? “It
wasn't fair to them to put them on the same program as the Beatles. Everyone
wanted to see the Beatles, and no one paid much attention to the others.” Among
those, she felt the sounds. Inc. group was the best.
Pam says she would go again,
traffic jam and all, though next time, she would try to get better seats. “The
older people and kids 10 years and under all had the box seats.” And when she
has children of her own, she'll let them see similar groups. “I know the
Beatles won't be around then, but I wouldn't mind letting my children see
whoever is.”
April 11, 2024 - Paul performs "Let it Be" at the Hollywood Bowl in tribute to his good friend, Jimmy Buffett
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| Sara, your happy Beatles blogger with Bob Eubanks at the Fest in August 2015 |
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| Bob is standing behind George during the 1965 press conference |
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| Bob and Tony Barrow at Dodgers Stadium in 1966 |
