The Beatles (TV series)

The Beatles
(left to right) John, Ringo, George, and Paul as animated characters.
Genre	Comedy Musical
Created by	Al Brodax
Written by	Al Brodax Bruce Howard Heywood Kling Dennis Marks Jack Mendelsohn
Directed by	Jack Stokes Graham Sharpe Ron Campbell Jim Hiltz Ray Leach John Dunn Bob Godfrey Tony Gearty Tom McDonald Frank Andrina Barry Helmer Mike Jones
Voices of	Paul Frees Lance Percival Julie Bennett Carol Corbett
Theme music composer	Lennon–McCartney
Opening theme	"Can't Buy Me Love" (season 1, full programme) "Help!" (season 2, full programme) "And Your Bird Can Sing" (season 3, full programme) "The Beatles Opening Theme" (animated segments, all seasons)
Ending theme	"The Beatles End Theme" (1964)
Composer	The Beatles (songs)
Country of origin	United States United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	39
Production
Executive producer	Al Brodax
Producers	Al Brodax Mary Ellen Stewart George Dunning Leon Becker Jack Gettles
Running time	18 min (UK Version) 30 Min (Full Version)
Production companies	King Features Syndicate Artransa/Graphik Canawest Studios TVC London
Original release
Network	ABC (United States) Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Australia) ITV (United Kingdom)
Release	25 September 1965 (1965-09-25) – 21 October 1967 (1967-10-21)
Related
Yellow Submarine (1968)

The Beatles, also referred to as The Beatles Cartoon, is an animated television series featuring representations of the popular English rock band of the same name.^[1] It was originally broadcast from 1965 to 1967 on ABC in the United States, with reruns airing until 1969.

The series debuted on 25 September 1965, with new episodes airing until 21 October 1967.^[2] A total of 39 episodes were produced. The series was shown on Saturdays at 10:30 AM EST until the third season in 1967, when it was moved to 12:00 PM EST. Reruns aired from 1968 to 1969 at 9:30 AM EST on Sundays.^[3] Each episode is named after a Beatles song, with a plot based on its lyrics, and it is also played in the episode. The series was rerun on MTV in 1986 and 1987 and on The Disney Channel beginning in 1989 on Fridays at 5 PM.^[3][4]

The series was a historical milestone, as it was the first weekly television series to feature animated versions of real, living people.^[5]

The series consisted of short animated stories intended to set up visual illustrations of Beatles songs. In addition, there were sing-along sequences with simpler imagery complementing the full lyrics of particular songs. The songs were taken from the albums up to Revolver as well as non-album singles up to "Strawberry Fields Forever"/"Penny Lane".

The series depicted the band in their early "moptop-and-suit" look, which was also depicted in the 1964 live-action film, A Hard Day's Night, even though the band had moved beyond it during the series' run. The producers attempted to acknowledge the band members' contemporary appearances with photographs of them in the series' title sequences during its production run.

The Beatles borrowed Richard Lester's fast-cutting directorial style of A Hard Day's Night and its 1965 follow-up, Help! Hal Erickson writes in Television Cartoon Shows that the frenetic cuts "[gave] the series its breezy pace and comic impudence — which often had to compensate for some distressingly sloppy animation and infantile scripting".^[6]

The band members were not involved with the series' production beyond the use of their music recordings. US actor Paul Frees voiced John Lennon, George Harrison, and Brian Epstein and provided additional voices, while Lance Percival voiced Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. The female voices were provided by Julie Bennett and Carol Corbett. At first, the Beatles dismissed the series because of its poor quality.^[7] However, it is reported that the band members enjoyed the cartoon in later years.^[8]

Initially, the opening credits theme was a guitar riff from "A Hard Day's Night" segueing into "Can't Buy Me Love", over a cartoon sequence of the group running down a fire escape, echoing a scene in A Hard Day's Night. The second season's opening theme was "Help!", while the third season's opening theme was "And Your Bird Can Sing", over a different cartoon sequence.

Although uncredited, Dennis Marks, along with Jack Mendelsohn, Heywood Kling and Bruce Howard, wrote all 39 episodes of the series.^[9]

Most of the episodes of the series were produced by Artransa Park Film Studios in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia^[10] and George Dunning's company TVC Animation in London,^[11] with some episodes made in Hollywood,^[8] with a crew supervised by veteran cartoon writer John W. Dunn.^[8]

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Each Beatles figure was a loose and exaggerated description of themselves, with John and Paul wearing a blue collar-less suit and tie and George and Ringo wearing navy blue turtlenecks and light blue blazer jackets. All of them wore matching blue drainpipe trousers and Beatle Boots.

John is described as being the leader, with a mop-top that is slightly shorter than the others. He has a bulbous chin and small eyes, and his movements are short and aggressive. He gestures with his hands in a mocking “showbiz" manner, especially when giving orders, showing that he does not take his job as leader seriously. He slouches rather than sits, and will often pull funny faces then immediately stop. He uses a sideways look to talk to somebody, and looks away after giving an order. He tends to use sarcastic, dry humour, and is lazy and laid-back. As well, he is often malicious, especially towards George and Ringo. Despite this, he cares about the band members and will do anything for them.

Paul is shown as the second-in-command of the band. He is the most poised and stylish of the four, and his mop-top is the neatest among them. He has a fine face, with eyebrows that are wide and far apart and eyes that are partly closed and open when he is excited or frightened. He uses his hands, with fingers spread apart, to express himself when talking, and he looks straight at who he is talking to. He gets excited when John makes suggestions, and when excited he puts his hand over his mouth. When he is making suggestions or comments, especially when suggesting mischief, he covers it up by assuming a mockingly innocent look; eyes wide and head tilted to one side. Like John, Paul uses dry and sarcastic humor and is happy-go-lucky and laid-back. Despite this, he is always willing to help others.

Paul and Ringo are the two characters who sound closest to their real-life counterparts. His character is the only left-hander, while in real life both he and Ringo are left-handed.

George has an angular and wry figure and is about the same height as Paul, with a mop-top that is longer in the back compared to the others. His shoulders are hunched when he is standing or leaning, and he appears to be frowning since his eyebrows become thicker near his nose. His chin and nose are long and thin, with sunken cheeks. His figure is emphasized when he walks, especially on the knees. He often leans against something, with his shoulders hunched, hands in his pockets, and his legs crossed. He never looks at who he's speaking to, and closes his eyes for short periods when talking.

He often uses dry, witty humor and easily succumbs to peer pressure. George has a diverse accent which is unlike any particular accent, but sounds similar to an Irish accent. George has been shown to be fascinated with various cultures and is occasionally superstitious. He and Ringo often do work for John and Paul, such as in the episode "Do You Want to Know a Secret", where they carry the bands' luggage into their vacation cottage. He cares about the band members and helps them when needed.

Ringo is the most sympathetic Beatle, and is calm, gentle, and innocent. His mop-top is the longest and shaggiest of the four, and at times almost covers his eyes. His trademark features include his nose and expressive eyes and his trademark exaggerated laugh. He often smiles, but when he is not, he has a look of curiosity or sadness on his face, with his upper lip protruding in a wavy line. His expressions and humor are usually deadpan, but he is occasionally expressive. Although he is the eldest Beatle, born three months before John, he is the smallest of the four, with a thin neck that gets smaller as it reaches the base and a small chin. When he walks, his limbs, hands, and feet move loosely. His clothes often appear to be oversized, especially his Beatle Boots and blazer jacket.

During the song portions of the episodes, he often shakes his head and mop-top around with a goofy expression when drumming. He gets along best with George, and like him shows interest in various cultures. He often makes bad puns and jokes that only he finds funny. During the introductions to the Sing-Along segments, he substitutes for the prop-man, who is often absent, and sets the stage according to John, Paul, or George's description, often to their surprise or chagrin. It is revealed in the episode "Money" that Ringo's mother dropped him as a baby, as he says that "Me mother dropped me once". Ringo, like Paul, is also left-handed, although in "I'll Be Back" he plays a guitar right-handed.

He is often the subject of the show's slapstick humor, being the butt of jokes and the victim of pranks or bad luck. His bad luck often results from his naivety, curiosity, and unawareness of danger. In the episode "Good Day Sunshine", he becomes depressed and upset and thinks that he is a jinx for misfortunes, as it rained at Carny Island on the Beatles' weekends, and is described in the episode as being a "sourpuss". He feels better after John, Paul, and George sing "Good Day Sunshine" for him and show him how to have fun again.

Brian Epstein acts as the Beatles' manager. He is rarely seen or mentioned, but is mostly mentioned in the episode "Please Mr. Postman". In the episode, the Beatles run out of money after Ringo purchases fifteen rings which are taken by autograph collectors, and they need to contact Epstein for money. Epstein finally appears in the beginning of the episode "Thank You Girl", but only his arm is seen as he grounds the Beatles for gaining weight after dining on French cooking. Epstein and the other real-life Beatles appear in a lost deleted scene featuring the series' production.

His appearance in the series and his habit of smoking is a homage to the series' creator, Al Brodax.

The series was an instant ratings hit on ABC in the Saturday morning time slot after it debuted on 25 September 1965 at 10:30 AM ET.^[3] It racked up a 13 score (or 52 share), then unheard of in daytime television. The series was sponsored by the A. C. Gilbert Company, the Quaker Oats Company and the Mars Candy Company.^[3] For the third season in 1967, the series was moved to Saturdays at noon.

Originally, the Beatles disliked the cartoon; however, as time went on they grew to like it. In 1972, Lennon commented, "I still get a blast out of watching the Beatles cartoons on TV." In 1999, Harrison said, "I always kind of liked [the cartoons]. They were so bad or silly that they were good, if you know what I mean, and I think the passage of time might make them more fun now."^[11]

The series was syndicated worldwide on television and cable after the original run ended in 1969. In 1986 and 1987, new generations were introduced to the series when it was rebroadcast by MTV and also by The Disney Channel. On MTV, the series was shown on Saturday and Sunday mornings at 10 AM ET or 7 AM PT. On The Disney Channel, the series was shown on Fridays at 5 PM beginning in 1989. Mark Hamill was a guest host of the MTV run of the series in 1987.

The Beatles' views of the cartoon series discouraged them from participating significantly in the later animated feature film, Yellow Submarine, whose producer, Al Brodax, and director, George Dunning, had also been involved in the production of the animated series. Only when the band saw and were impressed by the Yellow Submarine's finished footage did they realize the film was a more ambitious creation. As a result, they agreed to appear in a short live-action epilogue for it. Lance Percival provided the voice of Fred in that film.

In December 2004, McFarlane Toys released a line of figures based on the cartoon series, featuring all four band members with their instruments. In 2005, they released a boxed set featuring cartoon figures of all four band members with instruments, plus an alligator figure, speakers, and a radio. Apple Corps Ltd. purchased the rights to the series in the early 1990s. There has been popular demand for Apple Corps to issue a remastered release of the series on DVD.^[5]

• DenniLu Company. Officially Licensed by Apple Corps Ltd.
• Axelrod, Mitchell. Beatletoons: The Real Story Behind The Cartoon Beatles. Wynn, 1999.
• Lenburg, Jeff. Encyclopedia Of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books, 1999.
• Lehman, Christopher P. American Animated Cartoons of the Vietnam Era: A Study of Social Commentary in Films and Television Programs, 1961–1973. McFarland, 2007.
• TV.com. Archived 23 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine
• The Big Cartoon Database.

• The Beatles at IMDb
• Garn's Guides.
• The background of The Beatles cartoon television series.
• Reference Library: Beatles Cartoons.
• Cartoon Beatles artwork.