An image from "The Beatles" cartoon series episode called "You've Really Got a Hold on Me." (DenniLu
Company. Copyright Apple Corps Ltd.) More images from the cartoon series can be seen in the slideshow
at the bottom of the page.)
One of the items on Beatle fans' wish list for release is "The Beatles" animated cartoon series, which ran from 1965-69 on Saturday morning TV. But even though Apple has had the rights to it for several years, their use of it has remained fairly dormant, with the exception of some licensed items using the cartoon images.
Mitch Axelrod, author of "Beatletoons, The Real Story Behind The Cartoon Beatles," a book detailing the history and creation of the series, says it's too bad the series hasn't been released on DVD because people forget how popular the cartoons actually were when they were first broadcast.
"The cartoons were very very popular, especially the opening weekend got a 52 share, which is unheard of," he says in a phone interview. "And they kept that for a long time, you know. ... People would sit in front of their TV watching for two hours prior to the Beatles just to sit there and not miss the Beatles. And they’d sit there with their bowl of cereal, even though the Beatles were on at 10:30 ... because they wanted to stay in front of the TV."
Axelrod says he knows they would be an enormous hit because of their cross-generational appeal.
"It’s a win-win for everybody. Baby boomers would watch it because we’d want to remember. And the younger kids would watch it because either mom or grandpa or grandma, whatever, or dad, would watch it with them. You’d be catering to a young, young audience who you’d carry forever," Axelrod says. "The legacy would carry on to ages 5 though 12. And I think it would carry on the Beatles legacy even more than (Apple) would hope."
How did the series come about in the first place?
"The Beatles cartoon series was essentially the brainchild of Al Brodax. There are a couple of versions of how it began. Al told me this version when I interviewed him at his home. Al worked at King Features in the budding animation department. A man came into King Features to see the comic strip editor Sylban Byck. He had some crude drawings of the Beatles and inquired about the possibility of a comic strip using the Beatles. The editor did not think it was a great idea and sent the man on his way. (Note: It was early 1964 and the group was hot but no one knew how long they’d last).
"Before leaving, the man went to use the bathroom. Al saw the Beatles pictures and followed him in. He asked the man if he had the rights to use the Beatles pictures in animated (moving picture) form. The man said yes. Al made a deal with the man and he proceeded to secure additional rights from the appropriate people. He quickly got sponsorship from Anson Issacson, President of the A.C. Gilbert Company.
"ABC-TV signed on as the network and, in November 1964, the announcement was made in Variety Magazine that the Beatles were going to star in a prime time cartoon series. And if you want to find out why they never made it to prime time, you’ll have to read my book."
The prevailing wisdom is that the Beatles didn't care for them. Axelrod disputes that.
"Dhani knows that the cartoons are out (there). Oh yeah, believe me, he does. And so do all the other Beatle children. Sean said he became a Beatle fan by watching 'Yellow Submarine' and the cartoons ... Even George (Harrison), in a 1999 interview with Timothy White from Billboard, when he was talking about 'Yellow Submarine,' White brought up the cartoons and George said, ‘We (Apple) bought them up,’ ... and we have no plans for them right now.' But, he said, 'They’re so silly they’re good.''"
Then there's the issue of racial stereotypes, which were often found in cartoons of that vintage, and political correctness. Axelrod says it really shouldn't be a factor.
"Politically correct? No. Is ‘Family Guy’ politically correct? No. I love that show. I watch it religiously. There are shows today that aren’t politically correct. So, .. a silly cartoon ... from the ‘60s, should not be judged at all for PC. It really shouldn’t.
"And if you think about it again," he says, "is Dr Ah So in the episode for 'It Won’t Be Long' that bad? Maybe to some, but in the scheme of things, it’s really not that offensive anymore. There are some things I think could be deemed politically incorrect. But I really feel like it’s just a cartoon."
Axelrod's suggestion to Apple: Just put the cartoons out.
"Just put (the series) out as is. No best of volumes. Just put the cartoons out in the full series."
He says he's even offered to supplement them with material that could be used as special features.
"I’ve offered to do new interviews. I interviewed a ton of people and I have them all on tape. So I could have enough material for three or four discs of just production stuff, extras. It’s a question of whether they want to have it out there. The longer they wait, the fewer people are gonna be around. ... And it’s just unfortunate that they’re not going to see the release or get the credit they deserve," he says.
The big question is whether Apple will release them.
"You know what?," he says, "I can’t tell. ... Right now, any time it’s been brought up, it’s been brushed off."
One thing Axelrod would prefer not to see out is the film "Let It Be."
"It’s boring. When they play and they have fun, it’s great. When they’re talking and McCartney’s bossing ... or this one is getting ticked off or this one is getting ticked off, it’s boring. It’s a documentary, so it’s not as bright and cheery as you’d like. ... But if that’s all we’re going to get in terms of the Beatles in the studio, in terms of film footage from ’63-’70, I’m not impressed."
He thinks prospects will be better next year when the Beatles get "The Beatles: Rock Band" and the remastered sets out into the market.
"Now that ‘Rock Band’ and the remasters are out of the way," he says, "I think it could potentially open the floodgates for everything. Now, when I say that, I’m not optimistic about that, but, you know, you would think if the Beatles want to put out more product ... well, there’s not gonna be any more Beatles songs because it’s only Paul and Ringo. So, what can you do other than the promo films and stuff? Maybe you could do “Let It Be”? I don’t personally think they’re ever going to put out ‘Shea Stadium’. ... I don’t think it would be a big release for the mass audience which they like to go for. "
But a DVD of Beatles promo videos would be a great idea, he says. And Axelrod has a plan in mind.
"Just put out the (video) companion to '1.' Put all 27 videos, because there are for every one of those songs. ... I’m not going to care if you give me 'Hello Goodbye' No. 1, No. 2, No. 3. Whichever one you give me. I don’t care. ... Just give me one version of each song on DVD uninterrupted and I’ll be happy.
"I don’t care if they give me the dartless ‘Help!’ or the sawhorse ‘Help!’ Just give me something."
(Below, a portion of the first episode of the series, including the cartoon for "A Hard Day's Night.")
- For officially licensed items with images from "The Beatles" cartoon series, go to www.beatlescartoon.com.)
Comments
The Big Peep's @ Apple are impudent in showing any respect to the life long fan's that have given there hard earned money and outright love to the Beatle's,
I personally know of fan's who didn't live long enough to see the Anthology series that were hoping to do so, it's my hope that in the future that I don't have to continue to buy black market (bootleg) merchandise to satisfy my needs.
My thinking is that it could be a TAX issue that keeps Apple from releasing more product...
RS
I think that previous to the Cartoon , we need the Let It Be and MMT official releases on DVD and Blue Ray. Plus, we have the remasters and the Rock Band releases on Sept...what do you think i am? Rockefeller!!!????
I would have liked the cartoon so much more had the voices been theirs.
Mic: A big concern with using their own voices was that the American audience wouldn't have been able to understand their accents. Plus all the work it would have taken would have probably made that impractical since they were so busy at the beginning - and later on, they wouldn't have done it anyway. They did use Paul Frees, one of the most talented voices in animation history. (He's the voice that says "Welcome, foolish mortals" at the beginning of the Haunted Mansion in Disneyland/WDW.
I would much rather have the promos. They were not really involved in these. I liked them as a kid, but I can't see watching them now.
I'm with you Marie.
When Apple was first thinking about putting out Beatles 1, they asked a focus group what they thought of the idea. It got low marks from the group. When they showed them the advert with samples of all the promos, suddenly everyone got interested. The adverts were shown on TV when the album came out. We all know how well that did.
Their spokesperson at the time who has since passed on, said releasing the promos seemed a bit too obvious(?). Huh?
Let It Be was a little boring but could be improved. I've seen enough outtakes where the Beatles were having a good time. I think when the Beatles split, the director realized he could cut the film to illustrate what had happened.
It could be recut, using additional footage and you'd see a different story. Hell, just show the whole rooftop concert. Just use the musical sections. Cut out the dialog completely if you have to.
Although I could see how the cartoons might bring in new fans, it's not what I want.
They should also re-release Hollywood Bowl. You can get it online via bittorrent, but I'd like to get an official, cleaned-up, remastered version using today's technology.
I am a lifelong Beatle fanatic. I remember the Beatles cartoons from the 60's first run. I honestly don't care if they ever get an official release. "Let It Be", bummer that it is, still deserves a DVD release, restored & remixed for 5.1. The other thing I would love to see Apple put out, is an anthology of live Beatle performances, captured on film. There is a TON of them out there. Forget the ones where they are lip sinking, but where they are actually playing live, and the sound quality is tolerable, why not string them together in an anthology of live performances? How about this: Disc one, Shea Stadium. Disc two other performances from around the world. There are wonderful films of them live, some have been seen, others only glimpsed at that could be used, if the rights can be got. People today mostly know them from their recordings. It is a shame that people don't have the chance to realize what a swinging grooving little R&B live band they were.
I'd love to see the cartoons released as well, but Mitch really hurts his point when he encourages releasing them over Let it Be.
Hi everyone. I'm not saying that I don't like Let It Be. When they are having fun and then doing the promos at the end and the rooftop concert, it is incredible. I would like the cartoons released because they are more for a mass audience which Apple seems to prefer catering to. Who wouldn't, it means more dollars! The cartoons were a fun, innocent and important part of their history which gets ignored. They were the VERY FIRST weekly animation series to feature animated versions of real people. So they not only conquered the rock and roll world, but the animation world too. Apple will never recut Let It Be to make it a bit less depressing. It would take away from the original and historically they don't like that (i.e. Red and Blue CD's which could have been one CD). As a fan, I would like to see everything released but we all know that won't happen so we have to pick and choose our battles.
Well, as the Cartoons were never screened in the UK, I'd love to see them released... but then again, British fans have always been treated as second best...
I was introduced to the Beatles through the Beatles cartoon. I was about four and remember watching the reruns of the episodes on Sunday morning. It set me on course to be a lifelong Beatles fan and becoming a musician. I think it could do the same for today's children. Right now, they only have Yellow Submarine (assuming of course their parents bought it ten years ago). I really don't understand what the big deal is for Apple, just put it out.
As for Let It Be, I don't think it's a very good film. I mean, come on, how bad of a film maker do you have to be to make a boring film when you have unfettered access to THE BEATLES! It's choppy and the audio doesn't match up with the film in parts. I think they need to put out a double disc set that contains the original film (for historical reasons) and a new and improved film using the recently found audio track.
Sure VinnyD, Beatle cartoons and a 2 disc Let It Be. Yeah! Yeah! Only one problem. Apple can only put out 1 product, every couple of years and it's got to be half-assed.
(Just kidding Apple. You know we love you.)
THERE IS SO MANY THINGS THAT NEED TO BE RELEASED. FIRST SHOULD BE LET IT BE ON DVD. SECOND THE PROMO VIDEOS. THIRD-THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL CD- MAYBE EVEN PAIRED WITH THE SHEA STADIUM AUDIO, OR ANOTHER SHOW FROM THAT TIME PERIOD. ALSO ON THE PAUL SIDE OF THINGS- WHAT ABOUT "JAMES PAUL MCCARTNEY" FROM '73 AND "ONE HAND CLAPPING" FROM '74. WHAT ABOUT THE RINGO "PRICE & THE PAUPER"ROCK STYLE FROM '78?...THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF THINGS SITTING IN THE VAULTS.....MAYBE ONE DAY...:-)
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