Arrangements for their arrival are contained in a telegram from Deauville Hotel manager Morris Lansburgh to Ed Sullivan, 10.2.64 [https://pbase.com/donboyd/memories_music_radio_new]:
Lansburgh owned and ran the hotel with Sam Cohen. Both were jailed in 1973 for mob activities (Tampa Bay Times, 28.4.73.
Policing arrangements were contained in this letter [source]:
The following details are from the Miami Herald, 14.2.64.
The Beatles traveled on a National Airlines DC-8 and landed just before 4pm at Gate 27. Carol Snary, a stewardess, said 80 passengers collected 240 autographs, while Ringo slept due to exhaustion. Teenagers stood on airport countertops and smashed up several fibreglass chairs and jalousies. A ground-floor window was also smashed. Fans threw jelly beans on the concrete apron. The Herald estimated that 7,000 teenagers were at the airport, packing Concourse 3.
The Beatles were driven away in two limousines, rented at $11 an hour. Seven girls received medical attention for cuts and scratches. Chief of Police Rocky Pomerance (obituary) blamed radio stations WQAM and WFUN (Larry Kane's station) for stirring up the kids. The Herald also reported that Ruth Regina would be doing the band's make-up.
When Ringo arrived at the hotel, he was greeted by one of his female friends, Kitty, whom he had met in Sweden (Orlando Sentinel, 14.2.64):
The Beatles were interviewed at the hotel by Sheila Moran of the Sun Sentinel.
I believe Moran later wrote for the Los Angeles Times, such as here, but I have no trace of her after 1981.
The Miami News 14.2.64 reported that The Beatles had dinner in their rooms at 8.30pm while officer Joe Basler and Pinkerton agent Ken Davis patrolled the lobby (black and white carpet). At 11.00pm they went with tour manager Brian Somerville and security guard Police Sgt. Buddy Dresner to the Peppermint Lounge, where the headline act was Hank Ballard & The Midnighters:
Next stop was the Wreck Bar of the Castaways Motel, 16375 Collins Ave. This bar was opened in the basement in 1957 and had a licence to sell liquor until 5am (Miami Herald, 26.6.2006). The architect who built The Castaways, Charles McKirahan, was killed on February 12, 1964, when his car swerved off the Turnpike at 70mph into a concrete bridge abutment (Miami Herald, 14.2.64).
In the Miami News, (photos online) airport director Alan C Stewart estimated the damage caused by fans at $2,000 and, echoing the Police Chief, blamed the radio stations for creating the frenzy. However, WQAM Operations Manager Charlie Murdoch claimed that the station had urged students not to skip school.
No comments:
Post a Comment