Video: 'The Beatles-Open Ended Interview-1964'

(Saturday, January 4, 1964) — The Beatles recorded a series of ‘open-ended’ answers for use by US disc jockeys today at EMI’s Manchester Square headquarters.

The recordings were intended to be used as inserts in between DJs’ questions, to give the impression that the group were actually talking to the presenters.

It includes John Lennon telling the “flaming pie” story, Paul McCartney describing the Palladium and Royal Variety show concerts, and George Harrison announcing that their new single, “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” has topped the charts in Australia.

Paul jokes that it was his father who instigated the mop-tops by telling his son to ditch his square hairstyle.

Playing along with the interview’s conceit, George says they are “over here” [in America] to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show and rest in Miami.

He also says they will be starting a film soon, which should be out in the States by year’s end.