Video: 'The Beatles At The Plaza Hotel Before Ed Sullivan - Maysles Brothers Footage - 9 February 1964'

(Sunday, February 9, 1964, 6:15 p.m. EST) — The Beatles were filmed this evening hanging out in their suite at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, taking a break between this afternoon’s pre-tape (for broadcast on Feb. 23) and tonight’s live debut on The Ed Sullivan television variety series.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have much chance to rest in peace, as not only were the Maysles crew filming, but the ubiquitous Murray the K was hanging around, phoning in to WINS with an on-the-spot report and doing his best to rope The Beatles into saying a few words on the air.

Paul wisely stays out of it, shouting a station ID across the room (mutating “WINS 1010” into “Winston Churchill”), and John slumps on the couch, clearly wanting to be left alone.

Ringo is full of enthusiasm as always, telling Murray to play “swingin’ records … None of that drag stuff.” John wants to hear “Corrina, Corrina,” perhaps thinking of Bob Dylan’s version on the LP The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.

George asks to hear a James Ray song, “Got My Mind Set on You,” which of course would top the charts in George’s 1987 cover version.

They’re also seen listening to the Impressions’ new single, “Talking About My Baby,” no doubt another George request.

Murray enthuses about the Ed Sullivan dress rehearsal, plugs WINS’ Meet the Beatles documentary (coming up in forty-four minutes), and shouts at John to “Wake up! You gotta go on soon!”