Video: 'John Lennon At Foyle`s Luncheon - ITN News - 23 April 1964'

(Thursday, April 23, 1964, scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. BST) — Beatle John Lennon left the filming of A Hard Day’s Night today to attend a literary luncheon hosted by Foyle’s held in his honor at the Dorchester Hotel in London.

Video: 'John Lennon At Foyle`s Luncheon - BBC News - 23 April 1964'

The event was hosted by Foyle’s, and was chaired by Osbert Lancaster. Other guests included Arthur Askey, Harry Secombe, Millicent Martin, Joan Littlewood, Helen Shapiro, Marty Wilde, Yehudi Menuhin and Mary Quant. The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein was also in attendance.

Although the luncheon was held in celebration of Lennon’s recently-published In His Own Write, he didn’t realize he was expected to make a speech.

Video: 'THE BEATLES Mythology Volume 1 1963 1964 BOOTLEG' (Apr. 23, 1964, at 33:57)

His actual words at the Dorchester were: “Er, thank you all very much, and God bless you.” After sitting down he turned to the man sitting to his left and said: “You’ve got a lucky face.”

In an attempt at damage limitation, Brian Epstein stepped in to say a few words to the diners.

When a reporter asks about his loss for words, John replies that he’s “scared stiff” and “daren’t” speak extemporaneously. He also professes not to care what he’s remembered for when he’s gone, and he notes that Ringo’s phrase “a hard day’s night” made its first printed appearance in his book (in the poem “Sad Michael”).