Beatles ’64 repeats the bold declaration that when the Beatles first appeared on American TV, crime across the US stopped for an hour, but the truth is not quite as magical. The Beatles undoubtedly sparked a new wave in music when they began to climb in popularity during the 1960s. The band may have been four young boys from Liverpool, but their lyrics, bold style, and witty interactions earned them a spot in the hearts of millions of fans all around the globe.
Initially, the boys became a music sensation around the UK, and shortly thereafter their music began picking up speed across Europe. However, it wasn’t until 1964, two years after the band began to make a name for themselves, that they visited America for the first time. Their reputation preceded them, and they were met with thousands of adoring fans upon their arrival, but that was nothing compared to the rapid growth and explosion in popularity that came after their two-week visit was completed.
It Is NOT True That Crime Fell When The Beatles Played On The Ed Sullivan Show
The Reality Is Not Nearly So Idyllic Despite The Beatles’ Popularity
One of the biggest moments during their two-week visit was when the band were set to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show, a popular late night talk show. In order to fully capitalize on the Beatlemania, the show booked the boys to play both at the beginning and end of the show, to keep retention high and stop anyone from tuning in to a different station between 8pm and 9pm on that fateful February night. And according to legend, this worked exceptionally well, to the point that multiple news outlets reported no crime taking place on February 9 during that hour.
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However, this legend was simply that, a legend which had no real foundation (via Snopes), and simply spread due to misinformed audiences picking it up and running with it. While the show did receive spectacular ratings, with about 73 million viewers tuning in, which was the equivalent of nearly 40% of America at the time, crime didn’t grind to a halt for that hour. Beatlemania remained high, but it was not enough to capture everyone, and stop any crimes, petty or otherwise, from occurring.
Where The Legend About The Beatles’ Performance Affecting Crime Rates Came From
A Digruntled Editor Is Actually The Origin Of The Myth
The origin of the rumor is actually far more interesting. While there was a comment made by a prominent news editor, B. F. Henry of the Washington Post, his comments were intended as more of a critique towards the band’s audience rather than praising their ability to clean up the streets. Henry felt that the band were trendy, and attracted a specific type of fanbase, which was largely consistent with the people he perceived to be the most prone to criminality, and as a result, he said:
During the hour they were on Ed Sullivan’s show, there wasn’t a hubcap stolen in America.
However, the tone of his remark was missed by other outlets, and this ‘fact’ was shared far and wide across the USA, which then became legend. The week after Henry’s remarks, an official apology stating that that statistic was incorrect, and there were in fact reports of stolen hubcaps was published. However, by that point, the rumor had already grown bigger than the source, and it became a thing of legend that was later repeated by members of the Beatles in interviews, as was seen in Beatles ’64.
Beatles ’64 is a documentary directed by David Tedeschi, showcasing the rise of The Beatles during their landmark 1964 visit to New York City. Utilizing rare footage, it captures Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr’s transformative impact on music and culture as they achieved global fame.
- Director
- David Tedeschi
- Release Date
- November 29, 2024
- Runtime
- 108 Minutes