Beatles fans reunite to recreate Ringo Starr's famous 1964 photograph
Beatles fans pictured by Ringo Starr in famous 1964 picture have reunited to recreate the photograph after half a century
The original image: Photograph, by Ringo Starr, the signed limited edition book of 2,500 copies from www.RingoPhotoBook.com (Ringo Starr/Genesis Publications)
From left: Bob Toth, Gary Van Deursen, Suzanne Rayot, Arlene Norbe and Charlie Schwartz Photo: NBC
Five friends who were photographed by Ringo Starr during The Beatles' first trip to the US almost 50 years ago are to finally meet their idol, after being reunited and recreating the drummer's snapshot.
Now in their 60s, the group came forward after Starr appealed for details of the five teenagers in a Chevrolet Impala whom he snapped with his personal camera when they sided up to his limousine.
Having caught only a brief glimpse of him during the 1964 tour, they are now due to travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, next month to watch Starr in concert and reminisce with him about Beatlemania.
The trip was arranged by NBC after the group appeared on the Today show to reconstruct the photograph, which appears in a new book by Starr, and to recall skipping school to see him.
“When Ringo rolled down the window, of course we were so excited,” said Suzanne Rayot, now 66. “He said 'hello, love'. I didn't know who he was saying that to – but I hoped it was me”.
While Starr initially believed the picture had been taken in Miami, Florida, the group says the encounter in fact took place on the George Washington Bridge, which links New York City and neighbouring New Jersey, where the teenagers attended Fair Lawn High School.
Bob Toth, also 66, said he was suspended from school for three days after playing truant to chase The Beatles. However 40 years later his headmaster admitted that it had been a “very good idea”.
The car was driven by Gary Van Deursen, now 67, who described Starr's search for the friends 49 years later as “unbelievable”, adding: “I didn't know he'd even taken a picture”.
Ms Rayot disclosed that she was only made aware of Starr's appeal for information about them by “Linda and Carol”, two friends from the time who had “chickened out” and gone to school.
After learning of the reunion Starr, now 73, said: “I look forward to meeting them”.
“How great that they found these people,” he said. “And how cool to now know a little of their story and what that moment was like from their perspective.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/10409709/Beatles-fans-reunite-to-recreate-Ringo-Starrs-famous-1964-photograph.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
I liked the Beatles, but was not a starstuck fan.. I liked the Buckinghams & Jefferson Airplane & Jimi Hendrix better
was in Hard Day's Night when Ringo placed a camera on a rock, pushed a cord to operate the shutter, and watched helplessly as the camera literally jumped off the rock into some water!
rocktivity
When I first saw this in the Miami Herald I thought they looked too warmly dressed for the picture to have been taken in Miami. 
