February 7, 1964

[Floyd R. Turbo]

On February 7, 1964, Pan Am Yankee Clipper flight 101 from London Heathrow lands at New York’s Kennedy Airport–and “Beatlemania” arrives. It was the first visit to the United States by the Beatles, a British rock-and-roll quartet that had just scored its first No. 1 U.S. hit six days before with “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” At Kennedy, the “Fab Four”–dressed in mod suits and sporting their trademark pudding bowl haircuts–were greeted by 3,000 screaming fans who caused a near riot when the boys stepped off their plane and onto American soil.

[underpants]

1. This was only 2 1/2 months after JFK was killed

I saw a story about how this all came to pass - from a Long Island schoolgirl berating a radio station to Ed Sullivan just happening to be at Heathrow - but it all pretty much came down to Walter Cronkite. The heads of CBS asked him if it was too soon after the death of JFK and Cronkite said "this country needs to have some fun again".

[Floyd R. Turbo]

5. How right Cronkite was! ✌🏻

[MFM008]

2. Yeah yeah yeah

I remember watching the Beatles cartoon in the 60s.

[Floyd R. Turbo]

6. Cool! ✌🏻

[malthaussen]

3. Good times. n/t

[Floyd R. Turbo]

7. The best! ✌🏻

[Aristus]

4. I loved the answers they gave to those stupid questions reporters asked at those press conferences.

"Say, what do you boys call that hairstyle?"

George: "I call mine 'Arthur'."

"Say, how do you boys find America?"

Paul: "We turned left at Greenland!"

"What do you boys think of the campaign in Detroit to Stamp Out The Beatles?"

John: "We're mounting a campaign to stamp out Detroit!"

[Floyd R. Turbo]

8. Nothing short of brilliant! ✌🏻