For those who thought Decca data turning down the Beatles was a dumb transfer, not less than it wasn’t on the grounds the Fab 4 had been “long-haired shnooks”. These had been the phrases utilized by the producers of the James Bond franchise, as they rejected A Arduous Day’s Evening, the primary movie starring the legendary band.
As an alternative of constructing the Beatles smash hit, Harry Saltzman persuaded his co-producer Albert “Cubby” Broccoli to make what turned out to be a disastrous flop starring comedian Bob Hope.
The gaffe is revealed by 007 followers Matthew Area and Ajay Chowdhury of their definitive information to the Bond movies, Some Sort of Hero.
Iconic duo Broccoli and Saltzman had been flushed with success at Sean Connery’s first outing as 007 in 1962’s Dr No, additionally starring Ursula Andress.
United Artists had contracted the pair’s firm Eon to make Dr No and a second movie, which was to be a non-Bond mission. One suggestion was a script co-authored by Johanna Harwood, who had additionally labored on Dr No.
Entitled Name Me Bwana, it was a farce a few area capsule full of Chilly Struggle secrets and techniques crash-landing in a fictional African nation.
Hope accepted the position as a bumbling explorer within the race to retrieve the capsule earlier than his Soviet rival, performed by Anita Ekberg.
However earlier than taking pictures started, United Artists requested Broccoli if he wished to make A Arduous Day’s Evening as an alternative. Broccoli’s pal, Every day Mirror showbiz legend Donald Zec, was additionally in favour after seeing the Beatles taking part in to sell-out crowds.
Matthew defined: “Broccoli raised it with Saltzman who stated ‘Let me ask you one thing, Cubby. Would you relatively make a movie with 4 long-haired schnooks from Liverpool who no person’s heard of, once we’ve received Bob Hope all able to go?’
“And that was the rationale for the Bond producers lacking the primary Beatles movie.”
Name Me Bwana was beset with issues – not least the current Mau Mau rise up which hampered filming in Kenya.
United Artists was decided to make the Beatles movie, having noticed a loophole within the band’s contract with Parlophone that may additionally permit UA to launch the soundtrack album.
UA made A Arduous Day’s Evening with Walter Shenson, which was vastly extra profitable than Name Me Bwana. Eon wouldn’t make one other non-Bond movie till 2014’s The Silent Storm.
In 1962 The Beatles had been turned down by Decca in favour of Brian Poole and the Tremeloes.
