After the day’s filming at London’s Scala Theatre, John Lennon attended a meeting with his father Fred. George Harrison and Ringo Starr were also present.
During the morning of 1 April 1964, Alf Lennon walked into the offices of NEMS Enterprises, on the fifth floor of Sutherland House, 5-6 Argyll Street, London. He was accompanied by a journalist.
After explaining to the receptionist that he was Lennon’s father, Brian Epstein was informed, and immediately sent a car to bring Lennon to the offices. Upon arrival, his first words to his father were “What do you want?”
The Lennons hadn’t seen each other for 17 years. The meeting, however, was not a success, lasting just 20 minutes before Lennon ordered his father out of the offices. The encounter was kept out of the newspapers in exchange for exclusive stories given to journalists.
Also on this day...
- 2015: Cynthia Lennon dies
- 2003: Paul McCartney live: Sportpaleis, Antwerp
- 2002: Paul McCartney live: Oakland Arena, Oakland
- 1990: Paul McCartney live: California Memorial Stadium, Berkeley
- 1973: John Lennon and Yoko Ono write the Declaration of Nutopia
- 1970: Recording: Across The Universe, The Long And Winding Road, I Me Mine
- 1969: Television: John Lennon and Yoko Ono interviewed on Today
- 1967: Recording, mixing: Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
- 1966: John Lennon buys Timothy Leary’s The Psychedelic Experience
- 1965: Brian Epstein takes over the Saville Theatre, London
- 1965: Filming: Help!
- 1964: Filming: A Hard Day’s Night
- 1963: Radio: Side By Side
- 1962: The Beatles live: Casbah Coffee Club, Liverpool
- 1961: The Beatles live: Top Ten Club, Hamburg
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.
Huh… I was so sure this article was way more in depth than it is? Most entries I’ve been visiting lately (i use beatles bible as reference constantly) have felt… Different from what i remember.
Hi Marty. Nothing has been changed. Perhaps you were thinking of the 1970 encounter between John and his father.
According to Wikipedia, Lennon, Sr. claimed that he had never heard of The Beatles until around the height of Beatlemania. I don’t find that very convincing, given that he was John’s father, and The Beatles were very, very popular and high-profile celebrities.
I’m not sure if John’s inquiry of “What do you want?” was blurted out of rudeness or shock.