Television: Top Of The Pops, Scene At 6.30

From 2-5pm The Beatles recorded an appearance for the BBC television show Top Of The Pops, at Lime Grove Studios in London.

The day’s recording involved three parts: a two-hour rehearsal for the cameras; from 4-4.15pm a line-up for the assembled acts appearing; and recording from 4.15-5pm. The Beatles mimed to three songs: ‘A Hard Day’s Night’, ‘Things We Said Today’ and ‘Long Tall Sally’.

The performances of A Hard Day’s Night and Long Tall Sally were first broadcast on BBC1 from 7.35pm on 8 July 1964. Things We Said Today was shown on 29 July from 7.10pm.

After the recording was complete The Beatles were driven to Television House, the central London studio run by the Rediffusion company, where they recorded an interview for Scene At 6.30, which was shown later that night. They discussed the film A Hard Day’s Night, which had had its world première the previous night.

While at Television House, John Lennon gave an interview to reporter Chris Hutchins for a new BBC radio series, The Teen Scene. The interview was first broadcast on the BBC Light Programme service from 9.30pm on 9 July 1964. Again, the interview focused on A Hard Day’s Night.