George Harrison, accompanied by his wife Pattie, plus Ringo Starr, Maureen Starkey and Mal Evans, had travelled to California on 7 June 1968. The purpose of the visit was the filming of scenes for Ravi Shankar’s feature film Raga.
Harrison’s scenes were filmed on this and the following day, at a country retreat overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Big Sur. The first day involved Harrison being filmed learning a new raga from Shankar, and sitting on grass with a view of the ocean.
The scene was not rehearsed, and no dialogue was prepared. Harrison and Shankar spoke and played while cameras shot around 30 minutes of footage.
The party returned to England on 18 June.
Last updated: 9 June 2017
Also on this day...
- 2022: Ringo Starr live: Count Basie Center for the Arts, Red Bank, New Jersey
- 2022: Ringo Starr postpones US tour dates
- 2021: George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass gets deluxe reissue treatment
- 2014: Ringo Starr live: Palace Theatre, Albany, New York
- 2014: Paul McCartney postpones seven US tour dates
- 2013: Paul McCartney live: Barclays Center, New York
- 2011: Paul McCartney live: MGM Grand Garden, Las Vegas
- 2007: Yoko Ono appears on the BBC’s Desert Island Discs
- 1968: Recording: Revolution 9
- 1966: UK single release: Paperback Writer
- 1964: Interview in Hong Kong
- 1964: Mixing: I’ll Be Back
- 1963: Live: Pavilion, Bath
- 1961: Live: Top Ten Club, Hamburg
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.