New ‘Beatles ’64’ Documentary to Stream on Disney+

A new documentary about the Beatles, titled Beatles '64, will be available to stream exclusively on Disney+ on Nov. 29, acknowledging the 60th anniversary of the band's first trip to America.

Directed by David Tedeschi, the release features rare footage by filmmakers Albert and David Maysles, which has been newly restored in 4K. Audio of the Beatles performing their very first U.S. concert in Washington D.C., as well as their performance on The Ed Sullivan Show in New York City, has been demixed by WingNut Films (a frequent collaborator of Peter Jackson's) and remixed by Giles Martin, son of George Martin. There's also newly filmed interviews with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

The Beatles in America

It's now been just over 60 years since the Fab Four made their first visit to the U.S., touching down in New York City on February 7, 1964. Two nights later they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, where they were watched by millions of people. From there the Beatles also traveled to Washington, D.C. and Miami, Florida, stirring up the phenomenon that would come to be known as Beatlemania in America.

Last year, Paul McCartney released a book of his own photography from that period of time, titled 1964: Eyes of the Storm. Many of those photos were also put on display this summer at the Brooklyn Museum in NYC.

READ MORE: The Day the Beatles Started Shooting ‘Help!’

"Anyone who rediscovers a personal relic or family treasure is instantly flooded with memories and emotions, which then trigger associations buried in the haze of time," McCartney said in a press release last year, speaking about the images he took. "This was exactly my experience in seeing these photos, all taken over an intense three-month period of travel, culminating in February 1964."

In addition to the new film, there's also a new Beatles box set on the way, The Beatles: 1964 U.S. Albums in Mono, which will be released on Nov. 22.

Jan. 3: 'Please Please Me' and 'From Me to You' Singles Released

Ironically, the Beatles began the new year by revisiting the past. Both "Please, Please Me" and "From Me to You" had first come out in early 1963, but the chart success was mixed. They were released as singles again on Jan. 3, 1964, and this time fared far better: "Please, Please Me" eventually made it to No. 3 in America, while "From Me to You" snagged to the top spot in the U.K.

Jan. 10: 'Introducing...the Beatles' Released in US

On Jan. 10, the Beatles' very first album to be released in the U.S. arrived, titled Introducing...the Beatles via Vee-Jay Records, a label based in Chicago and one of the earliest African American-owned record companies. Introducing...the Beatles had originally been scheduled for a July 1963 release, but those plans were scrapped. Things worked out just fine in the end, though, as the album went to No. 2 in America and — by the time Vee-Jay's rights to the Fab Four's music expired in October of 1964 — sold 1.3 million copies.

Jan. 20: 'Meet the Beatles!' Released in US

Exactly 10 days after the release of Introducing...the Beatles came Meet the Beatles! with cover photography by Robert Freeman. This was their second LP to come out in the States, but their first to do so on Capitol Records. About a month later, it claimed the No. 1 spot in the country and stayed there for 11 weeks.

Feb. 1: 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' Reaches No. 1 in US

American audiences needed something to lift their spirits as 1963 turned into 1964. On Nov. 22, 1963, President John. F. Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas, Texas. Exactly one week later, the Beatles released "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and on Feb. 1 of 1964, it made it to the top spot — their very first American No. 1 — and stayed there for seven weeks.

Feb. 7: The Beatles Land at JFK Airport in NYC

Here was the moment hundreds of thousands of Beatles enthusiasts across the country had been waiting for. On Feb. 7, 1964, the Fab Four touched down at JFK airport in New York City, marking their very first time in America. Throngs of fans met them there and the world frankly wouldn't be the same from there on out — Beatlemania had officially begun. "There were journalists on the plane," Paul McCartney later recalled in Anthology, "and the pilot had rang ahead and said, 'Tell the boys there's a big crowd waiting for them.' We thought, 'Wow! God, we have really made it.'"

Feb. 9: The Beatles Appear on 'The Ed Sullivan Show'

Two days after landing in New York City, the Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, the importance of which cannot be overstated. For one thing, it put more eyes on the band than ever before — an estimated 73 million people watched the program. Furthermore, it served as a pivotal moment for dozens of musicians who would eventually pursue fame and success of their own. Among them: Billy Joel, Tom Petty, Gene Simmons, Joe Perry, Nancy Wilson and Bruce Springsteen. "It's very hard for people to understand how monolithic it was, looking at it today. But it was absolutely earthshaking," Petty would later recall of the moment. "Culturally, it changed everything in America, and probably the world. The influence on every part of our lives was huge, from social issues to fashion issues to music issues. From that point on, the Beatles were the North Star for me and my generation."

Feb. 11: The Beatles Play Their First American Show in Washington, D.C.

Another two days after Ed Sullivan, the Beatles found themselves in the nation's capital for their debut performance on American soil. It took place at the Washington Coliseum before an audience of just over 8,000, all of whom had braved eight inches of recent snowfall to be there. It did not go entirely smoothly — the band was, in George Harrison's words, "pelted" with jelly beans during the show because a New York newspaper had reported that they liked the candy.

Feb. 12: The Beatles Perform at Carnegie Hall

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice, goes the old joke. For the Beatles, though, they needed only to take the train back up to New York City from Washington, D.C. On Feb. 12, they played the prestigious venue, where they performed two 34-minute sets. Like in D.C., the logistics of the matter were somewhat complicated and crowded. "The acoustics were terrible and they had all these people sitting on the stage with us and it was just like Rockefeller's children backstage and it all got out of hand," Lennon would later say. "It wasn't a rock show; it was just a sort of circus where we were in cages. We were being pawed and talked at and met and touched, backstage and onstage. We were just like animals."

Feb. 18: The Beatles Meet Cassius Clay

In February of 1964, the Beatles were told they'd be meeting with the then-heavyweight champion of the world, Sonny Liston. But for one reason or another, Liston refused to meet with them and instead, on Feb. 18, they met with the man who was scheduled to fight Liston for his title, Cassius Clay, who would later became known as Muhammad Ali. At Miami's Fifth Street gym, the band had photos taken with Clay, who ended up winning the Feb. 25 match against Liston in a major upset. "I sparred with Cassius Clay, as he was called then – I taught him everything he knew," Ringo Starr later joked in Anthology. "That was a thrill, of course, and I was putting my money on Liston, so I really knew what was happening!"

March 23: John Lennon Publishes His First Book, 'In His Own Write'

At some point, John Lennon had shown some of his poems and drawings to a journalist named Michael Braun, who then showed them to Tom Maschler of the publishing company Jonathan Cape. Lennon signed a deal with them in January of 1964 and his first book, In His Own Write, came out on March 23. Nonsensical in nature, it received critical acclaim all around the world, somewhat to Lennon's own surprise.

March 25: The Beatles Appear on 'Top of the Pops' for the First Time

On the evening of March 19, 1964, the Beatles were at the BBC's Television Theatre, where they pre-filmed their debut appearance on Top of the Pops. Typically, the show was broadcast from studios in Manchester, but the Beatles were permitted to pre-tape their episode, which aired on March 25, without an audience. They lip-synched two songs, "Can't Buy Me Love" and "You Can't Do That."

March 28: Beatles Wax Figures Unveiled by Madame Tussauds

The famous wax museum Madame Tussauds was founded in 1835, and has been making celebrity figures ever since. The Beatles had their likeness unveiled on March 28, 1964, the very first pop stars who receive the honor from the museum. (These four sculptures were later loaned out for the photo shoot for the band's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover.)

April 27: 'Love Me Do' Released in US

"Love Me Do" was another song that got released in the U.K. early on in the Beatles' career — Oct. 5, 1962 to be exact. But with all of the momentum happening in America, it was clear what needed to be done. "Love Me Do," like "Please, Please Me" and "From Me to You," was released again, this time in the States on April 27, 1964, earning the No. 1 spot.

June 11: The Beatles Land in Australia for the First Time

In addition to their first time in America, 1964 also marked the Beatles first time down under in Australia. They arrived on June 11 to adoring crowds. "They were, like the rest of us, genuinely excited; this was a long, long way from home – indeed, from anywhere," the band's press officer Derek Taylor later wrote in his autobiography. Paul McCartney even celebrated his 22nd birthday there on June 18.

June 26: 'A Hard Day's Night' Is Rush-Released

Pretty much this entire time — since March 2 — the Beatles had been working on their debut film, A Hard Day's Night, plus, of course, the album of the same name. With Beatlemania still going strongly, United Artists decided to capitalize on all the momentum and rush-release the soundtrack album on June 26. This was the American version of the album, featuring all seven songs from the film, plus "I'll Cry Instead" and four instrumental, orchestral versions arranged by George Martin: "I Should Have Known Better," "And I Love Her," "Ringo's Theme (This Boy)" and "A Hard Day's Night."

July 6: 'A Hard Day's Night' Film Debuts

A little over a week after the soundtrack album arrived in the States, A Hard Day's Night the film made its triumphant global debut at the London Pavilion. Famous people attended the screening, and some 12,000 fans crowded in nearby Piccadilly Circus hoping to catch a glimpse of the boys. "We thought we would just show up in our limo," Paul McCartney recalled in Anthology, "but it couldn't get through for all the people."

July 10: 'A Hard Day's Night' Album Released in UK

Four days after the film premiered in London, the album A Hard Day's Night was released in the U.K. on July 10, 1964. (Also of note to have occurred on this day, A Hard Day's Night the film made its debut in the band's hometown of Liverpool.)

Aug. 22: The Beatles Play Their First Canadian Show

Here's another first-time country. On Aug. 22, 1964, the Beatles made their debut in Canada, performing at the Empire Stadium in Vancouver for 20,000 people. The openers that evening were as follows: The Bill Black Combo, the Exciters, the Righteous Brothers and Jackie DeShannon

Aug. 23: The Beatles Perform at the Hollywood Bowl in LA

Back in the States, the Beatles headed to the West Coast for a concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Aug. 23. The show was recorded by George Martin, who hoped to release it as a live album. "The Hollywood Bowl was marvelous," John Lennon would say of the event. "It was the one we all enjoyed most, I think, even though it wasn't the largest crowd – because it seemed so important, and everybody was saying things. We got on, and it was a big stage, and it was great. We could be heard in a place like the Hollywood Bowl, even though the crowds [were] wild. Good acoustics."

Aug. 28: Bob Dylan Introduces the Beatles to Pot

We may never know the true story behind what, exactly, went down between the Beatles and Bob Dylan on Aug. 28, 1964, but the story as many have told it took place at the Delmonico Hotel in New York City. Dylan, who is said to have misheard the Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" lyric "I can't hide" as "I get high," sent out for some weed, introducing the Beatles to much stronger stuff than they'd ever come across before. "I don't remember much what we talked about," Lennon would later say of the incident. "We were smoking dope, drinking wine and generally being rock 'n' rollers and having a laugh, you know, and surrealism. It was party time."

Sept. 11: George Harrison Buys His Own Music Publishing Company

One thing important to know about the Beatles is that not only were they talented musicians, but also pioneering business people. An example of this occurred on Sept. 11, 1964, when George Harrison bought a shelf company called Mornyork Ltd, which, just a few months later, he turned into his own music publishing company, Harrisongs Ltd. 

Sept. 11: The Beatles Refuse to Play to a Segregated Audience

On July 2 of 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law, making it illegal for public spaces to be racially segregated. It would, however, take much longer than one day for states across America to fully comply with the new rule, including in Florida where the Beatles learned ahead of time that their Sept. 11 show in Jacksonville was to be segregated. Five days before the concert, they issued a statement: "We will not appear unless Negroes are allowed to sit anywhere." Thus, the show became integrated and the Beatles maintained this same policy for their entire career.

Oct. 28: The Beatles Give an Interview to 'Playboy'

In 1964, Playboy magazine was not yet at the height of its popularity, but it was inching its way there, often tackling issues then considered controversial like gay and women's rights. On Oct. 28, all four of the Beatles gave a group interview to the publication, which turned out to illuminate some of their views on race, religion, politics and sex. "What would 'we' do with Buckingham Palace? Royalty's stupid," George Harrison said. "We probably seem anti-religious because none of us believe in God," Paul McCartney added. And so on and so forth.

Nov. 23: 'I Feel Fine' and 'She's a Woman' Singles Released

Four days before their U.K. release, the singles "I Feel Fine" and "She's a Woman" came out in the U.S. on Nov. 23, 1964. The former topped the charts in both countries, and in the U.K., it became the fifth highest-selling single of the '60s. Also on this day, a documentary album titled The Beatles' Story was released in the U.S., which included interviews, press conference recordings and more.

Dec. 2: Ringo Starr Has His Tonsils Removed

Ringo Starr was a sickly child, something that he continued to struggle with as a young man. On Dec. 1, 1964, he entered London's University College Hospital and the following day had his tonsils removed, which made headlines all over the world. "Fans inquiring at the hospital were asked to call a special number, Covent Garden. 2332. Persistent dialing, however, found it busy," The New York Times reported on Dec. 3. "At his bedside is a record player so that he can hear the newest Beatles tune, already at the top of the charts here, called 'I Feel Fine.'"

Dec. 4: 'Beatles for Sale' Released in UK

It had been a huge year for the Beatles in America, but that didn't mean the States got all the good stuff right away. On Dec. 4, Beatles for Sale, their fourth studio album, was released in the U.K. This album would not be widely available in the U.S. until 1987 when the entire Beatles catalog was standardized for CD release.

Dec. 24: Beatles Christmas Show Begins

For the second year in a row, the Beatles planned a multi-date Christmas show, which began on Dec. 24 at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. And it wasn't just music – there were also pantomime sketches, comedy and special guests like the Yardbirds, Freddie and the Dreamers and Jimmy Saville.

Next: Meet 20 Other Cast Members From the Beatles’ ‘A Hard Day’s Night’