Pattie Boyd and “another lucky girl, Pru Bury”

In Pattie Boyd’s memoir, Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me, she gives an account of being on the set of A Hard Day’s Night, and meeting George Harrison. Pattie says she was reluctant at first to accept George’s request for a date, because she had a boyfriend, but Prue Bury told me that it was obvious to her from the moment George and Pattie met that they only had eyes for one another. This was what Pattie had to say at the time…

From UK Woman’s Own magazine
May 30, 1964

ME AND THE BEATLES
Especially The One Who Dated Me

by PATTIE BOYD
Our girl in the Beatles film

Who wouldn’t want to be in my shoes… lunching with George and hearing all about his brand new Jag… watching the boys at work… listening-in on an impromptu session… and maybe having the very first hearing of their next hit…

I suppose it’s just possible that when I’m about 35 I’ll look back on life and say: “That was the most exciting thing that ever happened to me”; the day, maybe, when I married a millionaire, won the Monaco Grand Prix, was the first girl on the moon, published the year’s best-seller, won an Oscar as Cleopatra. Yes, I suppose it’s just possible. But highly unlikely.

Because right now I can’t think of anything, anything at all, that could happen to me and be more exciting than spending three whole days working with the Beatles. Except dating one, of course, but that’s not exciting. It’s unbelievable.

That’s why, if you see a girl, medium height, medium face, medium blonde hair, whose most distinguishing feature is that the feet of her white cotton socks are six inches off the ground, you’ll know it’s me, Pattie Boyd. Since this whole fabulous business started I haven’t touched down once.

Well, imagine it. One day, like thousands of others, you’re just a Beatle fan. You own every one of their records (bought 9.2 a.m. the day of release), but your closest contact is their picture on your bedroom wall. Then this voice on the phone says: “How would you like to appear with the Beatles in their film?” Not only seeing them for real, but talking to them, working with them, getting to know them. And getting paid for it.

I’d met film director, Dick Lester, while I was making a crisps commercial for television. “I’m looking for two girls to play in a Beatles film. You’ve lots of expression,” he said suddenly, “are you interested?”

I could hardly believe he meant it – and as the days passed without hearing from him, I stopped trying to! Then my agent, Cherry Marshall, rang, telling me to expect a call from the studio.

I sat alone at home all day waiting for the call, asking myself: Why should they want me, anyway? I’m a photographic model, beginning to do quite well, but not an actress. Suddenly the phone rang shrilly: “This is the studio. Your call is for 6.45 a.m. tomorrow. Don’t be late.”

I shivered as I stood in the early grey light on Paddington Station next morning, and it wasn’t just the cold. With another lucky girl, Pru Bury, I was to play a schoolgirl fan. We were met and ushered aboard the special train where the scenes were to be shot. The Beatles wouldn’t be joining us until we were half an hour out of London.

For the first time, I began seriously to wonder what they would be like and convinced myself they’d be conceited, arrogant and aloof. They wouldn’t even notice me, I decided. Why should they notice a girl of whom famous photographer Norman Parkinson had asked; “Is it fashionable these days to look like a rabbit?”

My first glimpse of the real live Beatles. They appeared, rushing madly alongside the train!

Suddenly the train jolted to a stop. So did my heart. Through the window I saw four fabulous boys running alongside the train, shouting; “Wait for us!” Then they burst into the compartment, and I found myself shaking hands, saying ‘hello’ and laughing.

“Hi, you’re famous,” said George, with a grin, “I saw your pictures in the papers.”

As they joked and teased us, Pru and I began to feel as though we had known them for years. Conceited? Aloof? Big-headed? How off-beam I was. They were so sweet, so nice, so funny.

All that day, and the next, until 9.30 at night Pru and I were kept busy rehearsing and filming our roles. Actually, all I have to say is: “Prisoners!” … “There he is!”… and “Ringo!” Not the most dramatic part in the world, nor the longest. But I must say I found it pretty shattering.

The Beatles are terrific workers, full of of energy and enthusiasm, and when you’re with them you know just why they’re great. But the most marvellous thing about them is their friendliness; they don’t behave like would-famous stars at all.

Although they’re a perfect team, the boys are very different individually. Ringo is a born clown, and top favourite in America. He has everybody rolling at his antics. But for all his fooling, I think he has basically a very strong, serious character.

John seems to be the leader, somehow. He’s the married Beatle, thoughtful and serious. He doesn’t talk as much as the others, but when he does everyone listens. I think his book, John Lennon In His Own Write is just marvellous.

Paul is serious, too, especially when he’s working. He’s conscientious about everything and has a great sense of responsibility towards his fans.

My favourite is George. Why? I’m not sure. I think he’s the best looking for one thing. Also, he’s shy, and so am I. He’s interesting to talk to- sometimes serious, often very amusing. And that’s the way he made me feel. Interesting. I felt he really wanted to listen to what I had to say. Perhaps that’s why I found myself singling him out, thinking of him as George Harrison not George Beatle.

But I nearly died when he asked me out. My instant reaction was: ‘How super, I like him so much, he’s so nice.’ Then immediately it hit me. “But goodness, he’s a Beatle — one of the Beatles is asking me for a date!’

I can’t remember exactly what I said, but I must have stammered out some sort of acceptance because I found myself, Pattie Boyd, dating my favourite Beatle, George Harrison.

Fortunately, I soon got over the shock and found myself thinking of George as George. When he turned up on my parents doorstep in Wimbledon, my young sister opened the door and when she saw who it was, she nearly fainted with astonishment!

My Dates With George

Aside from being a Beatle, though, George is the sort of boy any girl would be happy — and lucky – to have as a boy friend. Yes, he’s good-looking and charming and polite. But he so lively, too – full of go, enthusiastic about life. We laugh a lot, and talk and argue, but mostly we laugh.

It is difficult, though, almost impossible in fact, to forget you’re out with a Beatle. People just don’t let you. Everywhere, in restaurants, clubs or the street, they come up and ask for autographs, or just introduce themselves, saying things like: “You’re George Beatle aren’t you? I come from Liverpool, too.”

And it’s not just the kids, either. Lots and lots of older women rush up waving pieces of paper for signatures. I often think they would condemn it as the worst of bad manners if someone rudely interrupted them while they were having dinner, or dancing, or just having a talk with friends. But George never seems to mind. Non of the boys do, in fact, and I think this is one of the nicest things about them.

And this fan worship, I didn’t realize how tough it is. They can’t get in or out of their flat at any time of the day or night without calling the police for a safe passage. There are always fans waiting.

The Future? Just Fab!

They can’t even use the telephone properly, because no matter how often and secretly they change the number, within hours the fans have it and it starts and never stops ringing. They just have to leave it off the hook.

But I have never seen one of the boys lose his temper. They are always polite and patient and friendly. They don’t even complain privately.

Yes, they’re wonderful. And meeting them is the most wonderful of the many exciting things that have happened since I made that television commercial. I’ve appeared in a film, which was fun, but I don’t particularly want to do it again. I like modelling better (and between you and me, I think I’m better at it).

And, of course, I’ve not only met the Beatles, I know them now. I’ve even holidayed in a fairytale castle in Ireland with George and John and his wife Cynthia – something I wouldn’t have dared dream about a few months ago.

What of the future? Who knows? Who cares? People say to me: ‘What do you want to do with your life? Get married? Have children.’ But I never look ahead. I just live for each day. I think you should let the future take care of itself. It will, you know.

THE END

© George Newnes

The true Prue revealed

A few days ago, I said of Prue Bury in a particular photo, “Prue is contemplative, almost pensive.” I’ve long wondered about her expression in this snapshot, but now I know it was a put-on, and she was only pretending to be serious. Place your mouse pointer over the image to see for yourself.

“Between scenes we relaxed but didn’t stop laughing. Ringo pretended he didn’t think Prue was being very funny!” said Pattie. From the UK magazine, Woman’s Own, May 30, 1964.

My thanks go to Lynn, who runs the Yahoo! Group Pattie Boyd’s Sixties Style.

Prue-viewing prints


Pattie Boyd, Isla Blair and, from the Royal School of Ballet, Prue Bury

My idea for a Beatles book that doesn’t exist is, “The Complete Hard Day’s Night Photo Collection.” It would be an expensive, large-format hardcover edition, in a slipcase, along the lines of what Genesis Publications puts out. Many photos from various sources would have to be pulled together, including a large collection that Miramax Films made available in thumbnail-size when playing its DVD release of the movie on a computer.

Genesis has a book by Astrid Kirschherr and Max Scheler, called Golden Dreams, with photos taken during the filming of A Hard Day’s Night, but my dream volume would contain every available still photo that was snapped on the set and behind the scenes of the movie, from the original negatives. The best shots would be full-page, and printed landscape or portrait as required, so you’d have to turn the book around for some of them. For practicality, the second half of the book would have smaller images.

Of particular interest for me are the photos with Prudence Bury-Fuchs, who I am proud and flattered to call my friend. Recently, I was very pleased when a girlfriend of Prue’s from the Royal School of Ballet found Prue through my site. This bit of happiness is the sort of thing that makes me want to keep the web log going. Prue says Ringo took quite a few pictures himself during filming on the train, and as far as I know they have never been published.

With that bit of background out of the way, let’s look at some pictures. These can all be clicked to see larger versions.

There are many different takes from this famous photo session at Twickenham Film Studio with (l-r) Pattie Boyd, Tina Williams, Prue Bury, and Sue Whitman. Here are some I haven’t featured before now.

Prue is so poised and expressive in her photos. She’s always doing something interesting, and that’s still true today.

A pose taken from the left…

… and a different angle of the same pose.

Oops! This one should have also been taken from the other side.

Be sure to click on this next one. It’s an image that I posted some time ago, that has since appeared all over the Net, except you’ll see it’s higher-resolution here, and it isn’t cropped. I’m sure this one will likewise soon appear elsewhere, which is great — the more people seeing Prue, the better! Shortly before the filming of A Hard Day’s Night began, John Lennon had started wearing contact lenses, and I wonder if they accounted for the peculiar expression he has here.

As you can see from this proof copy, the print I have crops the sides of the original negative.

And here is another shot from the same sitting. Notice how Pattie appears identical to other photo, but Prue is doing something completely different? I’m hoping to soon have a high-quality copy of this picture…

…but for now this is all I have that isn’t obscured. I love the hair clips!

Finally, another photo I scanned that has also shown up in lots of other places, but this one isn’t cropped. It’s a fascinating character study, because while Pattie looks like Pattie, Ringo’s expression is very atypical for him, and Prue is contemplative, almost pensive.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PRUE BURY!

Happy birthday to Prudence Bury, my all-time favorite Beatles girl. After many years of curiosity and sporatic searching, I got serious about using the Internet to find Prue, and with the help of Lia Pamina I finally did. Prue and I began corresponding last year, and an in-person introduction is tentatively scheduled for this coming September.

Having wondered about Prue since seeing a 10th anniversary screening of ‘A Hard Day’s Night’, I had built up a rather idealized image of her in my mind. I wasn’t prepared for how easily she breezed past that ideal, totally knocking me out with her charm, humor, warmth, and sincerity.

Independent of her Beatles connection, Prue Bury is impressive and accomplished, and she is the very definition of a true Class Act. It is my great privilege to know her in a small way.

Prue Bury at the Beatles Weekend, Ouistreham

I had told Prudence Bury-Fuchs a while ago that she should be prepared to sign autographs at the Beatles Weekend in France. Prue thanked me for the thought, but she sincerely doubted that anybody would ask her!

Hi Doug,
You were right, I did not stop signing autographs. People were “thrilled” to meet me!!! So it was most enjoyable. You will have to organise a “Beatles Weekend” across the pond!

Prue Bury at the Beatles Weekend, Ouistreham

Prue Bury on stage at the Beatles Weekend, Ouistreham

Of course I was right! Who wouldn’t be thrilled to meet her? In flawless French, Prue had no trouble charming the audience.

Prue must be the last person with a legitimate connection to the Beatles to make a first appearance at a fan event. I don’t have experience organizing shows, but now that Prue has come out of hiding from Beatles fandom, it is indeed time for her to make an appearance stateside, as well as in her native England, of course.

This is Prue with a gent named Yvon…

Prue Bury with Yvon at the Beatles Weekend, Ouistreham

…and here she is with a fan named Jean-Claude. You lucky guys!

Prue Bury with Jean-Clause at the Beatles Weekend, Ouistreham

Where Is Prudence?

It was Pattie Boyd who got to be inside of the baggage cage with the Beatles in A Hard Day’s Night; but as noted previously I think Prudence was the real beauty among the girls on the train. This video was taken from a 20-year-old Laserdisc, played on an equally old LD deck. Back then, it was the only format with the songs from the movie in digital stereo.
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