John Lennon in 1964: ‘Good Old Walter, NBC News, Isn’t It?’

By Chris Ariens 

BeatlesCBS50 years ago tonight, 73 million people tuned in to CBS to watch the Beatles on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

Less well-known about the Beatles’ first trip to the U.S. that winter, is where they went after New York City. As Bob Schieffer explained this morning on “Face the Nation:” “After the Ed Sullivan show they boarded a train for Washington, DC to play their very first concert on u.s. soil.”

A CBS News corespondent in Washington even got to ask the fab four a few questions, including their knowledge of an America’s favorite newsman of the time. “One final question, have you ever heard of Walter Cronkite?” asked the reporter. “No,” said one. “Yeah,” said another. Then John Lennon chimed in, “Good old Walter. NBC News, isn’t it?… we know.”

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“Thank you very much,” said the reporter, before correcting the lads from Liverpool. “CBS News.” Paul McCartney shrugged his shoulders and it was on to the next interview. Schieffer added, “Walter Cronkite knew who they were. And he love them.”

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