Themes: Rags To Riches, Musician's Life, Class Differences
Main Cast: Stephen MacKenna, Rod Culbertson, Ray Ashcroft, Ryan Michael
Release Year: 1979
Country: US/UK
Run Time: 100 minutes
Plot
British director Richard Marquand graduated from BBC documentaries to dramatized features with 1979's Birth of the Beatles. This chronicle of the Fab Four begins when the group consisted of five musicians: John Lennon (Stephen MacKenna), Paul McCartney (Rod Culbertson), George Harrison (John Altman), Stu Sutcliffe (David Wilkinson), and Pete Best (Ryan Michael). The group begins its career in the dregs of a Hamburg, Germany nightclub (most of the film was made on location). Under the tutelage of manager Brian Epstein (Brian Jameson), the group sheds its rough-hewn image in favor of choirboy haircuts and Eton collars; along the way, Sutcliffe dies and drummer Best is replaced by Richard Starkey, (aka Ringo Starr, played here by Ray Ashcroft). First aired in the U.S. on November 23, 1979, Birth of the Beatles is significant as the only Beatle biopic made while John Lennon was still alive. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Cast
Stephen MacKenna - John Lennon
Rod Culbertson - Paul McCatiney
Ray Ashcroft - Ringo Starr
Ryan Michael - Pete Best
David Wilkinson - Stuarl Sutcliffe; Perry Benson - Page Boy; Gary Bleasdale - Boy in NEMS; Claire Davenport - Nude; Gareth Forwood - Alden; Nigel Havers - George Martin; Colette Hiller - Reporter; Paula Jacobs - Mrs. Flemming; Brian Jameson - Brian Epstein; Richard Marner - Club Boss; Bunny May - Sound Engineer; Wendy Morgan - Cynthia Lennon; Christopher Muncke - Reporter; Gary Olsen - Rory Storm; Pat Starr - Reporter; Matt Zimmerman - Reporter; Harry Ditson - Reporter; Tony Mathews - As It Man; Alyson Spiro - Astrid; Michael Howarth - Philip; Brigitte Kahn - German Waitress; John Altman - George Harrison
Credit
David Minty - Art Director, Richard Marquand - Director, Dick Clark - Executive Producer, Carl Davis - Composer (Music Score), Paul McCartney - Composer (Music Score), Alan Hume - Cinematographer, Tony Bishop - Producer, John Kurland - Screen Story, Jacob Eskendar - Screenwriter, Rain 9 - Musical Performer, John Lennon - Featured Music
