UPDATED: 23rd March 2001
EPISODE 1
A HARD DAYS NIGHT:
A Beatles rehearsal gets a bit crowded when all the locals decide to come over and take a look. John decides that they are better off going to a nearby Transylvanian Castle to practice. They go off to practice, and their music is enough to awaken the dead.
Download an MPEG excerpt from A Hard Days Night
Singalongs
Not a second time:
Devil in her heart: One of my favorite singalongs. Almost like a promotional clip, with George singing lead, John and Paul singing the accusations about George's girl.
I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND:
A personal favorite of mine. The Beatles are on an Ocean Liner and are pursed by not only screaming girls but the narrator of the cartoon also keeps giving their hiding spots away. To escape the go into a diving bell which is promptly sent to the bottom of the ocean. The Beatles then encounter a love sick octopus which they reunite with its mate.
EPISODE 2
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET
The Beatles are on a well earned break in Ireland. Ringo wants to awake with the birds, so Paul directs him to his bedroom, which is full of chickens. A female leprechaun appears in the middle of the night, and shows the Beatles to her own special pot of gold. The pot of gold turns out to be not quite what the Beatles expect.
Singalongs
A hard days night:
I want to hold your hand:
IF I FELL
One of the Australian cartoons produced. The Australian cartoons used the repeated themes of monsters and Asian characters. This detracted (in my opinion) from what the Beatle cartoons were really meant to be about. It is also a reason of why the real Beatles are not too keen on these cartoons being released. Anyway, the cartoon......
A mad female scientist plans to bring to life a Frankenstein type monster. All she needs is the brains of a beetle. Her assistant brings in a heavy laden sack, from which pours John Lennon, "He is the brains of the Beatles", says her fiendish assistant. John awakes, he obviously got a knock on the head, and wonders where he is. He finds out about the doctors plans to use his brains, and what follows is a couple of minutes of chase sequence. They end up catching John, and installing John's personality into the monster. What ends up happening is the monster ends up singing. Girl fans end up hearing the crooning cretin and end up mauling him. He falls apart under the pressure.
John recommends that they don't use the brain of an entertainer, that they should try the brains of a medical genius. "Where would we find a medical genius?" asks the mad scientist. "Why I myself was considered something of a medical genius at high school!" says John. A chase sequence follows.
EPISODE 3
PLEASE MR. POSTMAN:
The Beatles are in Africa and have lost all their money. Ringo went mad buying rings for his fingers, "and i lost them shaking hands with autographs collectors" he says to his fellow Beatles. John replies "You mean ring collectors!" The Beatles are forced to try telegraph Brian Epstien to get some money. Unable to afford the cost of a telegram, they have to use the jungle telegraph. So Ringo gets some jungle drums to beat out a message. Unfortunately he forgets to reverse the charges. The Beatles are next seen getting ready for a performance. The concert is in aid of a good charity, themselves. The Beatles start singing "Please Mr.. Postman", when a postman arrives with a letter for the Beatles. The postman has to battle his way through the crowd, and finally delivers his message. The letter turns out to be a bill from Liverpool Light Company, and their account is now overdue. All of a sudden the lights at the concert venue all go out.
Singalongs
If I fell: A young girl decides on which dolls she likes to play with.
Do you want to know a secret:
DEVIL IN HER HEART:
Ringo and George are having a picnic in Transylvania, when Ringo decides to go off for a walk. He gets lost and ends up at an old witches house. The old witch falls for our beaked buddy, and makes a love potion so that Ringo falls for her. George ends up arriving just in time to save Ringo, and the old witch ends up falling into a big pot of her wicked brew. After a few seconds she reappears 100 years younger and looking great. Ringo thinks that she looks great, and falls in love with her.
EPISODE 4
NOT A SECOND TIME
The Beatles are greeted by a large crowd of fans at the airport. When Paul says that there will probably be another large crowd at Johannesburg Airport to greet them, John replies "I certainly hope so". Some female fans make it onto the plane. One wants to get a lock of Paul's hair as a souvenir. Another faints whenever she sees the Beatles. The third girl screams whenever she sees the Beatles. The Beatles abandon the plane and end up in the jungle with their old
friend Alan Watermain. Alan Watermain was the only non-Beatle character to make multiple appearances within the Beatles cartoons.
Singalongs
Baby's in black:
Misery: Ringo plays a Shakespearean actor who has lost the love of his life. He shows his disappointment on stage for all to see.
SLOW DOWN:
The Beatles visit an old western town, when Ringo gets stuck on a horse that runs away.
EPISODE 5
BABY'S IN BLACK
The Beatles are forced to take cover in an old castle on a rainy old night. Paul gets abducted, and a mad scientist, Professor Psycho, plans to marry him off to a lady vampire. John, George and Ringo arrive in time to save the day. They discover that the woman was not a vampire, but an actress, and her manager (Professor Psycho) had plans to marry her to Paul to further her career.
Singalongs
I'll get you:
Chains:
MISERY
The Beatles are off to the wax museum to see themselves in wax. They get lost within the museum, and then separate from each other. The "Count Dracula" wax statue comes to life, and begins to chase the Beatles. The Beatles end up having to melt their wax twins to save the day.
EPISODE 6
YOU'VE REALLY GOT A HOLD ON ME
The Beatles are on safari. They are all complaining that they can't see any wild game. Meanwhile they are passing in between the legs of elephants, and passing animals hiding in bushes. "Whose idea was this anyway?" asks John. They all cry in unison "Ringo's!". Ringo says to the others "No sign of big game. I'd pay a million dollars to take a picture of an albino rhino". At that time they pass an albino rhino that has a sign stuck to it "Take my picture - 25 cents". The Beatles needless to say miss seeing the Rhino. The safari truck they rented breaks down with a flat tire. Ringo goes searching for a jack, and instead finds a witch doctor called Jack. Ringo offers him a present of a worm, which gets turned into a giant snake. Ringo uses the snake as a spare tire.
Singalongs
Slow Down:
Honey Don't:
CHAINS
The Beatles go to see "Mutiny on the Bounty", and Ringo gets inspired to be a great captain. At the same time he gets a knock on the head. Ringo dreams that George, John and Paul are planning a mutiny against him, Captain Ringo Bligh. Ringo makes George, Paul and John walk the plank, which is a diving board into a pool full of beautiful women.
EPISODE 7
I'LL GET YOU:
The Beatles go on Safari with Alan Watermain. John and Paul chase after an old lion which turns out to be a couple of locals in a lion costume to drum up tourism.
Singalongs
You really got a hold on me:
Any time at all:
HONEY DON'T
Ringo rides a bull at a rodeo.
EPISODE 8
ANY TIME AT ALL:
The Beatles are at an art gallery in France. They admire a picture of the three (sic) musketeers and reflect that people no longer help women in distress. At this point in time a woman asks the Beatles for help because she is in "Dis Dress". The Beatles try to help, but the men pursuing the woman catch her in the end. This is OK though, the woman turned out to be the villain in the end.
Singalongs
Slow Down:
Honey Don't:
TWIST AND SHOUT:
The Beatles provide inspiration for a young artist who wants to become more abstract for an art competition. However, its her original paintings of a pussy cat that win her the day. "I like pussy cats" says the judge of the competition.
EPISODE 9
LITTLE CHILD:
A young Indian girl wishes to show her peers within the tribe that she can hunt as good as any boy within the tribe. To prove this she captures the "for real Beatles!"
Singalongs
Long Tall Sally:
Twist and shout: Goes along the same lines as the feature cartoon, but in a different format. The young female artist is creating far out works of art in time with the Beatles music. It looks as if a bit of effort went into this clip, and the results are excellent.
I'LL BE BACK
One of the few Beatles cartoons to feature two songs (the first song shown is "ticket to ride").
Ringo is given a golden guitar by the mayor of a Midwestern town. Some slack jawed locals steal the guitar to that they can make some hit songs. The Beatles endeavor to get the guitar back.
EPISODE 10
LONG TALL SALLY
This is my least favorite Beatles cartoon. Perhaps because of the violence between John and Ringo, (I mean no one likes to see their heroes fighting amongst each other). The story has a VERY tenuous link to the song and relies on John and Ringo trying to bash each other to death. Anyway, enough of my bias, to the story....
Lost in a fog, the Beatles find themselves at an old castle. The meet up with the caretaker who allows them to stay the night. The Beatles happen to find two suits of armor. The caretaker warns the Beatles the who ever wears the suits of armor will become mortal enemies. The Beatles are asked not to put the armor on. The lads look straight into the camera and promise they wont. The next scene sees Paul and George fitting John and Ringo with the suits. From this point on we see John and Ringo fighting each other till the end of the episode.
Singalongs
I'll follow the sun:
When I get home:
I'll CRY INSTEAD:
The Beatles are busy in Japan. George has been signing autographs all day, and now has autograhitis. This is where his hand turns purple, and swells up to four times its normal size. The Beatles take George around town looking for a doctor. George decides to put on a mask so that no one can recognize him, so that he doesn't have to sign anymore autographs. The Beatles see a sign with a big hand on it hanging on a shop front. They can't read the writing, so they assume that the building is for a hand doctor. The building turns out to be the local judo arena. George with his mask on is mistaken as a leading judo expert the "Masked Masher". George has to fight a rather large challenger. Somehow he wins unscathed.
EPISODE 11
I'LL FOLLOW THE SUN
The Beatles are traveling the countryside when their car breaks down. A highwayman takes them hostage, ties them up, and goes off to organize a ransom. The Beatles escape their shackles and make it back to the car to find a mechanic working on it. The mechanic turns out to be the highwayman and he says that he's gone straight. He gives the Beatles his bill for servicing the car. Upon seeing the bill, and how expensive it is, The Beatles say "That's highway robbery!"
Singalongs
I'll cry instead: John is miserable and lets everyone know.
Everybody's trying to be my baby: George has the attention of some small fans who want to make him their own. With George singing "they took some honey from a tree, dressed it up and called it me", it no wonder that his small fans are infact little bears.
WHEN I GET HOME
The Beatles meet Quasimodo.
EPISODE 12
EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO BE MY BABY
The Beatles are in Japan and are mistaken for the reincarnated ancestors of some of the locals. Basically the cartoon is little more than a chase scene.
Singalongs
I'm a loser:
I wanna be your man:
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER
The Beatles look for a new venue in Rome for their next gig. After trying a few of the local halls, they end up at the Coliseum, which falls down after the Beatles first rehearsal.
EPISODE 13
I'M A LOSER
Ringo is hired as a stunt man in Hollywood, but ends up as the fallguy in every scene.
Singalongs
No reply:
I'm happy just to dance with you:
I WANNA BE YOUR MAN
Hugo and Leo have just completed a daring bank robbery, and have melted down all the gold they stole into a statue of Musica, and have painted the statue white. They hide the statue in a statuary.
George and Ringo arrive at the statuary to buy something for the British Museum. George says to the salesman "We want to get something worth a fortune", Ringo chirps in "And for very little money!". Ringo and George spot the statue of Musica and decide on that one right away.
A chase scene follows, with the statue being taken by Hugo and Leo, then the statue itself escaping on an inflated tyre.
EPISODE 14
DON'T BOTHER ME
Two spies are about to break into the Beatles hotel room. The spies are trying to steal the Beatles book of new songs. The Beatles are sleeping the night away when Ringo remembers that they are supposed to do a concert in Barcelona.
The Beatles make their way to the train station. At the station the spies put a fake announcement over the PA that there will be no trains running today. The Beatles are forced to take a taxi with the spies in hot pursuit.
Singalongs
It wont be long:
I should have known better:
NO REPLY
The Beatles are in Hawaii. A local detective informs the Beatles of a master of disguise jewel thief called Anyface who is in the area. The cop shows two photos of anyface in disguise, one a little baby, the other an old lady. The detective informs the Beatles that Anyface has a weakness for the ladies. All of a sudden there a two Paul McCartneys! One must be Anyface. Luckily the detective has a niece who is "number one Beatles fan". The Beatles perform the song "No Reply" to figure out the real Paul. After seeing the Beatles perform, the niece chooses one Paul and then the other Paul. "Next time choose number two niece", says the detective. A second test still doesn't break the deadlock. It isn't until a group of female tourists see the Beatles and then chase the Beatles that Anyface is revealed. The Beatles knowing better run off when the girls start chasing them. The fake Paul stays where he is, and is mauled by the girls. "Help, help I'm Anyface", he screams running off to the police. The morale of the story, A real Beatle knows to run off when a crowd of girls are around.
EPISODE 15
I'M HAPPY JUST TO DANCE WITH YOU
After preparing themselves a snack on a flight over Europe, the Beatles are forced to abandon their crippled plane before it crashes. The Beatles end up in an Italian street festival. Paul wins a contest, and his prize is a dancing bear who takes a liking to Paul.
Singalongs
Don't bother me: A great singalong! Paul is on a desert island feeling sorry for himself. He has lost his girl! Because he has lost his girl, he wants nothing more do do with the human race. His fellow Beatles pass by in submarines and ships and offer to rescue him. Alas, Paul wants nothing to do with any of them.
Can't buy me love:
MISTER MOONLIGHT
To avoid a group of screaming fans while on a Pacific cruise, The Beatles dive into a lifeboat. Inside the lifeboat is a scientist who wishes to see an eclipse of the sun. The lifeboat gets unloaded from the ship. Hearing the chirping of seagul's outside they believe it is their fans screaming just near the lifeboat. Three days later they realise that they have been set adrift. The Beatles end up seeing the eclipse with some Pacific natives.
EPISODE 16
CANT BUY ME LOVE
John gets given a friendship ring by a Polynesian native. The ring turns out to mean that he's to marry the local chiefs daughter. John tries to escape by hiding in a pineapple factory where he gets canned. Luckily the chiefs daughter hates the smell of pineapple!
Singalongs
Anna:
Mr. Moonlight:
IT WON'T BE LONG
DR Ah So has developed a formula to shrink normal size plants down to bonsai plants. To demonstrate to his investors he pours a bucket full of the formula into a lake. He then throws a large tree into the lake, which reappears a fraction of its normal size. Satisfied DR Ah So and his investors depart the scene. The Beatles soon arrive for a picnic at the very same spot. John decides to take a dip in the lake. He emerges 3 inches tall. Trying to get the attention of his fellow Beatles, they believe John to be some new type of Beatles doll. Paul claims John for his very own. A chase scene follows with George, Ringo and Paul trying to find this new type of Beatle doll. Paul, George and Ringo end up falling into the lake, thereby shrinking to the same size as John. The formula wears off on John and he returns to his normal size. He gathers his fellow Beatles together for the picnic. Because of their new size, Paul, George and Ringo cant eat much, so John gets to eat all the food.
EPISODE 17
ANNA
The Beatles are on one of their many trips to Japan, when Paul is lured onto a ghost ship, by a beautiful Japanese woman called Anna. John, Ringo and George are kept busy trying to rescue Paul who must be saved before he is taken to the Enchanted Lagoon, from which no traveler has ever returned.
Singalongs
Thank you girl:
Matchbox:
I DON'T WANT TO SPOIL THE PARTY
John is leading his fellow BEATLES around a museum in New York. Paul, George and Ringo get bored and sneak off. They end up at a party in Greenwich village. John ends up at the same party looking for Paul, George and Ringo, who by now are in disguise hiding from John.
EPISODE 18
MATCHBOX
The Beatles help save a village that is being threatened by a volcano.
Singalongs
I don't want to spoil the party:
Help:
THANK YOU GIRL:
Brian Epstein is angry about the Beatles putting on weight. So he puts the lads on a diet and takes away all their money. The Beatles escape from their hotel room, to a cooking school where they hope to get a free bite to eat.
EPISODE 19
FROM ME TO YOU
Surf Wolf is king of the beach until Beatle George turns up. Jealous, Surf Wolf starts to bully George and ends up challenging him to a surfing duel. George reluctantly accepts, and begins to get a few surfing lessons. On the day of the contest Surf Wolf uses a few dirty tricks to put George off. Surf Wolf throws shark food at George to attract sharks. A large shark appears and takes a few bites out of George's board.
Singalongs
Please Mr. Postman:
I saw her standing there:
BOYS
The Beatles are in Hollywood, and enter a Mr. Hollywood contest. Failing to impress with their strength and aerobic abilities, they win the contest by singing.
EPISODE 20
DIZZY MISS LIZZY
George enters a Swiss iceboat race.
Singalongs
Ticket to ride:
From me to you:
I SAW HER STANDING THERE
A jealous dancer challenges John to a duel when he thinks that John is trying to steal his girl.
EPISODE 21
WHAT YOU'RE DOING
Its Ringos turn to be chosen for marriage, this time the Gypsy's are after him.
Singalongs
Dizzy miss lizzy:
All my loving:
MONEY
The Beatles are enjoying their payday at Coney Island, where Ringo is followed by a mysterious stranger.
EPISODE 22
KOMM GIB MIR DEINE HAND
The Beatles go mountain climbing.
Singalongs
Bad boy:
Tell me why:
SHE LOVES YOU
The Beatles are on an ocean liner where they encounter what they think is a domestic despute between a knife wielding maniac and a beautiful woman. To the Beatles surprise the woman turns out not to be all that beautiful, the maniac turns out to be a jealous circus performer who wishes to practice his knife throwing act out on the Beatles. All this is made worse when the woman falls head over heals for our heroes. The Beatles need to convince both Hakim (The worlds greatest knife thrower) and the not so beautiful girl that they are made for each other.
EPISODE 23
BAD BOY
A young Swiss boy called Hans, who is a mad Beatles fan, encounters the Beatles when they are on holiday in the Swiss Alps. Hans informs the Beatles that he wishes to join up with them. When the Beatles say that he can't, Hans decides to go to Liverpool to try his luck there. At this point we have those immortal lines from the young lads father, "Look Ma, no Hans!".
Singalongs
Please Please Me:
Hold me tight:
TELL ME WHY
The Beatles help an old horse win a race by playing their music for it.
EPISODE 24
I FEEL FINE
The Beatles are in Hollywood. Paul believes that everything in Hollywood is a fake, and proves this to his fellow Beatles.
Singalongs
What you're doing:
There's a place:
HOLD ME TIGHT
George and Ringo save the Statue of Liberty from a man who is going to blow it up with his lunch.
EPISODE 25
PLEASE PLEASE ME
The Beatles are in Spain, where Ringo becomes a matador against a bull who he thinks is John and Paul in disguise. But because John and Paul can't fit into the costume, what Ringo faces is the real thing!
Singalongs
Roll over Beethoven:
Rock and roll music:
THERES A PLACE
The Beatles are in Hollywood again, where they encounter meet a gorilla in a cage. John feels sorry for the beast and lets him go.
EPISODE 26
ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN
Paul is taken hostage by a large elephant. The other Beatles try to soothe the elephant by playing music to it.
Singalongs
I feel fine:
She loves you:
ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC
The Beatles play at a royal reception.
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Have a look at the second series of cartoons.
Have a look at the third series of cartoons.
Have a look at the story behind the Beatle Cartoons series.
Selected screen images provided by: Mitch McGeary
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