“Three Cool Cats”

Was one of 15 songs recorded by The Beatles for the DECCA audition in 1962. It was recorded January 1, 1962. DECCA famously passed on The Beatles. Pete Best was the drummer then.

The song was first recorded in 1958, and released as the b-side of The Coasters' hit single “Charlie Brown”. The Beatles also performed 2 other Coasters’ songs –“Searchin’”; and ”Besame Mucho” for the audition.

Let’s Listen

“Three Cool Cats”

Recorded January 1, 1962At DECCA audition

Session 9: Good Ol’ Freda (2013)

Good Ol’ Freda (2013)

Today’s film is Good Ol’ Freda. That’s a woman from Liverpool. You will learn more about her as you watch her film.

Good Ol’ Freda (2013)

SHOW OF HANDS: how many have never seen this film before?

Italian movie poster

Good Ol’ Freda (2013)

• Director: Ryan White

• Producer: Jessica Hargrave

• Starring Freda Kelly, The Beatles, many others

• Premiered at the SXSW Film Festival

• Released September 6, 2013

• Budget “tiny tiny”; box office $138,811

+ “tiny tiny” quote from the director

• Expository documentary

Good Ol’ Freda (2013)

• 2 Awards: -- Cinema Eye Honors Awards, US 2014– Cleveland International Film Festival 2013

+ Audience Award

– and 2 Nominations: + Motion Picture Sound Editors, USA 2014, Editing+ SXSW Film Festival 2013, Audience Award

• Ranks #38 on vulture.com’s 2015 list of 50 Best Music Documentaries of All Time

• Rotten Tomatoes score: Critics 85% ; Audience 78%

Is this what they mean by Beatles with handlebar moustaches?

Ryan White

LEFT – date unknown RIGHT – with Jessica Hargrave 2017

Ryan White resume

• Has 6 credits as a director, 8 as a producer and 3 as a writer

–Directorial efforts include Ask Dr. Ruth (2019),

The Keepers (2017), Serena (2016), The Case Against 8 (2014)

–Producer things include SEE ABOVE plus 1 episode of Moyers on America (2006)

At the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival with Dr. Ruth

Ryan White awards

• Has 14 wins and 18 nominations

–2 Primetime Emmy nominations for

+ The Keepers and The Case Against 8

–Wins include

+ Ashland Independent Film Festival 2014

-- Rogue Creamery Audience Award

+ Sundance Film Festival 2014 for Directing

Jessica HargraveProducer

LEFT - - 2017 RIGHT - - date unknown

Jessica Hargrave resume

• Has 5 credits as a producer and 1 as a writer

–Ask Dr. Ruth

– The Keepers

– The Case Against 8

–Good Ol’ Freda (also as writer)

–Pelada (2010)

Lights off! Let’s watch the movie.

More popcorn

Russell Jamieson - youngest fan club member at 4 years old

Ran away from home in 1963 to join the Fab Four

Created and edited by Freda Kelly. Membership in the Beatles Fan Club was $??.

At the time this documentary was made, Freda Kelly had all 77 Beatles Books in her attic.

Do you think she has sold them?

There’s more to it• November 2011•

• The passing of the $50,000 target was announced in a post on the project's fundraising page on Kickstarter.com:

•

• A huge THANK YOU to the 572 backers who helped us raise our $50,000 goal – with 2 days to spare! We are truly grateful for all the support our team has gotten from friends, families, colleagues, and (most of all!) Beatles fans worldwide who helped us reach that goal. We now have 48 hours left to raise as much money as possible before our time runs out! The film will undoubtedly cost more than $50,000 to make in the end, so every penny raised will go directly into making Good Ol' Freda an even better film and pay for additional costs such as licensing footage, still photos, and music.

• With gratitude,• The Good Ol' Freda Team

Beatles Fan Club membership card issued to Janice Hartley by the Wallasey Cheshire chapter, member number 695, issued April 1963, signed by all four members of The Beatles. Sold in 2010 for $3,840.

What’s that about a date?

Current Age– Freda Kelly (1945 - ) is 74 this year– Richard Starkey (1940 - ) is 78 – Paul McCartney (1942 - ) is 76

Age at death– Stu Sutcliffe 21 years old (1940 – 1962)– Brian Epstein 27 years old (1935 – 1967)– John Lennon 40 years old (1940 – 1980)– George Harrison 58 years old (1943 – 2001)– George Martin 90 years old (1926 – 2016)

Huh!? More dates?

Marriages: – John Lennon to Cynthia in 1962 ; divorced 1968

+ John married Cyn at the Mt. Pleasant Register Ofc– John to Yoko Ono in 1969– Ringo to Maureen Cox (1965 - 1975)– Ringo to Barbara Bach (1981 - )– George Harrison to Pattie Boyd (1966 - 1977)– George to Olivia Aria (1978 - 2001)– Paul McCartney to Linda Eastman (1969 – 1998)– Paul to Heather Mills (2002 – 2008)– Paul to Nancy Shevell (2011 - )

First song “Love Me Do” recorded Nov 1962

First #1 “Please Please Me” 1963 single and album

Another tidbit

How did Ryan White “discover” Freda Kelly?

His uncle is Billy Kinsley who was a member in the Liverpool band The Mercybeats in 1966. Kinsley knew Freda Kelly.

The Mercybeats performed at the Cavern as did Gerry and the Pacemakers. So did Rory Storm and the Hurricanes with Ringo Starr on drums.

Early pre-Beatles video/song

“Movin' N' Groovin’”

Performed by the Quarrymen 1960 at Paul’s home

And now for your singing pleasure

Please sing “Yesterday” along with

Paul

Yesterday all my troubles seemed so far away.Now it looks as though they're here to stay.Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be.There's a shadow hanging over me.Oh, yesterday came suddenly.

Why she had to go?I don't know, she wouldn't say.I said something wrong.Now I long for yesterday.

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Yesterday love was such an easy game to play.Now I need a place to hide away.Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Why she had to goI don't know, she wouldn't say.I said something wrong.Now I long for yesterday.

Yesterday love was such an easy game to play.Now I need a place to hide away.Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Mm mm mm mm mm mm mm.

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