PARAMOUNT THEATRE 8 MM FILM
Little Richard (with Jimi Hendrix on guitar) was booked for a 10 day engagement at the Paramount Theatre in April 1965. Richard and a host of other performers were to appear as support acts to headliner Soupy Sales. Among the other bands were the Hollies and their roadie Rod Shields shot 8mm film of the marquee outside the Paramount Theatre and some of the Hollies performance.
A FRAME FROM THE "LOOK THROUGH ANY WINDOW 1963-1975" DVD
A FRAME FROM THE BIOGRAPHY DOCUMENTARY
A FRAME FROM THE BIOGRAPHY DOCUMENTARY
Little Richard was thrown off the bill after just two days (see the Little Richard Live Dates -section) and thus only made an appearance on Friday 16 April 1965 & Saturday 17 April 1965. Unfortunately the marquee is only partially visible in the film, there is no way of telling which date it comes from. But if the scenes of the Hollies landing on an airport and New York city that precede the clip are in original sequence and were shot on the same day then chances that this was filmed 16 April 1965 are high.
A one second clip of film of the marquee was used on the Hollies dvd "Look Through Any Window 1963-1975" 1, It can be seen during the first chapter on the disc, "Opening Montage", at 0.14-15.
More of the 8mm film was used in the 2002 A&E "Biography" documentary "Graham Nash: A Life In Harmony",2 available on YouTube. Most or all of the sequence at 0.16-0.50 is from April 1965. There are general shots of New York City during day & nighttime followed by a shot of the Paramount marquee and the Hollies in performance, shot from far back in the audience:
0.16-0.25 the Hollies aboard a plane and descending the stairs at an airport (New York City?)
0.26-0.41 shots of New York City: Radio City Music Hall, unknown, Times Square, Buitoni (a pasta brand), Mister Records -record shop, Chefs restaurant, unknown, Paramount Theatre marquee
0.42-0.50 the Hollies on stage at the Paramount Theatre
The stage that can be seen in the film matches the one in the pictures of Little Richard & Jimi on stage at the Paramount in April 1965 3. There is a very distinctive box on a platform on the stage with a "KC" -emblem (for King Curtis). The emblem can be seen on both the Hollies 8mm film and in the Little Richard photographs.
THE BIG QUESTION
And the big question of course is, did Rod Shields shoot more film? And was the film shot while Little Richard was still on the bill? The footage of the Hollies was shot so far back that IF there was film of Little Richard you would be unlikely to notice Hendrix on stage unless you knew what to look for.
So:
- does anyone have a longer version of the 8mm film?
- does anyone have contact information for Rod Shields?
- does anyone have a better quality version of the Graham Nash "Biography" -documentary?
I can be emailed at
If you know any Graham Nash, Hollies or Crosby Stills & Nash -collectors who might have more of the 8mm film or know more about it please do share a link to this page with them...
SOURCES:
1 liner notes and credits for The Hollies - "Look Through Any Window 1963-1975" DVD (Eagle Vision EREDV899) 2011. The booklet included with the dvd says "Hollies Home Movies licensed by Rod Shields". With thanks to "Signed DC" of the "It`s All The Streets You Crossed Not So Long Ago" -blog who first posted screenshots of the 8mm film at http://streetsyoucrossed.blogspot.com/2005/11/rockin-para-uh-mount-toniiiiiite.html and kindly send me more info via email 3 July 2017
2 "Graham Nash: A Life In Harmony" aired 30 July 2002 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0526073/?ref_=ttep_ep40
3 published, for example, in the book "Electric Gypsy" by Harry Shapiro & Caesar Glebbeek, page 87 (Heinemann London first edition)