Ognir Rrats: They’re Gonna Put Me in the Movies

Ognir Rrats: They’re Gonna Put Me in the Movies

When Ringo sang the words of Buck Owens' hit "Act Naturally" on the B side of the 1965 Beatles' single "Yesterday," little did he know that acting would become a second career of sorts. "Well, I'll bet you I'm gonna be a big star. Might win an Oscar, you can never tell," he wailed in his no-frills voice. Well, the plucky drummer may not have lasted a day in the acting workshops of Lee Strasberg or Stella Adler, but he managed to put his kooky stamp on a number of independently-made films through the years, sharing credits with acting giants like Peter Sellers and Richard Burton. And then there was that TV movie of his. Hmmm, does anybody out there remember Ognir Rrats (Ringo Starr spelled backwards)? Allow me to refresh your memory.

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Happy Birthday, Ringo – Quite Simply, The Heart of The Beatles

Happy Birthday, Ringo – Quite Simply, The Heart of The Beatles

A friend who had the misfortune of being born a bit too early to experience full frontal Beatlemania once said to me, "Ringo wasn't one of the more important members of the group, was he?" To a rubber-souled, revolver-raving, fanatical Abbey Roadster like myself, this was among the greatest blasphemies ever spoken. If you said that Chico wasn't important to the Marx Brothers, that Fredo wasn't important to the Corleones, that Donny wasn't important to The Big Lebowski, I'd simply overlook your lack of film savvy or question your taste. But to suggest that Ringo was less than essential is the ultimate fallacy. It is, in the jargon of the Brits, a complete load of BULLOCKS!

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She Loves You — The Beatles’ One and Only Swan Song

She Loves You — The Beatles’ One and Only Swan Song

"Swan song" is a term that refers to a final effort or performance. But, when I think of swan song as it relates to The Beatles, their early hit "She Loves You" comes to mind. By September 1963, the band was fast becoming a phenomenon in England, but couldn't manage to grab the attention of a major record label in the U.S. Beatles' manager Brian Epstein finally turned to the small Philadelphia-based Swan Records to release the single that was flying off the shelves in the U.K.

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Happy Birthday, Julian Lennon: Beautiful Boy #1

Happy Birthday, Julian Lennon: Beautiful Boy #1

The first baby born to a Beatle inspired two of the band's most famous songs before he turned five years old. As the legend goes, his drawing of classmate Lucy (in the sky, with diamonds) Vodden spurred John to write THE defining psychedelic song of the 1960s. He was also the inspiration behind the Beatles' biggest hit of all time, "Hey Jude." Paul McCartney has long maintained that he began writing the song as "Hey Jules," in an effort to comfort young Julian during the divorce of his father and Cynthia Powell in 1968. It's tough being the son of a rock legend, but Julian - with a voice hauntingly like John's - has proven that he has talent and character in his own right.

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Two Tales of a City

Two Tales of a City

Anthony Dominick Benedetto - better known as Tony Bennett -- may have been born and raised in Astoria, Queens, but his timeless love song to San Francisco would convince you he'd lived there all his life. Seriously, how could he NOT have left his heart in a place as beautiful as San Francisco? Well, the working-class seaport city of Liverpool, England, may be on the opposite end of the scale when it comes to romantic settings, but four famous rockers left their hearts there, nonetheless. And, like Mr. Bennett, they drew their inspiration from the city they loved. Forty-seven years ago this month, the Beatles released their 24th U.S. single, a double A-side record featuring two songs inspired John Lennon and Paul McCartney's childhood memories of Liverpool: "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Penny Lane."

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