"Top of the Pops"
Jan 1 "Top of the Pops", British pop music television program premieres; acts performing include Dusty Springfield; The Rolling Stones; Dave Clark Five: The Hollies; Swinging Blue; and The Beatles
She Loves Me
Jan 11 Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's musical "She Loves Me", based on the film "The Shop Around the Corner", closes at Eugene O'Neill Theater, NYC, after 302 performances and a Tony Award for Jack Cassidy
- Jan 11 The Beatles single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" reaches #80 in US (Cashbox)
- Jan 16 Jerry Herman's musical "Hello, Dolly!", starring Carol Channing, opens at St James Theatre, NYC; runs for 2,844 performances and wins 10 Tony Awards
- Jan 18 The Beatles make their first appearance on US Billboard Chart with single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" at #45
- Jan 20 Capitol Records releases "Meet The Beatles" album by the Beatles, in US
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Jan 25 Dale Wasserman's stage play "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", adapted from the novel by Ken Kesey, starring Kirk Douglas, Ed Ames; Joan Tetzel, and Gene Wilder, closes at Cort Theatre, NYC, after 82 performances
- Jan 25 The Beatles get their first US #1, "I Want to Hold your Hand" (Cashbox)
- Jan 29 The Beatles record in German language versions of their hits "Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand" ("I Want to Hold Your Hand") and "Sie Liebt Dich" (She Loves You") at EMI's Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris, France
- Feb 1 "Stop the World, I Want to Get Off..." closes at Shubert, NYC, after 556 performances
- Feb 1 The Beatles' 1st #1 hit "I Want to Hold Your Hand," topped the Hot 100, stays #1 for 7 weeks before being replaced by "She Loves You", also by The Beatles
- Feb 3 "Meet the Beatles" album goes Gold
- Feb 6 "Rugantino" opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 28 performances
- Feb 7 Beatles land at New York's JFK airport, for 1st US tour
Sessions' 5th Symphony
Feb 7 Roger Sessions' 5th Symphony premieres in Philadelphia with Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra
Royal Hunt of the Sun
Feb 8 Peter Shaffer's musical "Royal Hunt of the Sun" premieres in London
Beatles on Ed Sullivan Show
Feb 9 1st appearance of the Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show", live from New York; broadcast draws 73.7 million television viewers
A World Without Love
Feb 14 British pop music duo Peter & Gordon release single "A World Without Love" (written by Paul McCartney, credited to Lennon-McCartney)
- Feb 15 Beatles' "Meet the Beatles!" album goes #1 & stays #1 for 11 weeks
Foxy
Feb 16 Robert Emmett Dolan and Johnny Mercer's musical "Foxy", starring Bert Lahr, opens at Ziegfeld Theater, NYC; runs for 72 performances, with Lahr winning a Tony Award
Music Concert
Feb 16 The Beatles' 2nd appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show", live from Deauville Hotel in Miami, Florida; broadcast draws about 70 million television viewers
- Feb 19 UK flies ½ ton of Beatles wigs to the US
- Feb 21 UK flies 24,000 rolls of Beatles wallpaper to US
- Feb 22 Beatles arrive back in England after their 1st US visit
- Feb 23 The Beatles' 3rd appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show", featuring 3 performances taped on February 9, prior to their live debut
- Feb 24 "My Heart Skips a Beat" single released by Buck Owens (Billboard No. 1 U.S. Hot Country Singles, 1964)
What Makes Sammy Run?
Feb 27 Erwin Drake's musical "What Makes Sammy Run?", starring Steve Lawrence, Robert Alda, and Sally Ann Howes, opens at 54th St Theater, NYC; runs for 540 performances
- Feb 29 "Rugantino" closes at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC after 28 performances
Music History
Mar 2 Beatles begin filming "A Hard Day's Night", George Harrison meets future wife Pattie Boyd
Grammy Awards
Mar 12 6th Grammy Awards: Days of Wine & Roses, Barbra Streisand wins 2
Music History
Mar 14 Noël Coward's musical "Girl Who Came to Supper", starring Florence Henderson and José Ferrer, closes at the Broadway Theatre, NYC, after 112 performances and one Tony Award
- Mar 21 9th Eurovision Song Contest: Gigliola Cinquetti for Italy wins singing "Non ho l'eta" in Copenhagen
- Mar 21 Beatles' single "She Loves You" goes #1 in the US & stays #1 for 2 weeks
- Mar 22 Barbra Streisand appears on the cover of NY Times Magazine section
In His Own Write
Mar 23 "In His Own Write", a book of short stories, poems and drawings by John Lennon is published
- Mar 26 Jule Styne and Bob Merrill's musical "Funny Girl", starring Barbra Streisand as Fanny Brice, opens at Winter Garden Theater, New York City; runs for 1,348 performances
Music History
Mar 28 Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in London unveils figures of The Beatles; they later appear on the Sgt. Pepper album cover
- Apr 1 John Lennon is reunited with his father Freddie after 17 years
- Apr 3 Beatles hold top 6 spots on Sydney Australia record charts
- Apr 4 Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love" single goes #1 & stays #1 for 5 weeks
Anyone Can Whistle
Apr 4 Stephen Sondheim's musical "Anyone Can Whistle" opens at Majestic Theater, NYC; runs for 9 performances
- Apr 7 Hugh Martin and Timothy Gray's musical "High Spirits", based on Noel Coward's "Blithe Spirit", opens at Alvin Theater, NYC; runs for 375 performances
- Apr 11 Stephen Sondheim's musical "Anyone Can Whistle" closes at Majestic Theater, NYC, after 9 performances
- Apr 17 Albert Hague and Marty Brill's musical "Cafe Crown", starring Theodore Bikel, opens at Martin Beck Theater, NYC; runs for 3 performances
- Apr 18 Albert Hague and Marty Brill's musical "Cafe Crown", starring Theodore Bikel, closes at Martin Beck Theater, NYC, after 3 performances
- Apr 18 Robert Emmett Dolan and Johnny Mercer's musical "Foxy", starring Bert Lahr, closes at Ziegfeld Theater. NYC. after 72 performances and a Tony Award win for Lahr
Montezuma
Apr 19 Roger Sessions' opera "Montezuma" premieres in West Berlin, Germany
Blues for Mister Charlie
Apr 23 James Baldwin's stage drama "Blues for Mister Charlie", directed by Burgess Meredith, opens at the ANTA Playhouse, NYC; runs for 148 performances
- Apr 27 John Lennon's book of poetry and sketches "In His Own Write" is published in US
- May 2 Beatles' "Beatles' 2nd Album" goes #1 & stays #1 for 5 weeks
- May 18 David Frost interviews Paul McCartney on BBC-TV
- May 24 The Beatles' 4th appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show", features an interview and pre-recorded performance of "You Can't Do That"
Fade Out-Fade In
May 26 Betty Comden & Adolph Green and Jule Styne's musical "Fade Out-Fade In", featuring Carol Burnett, Jack Cassidy (later replaced by Dick Shawn), and Tina Louise, opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 271 performances
Music History
May 28 Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 9th String quartet
Beyond the Fringe
May 30 Alan Bennett, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Jonathan Miller comedy revue "Beyond the Fringe" closes at John Golden Theater, NYC, after 667 performances
- May 30 Beatles 1961 record of "Cry for a Shadow" is #1 in Australia
- May 30 The Beatles' "Love Me Do" single goes #1 in the United States
- Jun 1 Rolling Stones arrive in New York's Kennedy International Airport for 1st US tour, greeted by about 500 fans
- Jun 2 "Folies Bergère" opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 191 performances
Music History
Jun 3 Ringo Starr collapses from tonsillitis and pharyngitis, just before the Beatles embark on a World Tour
- Jun 4 Beatles 1st (and only) "World Tour" begins with two ten-song shows at 4,400 seat KB Halle in Copenhagen, Denmark; British drummer Jimmie Nicol replaces Ringo Starr (recovering from tonsillitis) for the first five dates (10 concerts + a Dutch TV appearance)
I Can't Help Thinking About Me
Jun 5 Davie Jones & King Bees release debut single "I Can't Help Thinking About Me"; group disbands but Davie Jones goes on to success as David Bowie
- Jun 5 Rolling Stones 1st US concert tour (with Bobby Goldsboro & Bobby Vee) debuts in San Bernadino, California
- Jun 6 The Beatles arrive in Netherlands
- Jun 7 Beatles travel canals of Amsterdam, with a substitute for Ringo
- Jun 8 "The Little Old Lady (from Pasadena)", recorded by 1960s American pop singers, Jan and Dean, is released
- Jun 10 Rolling Stones record their "12x5" album at Chess Studios in Chicago, Illinois
- Jun 11 Chicago police break up Rolling Stones press conference on a traffic island in the middle of Michigan Avenue
- Jun 14 Drummer Ringo Starr re-unites with the Beatles in Melbourne, Australia, after recovering from tonsillitis
- Jun 25 WMCA (NYC) plays Beatles' Hard Days Night Album (10 days prior to its scheduled release date), they decide to release it June 26th
- Jun 27 "Sie Liebt Dich (She Loves You)" by Die Beatles peaks at #97
- Jul 2 Cilla Black records Lennon/McCartney song "It's For You", Paul McCartney plays piano
- Jul 4 Beachboys' "I Get Around" reaches #1
- Jul 6 The Beatles' film "A Hard Day's Night" premieres at The Pavilion in London, England
- Jul 10 The Beatles release "A Hard Day's Night", their 3rd studio album
- Jul 20 Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 10th String quartet
- Jul 25 Beatles' album "A Hard Day's Night" goes #1, stays #1 for 14 weeks
- Jul 25 Meredith Wilson's musical "Here's Love", based on thefil "Miracle on 34th Street". closes at Shubert Theater, NYC. after 338 performances
- Aug 1 Beatles' single "A Hard Day's Night" goes #1 & stays #1 for 2 weeks
- Aug 5 Beatles record a cover of Little Willie John's "Leave My Kitten Alone"; not released until 1995's "Anthology 1"
- Aug 8 1st Rolling Stones concert in Netherlands at The Kurhaus of Scheveningen, in The Hague
- Aug 8 Dutch Opera forms in Amsterdam
- Aug 8 N. Richard Nash, Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones' musical "110 in the Shade", based on Nash's drama "The Rainmaker", closes at Broadhurst Theater, NYC after, 330 performances
- Aug 11 US premiere of The Beatles' debut film "A Hard Day's Night" in New York City
- Aug 15 WEWS-TV in Cleveland, Ohio first airs "The Big 5 Show", a teen dance and music program later syndicated as "Upbeat"
- Aug 18 The Beatles arrive in San Francisco, California on their second US visit, and first cross-country tour, encompassing 32 shows in 25 cities over 31 days
- Aug 22 Supreme's "Where Did Our Love Go" reaches #1
Mary Poppins
Aug 27 Walt Disney's musical film "Mary Poppins" directed by Robert Stevenson, starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, with songs by Richard and Robert Sherman, premieres at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, California; wins 5 Academy Awards
- Aug 29 Stephen Sondheim's musical "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", starring Zero Mostel, and Jack Gilford, closes at Alvin Theater, NYC, after 965 performances and 6 Tony Awards
Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
Sep 10 Rod Stewart records his 1st single "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl"
- Sep 11 Beatles guitarist George Harrison forms Mornyork Ltd music publishing company
- Sep 15 The Beatles play at Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio; police stop show during third song as some of the crowd climbed on the stage, after a 10 minute delay, and warning audience to stay seated, the concert resumed with the.
Baby Love
Sep 17 Motown Records releases The Supremes' single "Baby Love"; written and produced by the Holland-Dozier-Holland team, it becomes their second consecutive #1 record
- Sep 17 The Beatles are paid a then record $150,000 by baseball team owner Charles Finley for a concert at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on a scheduled day off; the group adds the song "Kansas City"/"Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey" to their standard setlist, much to the delight of the crowd
- Sep 20 The Beatles close out their first North American tour returning to New York City, for a benefit concert titled "An Evening With The Beatles" at the Paramount Theatre; the show was for the United Cerebral Palsy of NYC charity, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé were also on the bill
- Sep 22 Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's musical "Fiddler on the Roof" with Zero Mostel, opens at the Imperial Theater (later transferring to the Majestic, and then the Broadway), NYC; runs for 3,242 performances and winning 9 Tony Awards
- Sep 24 Ringo Starr forms Brikley Building Company Ltd
- Sep 30 "Oh What a Lovely War" opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 125 performances
- Oct 6 "Cambridge Circus" opens at Plymouth Theater NYC for 23 performances
- Oct 7 The Beatles appear on episode of "Shindig" (ABC-TV) in the US
- Oct 8 Ringo Starr passes his driving test
Golden Boy
Oct 20 Lee Adams and Charles Strouse's musical adaptation of Clifford Odet's "Golden Boy", starring Sammy Davis Jr. opens at Majestic Theater, NYC; runs for 569 performances
- Oct 20 Riot at Rolling Stones conecrt in Paris leads to 150 arrests
- Oct 22 EMI rejects audition by "High Numbers"; they go on to become "The Who"
- Oct 24 "Cambridge Circus" closes at Plymouth Theater NYC after 23 performances
- Oct 25 The Rolling Stones make their 1st appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show"; they perform a cover of Chuck Berry's “Around & Around,” and their own hit "Time Is On My Side" [1]
- Oct 27 Mark Sandrich and Sidney Michaels' musical "Ben Franklin in Paris", starring Robert Preston, opens at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, NYC; runs for 215 performances
- Oct 31 Barbra Streisand's "People" album goes #1 for 5 weeks
Music History
Nov 9 Victor Borge's "Comedy in Music - Opus 2" opens at John Golden Theatre, NYC; runs for 192 performances
- Nov 10 "Something More!" opens at Eugene O'Neill Theater NYC for 15 performances
- Nov 14 "Folies Bergere" closes at Broadway Theater NYC after 191 performances
- Nov 14 Betty Comden & Adolph Green and Jule Styne's musical "Fade Out-Fade In", goes into lay-off due to star Carol Burnett's illness
Oliver!
Nov 14 Lionel Bart's musical "Oliver!", based on Charles Dickens' 1838 novel "Oliver Twist", and featuring Clive Revill, Danny Sewell, and Davy Jones, closes at Imperial Theater, NYC, after 774 performances and 3 Tony Award wins
- Nov 20 Dmitri Shostakovich's 9th/10th String Quartet premieres in Moscow
- Nov 21 "Something More!" closes at Eugene O'Neill Theater NYC after 15 performances
- Nov 21 "Zizi" opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 49 performances
- Nov 23 "Bajour" opens at Shubert Theater NYC for 232 performances
- Nov 23 Beatles release single "I Feel Fine" & "She's a Woman"
- Nov 24 British rock band "The Who" begins a 22-week Tuesday night residency at the influential Marquee Club in London, England
- Dec 2 Ringo Starr's tonsils are removed at University College Hospital, London, England
- Dec 4 The Beatles release "Beatles For Sale", their fourth studio album in the UK
- Dec 7 George Harrison changes his company's name from Mornyork to Harrisongs
A Love Supreme
Dec 9 John Coltrane's Quartet records their greatest work "A Love Supreme" at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
- Dec 25 George Harrison's girlfriend Pattie Boyd attacked by female Beatle fans
- Dec 26 Beatles single "I Feel Fine" goes #1 & stays #1 for 3 weeks
- Dec 27 1st appearance of The Supremes on "The Ed Sullivan Show", singing "Come See About Me"
- Dec 28 Premiere of Dmitri Shostakovich's cantata "The Execution of Stepan Razin"
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