May 8 1964

"Lennon," shouted George Harrison and actor Norman Rossington. "Gerrout of that bath!"

Beatle John just smiled, flicked away a soap bubble, and carried on with his toy submarine. After all, didn't it have an important mission over there by the hot and cold water taps?

Actually, anyone would have been smiling. Even roaring their heads off with laughter! for this was only one of the amusing scenes from 'A Hard Day's Night', the fun-packed Beatles film which will have its premier in a couple of months.

I was on the set at the studios in Teddington, Middlesex, seeing the group in an exclusive interview for Mersey Beat.

In the scene in question John was stepping out of a white bathrobe into a mass of bubbles, then clowning it up by taking a rise out of commercials like the one about 'I'll be a little lovelier each day...'

The studio technicians loved every minute...they could all hardly work for laughing.

This exceptionally funny scene was eventually 'in the can', and John and George managed to get away from the eagle eye of the director to give me this message especially for Mersey Beat readers, particularly those in Liverpool.

"We want all our old friends to know we still think of them. The way things have happened...well, it's just sensational. But it would never have started if it wasn't for your loyalty and support. Lots of love, Liddypool."

Added George, laughing as he looked down at his script: "You'd never believe half of this, it's ridiculous!"

Actually, a great deal of the dialogue has been ad-libbed or written as the film has gone along. And the whole production has been behind heavily guarded doors, with fantastic security in operation. To go on the set with a camera would be to risk being thrown out of the studios.

A couple of days later I met the Beatles again at the Empire Pool, Wembley, where they were telerecording the all-star pop concert you'll be seeing on commercial TV screens within a few days. They were having their umpteenth set of suits made by a London tailor.

George Harrison's mother was also backstage sporting a deep suntan, gained on a Jamaican holiday paid for my her Beatle son.

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