Everybody knows that Bob Eubanks is famous as the host of The Newlywed Game, but what you might not know is that he was also the producer who booked The Beatles concerts all three years when they toured America. In 1964, while a popular disc jockey at radio station KRLA 1110 in Los Angeles 26-year-old Eubanks borrowed $25,000 on his house to present the Beatles to Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl. He then produced two shows in 1965 at the Hollywood Bowl, one show in 1966 at Dodger Stadium, and one final show in San Francisco in August of 1966. Many listeners to the radio station were calling in to request Beatles songs which sparked the idea for Eubanks to produce the concerts.
Beatles fans were treated to a special presentation by Eubanks recently at Pepperdine's Smothers Theatre in Malibu which he calls "Bob Eubanks' Backstage with the Beatles featuring (tribute band) Ticket to Ride." This performance offered a unique way to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Beatles arrival in the United States. He spoke about his experience with the Beatles and provided interesting anecdotes never heard before. Eubanks would then frequently transition during his presentation to let the band play a Beatles song that was related to the topic he was speaking about. It was a creative process.
Here are a few anecdotes Eubanks spoke about, among many others.
While the Beatles were in the green room backstage before the first concert at the Hollywood Bowl, Eubanks said " I brought backstage Debbie Reynolds to meet the band. When I knocked on the door, John Lennon came to the door and told me that they have no interest in meeting her. Lauren Bacall was already their guest visiting them in the green room."
At the conclusion of the Dodger Stadium concert, the Beatles had a limo waiting for them outside the centerfield wall. When they got to the wall, they saw many wild female fans destroying the vehicle, so Eubanks brought the Fab Four back into the stadium and sat them in the Dodgers' dugout. Lennon was upset because they were due at a post-concert party and were excited to get to it. So Eubanks and his team decided to enlist the services of an ambulance and covered up the Beatles under sheets to make the getaway.
Eubanks also said that after John Lennon made a comment in a March 1966 interview that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus," their popularity declined and greatly affected ticket sales at the concert in San Francisco. That comment was so offensive that Eubanks decided that it would not be prudent to produce any more Beatles concerts moving forward.
At that point, Eubanks would become involved in the country music business. He served as manager of such artists as Dolly Parton, Barbara Mandrell and Marty Robbins. He also signed Merl Haggard to an exclusive live-performance contract, producing more than 100 dates per year.
Many people also remember that Eubanks was a familiar voice on New Year's Day for 38 years, hosting the Emmy-Award-winning Tournament of Roses Parade for Tribune Broadcasting and the Hallmark Channel. And he also became the last person to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the 20th century.
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