Shortly after landing in America from England, on February 7th, at the start of the First Beatles’ American Tour, The Beatles dazzled the world with their perspicacity, humor and charm when they answered reporters’ queries at the iconic Idlewild Airport (now JFK) press conference. Ed met The Beatles at Kennedy Airport, covered them at the Plaza Hotel on Park Avenue, traveled with them to Washington DC for their first US concert, reported on their shows at Carnegie Hall, and headed with them to Miami later that week, even sharing a suite with George Harrison at the Deauville Hotel on Collins Avenue.

Of course, The Beatles’ quick wit attracted huge very positive international film, newsreel, television and other press coverage. The Beatles also caused a great teen fan uproar while they were headquartered at NYC’s Plaza Hotel. The Beatles, on their first American tour, appeared on the Ed Sullivan show and, prior to that performance, recorded another show at the theatre which would be their third Ed Sullivan appearance.

The Beatles well photographed and documented, then traveled by rail, because the weather was bad,  and performed and were filmed at their first major American sold out performance concert in the Washington D.C. Coliseum. 

They were also honored at an internationally publicized Ambassador’s reception at the British Embassy in Washington. With The Beatles, we then returned to New York for The Beatles’ celebrity studded SRO performance at NYC’s famed Carnegie Hall.
The Beatles flew to Florida with Ed Rudy, for their second Ed Sullivan Show performance at The Deauville Hotel.  The Beatles, their entourage and Brian Epstein enjoyed their stay at the luxurious Deauville in Miami Beach. Wonderful weather, great press coverage and marvelous fan reaction were the impetus for what became an extended stay in sunny Miami, Florida.
Along with The Beatles, Brian Epstein, Malcolm Evans, etc.Ed returned to the original New York airport (now JFK) before the marvelous Liverpool lads and entourage continued on their return flight to London.
This was the first American Tour of The Beatles and the start of American Beatlemania! and Ed Rudy now a Miami resident, was very much involved as a radio and television reporter and journalist. He tell us about this….Happy 50th, Ed! You were there!

BEATLES MAGAZINE:  Ed you were  the only reporter  who followed  the group for the entire USA tour …

ED: Their first appearance on Ed Sullivan TV show was of the true highlights of “The American Tour with Ed Rudy” first Beatles´USA visit.

BM:  You have a great  albums from the period of Beatlemania. Really a interest collection piece of the Beatles´story  wich  contains a collage of comments by East Coast fans, press conferences   and Beatles inteviews . Please tell me more about this

BM: The Beatles dubbed you  “Ed Rudy, The Fifth Beatle” in some broadcast…

ED: Beatlemania was born in the UK and became a world changing event for all young people when the phenomenon arrived in the USA on February 7th, 1964. Fifty years later, one half century, 2014, we can see that the change has certainly not been limited to musical tastes only. Beatlemania continues to reach across all generations in the universe and permanently made our planet more progressive, friendlier, more accepting of difference and change, and a much more peaceful place .