Original Cast of Beatlemania in Australia - 1998

[gjc82071]

I remember meeting these dudes when I was a kid. It was back in 83. My father was in Sam Butera's band, & they were filming an HBO special with Joe Piscipo. Something happened & the sprinklers went off. Everybody in the band nearly got electrocuted & the audience/me all got soaked. As we left the little concert/stage area, Beatlemania, who were supposed to go on next, was outside. I was like 11yo & told them what happened I said I don't think you'll be playing tonight, LOL Oh man! Funny.

[Pmfried]

I wonder if Mitch ever took the time to even TRY to learn to play lefty!

[79goldmaster1]

this is really well done!

[Bloke1962]

That is not me on drums, and I have never been to Australia.

I was the second drummer in original cast of Beatlemania

(Once removed in October 1979)

Rick Bloom

New York City

Beatlemania (Drums. Vocals) (1978-1980)

On You Tube As “Mitch and Cast 1978”

[LittleDragon2000]

Saw original cast in Toronto - must have been 300 years ago!

[cast390]

The original Beatlemania cast was Mitch Weissman,Leslie Fradkin,Joe Pecorino,and Justin McNeal

[mcrtnyfan]

@cast390 yes I know that.......

[bannahhanana]

Hey I've seen the guy playing George as John Lennon in Classical Mystery Tour! He looks more like John than George.... :/

[mcrtnyfan]

Sometimes alot of them swap, well except of course Mitch!

[WannaBeatle]

@bannahhanana

yeah, Jim Owen is now playing the John role lately. He once tried doing the Paul spot, but, went back to George when he was still in The Fab Four, then onto Lennon a few years after that Actually the first John in CMT was Dave Leon ..at least for the first year or so.

[leftygeezer]

@bannahhanana I do believe that's true. He plays with Tony Kishman now in Twin and Shout also.

[tvsexy33]

I'm pretty sure I saw these guys when I was a kid in the 70's in Cincinnati, OH and they were awesome to say the least. I have a concert poster book or something like that from the concert.

[19baste67]

all are alive....

[mcrtnyfan]

I keep telling you that whoever keeps making disgusting snide remarks will NOT be approved so don't even bother posting

[calz10]

this is good but not the original cast..

[mcrtnyfan]

I can say this, the bass player Mitch Weissman IS and WAS from the Original Cast.

[calz10]

Yeah but its not the FULL original CAST

The Original Cast Was....

Mitch Weissman

Joe Pacorino

Leslie Frankilin

I Dont Know who the ringo was

[WannaBeatle]

oh yeah, you are right, the FIRST original cast was Mitch, Joe, Les and Justin McNeil.

the term "Original Cast" usually refers to that the members were actually in the show at one point or another as opposed to any John Doe off the street.

Jim Owen was not in the Broadway show, but started playing with many of the B'mania alumni at an extremely young age of 16. If I remember, I think he was filling for various George's at the end of the show's run.

[Firebird7478]

The original Ringo was Justin McNeill

[toddjbied]

Justin McNeil was the original Ringo

[skrason]

Amen. I saw Beatlemania at the Schubert Theater in Chicago when I was like, 8. But even at that young age I was blown away by Mitch. Incredible. He sat on the edge of the stage and played Yesterday by himself and it was unreal.

[driverblue1]

Two bad he dont play left handed.

[WannaBeatle]

After the show closed around 85 or so, Mitch and Dave put together a lineup of members from various bunks. most of the time it was Mitch, Dave, Jimmy Pou and Beaver Parker.

this lineup Jim Owen was filling in for Jimmy Pou. But, 3/4 of this lineup was in fact in the run of the show. Mitch and Dave were in the film version of the show.

[mcrtnyfan]

You're more then welcome, you have NO idea what I went through to get this sent to me! It's a long story....

[sportsmindedunltd]

I think the "George" is Jim Owen who now plays "John in Twist and Shout ....thanks for sharing this Jamie!

[Timster2]

I think that's one the best performances of "I Feel Fine" by a tribute band that I've ever heard.

[WannaBeatle]

yep, that's Jim Owen, (one of my best friends) he was doing the George part for many, many years (even tried to do the Paul part once or twice). As you said, he now is doing the John part in Twist and Shout as well as Classical Mystery Tour.

Mitch Weissman is also a very good friend of mine that I've known for almost 20 years now.

[psychospeakempire]

this is not the "original" cast. Leslie Fradkin was GEORGE in the original cast. That is not him.

[mcrtnyfan]

Yes we know that's not Leslie, but if there is 1 or 2 of the original players from Beatlemania it's automatically called Cast of Beatlemania....

[boxman001]

The Beatlemania I saw in the 80's, the Paul was left handed

[mcrtnyfan]

Well, there were all different bunks, different casts, you may have seen Lenie, I think he was the only one that was the left handed Paul.

[sfbeatle1]

Yes, also Billy Ray plays Left-handed- who plays now in Strawberry Fields in New York City at BB Kings Blues club. He was in Beatlemania's bunk 13 towards the end of the shows broadway Run- He's the best one out there right still doing Beatlemania justice!!

[VashthStampeede]

I know one of the left-handed Paul's. Tony Kishman.

[WannaBeatle]

@VashthStampeede

Tony isn't a lefty...he's a right handed player for sure. the fact that he's so good (that goes for Mitch, too) makes ya forget that he's a righty

[WannaBeatle]

either ya saw Lenie or Glen Burtnik...both lefties in the show. Mitch did do a couple of shows lefty, though (he's actually is a true left handed person, but is one of those that plays righty).

[RingoStarrLiverpool8]

I like the singer.

[tomarkenfan83]

I met David Leon and Thomas Teely along with 2 others when they were here in Columbus OH in 04. I talked to them and I expressed interest in the Movie that was on tape in the 80s but due to legal crap.. Not possible... But the guys were sweet to me as I cried...

[turntapzap]

Outstanding!

[pekx2]

Mitch Weissman, Ralph Castelli, David Leon and Tom Teeley was not the cast which originally opened the show at the Winter Garden. It was Randy Clark, P.M. Howard, Reed Kailing and Bobby Taylor. Guy playing George is Jim Owen and now plays John Lennon for The Classical Mystery tour. I Know that's Mitch playing Paul, and David Leon playing John (i think?), Ringo I can not tell from this video.

[mcrtnyfan]

Mitch was the first original Paul, all the others are just different bunks, but Mitch was in bunk 1.

[helmetboy1]

Very handsome and the trousers are soo tight!

[WannaBeatle]

hahaha

hiya Dave

[murraydab]

I thought that Joe Pecorina was the original John?

[mcrtnyfan]

He was. You have to remember that any one musician that was IN Beatlemania and then performs 20years later in another FORM of Beatlemania is always listed as Original cast of Beatlemania. It's quite confusing really. But there were several different bunks.

[murraydab]

Thanks for the clarification mcrtnyfan. That answers the mystery for me. I was friends with some of the first group in the 70's. Remember the early rehearsals before they first went on Bway. BTW, the videos are fun. Thanks for posting.

[Bunny1106]

I thought Tom Teeley was the original George of Beatlemania.

[mcrtnyfan]

Les Fradkin was in the original cast of Beatlemania playing George.

[Bunny1106]

I saw Ralph, David, Mitch and Tom in 1980. I still have the program. It said they were the Original Broadway Cast. I know Beatlemania had been around several years before that.

[sportsmindedunltd]

Is this band made up of Weissman, Owen, Leon and Castelli?

[mcrtnyfan]

It was

[calz10]

that george is in the classical mystery tour

[mcrtnyfan]

No that is not Jimmy Pou

[1965thebeatleshow]

IS That Jimmy Pou as George

[mcrtnyfan]

I must remind everyone that this was 1998, 9 years ago

[mcrtnyfan]

There were several original casts of Beatlemania, there were several different bunks......

[psychospeakempire]

I saw Beatlemania at the Wintergarden in NYC in 1977. This is NOT the original cast. The original cast had Leslie Fradkin as George Harrison. That is not him.

[pkchuck]

seen these same guys in 1980 great job and thanks for posting the video.