From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1965
ANTICIPATED NEW RELEASE GETS INITIAL PRESSING OF MILLION
NEW YORK — An initial pressing of 1 million albums, reportedly the largest single order in the history of the business, is in the works for “Help!” the Beatles album scheduled to be released by Capitol Records when the United Artists film of the same name opens Wednesday (August 11).
A previous Beatles album, “Beatles VI,” had an initial pressing order of 500,000 albums slated for its scheduled release.
The film will be accompanied by a publicity barrage calculated to blast the American public out of its homes and into the movies houses across the country.
In New York, Murray the K will introduce the British group on his hour-long Channel TV show on Saturday, August 14. The show will be televised in 40 major markets.
The evening after the telecast, the Beatles made their much-heralded appearance in New York’s Shea Stadium.
Gary Stevens (formerly WKNR-AM Detroit) WMCA disk jockey, is conducting a “Beatles Stakes” contest, with tickets to the Shea Stadium concert as prizes. Here’s how it works:
From 7 to 11 p.m., during the Gary Stevens Show, fans telephone WMCA and tell Stevens by guessing which Beatle will be talking to them next. Those lucky enough to make the correct guess answered will get a pair of tickets to the Shea concert, Sunday evening, August 15. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; August 14, 1965)
