 Ringo - Star(r) of the Screen |
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| Ringo - Star(r) of the Screen |
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Ringo has enjoyed a successful career in movies and on television. He received no formal training in acting but quite simply has always been himself, fitting the part to his personality and exceeding whatever was expected of him. He started out by stealing the show in A Hard Day's Night and endeared himself to a whole new generation as Mr. Conductor on the Shining Time Station television series for children.
[Click on titles for descriptions.]
| Films Ringo Appeared In While A Beatle
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| Films Ringo Appeared In After The Beatles |
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| Ringo's Television Performances
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| Let's Hear It For Ringo The Actor! |
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A Hard Day's Night
Help!
Magical Mystery Tour
Yellow Submarine
Let It Be
Candy
The Magic Christian
Blindman
200 Motels
Born To Boogie
Weekend of a Champion
That'll Be The Day
Son of Dracula
Harry and Ringo's Night Out
Litztomania
Sextette
The Last Waltz
Tonight
The Kids Are Alright
Caveman
The Cooler
Give My Regards To Broad Street
Thomas The Tank
Princess Daisy
The Simpsons
Alice In Wonderland
1964 - Producer Walter Shenson took his cue from the everyday lives of the Fab Four in creating the story line for this film. An ever-mischievous grandfather was added to spice up things as the lads run from fans, play a few songs and deal with the very proper British, and this "kindly old gentleman" plays on the emotional insecurities of Ringo's character like a maestro. Ringo comes to feel that he is neglected, misunderstood, and taken advantage of. Ringo gives a performance that has the critics comparing him to Harpo Marx and Charlie Chaplin and praising him as a natural-born actor, a real scene-stealer.
1965 - Produced by Walter Shenson and directed by Richard Lester, this comedy is about a strange cult which is pursuing Ringo to be their guest of honor at a human sacrifice because he is wearing their sacred ring. The plot also includes a beautiful woman and a pair of bumbling mad scientists.
1967 - The Beatles and a band of misfits crisscross the country, guided by impulse rather than a script. The idea for this film was Paul's and it represents The Beatles first film following the death of manager Brian Epstein. Depending on your perspective, it is somewhere between beyond belief and awful; the critics were less kind.
1968 - An animated feature film in which the Beatles rescue Pepperland from the Blue Meanies, who hate music, happiness, love, and everything colorful. The movie, which became an instant classic -- if there is such a thing -- was a huge success. It is not much of a stretch to see the Blue Meanies as the establishment and the inhabitants of Pepperland as the younger generation seeking to express its own identity.
1970 - This film sought to portray The Beatles at work by recording virtually every step of their creative process as they worked on an album. Filmed at Twickenham Studios, the movie instead offers insight into the fracturing of the group. There seems to be a lot of tension between George and Paul, but some of the exchanges between Ringo and John are hilarious - their camaraderie is unmistakable.
1968 - Ringo made his non-Beatle acting debut in this film, portraying a Mexican gardener who does everything he can think of to win the favor of a woman named Candy. His competitors include Richard Burton (who plays a professor) and Marlin Brando (who plays an Eastern guru).
1969 - Ringo plays the adopted son of the fabulously wealthy Sir Guy Grand (played by Peter Sellers). Premise of the movie is that people are so greedy they will do anything for money. Best scene was Ringo sitting in the car doing facial exercises, including the silent scream.
1970 - Ringo, tired of playing "lovable" characters, portrays a vicious kidnapper being hunted by a blind gunslinger in this spaghetti western.
1971 - -- A truly strange movie in which Ringo portrays both legendary musician Frank Zappa and Larry the Dwarf . The movie is set in a town called Centerville, which features a concentration camp where the musicians live.
1972 - Ringo makes his directing debut in this movie about a T. Rex concert. Ringo, along with piano pounder Elton John and Who drummer Keith Moon, makes a cameo appearance.
1973 - Ringo makes a cameo appearance in this Roman Polanski tribute to Jackie Stewart, winner of the 29th Monte Carlo Grand Prix.
1973 - Ringo plays a rough-and-tumble lad named Mike who works at a fair ground with lead character Jim Maclaine (portrayed by David Essex). Mike cheats a boy out of his change on one of the amusement rides. The boy and some of his friends return later and severely beat Mike. Jim witnesses the attack but chooses to run away rather than help his friend. This movie garnered high praise from reviewers for its gritty look at the underside of life.
1972 - Ringo plays the 200-year-old mystic/magician Merlin. Count Downe, the son of Dracula, is about to take the throne as king of the Netherword when he falls in love with and marries a mortal. Title role went to Ringo's close personal friend Harry Nilsson. It should be noted that Ringo is godfather to at least one of Harry's children.
1974 - A movie that has never seen the light of day. Your guess is as good as ours as to what this film is about, but this was during the period when Harry and Ringo were known to stay out until dawn -- and their late hours had nothing to do with vampires.
1975 - Ringo plays the Pope in what can best be described as a musical version of The Exorcist.
1978 - Ringo co-stars with Mae West in this movie about an aging rock star whose ex-husbands are trying to get a tape that contains information about their relationships with her. Ringo portrays one of her ex-husbands, European director Laslo Karozny.
1978 - Ringo makes a guest appearance in this film of the Band's last concern, held at San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom.
1978 - Produced by Ringo and Nancy Andrews.
1979 - Ringo makes an appearance in this movie about the Who's 15-year career.
1981 - A true classic containing only 15 "words," this movie is a spoof of movies about prehistoric times and dinosaurs. Though not exactly Jurasic Park, it is a lot of fun to watch Ringo, who co-stars with Barbara Bach, Randy Quaid, John Matuszak, Shelly Long, Jack Gilford, and Avery Schreiber. Ringo learns how to stand erect and discovers fire, the wheel and music (drums - of course).
1982 - Ringo portrays a habitual escapee in this 11-minute film conceived by Paul McCartney. Ringo is caught and thrown into "The Cooler," where he fantasies about his circumstance and the commandant, played by his wife, Barbara Bach.
1984 - Ringo makes a guest appearance in this Paul McCartney film about an ex-Beatle who searches for the missing tapes for his new album.
Information for this page was drawn from Films of the Beatles by Edward Gross (1990, Pioneer Books); Beatlemania: The History of the Beatles on Film by Bill Harry (1984, Virgin Books); and The Book of Beatles Lists by Charles Reinhart (1985, Contemporary Books)
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