This page details all known guest Television appearances made by John Lennon (alone or with Yoko Ono) with the addition of significant features or newscasts. Film appearances and promotional clips produced by John and Yoko are dealt with in the Filmography section. E-mail us at urthepob@hotmail.com if you feel the urge to contact us about something on this page.
Most of the video captures come courtesy of Bamiyan's Beatles on Video.
For deatils of Home-Video & DVD releases, see our Lennon/Ono on Home-Video & DVD page.

*close to the junction with Berwick Street in the Soho area.

Joe Cushley recalled the event for Mojo Magazine in 2002.....
April 29th 1967 was the night that the freaks came out to play, some 10,000 of them descended on the Alexandra Palace in sleepy North London to experience a swarm of bands, including The Move, Pretty Things, Soft Machine, The Creation. There were poets, dance troupes and visual artists too, such as the Binder, the Edwards and Vaughan team who customised Lennon's Roller. There were films, light shows and, of course, 'happenings’.
Many revellers discovered for the first time that they weren't the only ones to find 'straight' life in ’60s Britain a trifle stifling.
The 'Ally Pally' was an appropriate venue for such multifarious goings-on, Built in 1873 and dubbed The People's Palace, it boasted a library, funfair, concert halls, art galleries, and 196 acres of park. This combination of arts, rural Arcadia and Victorian amusement arcade chimed sweetly, if slightly ironically, with many interests of the '60s underground and its’ favourite musicians, Strawberry Fields was in the charts, The Beatles had just recorded their paean to 19th century circus acts Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite, while event headliners The Pink Floyd were also at Abbey Road making their pan-galactic pastoral masterpiece The Piper at The Gates Of Dawn. And, after all, Lewis Carroll was both Queen Victoria and Lennon's favourite author.
John Hopkins (“Hoppy") founder of both the underground newspaper IT and the pioneering music venue UFO takes up the story......"I conjured up the title and we billed it as a 'Free Speech Benefit'. There were two middle-aged gents in tweeds at the Ally Pally. We agreed a date and a fee - which I don't think ever got paid, but don't tell on me! That was the easy part.". Rumours abounded that The Beatles would top the bill, but John was the only Fab to bowl up on the day. He was accompanied by Indica gallery co-owner John Dunbar and chauffeur TerryDoran. How ever, the artist - Yoko Ono - to whom Dunbar had introduced Lennon the previous November was appearing, though, contrary to some reports, they did not meet at 'the Dream' . Until early evening on the April 29, John was at home in Weybridge ingesting Owsleys and cocaine with Dunbar, who recalls...well, very little, unsurprisingly "We saw something on the television about the event. So we thought fuck it, let's go, I remember bumping into Denny Laine, who'd lost his band, and the stars behaving like fireworks. And everyone was looking at us because it was John. Was Yoko there? I don't remember that."
Filmmaker Peter Whitehead's footage of the event shows the granny-glassed, Afghan-jacketed Lennon going about relatively unaccosted. Mick Farren - IT editor, UFO doorman and leader of the opening act, The Social Deviants - agrees that “a lot of the hippies were like, 'No Beatlemania here, dear'“, he makes an intriguing further observation of Lennon's visit. There were two stages in the hall, and bands played simultaneously, somewhere in the middle the sounds met. “I swear I saw Lennon standing in the zone of dissonance," he recalls, "moving forward and back looking quite fascinated." Joe Beard of The Purple Gang, who also played that night, saw Lennon sitting and smoking in the park a little later, but the entourage didn't stay to see Pink Floyd, and the next day they decided to go and visit an island for sale off the Irish coast.

During the previous two months John had turned his back on Maharishi's spiritual path in India to re-join the spiritual motorway that was LSD, he then declared himself "Jesus" at a meeting with the Beatles, consummated his love for Yoko Ono and recorded the most controversial song of his career so far - Revolution.
Having oppressed his public opinions on religion and politics in the wake of the the "Bigger than Jesus" debacle for almost two years, John could no longer contain his more radical nature. On this programme he made a welcome return to outspoken controversy.......

"I think our society is run by insane people for insane objectives, and I think that's what I sussed when I was sixteen and twelve, way down the line. But, I expressed it differently all through my life.
It's the same thing I'm expressing all the time, but now I can put it into that sentence that I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends, you know. If anybody can put on paper what our government, and the American government etc., and the Russian, Chinese, what they are actually trying to do, you know, and what they think they're doing, I'd be very pleased to know what they think they're doing, I think they're all insane!
But, I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that, you know, That's what's insane about it.
It's not just a bit strange, it's just insane. Nobody knows - all these people in the street and that, half the people watching this are going to be saying, "Oh What's he saying! What's he saying!" you know. [Looking directly into the camera] You are being run by people who are insane, and you don't know it!"

Eamonn "In fact, I believe that, I heard that, after your seven days in bed, you felt so tired that you wanted to come home to bed."
John "We talked to the press from ten in the morning till ten at night to try and get peace through their heads and so we didn't have much rest really."
Eamonn "Well, let me ask you, which you've been asked since you came back, what were you after? What was this all about? What were you trying to achieve by doing these extraordinary, bizarre things, you and Yoko?"
John "Well, everything we do is aimed at peace, you know. And we spent days trying to communicate through the communication media, press and TV , and to try and tell people, who are interested in protesting, to try and do something about it, instead of sitting at home talking about it.
Everyone can give up one week of their holiday, which is what we did.... It was an event, or it was a happening. It was just like a stage show."
Yoko "It was very good, because we got a very good response from people."
Eamonn "Well, let me ask the audience...Are there any of you here, and please don't feel afraid to put your hand up, who have thought more about peace because of any of the things that John and Yoko have done?"
Eamonn then asks a middle-aged man who has stood up in the front row of the audience
"Just tell me how this made you think about peace?"
Man "Well, I thought he was the biggest piece of rubbish that I've heard this year." (Laughter and applause from audience.) "If I can add to it, when reading the story of them both being in the bag, I did actually wonder as to whether they were refugees from the Lambeth bus man's strike."
John "Did you have a laugh?"
Man "Did I have a laugh? Er ...I think the example you set to some of the children, and youngsters, was nothing to laugh at."
John "What did you think was wrong in two people staying in bed?"
Man "The fact of you staying in bed was nothing wrong with that. In fact, if you stayed there longer, I think it would better for everybody."
John (agitated) "Okay, but don't get insulting."(Further laughter and applause from the audience drown out his answer.) "Look in the mirror before you get insulting. But, what offended you about what we did?"
Man "I'm sure I don't'mind looking in the mirror, because I see something better than looking at you!"
John "That's a matter of opinion."(Younger members of the audience start heckling the man, shouting 'Get off!')
 "That's a matter of personal taste now, but what offended you basically, can you really tell me what bugs you?"
Man "Well, not the one item alone, but your general attitude. Your general attitude to the youngsters in this country, by the way you lead them, or tend to lead them, and try to make out that you're not trying to do anything about it. One, you tell us you're trying to create peace in this world, and everybody should be happy and joking, and the next minute, you're telling us it's nothing."
Yoko "Well, have you done anything for peace?"
Man "Yes, I think I have."
Yoko "What have you done?"
Man "Well, during the last war. .."
John (interrupting) "No, now!"
Yoko "Now, now."
Man "During the last war, we spent our times trying to get peace. .."
John (interrupting) "Did you volunteer?"
Man "Did I volunteer? Yes, I did."
John (sarcastically) "Oh, well, congratulations. But, what are you doing now?" (Further laughter and applause from the studio audience.)
Another (younger) man shouts from the audience "John, I think you're beautiful!"
John "Thank you!"
Another man "What's beautiful about acorns?"
John "The acorn is a symbol of growth and, if you plant it, the tree will grow. But, if you bomb it, it won't."
Man "No, I think you're a bit of nutter!"
John "Can't you see anything beautiful in acorns? Do you like trees?"
Man "Everyone likes trees."
John "Well, what do you think they come from - Jam jars?"
(Laughter and applause again comes from the audience.)

Derek Taylor referred to this appearance in his book "As time goes by"...
"......There were people on the show and at the show who wondered what the hell John and Yoko thought they were doing in bed and who the hell they thought they were to do it and why the hell should any normal person put up with it and when would it stop and where it would lead us and how would it bring peace to the world........Jack Benny was on the show with John and Yoko and there was one very fine dramatic moment when he stood up and said, 'I wouldn't get involved in this row for a million dollars', all of this with that famous clasping of his hands which, in their splendid theatricality, almost, but only almost and not really, obscured Benny's real commitment which ran right down the line faithfully from Bob Hope, hopeless in his emigrant-patriot paranoia, solid with the forces of Light Freedom and Truth against the Red Hordes, wheeling in from the East in Chariots of flaming shit. Still, Jack Benny is Jack Benny. John said he didn't worry about Communism, later told a friend he would have said, better red than dead, but he had to think of the Beatles image! Communists, yet ?
Yehudi Menuhin who is also there, pointed out that there were certain circumstances in which it was necessary to kill. John wondered what these circumstances might be. He wondered to himself if Yehudi Menuhin would be prepared to be killed right then and there if, as a result, world peace could be reached. He asked Yehudi if Jesus had said anything about certain circumstances when it was necessary to kill. Yehudi says that is not the point. John says 'What did Jesus say? Did he say anything about killing?' Yehudi coughs and says, 'No, Jesus didn't but he didn't say anything about staying in bed at the Hilton in Amsterdam.' It is then John's cue to say that nowhere in the New Testament (nor, for that matter, in the Old) is there anything about violins, but he doesn't say this because already the audience are applauding Yehudi Menuhin, the violinist, for his wit. It was a dumb daft nothing-solved evening on the Eamonn Andrews show and it was not helped by the presence of a Rolf Harris who didn't want no boats rocked either."

John, wearing his hair in a ponytail, explained his action to the news cameras:- "...As a protest against violence and war, especially Britain's involvement in Biafra, which most of the British public are not aware of .....'cause all the press, TV and radio's  slant all the news from Biafra. All the stuff I learnt on Biafra from journalists off the cuff, folks, is a different story and I began to be ashamed of being British - and I'm a patriotic nationalist if the truth were out, and Yoko can vouch for that. I'm always fighting about what Britain invented - Radar and what, all the different things we've done. But every day I just began to worry a bit more about it and I was gonna send the MBE back anyway. I could have done it privately, but the press would have found out anyway - you would have been here a week later instead..."

Newsman: "Mr Lennon, why did you decide to cut your hair?"
John: "Because I felt like it, you know."
Newsman: "So there was no special reason?"
John: "No, I mean why do you cut yours?"
Newsman: "I suppose as a leader of a sort...of a peace movement..do you have any special plans on the future?"
John: "I'm not a leader, and I try not to make plans, you know, we have no new plans."
Yoko: "We just like to come across with the message of peace and love."
John: "Peace, peace"
Newsman: "You're going back to London now I suppose?"
John: "Yes. We only came because the fog wouldn't let us in London. We were on our way to London. We just got held up. But we enjoyed it."
Newsman: "When are you going to London?"
John: "Now."
Newsman: "And what will you do when you get there?"
John: "Go home."
Newsman: "I understand the Beatles have just recorded a new record..."
John: "A new Single...Let it be, folks."
Newsman: "What it the record about?"
John: "About Letting it be."
Newsman: "Can you explain that?"
John: "You'll hear it."
Newsman: "You must listen to it?"
John: "Listen, Listen.....Je me leve a sept heures."

Parkinson: "You've made a film about a fly crawling up a woman's body, you've made your famous Bottoms film and there's also been a film made of your penis, isn't there John?"
John: "That was a joke really." (Roars of laughter from the studio audience.) "I made a film called Self Portrait, you know, and at that time I was a bit of a prick!" (More laughter and this time applause).......
John: "The British press actually called her [Yoko] ugly. I've never seen that about any woman or man, even if the person is ugly. You don't normally say that in the papers. She's not ugly, and if she were you wouldn't be so mean! They even say attractive about the most awful looking people to be kind..."
Parkinson: "Recently, another reason for people taking a dislike to you, is because you're known again through the newspapers, as the woman who broke up The Beatles."
John (interrupting) : "But that's not true! listen, I tell ya, people on the streets and kids do not dislike us...It's the media; I'm telling ya. We go on the streets and the lorry drivers wave. 'Hello John, hello Yoko', all that jazz, and I judge it by that. My records still sell well. Her records sell all right."
Parkinson: "Did Yoko's presence put tension on the group?"
John: "The tension was already there you see....after Brian died."
With the mention of Beatles, John tells Michael he must now get inside the bag. After a round of applause - he does so, the interview continues with questions being asked by a large black bag.

Show 1 - Recorded Monday January 31st
John & Yoko with the Elephants Memory perform It's so hard and guests include Comedian Louis Nye, Attorney Ralph Nader and the Chamber Brothers. Yoko begins the reconstruction of a broken cup.
Show 2 - Recorded Tuesday February 1st
A performance of Yoko's Midsummer New York, the guests are US Surgeon Dr. Jesse Steinfield, Yippie Jerry Rubin, actress Barbara Loden and folk duo Yellow Pearl.
Show 3 - Recorded Wednesday February 2nd
A John & Yoko performance of  Sisters O Sisters with John on acoustic guitar.  John, Yoko, Chuck Berry and Elephant's Memory perform Memphis and later, Johnny B. Goode. The Lennons, Berry and Douglas take part in a cookery demonstration by the macrobiotic food expert Hilary Redleaf. Other guests include Joseph Blatchford, the head of Action Corps For Peace and David Rosenbloom, the musician, composer and computer scientist.
Show 4 -  Recorded Friday February 4th
John and Elephant's Memory perform Imagine.  Guests on the show include the actress/singer Vivien Reed, the comedy foursome Ace Trucking Co., Black Panther Party president Bobby Seale, the student body President Marsha Martin and a medical student Donald Williams.
Show 5 -  Recorded Monday February 7th
Yoko concludes her china cup reconstruction. John & Yoko take questions from the studio audience in a segment called "Everything you've always wanted to know". John & Yoko perform an acoustic (self censored) version of Luck Of The Irish. Guests include the comedian George Carlin, biofeedback expert Dr. Gary E. Schwartz and the New York appeals attorney Rena Uviller. The show ends with Yoko performing a Japanese folk song and then Mike Douglas sings 'Thanks To John & Yoko ' for being his co-hosts for the week.

Source material for this article - Mark Lewisohn's "Beatles Chronicle", Keith Badman's "Off the Record" & "After the break up", Pieper & Path's "The Beatles Film & TV Chronicle 1961-1970", John C. Winn's "That Magic Feeling", ITN, BBC Infax and various other bits and pieces.
Video captures courtesy of Bamiyan .

This unfinished page was last updated April 2008.