Lost Beatles interview to air on BBC radio

Lost Beatles interview to air on BBC radio

LONDON — The British Broadcasting Corp. will air a long-lost Beatles interview featuring John Lennon and Paul McCartney talking about the day they met and their songwriting partnership.

The precious film sat forgotten for 44 years in a garage in south London until film fan Richard Jeffs realized a piece of pop history was contained inside.

Experts were surprised to find the audio portion still usable for radio broadcast.

The nine-minute interview was recorded at the Scottish Television studios in April 1964 during the early days of Beatlemania. It was to be broadcast for the first time on BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday and repeated later this week.

On the tape, Lennon tells how he was playing with a skiffle band outside Liverpool when McCartney introduced himself.

Madonna’s childhood home is destroyed

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. — A weekend fire that destroyed a childhood home of Madonna has been deemed suspicious by arson investigators.

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Arson Unit and the Rochester Hills Fire Department are investigating the Friday night blaze.

A passer-by had noticed flames coming out of the unoccupied house in the Detroit suburb of Rochester Hills and called the fire department.

Rochester Hills Fire Chief Ron Crowell told The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press the fire appears to have started in the living-room area. He said it caused extensive smoke and fire damage throughout the two-story brick house.

The 49-year-old Madonna, known then as Madonna Louise Ciccone, spent some of her younger years as one of six siblings living in the home.

Today’s birthdays

Actor Robert Ito (“Quincy”) is 77. Actress Polly Holliday (“Alice”) is 71. Actor Ron Silver (“West Wing,” “Veronica’s Closet”) is 62. Writer-director Larry David (“Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Seinfeld”) is 61. Keyboardist Roy Bittan of the E Street Band is 59. Model-actress Jerry Hall is 52. Actor Jimmy McNichol is 47. Bassist Dave Parsons of Bush is 43. Actress Yancy Butler (“Witchblade”) is 38. Singer Michelle Branch is 25. Actress Vanessa Lee Chester (“The Lost World: Jurassic Park”) is 24. Actress Ashley Tisdale (“High School Musical”) is 23. Actress Lindsay Lohan is 22.