Michael Caine, actor
Natural loner

...a reception given by the British Consul in the ballroom at the Carlton. All the stars had to line up and shake hands with the people that the Consul had invited. I was positioned next to John Lennon. It very quickly became obvious to us that the guests were mainly old British expats who knew the Consul or somebody and had just come for the afternoon out. A lot of them knew nothing about films, the [Cannes] Festival and even less about England, where they had not lived for years, so John and I changed our names to see if anybody would react. He introduced himself as Joe Lennon and I used my real name of Maurice Micklewhite...

I met up with John again at one of the big parties that were thrown every night of the Festival. This one took place in a great mansion overlooking the sea. Of all the Beatles, John seemed to me to be the most natural loner. An early example of this was his book "In His Own Write." Even then, in the mid-sixties, it struck me as his first attempt at going alone. At that time he was very tough and abrasive, such a contrast to his later spirituality. At one point in the party I wanted to go to the lavatory and was trying each door-handle in turn, only to find them all occupied. I was getting desperate when John came rushing up, also dying to go. I warned him that all the loos were engaged. "Let's find one upstairs," he said, and we both went charging around the bedroom of the hostess trying to locate the right door. We opened every cupboard on the landing before I finally found the bathroom door behind the hostess's bed. I rushed in, relieved myself and came quickly out to let John have his turn, only to find him peeing out of the bedroom window.

"I couldn't wait," he explained, busy directing his stream through a narrow opening. (late 1960s)

From "What's It All About? An Autobiography," by Michael Caine (Turtle Bay Books/Random House, 1992)

Timothy Leary, psychologist and LSD guru
Give peace a chance

...a phone call came from John Lennon and Yoko Ono ... John and Yoko wanted us to join them in Montreal, where they were conducting a Bed-In. They sent acorns to presidents and dictators around the world as a symbol of the movement for peace. John wanted us to help them cut a record called "Give Peace a Chance."

Platoons of guards patrolled the Lennon corridor of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel. John and Yoko, sprawled on a king-size bed, waved happily and blew us kisses as we came into the room. Flanked by bald-headed orange-garbed monks they were being interviewed by a Montreal reporter.

"Where do you get your strength?" asked the journalist.

"From Hare Krishna," said John.

"That's where we get it from, you know," said Yoko earnestly. "We're not denying it." (1969)

From "Flashbacks: An Autobiography," by Timothy Leary (J.P. Tarcher, 1983)

Richie Havens, folk-rock singer
Whimsy in his eyes

...the Salvation Club on 4th Street had Jimi Hendrix and the Chambers Brothers playing...

I was just sitting there when three men came out of the dark around the glass toward me. I couldn't believe my eyes when I recognized two of them. John Lennon and Paul McCartney were heading right toward my table. They sat down right across from me...

I was totally speechless...

So here I was, sitting on one side of this table with John Lennon and Paul McCartney facing me, telling me over and over how much they loved what I did with "Eleanor Rigby" while my tongue was completely tied to my tonsils...

All I could do was sit there silently, taking in the experience as a tongue-tied fan, yet, I did see their warmth and intelligence and even the whimsy in John Lennon's eyes. We saw each other many times in his final months. I believe he had a strong premonition that something was going to happen to him. I know I did. (New York, 1969)

From "they can't hide us anymore," by Richie Havens with Steve Davidowitz (Avon Books, 1999)

Kate Millett, feminist and author
No chicken

Royalty, legend has entered the room [at the New York party] and taken a seat on the davenport. All eyes inspected them. I sit next to John Lennon dying to whisper wow I'm glad to meet you I think your music is great it's wonderful how you care about peace. Instead I offer him some chicken trying to be cool and nonchalant, to defend him from the eyes that devour them. In my smaller way I know how it feels. He doesn't want chicken. Neither does she. We are pinned to the couch under a roomful of eyes. It is impossible to talk to each other, so I make pathetic little jokes in Japanese. Yoko explains them to John, her voice shaky like a child reciting a lesson. (late 1960s)

From "Flying," by Kate Millett (Simon & Schuster, 1990)

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