More info on this performance of California girls

[rickymyfataar]

This performance of California girls is definitly my favorite only thing missing is Brian. It was also redone in the beach boys an american family. I wish we had the full thing in hd & also a complete blu ray collection of all their videos much like the beatles one collection. My question is does anyone know what year this perfromace was and what show was it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ1UqDnY7as

[KDS]

I think it's from the Jack Benny Hour in late 1965. 

I'm pretty sure this was featured on the American Band doc from 1985, but it would be nice to have all of the TV clips in one collection, kinda like the Beatles 1+.

[JK]

I think it's from the Jack Benny Hour in late 1965. 

I'm pretty sure this was featured on the American Band doc from 1985, but it would be nice to have all of the TV clips in one collection, kinda like the Beatles 1+.

I see a YouTube commenter suggests 1968. It's certainly later than 1965 (Mike had no beard in those days).

I've googled it quite intensively but found nothing conclusive. I'd agree on it being from a US show though.

See below for the JBH performance: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX1U0wtIl10

[KDS]

I think it's from the Jack Benny Hour in late 1965. 

I'm pretty sure this was featured on the American Band doc from 1985, but it would be nice to have all of the TV clips in one collection, kinda like the Beatles 1+.

I see a YouTube commenter suggests 1968. It's certainly later than 1965 (Mike had no beard in those days).

I've googled it quite intensively but found nothing conclusive. I'd agree on it being from a US show though.

See below for the JBH performance: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX1U0wtIl10

Ah, then I'm really not sure.

[rickymyfataar]

Yeah I don't think its from 65 judging by their clothes and mikes beard. does anyone have the full version ? apparently the only version available is sourced from endless harmony. 

[guitarfool2002]

I believe this is from the TV show Kraft Music Hall, aired on NBC Feb 19, 1969. The theme of the show was a take-off on California with Don Rickles and Don Adams as featured guests parodying California, movies, etc. Hence, "California Girls" in 1969. The BB's also did "I Can Hear Music".

[HeyJude]

This is definitely from 1968/69 given the "look" of the band. This old clip was shown back in 1981 on the "20th Anniversary Special" (the one that used a bunch of footage of the 1980 Knebworth show), and then used again in 1998 on "Endless Harmony."

As for an "HD" version, it appears this show was shot on videotape, so we're locked into SD on this one. They could certainly polish it up from the best available source. I'm not super fond of this particular clip; it's a weird anachronism. Many BB performances from this era were; they were for some reason often in the 1968/69 timeframe miming on US or European TV, miming to 4-5 year-old tracks, complete with the absent Brian's voice. Weird.

[Rocky Raccoon]

These lipsynched appearances are always so strange because in Brian's absence, his voice seems to be coming from a ghost.

[guitarfool2002]

If someone has info that this clip is anything but Kraft Music Hall, Feb 1969 aired on NBC, please add it. Otherwise I'm 99% sure that's exactly where this was taken from. In this case since it was a California themed episode of that variety show, it would make sense for them to do this song. Then they also did "I Can Hear Music" which would have been a contemporary song for them to feature, so it evened out. Why they would do California Girls on something like Dutch TV is more of a mystery, but consider maybe that's what the fans watching those shows would have expected them to do, or maybe that's what the show itself asked them to do? It's odd but it was a big hit so maybe there was still demand in Europe into 68-69 for them to do these hits from 65-66 on TV appearances.

[SMiLE Brian]

These lipsynched appearances are always so strange because in Brian's absence, his voice seems to be coming from a ghost.

Its truly amazing how long ago that era seemed even by 1969. Brian's missing spiritual music and input was haunting the BBs by then.

[Cool Cool Water]

This is definitely from '68/'69 without a doubt.

[HeyJude]

If someone has info that this clip is anything but Kraft Music Hall, Feb 1969 aired on NBC, please add it. Otherwise I'm 99% sure that's exactly where this was taken from. In this case since it was a California themed episode of that variety show, it would make sense for them to do this song. Then they also did "I Can Hear Music" which would have been a contemporary song for them to feature, so it evened out. Why they would do California Girls on something like Dutch TV is more of a mystery, but consider maybe that's what the fans watching those shows would have expected them to do, or maybe that's what the show itself asked them to do? It's odd but it was a big hit so maybe there was still demand in Europe into 68-69 for them to do these hits from 65-66 on TV appearances.

It has been years since I watched the "20th Anniversary" TV special, but my recollection is that that special specifically mentions that the clip is from Kraft Music Hall. I don't think there's any doubt that it's from that show.

As for European TV appearance, I don't think the *reason* for them miming to old tracks is odd or unclear. A lot of those shows were only set up for "American Bandstand" style lip-sync deals, and so they were just using the original tracks because that's all they had. The oddness is mainly in hearing but not seeing Brian, and the vintage of the songs. Can anybody imagine the "White Album" or "Get Back" era Beatles miming to "Please Please Me?" The Beach Boys mimed to "Surfin' USA" on the Beat Club in '68 or '69.

[HeyJude]

It got weirder, I should mention. In late 1981 (and early 1982), the Carl-less Beach Boys mimed to the "Beach Boys Medley" on at least two TV shows (Dick Clark's American Bandstand Anniversary show, and at least one other show, perhaps Merv Griffin?). To bring it full circle, 1981 Brian mimed Carl's 1966 lead on "Good Vibrations." 

[SMiLE Brian]

I think that is the BBs at their absolute nadir...

[rickymyfataar]

I think that is the BBs at their absolute nadir...

I agree completely , what were they thinking?

[Mr. Wilson]

They were making a living and staying in the public eye..

[RubberSoul13]

Mike and Bruce use pieces of this on screen in the touring show. Definitely the early '69 appearance everyone is mentioning.

[tpesky]

These lipsynched appearances are always so strange because in Brian's absence, his voice seems to be coming from a ghost.

I think Al's miming Brian's part at a few points.  There is a brief shot of him and he seems to be doing it. Would be appropriate as he sung that part live.

[Jay]

The group looks quite similar to the way they looked on The Mike Douglas Show(especially Carl), so I'm guessing that the CG clip is taken from around that time period.

[Rocky Raccoon]

It got weirder, I should mention. In late 1981 (and early 1982), the Carl-less Beach Boys mimed to the "Beach Boys Medley" on at least two TV shows (Dick Clark's American Bandstand Anniversary show, and at least one other show, perhaps Merv Griffin?). To bring it full circle, 1981 Brian mimed Carl's 1966 lead on "Good Vibrations." 

Yeah, THAT was the absolute nadir if there ever was one.  How embarrassing it must have been for them too that the medley was put together by Capitol without their involvement and they weren't even with the company anymore.  They had their own album the previous year they could have been promoting but it already flopped and went so instead they're miming to themselves when they were 20 years younger, Brian was being dragged around on tour like a prop.  Really hard to watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbX3rKMHYy4

[Custom Machine]

Speaking of The Beach Boys Medley, has it ever been revealed who Capitol enlisted to do that lousy sounding "ba ba ba Barbara Ann" segue between Surfin Safari and Barbara Ann? Never been much of a fan of The BB Medley, but that part has always stuck out like a sore thumb to me, sounding nothing like the original recording.

Edit - Getting back to the orig post - the look has mid-68/mid-69 written all over it, so I'd agree with GF's assessment of the Kraft Music Hall, aired on NBC Feb 19, 1969.

[BBs Footage Saga]

This is Kraft Music Hall, The complete clip begins with a shot of the girls, then the camera moves to Bruce Johnston, and then moves to Mike Love. The clip ends with a band shot, the sound changues to live and have an abrupt ending, the lights turn off and Crowd Applauses can hear.

California Girls was also mimed on Twien, the back cover photo of Live in london was taken while the Beach Boys were performing California Girls as Al Jardine used the acoustic guitar for mime this song

[Rocker]

If someone has info that this clip is anything but Kraft Music Hall, Feb 1969 aired on NBC, please add it. Otherwise I'm 99% sure that's exactly where this was taken from. In this case since it was a California themed episode of that variety show, it would make sense for them to do this song. Then they also did "I Can Hear Music" which would have been a contemporary song for them to feature, so it evened out. Why they would do California Girls on something like Dutch TV is more of a mystery, but consider maybe that's what the fans watching those shows would have expected them to do, or maybe that's what the show itself asked them to do? It's odd but it was a big hit so maybe there was still demand in Europe into 68-69 for them to do these hits from 65-66 on TV appearances.

You mean this one, right?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzCy0VKMhUs


I think we can see Mike Douglas at the beginning

[BBs Footage Saga]

That is Mike Douglas show on April 1969, THey also performed Never Learn Not To Love

[c-man]

This is Kraft Music Hall, The complete clip begins with a shot of the girls, then the camera moves to Bruce Johnston, and then moves to Mike Love. The clip ends with a band shot, the sound changues to live and have an abrupt ending, the lights turn off and Crowd Applauses can hear.

Yes - when it was used on the 20th Anniversary special, it was captioned as the Kraft Music Hall (or Kraft Music Hour, whichever...but definitely Kraft Music...that much I remember).
EDIT: it was definitely "Hall", not "Hour".