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New film about The Beatles' original drummer
Lloyd Sowers reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - John, Paul, George and Ringo were as famous as anyone could be, but The Beatles could have looked much different. It could have been John, Paul, George and Colin.
Colin Hanton was the drummer for The Quarrymen – the band that would evolve into The Beatles.
"Colin played on their first record, John, Paul George and Colin," says Mark Bentley, a Tampa lawyer, who along with his daughter Erin, traveled to Liverpool to make a documentary film called "Pre-Fab," as in pre-Fab Four.
A sneak preview of the film will be shown this Saturday, Aug. 25, at 3 p.m. at the historic Tampa Theatre in downtown Tampa.
"I'm a huge Beatles fan. I have been my entire life," says Erin, who at 35, is among the millions of Beatles fans who were born years after Beatlemania.
They interviewed friends and family of band members and also focused on Colin Hanton's story. He chose to become an upholsterer instead of a Beatle and is comfortable with the choice he made.
"He is a very significant part of what became The Beatles – he quit voluntarily," said Mark.
The film includes interviews with a man who did stay in the band, Paul McCartney, who was among the first to see the new film.
"Paul saw and from what I heard actually loved it," says Mark.
Tickets to Saturday's show are available in advance. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit tampatheatre.org/movie/pre-fab.