Ringo Starr Interview, Sussex, England (1965, February 12)

Ringo Starr and Maureen Cox were married on February 11th 1965. News of their quiet honeymoon in Sussex somehow leaked to the press, and the newlywed couple awoke the next morning to reporters, film crews, and flashbulbs. Ringo was disappointed at the sudden lack of privacy but still granted brief interviews, while getting in a few light-hearted jibes at the press.

Q: "Congratulations."

Ringo: "Thanks alot. (comically) If I may shake your hand as you congratulate me."

Q: "Congratulations too, Mrs. Starkey."

Ringo: (look of amazement) "Ha. I'm still not used to that yet, you know."

Q: "Are you really going to get a honeymoon?"

Ringo: "No, I don't think so. Not with the likes of you chaps around." (laughs)

Q: "No. Are you thinking of a honeymoon?"

Ringo: "Well, this was supposed to be it, but it didn't work."

Q: "Well, for how long was it supposed to be?"

Ringo: "Well, I have to start work on Monday - so I was going back Sunday or Monday, you know."

Q: "What do the other Beatles think of your marriage?"

Ringo: "John and George were at the wedding, and they were made up, you know. They're happy. But we don't know about Paul yet, 'cuz he's away on holiday."

Q: "He hasn't been in contact? Did he know you were getting married?

Ringo: "No. No."

Q: "Where is he?"

Ringo: "He's away."

Q: "Do you know where?"

Ringo: "Umm, yes. But I'm not telling you. (laughs) Well, he might as well have a bit of peace, I'm not getting it!"

(laughter)

Q: "Maureen, you presumably met Ringo before the group were very successful. Did you?"

MAUREEN: "Yes, yes."

Q: "Did you expect he was going to become a public monument like this?"

MAUREEN: "Well, in Liverpool I did. I didn't think sort of, more or less all over the world, you know."

Q: "Does that worry you - the fact that you can't go anywhere with him?"

MAUREEN: "Umm, no not really. I just sort of enjoy myself."

Q: "Do you intend to keep out of the limelight like Mrs. Lennon for example, John Lennon's wife?"

MAUREEN: "Well, I don't like reporters and things."

Ringo: (jokingly) "She's on OUR side!" (laughs)

(Questions from a different reporter)

Q: "How long have you known each other?"

Ringo: "About two and a half years now."

Q: "So this means, Maureen, that you knew Ringo before he was right at the top of the tree."

MAUREEN: "Yes."

Q: "How does it feel to be married to a very famous man?"

MAUREEN: "Very nice."

Q: "Well, I'm sure you wanted a rather different honeymoon from this. What do you think about all this?"

Ringo: "Well, you know - We took a chance. We tried to keep it quiet and we tried to arrive here quiet, but we must've been spotted and that's the end of it, you know. So from now on, it's not really a honeymoon, it's just - we're just stayin' here."

Q: "How do you think the other Beatles reacted?"

Ringo: "Well, John and George were great, you know. They were happy and congratulated us and everything. and they, in fact, went to the wedding."

Q: "When are the rest of you going to get married?"

Ringo: "When are the rest of them? I don't know. I've no idea. As I said before, I don't think 'cuz I'm married, next week they'll all pop up and say, 'We're gettin' married 'cuz Ringo is,' you know."

Q: "What sort of an effect, really, do you think the marriage is going to have on the Beatles' future?"

Ringo: "On the Beatles as a whole, I don't think any great effect - as much as that everyone will sort of say, 'Well, we can't sorta like them anymore 'cuz Ringo's married,' you know. I don't think I've got that image. I don't think it'll bother them too much. It may help, in fact, you know. We don't know yet. It's too early to say."

Q: "Have you decided where you're going to live?"

Ringo: "Only in the flat I've already got in London, up to now. Then we have to move and get a house or something, but it'll be a while yet."

Q: "Maureen, what do you think of the flat and the furnishings? Are there any changes you'd like to make?"

MAUREEN: "No, it's great."

Ringo: (jokingly) "It's a big flat, you know!" (laughs)

Q: "Ringo, where did you propose?"

Ringo: "In a club."

Q: "Can you tell me which club?"

Ringo: "Yes, if you don't mind a plug. The Ad Lib club."

Q: "You mean, you made it up as you went along?"

Ringo: "Oh, ho!! Bad joke!! No, you know - I was sort of thinking about it, and I just sorta said, 'Will you marry me?' and she said, 'Yes... Have another drink!' (laughs) and we did, and that was it."

Q: "Congratulations. Thank you both very much."

Ringo: "Thank you. Alright? Goodbye! ...hope not to see you out my window again!"

(laughter)

Source: Original audio recordings and film footage.