harrisonstories: Int: What did the Beatles think of the film? Especially Ringo? John Halsey (Ringo):
harrisonstories: Int: What did the Beatles think of the film? Especially Ringo? John Halsey (Ringo): I don’t know, I’ve never heard any reaction from Ringo, we don’t know much at all…Obviously George was very, very keen on it. Int: Well he was in it after all. Halsey: Yes, he was in it and he was one of Eric’s mates, and one of Neil’s mates too, he was really, really for it and really thought it was time that Eric sent it all up and took it all down, sort of thing, so he was very, very keen on it…Paul?.. Well we had the feeling that he wasn’t very keen on it, because he considered The Beatles to be his baby and anyone taking the mickey out of it was stepping on his toes a bit, so I don’t think he was too enamoured by it… but Neil’s seen him a few time since and it’s all water under the bridge. As for Lennon? We don’t know what his reaction was… all we know is that we met somebody who went up and asked John what he thought of The Rutles and John sung ‘Cheese and Onions’. Int: What is Eric like then? Halsey: Well he’s a big star, he’s a big name and he’s very wealthy and I don’t really know what he’s like… When I’m in his company, which I haven’t been for years, I feel like I’m in the company of a big star. Int: So he’s not a mate, like Neil or Ricky?Halsey: No… he doesn’t want to be like that… He doesn’t want to be one of the lads and come out and have a pint sort of thing… Neil does…Neil’s very like that, George [Harrison] is very much like that too, the small dealing I had with George was very straight down the line, he said to me one day “Come on Halsey, let’s go and have a pint" and we went to a pub when we were filming in Soho and just have a couple of beers. Int: Crikey! Did you get much attention? Halsey: They didn’t even know who he was then… Or they didn’t recognise him, he just kept himself to himself and stood at the bar and had a pint… There may have been people who recognised him, but they never said anything. - Interview with The Rutles drummer John Halsey (2015) -- source link