Miss O'Dell
Liverpool West Productions / Fan Film, Ltd. (2025) Dir. Simon Weitzman
121 Min. / Color / 1.66:1 / Stereo
Liverpool West BD-R $26.99
Quitting beauty school, Miss Chris O’Dell left her home in Tucson, Arizona at age 19, hoping to get involved in the Los Angeles music business in any capacity she could find, circa 1966. A chance encounter with Derek Taylor, publicist for the Beatles, led to a job offer at the newly formed Apple Corps, Ltd; loathe to move to London, Miss O’Dell was urged to take the plunge by her roommate, an aspiring actress named Teri Garr. In May, 1968, Miss O’Dell began working at Apple as a personal assistant, doing odd jobs, secretarial work, and whatever anybody assigned her to take care of. She grew especially close to George and his wife Pattie, and had a good relationship with Paul and John and their spouses (Linda McCartney had attended the University of Arizona in Tucson) although she says Ringo was rarely around.
Miss O’Dell, the new documentary on her career as a rock star assistant (and titled after a song Harrison wrote about her, the flip side of one of his singles), is two hours of interviews, memories, graphic art re-enactments, and music (mostly by cover bands) that lacks salaciousness or wild Rock ‘n’ Roll Babylon stories about drug use and groupie abuse, which is probably what would interest most people, but does provide some in-depth tales of what life was like in that period of Beatledom (despite the 2-hour running time, her years with Dylan, Ronstadt, and others are only touched on in favor of her tenure with the Beatles and Stones). Interestingly, we learn little about Miss O’Dell herself; she’s written an autobiography that may shed more light. Only in passing does she mention relationships (James Taylor, Leon Russell), her late husband, or much in the way of sordid details about anything. Pattie Boyd and Peter Asher, among others, are there to add recollections of the time.
Miss O’Dell was at Abbey Road when the Beatles recorded their final albums; sat on the roof during the infamous rooftop concert; sang in the chorus during the recording of Hey Jude, and typed up lyrics for some of their songs (as well as an Apple Records rejection letter to David Bowie). With those years on her resume, and a stint living with George and Pattie at their Friar Park home, she went to work after the Beatles’ breakup for the Rolling Stones during their Exile on Main Street recording and subsequent tour. Finding she had little to do, she left the tour, only to be called back by Mick and Keith to help them get through the, well, sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. Work followed with Dylan, the Grateful Dead, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Genesis, and others.
Perhaps not the shining light on dark corners we’d hoped for (are there dark corners left in Beatles history?) but an interesting side-trek into the final years of the band from someone who was there and remembers it fondly. She revisits the Abbey Road studio, shares memorabilia and photographs, and has a warm reunion with old friends, notably Pattie Boyd.
Wasn’t that a time?
Miss O'Dell's Website.
