The Knack, And How To Get It (1965)

Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall?

Lennon’s lyric appeared in 1967, but the question how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall also features in the 1965 film The Knack: And How to Get It. My question is whether the latter is the first reference or is this some traditional question preceding both references? A Brit will know.
Dear Kerrvert:
The British vaudeville possibility sounds like about what I was expecting which proves nothing so far. I wouldn’t doubt that the film differs from the play but the film was made in 1965 while the song came out in 1967–and the reference is definitely in the film and unambiguous. Of course it could be Lennon was simply thinking about the film but the reference does seem like it hearkens back to something. But the cat is not on the table? Sounds like you value your cat.

“I was reading the paper one day and I noticed two stories. One was the Guinness heir who killed himself in a car. That was the main headline story. He died in London in a car crash. On the next page was a story about 4,000 holes in Blackburn, Lancashire. In the streets, that is. They were going to fill them all.”
–John Lennon, Playboy, 1980

Richard Lester’s “The Knack. . .and How to Get It” was released between the director’s two successes with the Beatles, A Hard Day’s Night and Help. The script, by Charles Wood is based on a play by Ann Jellicoe.

I studied the play at the Alley Theater in Houston in the 60’s. I wouldn’t bet my cat, but I don’t remember that line in the original play.

There are so many stories of John Lennon’s writing the song, all of them mentioning the story in the paper…the tie-in to the Albert Hall may be an old British vaudeville joke, something about “there are 4,000 seats in the Royal Albert Hall…and 4,000 arseholes to fill ‘em”

Until I can find my copy of the play, I’m guessing that Richard Lester got the line from Lennon and put it in the screenplay.

the knack trailer rita tushingham

The Knack ... And How To Get It: Original MGM Motion Picture Soundtrack [Enhanced CD] $15.09 Richard Lester's The Knack...and How to Get It captures the mystique of London's Carnaby Street days. Composer John Barry matches the subject with a perky to pensive score that juxtaposes Alan Haven's sometimes bubbly, sometimes funereal pop organ with strings, xylophone, and a blanket of female voices. The result is an often haunting backdrop that strangely conforms more to waltz rhythms than the...

THE KNACK...and how to get it 1965 motion picture score LP. MUSIC COMPOSED AND CONDUCTED BY JOHN BARRY.BEST PICTURE 1965 CANNES....

The Knack... And How to Get It $3.07 Fresh from the playfully exuberant A Hard Day's Night (1964), director Richard Lester applies the same acrobatic, tongue-in-cheek style to this delightfully frivolous take on swinging London and the sexual revolution. Gawky young Michael Crawford is a meek landlord who vies with his ladies-man lodger Ray Brooks for the attentions of spirited funny-face Rita Tushingham, whom he literally picks up w...