SI13.  British Overseas Airways Corporation Flight Menu Signed By All Four Beatles After Filming "Help!" In The Bahamas, March 1965

On Monday, February 22, 1965, The Beatles flew from London to the Bahamas to commence filming on their second feature film, "HELP!". The following day, primary shooting began - and filming in various locations on New Providence and Paradise Islands would continue over the next two weeks. Although the Bahamas sequences would be the last to appear in the completed film, it was the first location on the shooting schedule. On Wednesday, March 10th, with filming in this British crown colony completed, The Beatles boarded a BOAC flight at Nassau International Airport and returned to England, arriving in London on the morning of March 11th. Two days later, the group left England once again, headed for the Austrian Alps where the snow sequences were filmed.

This 4-page BOAC menu was printed for use during The Beatles' return flight to England from the Bahamas, thus the wording "B.O.A.C. Welcomes Aboard Beatles Bahamas Special". The piece has also been printed with the date "March 1965" and features a gold embossed B.O.A.C. crest. The inside boasts the full menu of libations and food offered to The Beatles and their entourage during the flight.

Most known authentic autographed examples of this menu were signed in-transit on March 10, 1965 for various members of the flight crew - and this one is no exception. Each Beatle has signed his name in black ballpoint pen on the front of the menu, beginning at the top with Ringo Starr, followed by Paul McCartney, George Harrison and John Lennon. These are beautiful examples of their signatures from this era. As a bonus, the back page of the menu has been additionally signed by The Beatles' "HELP!" co-star Roy Kinnear, the rotund British character actor who played Algernon, the bumbling assistant to mad scientist Professor Tiberius Foot (portrayed by Victor Spinetti).

Measuring 4 ½” x 7”, the piece is in excellent condition with no tears or creases. Barely noticeable wear appears along its edges and there is slight smudging on the right-hand side of the front cover.

This menu, signed during the filming of "HELP!", represents a key period in The Beatles' career. They had already experienced the madness of their breakthrough year of 1964 and were now on the verge of a dramatic leap forward in the evolution of their music, evidenced at the end of the year by their seminal album, "Rubber Soul". Genuine examples of their signatures from this period are scarce indeed as they were virtually inaccessible by their fans. Collectors are seldom presented the opportunity to own a set so indelibly tied to one of their classic films, so don't miss out on this beauty…..$22,500

^ Return To Top ^