SI40. An Incredibly Rare B.O.A.C. Beatles Bahamas Special Flight Menu, Signed Beautifully By All On The Way To Film “HELP!”
Description
On February 22, 1965, The Beatles boarded a specially chartered Boeing 707 B.O.A.C. – Cunard for a flight to The Bahamas, via New York, to start filming their second feature film entitled “HELP!”. For the flight, a specially produced (and needless to say incredibly rare) in flight menu was produced for the trip, which was dubbed the “Beatles Bahamas Special”. The menu measures 7 ½” x 10 ¾” all four have autographed the back cover magnificently. John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison have signed in black ballpoint pen, while Ringo Starr has used a black felt tip marker to sign. The autographs are all beautifully scripted and large – the Lennon and McCartney signatures each measure 5” long. This is a fabulous set of Beatles autographs, signed as nicely as each could have done on the day. Additionally, fellow “HELP!” movie cast members Eleanor Bron and Roy Kinnear have signed the menu, and Paul McCartney has also jokingly signed as ‘Billy Wyatt’, a fictional character he made up.
It is well documented that The Beatles, despite the fact that the plane was full with cast and crew, were smoking marijuana and according to both John and George, they were very stoned for most of the trip. In fact, when asked shortly after they landed by a reporter “Well John, how was the tip over, did you all get bored on the flight, or did you have things to keep you entertained, that you all were doing?”. John’s reply was simple “Well, err, we all got stoned”. It is a well known fact that The Beatles smoked marijuana all throughout the filming of the “HELP!” movie.
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The menu was signed for the pilot of the plane, Wing Commander E.E. Rodley, D.S.O., D.F.C., A.F.C., a highly decorated Royal Air Force pilot with a distinguished career in civil aviation, particularly in World War II. This Beatles signed menu is exceptional, magnificently signed by all of The Beatles, with impeccable provenance and it also has great association to the fabulous “HELP!” movie.