Incredibly rare color 7.25 x 4.5 large-format ticket for the royal world premiere of the Beatles’ first film, the classic 1964 musical comedy A Hard Day's Night, which was held at London's Pavilion Theatre on July 6, 1964, signed beautifully on the reverse in blue ink by John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr. Issued for Seat No. 26 in Dress Circle Row A, the ticket features heart-shaped portraits of each Beatle and notes the attendance of Princess Margaret and the Earl of Snowdon. In fine condition, with light handling wear.
In addition to the movie’s four stars, the highly anticipated premiere was attended by the band’s wives, the group’s manager, Brian Epstein, and a host of special guests that included the Rolling Stones, Princess Margaret, and Lord Snowdon. The event was held in aid of the Royal Variety Club and Dockland Settlements charities, with the most expensive tickets costing 15 gns (around £15.75, just under one week’s average wage in 1964). The ticket’s high price and the limited capacity of the Pavilion Theatre kept many a Beatles fan from attending, but that didn’t quell the interest as nearby Piccadilly Circus closed due to 12,000 Beatles fans packing the area for a chance to glimpse their idols. After the screening, the Beatles and many guests headed to the Dorchester Hotel for a supper party to celebrate the launch of the film, which is where these signatures were obtained.
Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Tracks and by a letter of provenance from the daughter of the original recipient: "The Royal World Premiere of 'A Hard Day's Night' was held at the Royal Pavilion Theatre Piccadilly, London on Monday 6th July 1964. Princess Margaret and Lord Snowden attended. Afterwards, a champagne supper dinner was held at The Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane, London. My father, Mr. Brian Howitt, was a senior chef on duty that night at The Dorchester Hotel and he asked one of the waiting staff to obtain The Beatles autographs on his behalf. All four signed the reverse side of the ticket.” To date, this is the only known fully signed ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ premiere ticket to have surfaced at auction.
This item is Pre-Certified by Real
Buy a third-party letter of authenticity for
$750.00
*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.
