Artifact: John Lennon and George Harrison signed Magical Mystery Tour advance private screening invitation

Up for bid at Heritage Auctions.

Details:

John and George were the only two Beatles in attendance at this advance screening held on December 17, 1967 at a London theater, as Ringo was busy filming Candy in Italy, and Paul was taking an extended end-of-year holiday in Scotland. The invitation states that guests - primarily area secretaries for local chapters of the Beatles Fan Club - will be treated to a "colour" screening, notable as the public premiere on the BBC nine days later would be a black-and-white broadcast.

The lukewarm public reception to the television premiere is well known, and it has long been surmised that had MMT's psychedelic color palette been seen on the "telly", the reaction to the film may have been quite different. Regardless, this rare invitation is a wonderful memento!