This is part of one of the strangest items in my Beatles collection from the film Help! but strangely enough, one of the most appealing items to me. Several years ago on Ebay, I came across a Beatles collector located in NJ (New Jersey) who had a couple of scrapbooks for sale that featured the autographs/signatures of supporting actors and actresses from several of the Beatles movies. Some of these supporting actors like Eleanor Bron and Victor Spinetti played significant roles in the film. Many of the other actors/actresses only played small parts or simply were walk-ons.
Help! Film
However at the price that the collector was selling the scrapbooks at, I could not resist adding it to the collection. The theme of this post will be some of the signatures contained from the Beatles “Help!” film from the scrapbook. To me the item is special because it collects a good portion of the team of actors that contributed to the movie’s success. Gathering the signatures together to place them in a single document must have been a very difficult task. That is why it holds a special place for me in the collection!
Please note: Those who reside in the UK will have a much greater knowledge than me of the actors/actresses that are mentioned in the scrapbook that I was able to acquire. If you have additional information about them that you would like to share and that you would feel to be interesting to others, please share in the Comments section-Thank you!
Eleanor Bron as Ahme:
Eleanor Bron is an English stage, film and television actress, and an author!
Leo McKern as Clang:
Reginald “Leo” McKern, who passed away in 2002 was an Australian actor who appeared in numerous British, Australian and American television programs and films and performed on the stage many times during his career.
Victor Spinetti as Foot-
Victor was a Welsh born actor who passed away n 2012 and has the distinction of appearing in three of the Beatles movies:
John Bluthal as Bhuta:
Another actor other than Victor Spinetti who appeared in both “Help” and “A Hard Day’s Night.” John passed away in 2018.
Patrick Cargill as the Superintendent:
Patrick had roles in both “Help” and the Ringo Starr/Peter Sellers “Magic Christian film
Patrick Cargill who passed away in 1996 was a well-known British actor who appeared in quite a few hit television shows in the UK.
Roy Kinnear as Algernon.
He was also to play a supporting role in the “How I Won the War” film featuring Michael Crawford and John Lennon:
Roy Mitchell Kinnear who passed away in 1988 was an English character actor and comedian!
Warren Mitchell as Abdul:
Warren Mitchell aka Warren Misell; passed away in 2015 was a British actor well-known for his many UK TV appearances.
Alfie Bass as the Doorman:
Alfie Bass born as Abraham Basalinsky, passed away in 1987 was an English actor.
Peter Copley as the jeweler:
Peter Copley was an English television, film and stage actor who passed away in 2008.
When the Beatles are about to enter their apartment in Help!, they encounter a couple of ladies who are their apparent neighbors. Here is the signature of Gretchen Franklin: In that Beatles apartment, the great video of them performing “You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away” was staged. ( the actual filming of the scene probably occurred at the movie studio)
Gretchen Franklin
She was an English actress and dancer with a career in show business spanning over 70 years. She passed away in 2005.
Dandy Nichols as the other neighbor:
Dandy Nichols born as Daisy Sander; passed away in 1986. She was an English actress.
Wendy Richard, one of the actresses who was a part of the fabulous UK cast of the show “Are You Being Served”, was also supposed to be in Help but the scene she was in was cut from the film:
A Missing Scene from Help! – YouTube
Wendy Richard
born as Wendy Emerton; passed away in 2009. She was an English actress.
Thomas Baptiste, one of the policeman near the end of the film:
Thomas Baptiste was a Guyanese-born British actor and opera singer who passed away in 2018.
Zienia Merton as a High Priestess in the film-apparently went uncredited in the movie:
Zienia Merton who passed away in 2018 was a British actress born in Burma.
Hope you enjoyed this post!
Buzz
Art & Craft
Original art and craft related to Liverpool and the Beatles
I’ve been looking for color photos of the Beatles 1966 tour as well. I recently bought a photo of the Memphis August 19 1966 c9ncert but it’s a black and white Pic. 1966 photos tough to find.
Is this the same Wendy Richard that is in Are You Being Served? Your collection is amazing! I am interested in finding color pictures from the 1966 Beatles tour. I was at the afternoon Memphis concert on August 19th. I have only found black and white pictures from that concert. I have seen color pictures from the evening show. I believe they wore different shirts in the afternoon and a floral shirt at the evening concert. I remember the afternoon shirt as rose colored. I asked Tom Frangione this question at the New York Fest for Beatles. He directed me to a book that I own but it is only black and white pictures. If you have an answer to this I would truly appreciate your response. Thank you.
Yes, it is the same Wendy of “Are You Being Served.” Unfortunately Jo, I do not have an answer to your color photo question. I am sure there are some Beatles photography buffs that will be able to properly answer your color photo question!
Fantastic collection! This is OT, but does anyone but me know that Roy Kinnear’s son, Rory (who looks just like him) plays Tom Bombadil in “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?”
He is completely unrecognizable as a Dwarf with long hair and beard. I just happened to see an interview of him talking about the show and his role!
great collection! IT’S NICE TO SEE THAT.