Only known color photos of the Beatles’ 1966 US tour go under the hammer for the first time | Daily Mail Online
The 15 slides are being sold online by Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas, with bidding due to end on Saturday
- They are believed to be the only color photographs of the Fab Four’s 1966 US tour, marked by controversy
- Mark Richman, then working at a local photo shop, took the snaps at the Busch Stadium in St Louis, Missouri
- The Beatles had to play under a makeshift roof in pouring rain and vowed to give up touring after the ordeal
What are believed to be the only color photographs of The Beatles taken during their famous tour of America in 1966 have been put up for sale for the first time.
The incredible, rarely-seen images capture the Fab Four on stage during their fateful concert at Busch Stadium in St Louis, Missouri.
The show took place under heavy rain and was such a miserable experience for John, Paul, George and Ringo they vowed to give up touring.
The beatles perform at the Busch Stadium in St Louis, Missouri on their 1966 US tour, in this color photo from a set now up for auction.
The 15 original color slides include four of the band as a group with one showing Paul McCartney and John Lennon singing into the same microphone.
There is one of just George Harrison and Ringo Starr and three more showing just George.
The slides show how the band played the venue under a rickety, makeshift cover in a bid to avoid the rain that ended up getting on their electrical equipment.
John Lennon appears to look straight into the camera in this photo slide, one of 15 believed to be the only color images of the Beatles’ 1966 US tour
Paul McCartney sings and plucks his bass guitar in this photo slide of the Fab Four’s 1966 US tour, which is going under the hammer in an online auction
There are also images of the police ushering some unruly crowds and fans running to escape the rain.
The pictures were taken by Mark Richman who was the only photographer there using Kodachrome color film rather than black and white.
Mr Richman, now aged 73, stood just 12 feet (four metres) away from The Beatles to take the snaps.
He is selling them now with full copyright, meaning the new owner will legally be able to sell re-prints of them.
They are expected to fetch about $50,000 at auction.
George Harrison plays guitar in front of drummer Ringo Starr at the rain-soaked concert at the Busch Stadium in St Louis, Missouri in 1966
Mr Richman, who is also a Frank Sinatra impersonator, said: ‘These are the only existing close-up color photos taken of The Beatles during their 1966 tour of America.
‘I have kept the slides in a blue box in a humidity-controlled safe for the last 50 years and they are still in fantastic condition.
‘I have just decided that now is the right time to sell them. I have a Fax from Apple Records sent to me years ago giving me permission to sell them with copyright.’
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