THE FILM WAS CRITICALLY DISMISSED WHEN IT WAS AIRED ON THE BRITISH BROADCASTING COMPANY'S PREMIER TELEVISION NETWORK, BBC-1, ON BOXING DAY, DECEMBER 26, 1967 - A DAY PRIMARILY FOR TRADITIONAL "COZY, FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT". WHILE THE FILM HAS HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE AS AN EARLY ADVANCE INTO THE MUSIC VIDEO AGE, AT THE TIME MANY VIEWERS FOUND IT PLOT LESS AND CONFUSING. SO DID THE BRITISH TV CRITICS, WHO LAMBASTED THE FILM. COMPOUNDING THIS CULTURE CLASH WAS THE FACT THAT THE FILM WAS MADE IN COLOR AND MADE USE OF COLOR FILTERS FOR SOME OF THE SCENES - PARTICULARLY IN A SEQUENCE FOR "BLUE JAY WAY". IN DECEMBER 1967, PRACTICALLY NO ONE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM OWNED A COLOR TELEVISION SET, THE SERVICE ONLY HAVING STARTED A FEW MONTHS EARLIER.

FILMING COMMENCED ON SEPTEMBER 11, 1967 AND THE FIRST TWO-WEEK CORE SHOOTING PERIOD HAD THE BEATLES BOARDING THEIR COACH AND HEADING FOR FIVE DAYS OF LOCATION WORK IN THE WEST COUNTRY. ON TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 12, FOLLOWING BREAKFAST EVERYONE BOARDED THE COACH AND SET OFF, HEADING FOR THE PICTURESQUE DARTMOOR VILLAGE OF WIDECOMBE IN THE MOOR. The annual village fair was being held in Widecombe, and it was decided that filming should take place there. However, the driver Alf Manders took a shortcut in order to beat traffic queues, and the coach became stuck on a narrow bridge. The coach had to be reversed for half a mile, and tempers frayed on board. Footage was SHOT of on-board arguments, though none was used IN THE FINAL CUT OF THE FILM. In the end, The Beatles decided to abandon the trip to the fair, disappointing some local fans who had heard about their impending arrival.

INSTEAD, THE COACH REJOINED A TRUNK ROAD, THE A38, AND HEADED 24 MILES SOUTH-WEST FOR THE ENGLISH COASTAL CITY OF PLYMOUTH. THE BEATLES AND THEIR ENTOURAGE DESCENDED ON THE GRAND HOTEL FOR LUNCH, SITUATED ON THE SCENIC PLYMOUTH HOE - WHERE, IN 1588, SIR FRANCIS DRAKE HAD PLAYED BOWLS WHEN RECEIVING THE NEWS OF THE SPANISH ARMADA. FOLLOWING LUNCH, IN AN ATTEMPT TO APPEASE A POSSE OF LONDON PRESS REPORTERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS WHICH HAD BEEN FOLLOWING THE "MMT" COACH, THE BEATLES POSED FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS SITTING HIGH UP OVERLOOKING THE PLYMOUTH HOE (SEE PHOTO BELOW).

FROM THIS DAY IN PLYMOUTH AT THE GRAND HOTEL, COMES THIS MOST SUPERB 5½" X 4" 'BERNIE INNS' RESTAURANT TABLE TENT CARD, AUTOGRAPHED ON THE INSIDE BY THE BEATLES. SIGNED FOR A GUEST WHO WAS DINING AT THE GRAND HOTEL RESTAURANT UPON THE BEATLES ARRIVAL, ALL FOUR BEATLES HAVE AUTOGRAPHED BEAUTIFULLY IN HEAVY DARK PENCIL ACROSS THE BOTTOM SECTION OF THE FOLDED TABLE TENT CARD (THE CARD MEASURES 5½" X 8" WHEN OPENED FULLY). BEATLES AUTOGRAPHS FROM 1967 AND ONWARD ARE FAR MORE DIFFICULT TO ACQUIRE, AND THESE EXAMPLES ARE SIMPLY SUPERB. THE SIGNATURES REMAIN DARK, CRISP, VIBRANT AND ARE MOST EXCELLENT EXAMPLES FROM THIS PERIOD. THIS SET HAS BEEN WELL KEPT OVER THE YEARS, AND IT TRULY SHOWS.

THESE TABLE TENT CARDS WERE LAMINATED ON THE OUTSIDE PRESENTATION TO MAINTAIN ITS FIRM FOLD FOR THE TABLE, WHILE THE INSIDE IS A FLAT FINISH, UPON WHICH THE BEATLES HAD SIGNED. 'BerniE InnS'  was a chain of British steakhouses, established in 1955, who modeled the chain on restaurants they had seen in America. The restaurants introduced the postwar British public to its own home-grown restaurant chain.

The autographs come with a FULLY DETAILED letter from the nEPHEW of the recipient OF THE AUTOGRAPHS. THE NAME AND OTHER PERSONAL INFORMATION HAS BEEN OMITTED FROM THE SCANNED IMAGE OF THE LETTER (FINAL IMAGE BELOW).

ACCOMPANIED BY LETTER OF AUTHENTICITY FROM FRANK CAIAZZO.

PICTURED BELOW ARE THE BEATLES, POSING FOR A PHOTOGRAPH SITTING HIGH UP ON THE PLYMOUTH HOE ON THIS VERY DAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1967, DURING THEIR QUICK LUNCH BREAK AT THE GRAND HOTEL.