Rare Beatles-signed Morecambe and Wise script goes to auction

Forgotten in a suitcase for more than six decades, a remarkable piece of British entertainment history featuring all four Beatles' signatures is finally going under the hammer.

A remarkable piece of Beatles memorabilia hidden away in a suitcase for more than 60 years could now fetch a staggering £6,500 at auction.

The rare 1964 Morecambe and Wise script features the signatures of all four Beatles and could fetch £6,500 at auction. | Hansons Auctioneers / SWNS

placeholder image — The rare 1964 Morecambe and Wise script features the signatures of all four Beatles and could fetch £6,500 at auction. | Hansons Auctioneers / SWNS

The rare 1964 Morecambe and Wise recording script features the signatures of all four Fab Four members – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr – scrawled in blue ballpoint pen.

Charles Hanson with the Beatles-signed script from ATV's Two of a Kind, a forerunner to The Morecambe and Wise show, which is expected to sell for £4,500-£6,500 | Hansons Auctioneers / SWNS

The band appeared alongside comedy legends Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise at London's Elstree Studios, performing three hits before joining Ernie for a hilarious barbershop rendition of Moonlight Bay. The script reveals some of the cheeky comedy behind the historic appearance, with Eric referring to the group as "The Heatles" and calling Ringo "Bingo". During the television sketch, he also introduces the Beatles as "the Kaye Sisters" and gives their drummer another memorable nickname: "Bongo".

Remarkably, the treasured document was packed into a suitcase and left unread for decades before being passed to a collector by Ernie's wife, Doreen, when she downsized in 2008. Now, it is among 400 lots from the Ernie Wise Estate being sold by Hansons Auctioneers, with an estimate of £4,500 to £6,500 – although it could go for considerably more.

Sale manager Victoria Sheppard said the collection included hundreds of annotated scripts, photographs, scrapbooks and awards, carefully preserved in suitcases and a metal trunk. She described the archive as a rare opportunity for comedy enthusiasts and Beatles fans. Other eye-catching lots include Ernie's size 6½ tap-dancing shoes, expected to fetch up to £1,500, and one of Eric's famous pipes, valued at around £500.

A signed promotional Thames TV card of Morecambe and Wise autographed by Ernie Wise only, it has an estimate of £40-£60. | Hansons Auctioneers / SWNS

Eric's son Gary Bartholomew also praised Ernie and Doreen for preserving the duo's extraordinary history. He said his father considered Ernie the best partner in the business and would never have worked with anyone else.

The sale also features memorabilia belonging to singer Des O'Connor, including an 18-carat gold Omega watch expected to sell for between £3,000 and £5,000. Auctioneer Charles Hanson said the collection offered a fascinating glimpse into around 75 years of British entertainment.

The treasures will go under the hammer in Derby on November 27 – what would have been Ernie's 101st birthday.