In 1964, the Beatles attended a party at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., and Ringo Starr had less hair than when he entered. Despite the party’s relative exclusivity, fans there were still loyal to the band. One fan cut the hair off his head.
The Beatles reluctantly attended a party at the British Embassy
In 1964, the band brought Beatlemania to America. The Ed Sullivan ShowShortly thereafter they traveled to the nation’s capital. After their show at the Washington Coliseum, they reluctantly agreed to attend a party at the British Embassy.
“We always tried to get out of those crap,” George Harrison said in his book. The Beatles: a certified biography By Hunter Davis. “But then [in Washington] we were caught They’re always full of lofty people who really hate our type but want to meet us because we’re rich and famous. It’s all hypocrisy. They were just trying to advertise their embassy. “
Fan cut hair off Ringo Starr’s head
Upon their arrival, other partygoers immediately flocked to the band. Autograph-hungry guests flocked to George Harrison, while another group took John Lennon away. Per he wrote to the NME, the MP, wrote to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, asking, “Were the young British entertainers known as The Beatles treated badly by British authorities?”
Of all of them, Starr got it the worst.
“Most people had no relationship with music in any way,” he said. “They got really silly after a few drinks and one guy decided to cut off my hair. I just started screaming at him and we didn’t stay there long.” These diplomats just don’t know how to behave.”
He identified the culprit as a man, but a Canadian fan claimed she sneaked into the party and cut the star’s hair.
“The ambassador and his wife were very kind,” said manager Brian Epstein. “But, as is often the case, their friends and guests weren’t so welcoming. The Beatles hated the welcome. They have since declined all such invitations.”
Another strand of Ringo Starr’s hair sold for over $1,000
Years later, someone purchased another strand of the star’s hair at an auction.
“This is real hair cut from Ringo Starr during an off-screen haircut session during the making of the 1964 film. hard days night,” advertised GWS Auctions. “According to the accompanying certificate, this hair was obtained from John O’Gorman, head of the film’s make-up department. , removed from a bag of hair swept away by O’Gorman and mounted in a ready-to-frame display, along with a description of the piece and a photograph of the star.”
The hair sold for $1,100 in 2019.
