?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 700 - $ 900
THE BEATLES / AL BRODAX (1926-2016) John Lennon animation drawing and cel. Original animator's rough layout drawing and cel for The Beatles television cartoon, circa 1965. 10 3/4 x 12 1/2 inches.
This drawing of John Lennon dancing, related to the production of The Beatles television series, was most likely for the first season in 1965. Also included is a hand inked, unpainted cel based on the drawing, which was likely made for practice later in the career of the artist who owned the drawing (it uses a different hole punch than the drawing, and was backed with a piece of early 1980s Hanna Barbera watermarked paper of the same size and punch type), but the pair would display nicely together.
The Beatles animated series was produced by American Al Brodax from 1965 to 1967, with animation work assigned to studios around the world, including Australia, the UK, and Canada. This drawing is most likely related to an episode produced by the studio Canawest in Vancouver, as it is on a Canadian brand 1960s animation bond paper.
While the Beatles themselves were not initially happy with the show, it is fondly remembered by many who grew up watching it. The series also was a direct precursor to the landmark animated film The Yellow Submarine (1968), which was also produced by Brodax with an international crew. While a decent amount of Yellow Submarine material has come up for sale over the years, original art related to the earlier Beatles TV series very seldom comes up for sale.
