Ringo Starr and Peter Sellers cause stir at Southampton Docks
THE familiar faces of Beatle Ringo Starr and actor Peter Sellers caused quite a stir at Southampton Docks almost fifty years ago, back in May 1969, when the pair were among 570 passengers boarding the second voyage of the QE2 at Southampton.
The pair were going to the United States to complete a new Commonwealth United film called “The Magic Christian,” the screen version of Terry Southern’s novel.
“The Magic Christian” was described in the Echo reports of the time as a “deeply rational satire teaming with way-out ideas about modern materialistic times”.
Clutching a bag marked with the words: “Sink the Magic Christian”, an excited Ringo told the Echo that his trip to New York on the QE2 was his first sea voyage since he served in the Merchant Navy.
He worked in 1957 as a waiter on a pleasure steamer which ran in the summer from Liverpool to North Wales. “I earned £3 10s a week then and usually made more in tips than in wages,” he said. “I’m going by sea this time because it’s a nice way to travel. This ship is just like a rather splendid hotel...better than you get in Scunthorpe.” Ringo also explained that fellow Beatle John Lennon had also hoped to sail with him on the QE2, but was unable to after failing to get a visa in time.
By: Jez Gale
Source: Southern Daily Echo
