Rare photos of Beatles' U.S. tour on sale

LONDON -- Unpublished early color photographs of The Beatles' first U.S. tour will be sold at a U.K. auction.

The photos were taken during the rock band's 1964 visit, when color film was expensive and most images of the group were in black and white.

The collection of 65 slides contains many stage shots, including George Harrison with his legendary red Rickenbacker guitar and close-up portraits from a Las Vegas Sahara Hotel news conference and Las Vegas Convention Center gig.

The images were taken by Dr. Robert Beck of Hollywood, who died in 2002.

Omega Auctions in Stockport, England, said yesterday the images will be sold March 22, exactly 50 years after The Beatles released their first album. -- AP