Beatles director donates rare photographs to BFI

London (ANI): The British Film Institute's collection just got richer - Beatles director Richard Lester has donated many rare photographs and production shots taken during his stint in Hollywood, to the institute. The treasures include draft scripts for The Beatles' films 'A Hard Day's Night' and 'Help', correspondence from Hollywood stars Audrey Hepburn, Raquel Welch and Charlton Heston.

According to BBC News, the archive also contains a letter from comedian Spike Milligan, who offers to do laundry in exchange for a job. Lester was instrumental in adapting radio comedy programme 'The Goon Show' for television, in the 1956 series 'The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d'.

Lester's success with the Fab Four made him a mainstay of the Swinging 60s scene. The director later found box office success in Hollywood, directing Christopher Reeve in 'Superman' and Oliver Reed in 'The Three Musketeers'.

His donation is his way of returning something to the industry that gave him so much recognition. "The organisation has always been very helpful to me," said Lester. "It is a pleasure for me to be able to offer them the detritus of my working life," he added.