Other characters in Eppy's life ~

[christine~]

I wonder if the following people will be portrayed in the movie ~
Names are just off the top of me head here ~

*Early Days* Harry and Queenie Clive Epstein Joe Flannery Sam Leach Vera Brown Bob Wooler Allan Williams Sonia Seligson ... (stagename: Stevens) Rita Harris Alistair Taylor Cilla Black Gerry Marsden

*Beatlemania Days* Cyn, Mo, Pattie, Jane Neil Aspinall Mal Evans Alf Bicknell Derek Taylor Ed Sullivan Tony Bramwell Tony Barrow Brian Sommerville Murray the K Larry Kane Dizz Gillespie Nat Weiss

*Brian's Last Year* Alma Cogan Lionel Bart Clive's wife Barbara ... and baby Joanna Dr Norman Cowan Joanne (Newfield) Petersen Peter Brown Geoffrey Ellis the "rent boys" ... who showed up too late Bryan Barrett Dr John Gallway Jimi Hendrix

[IAMTHE WALRUS]

Hi everybody,

Good to see some new members signing up for the boards. I'd be happy to drop some clues on some other characters that are in the script, but I'd love to see everybody else's thoughts first. Who would you like to see in Brian's story? Who do you think deserves to be there?

~Jonathan

[Anonymous from LiveJournal]

Pete Best (does he count as "the Beatles themselves?")

[Anonymous from LiveJournal]

Brian seeing the Beatles play for the first time.

John and Brian's trip to Spain. It doesn't even matter what they do.

[lennonfan54]

Yes!!! A,little on the trip to Spain. but no need to dwell on the sexual thing.
How about John and Brian sitting in the cafes in Spain watching all the boys go by..."do you like this one? do you like that one?'
Also I do hope they have Brian with a great sense of humor. I have read he was so funny at times.
I also hope it shows him as the father figure to John. I think he had a lot to do with keeping peace between John and Cyn.
I just know he would have squawked about Yoko to John.
And of course the Cavren where he first lays eyes on his boys.
Plus some Alma and Maryann.

[christine~]

Ah! There's one I had forgotten to add. Marianne Faithfull. Since the original post I had also remembered Andrew Loog Oldham, Simon Napier-Bell and Lonnie Trimble... oh, and his Spanish man-and-wife servants, Antonio and Maria Garcia.

[christine~]

p.s....the terms "Brian Epstein" and "squawked" are mutually exclusive.

[yerblues1968]

Will Sir George Martin be portrayed in the movie, as he was a major part (influence) of the Beatles' career. Also, the history of Brian's encounter with the Beatles. Will the characters Bill Harry also be portrayed (who influenced Brian to sell Mersey Beat Magazine in his NEMS store), Allan Williams (Beatles' original manager), Tony Sheridan who recorded 'My Bonnie" with the Beatles, which subsequently led Brian's curiosity when a customer, Raymond Jones, entered his NEMS store and inquired about the record, Bob Wooler the DJ at the Cavern Club at the time when the Beatles performed.

I am very interested about the process Brian Epstein went through in negotiating The Beatles a recording contract. The period of mid-January to early February 1962 was a major turning point for The Beatles and Brian Epstein becoming their manager, and Brian's efforts in securing a recording contract for The Beatles. This is a crucial period in history. Would the film show Brian's efforts with Tony Meehan, Decca producer (ex-drummer of the Shadows and paid him) to produce the studio recordings for The Beatles. While Brian was negotiating with Decca, he was also trying to negotiate with EMI. He approached EMI marketing executive, Ron White, who then contacted EMI producers Norrie Paramor, Walter Ridley, and Norman Newell, who all turned down recording the group. Ron White had tried to contact the fourth producer George Martin, but was unable to reach him due to him being out on holiday. Brian went to a HMV store on Oxford Street and had the studio recording transferred on disc. A HMV technician liked the recordings and put them on disc. The Beatles were signed by EMI's small Parlophone label after every British recording company rejected them. George Martin scheduled an audition at Abbey Roads Studios. From there, it was history.

I hope the film will include this critical time period of The Beatles/Brian Epstein recording negotiations. If the film would present the key characters on these events, it would give the public a greater understanding of the great impact Mr. Epstein had extended to help The Beatles to venture outside of Liverpool and beyond. Though Brian knew nothing about artist management, he had a keen instinct of what the public would like if presented properly. He made an overhaul of The Beatles' dress, mannerisms (bowing simultaneously after the performance, no smoking, swearing on stage), stressed unity among them. John Lennon had referred to Brian as "the expert" and fully trusted him as their manager. After Brian's sudden passing, The Beatles did not want another manager. There was none who understood them. Brian Epstein was irreplaceable.

I hope the person selected to portray Brian Epstein would also carry his charisma, his essence. The person should be able to portray him to the "T." It's one thing to be able to copy the accent, the acting, but to be able to portray him exactly as if he is "him," would be extremely rare. Brian Epstein was very rare. I hope the actor would carry his charm, his expertise, his humor, and especially his sensitivity. Sensitivity is a very strong quality that very few in highly responsible positions emulate. Brian was very sensitive toward those he was fond of, especially The Beatles. They were his boys and took his responsibility toward them seriously. His life was for them. He took his work so seriously that he accidentally overdosed on pills that ended his life. I hope the actor selected takes this opportunity to portray Brian very seriously.

Actually, if all cast members are portrayed as closely to the real persons that transpired during that period, the audience would see the depth and selflessness Mr. Epstein undertook in the hard work in bringing us The Beatles with little fame he wanted for himself. All those who were connected with Mr. Epstein had an influence that made history. Their characters were just as important. Thank you.

[christine~]

Ohmigoodness, it's a given that George Martin would be played in this movie. It must be!

Now ~~ wow, that makes me wonder what actor would be best at portraying the 6th Beatle (or, the 5th MUSICAL Beatle, if you prefer).

Anybody have any ideas on that?

Ghost Brian image by Trini of KLOS Breakfast With The Beatles/Apple Scruff Radio

[absolutetwaddle]

I am going to put in my vote for Cate Blanchett to reprise her role as Bob Dylan in the film. That would be fantastic.

If you haven't seen her performance in "I'm Not There" please check it out.

[yerblues1968]

I have a suggestion who could portray Sir George Martin, but I don't think it will fly. I thought, "Who can better portray him than his son Giles Martin (38 years old)?" He would have a great understanding how his father's intervention played a large role in The Beatles' success. Not only with that knowledge, he also looks very much like his father when his father met The Beatles before they became famous. Also, Giles and John Lennon share the same birth date (Oct. 9th), not that it really means anything to the movie. I just think many things surrounding The Beatles were not by accident.

I would say Giles is my first choice to portray Sir George Martin. If the production management is up to the suggestion, and if Giles were approached and is willing to portray his father, then he would be the best person to portray him. Anyone not portraying his father perfectly would be a great insult to him and the movie.

[christine~]

I thought I'd begin new threads for each character who seems to generate a larger discussion.

GEORGE MARTIN

[christine~]

absolutetwaddle said:

I am going to put in my vote for Cate Blanchett to reprise her role as Bob Dylan in the film. That would be fantastic.
If you haven't seen her performance in "I'm Not There" please check it out.

{ SEE THIS VID } for an example.

In keeping with the on-and-off hallucinogenic nature of this film, what about ~~ if a guy played Dylan up until Eppy started floating and chanting "I'm on the ceiling, I'm on the ceiling" from the effects of the dope they were smoking ~~ and then, through a slight fog, he sees and hears Dylan as played by Cate?

IMHO, that would rock (and would be kind of an inside joke for those who saw I'm Not There)...!

[absolutetwaddle]

Okay that is a fantastic idea.

Wow, how do you come up with such cool things? I stand in awe. And I would love to see that as part of the film.

Wow wow wow.

[yerblues1968]

Norman Smith (February 22, 1923 – March 3, 2008)


Norman "Hurricane" Smith

He was an English musician and record producer. Norman Smith was born in Edmonton, North London and served as a RAF glider pilot during World War II. After an unsuccessful career as a jazz musician, Smith joined EMI as an apprentice sound engineer in 1959.

The great Norman aka 'Hurricane' Smith, musician and record producer had died on March 3, 2008. He was 85 years old. He was the engineer on all of the EMI studio recordings by the Beatles until 1965 when EMI promoted him from engineer to producer. The last Beatles album he recorded was Rubber Soul in 1965, and Smith engineered the sound for approximately 180 Beatles songs in total.

Norman Smith was a Special Guest last year at the New York METRO FEST (formerly Beatlefest, now The Fest for The Beatles Fans), where he exclusively world premiered his book, "John Lennon Called Me Normal." He also wrote a song for John Lennon to sing, "Don't Let It Die," which John was never able to fulfill.

Norman 'Hurricane' Smith was with The Beatles during their beginnings and also did studio recordings for Pink Floyd. I wonder if there would be a segment included in The Fifth Beatle movie about this great individual. There has been so many important characters who played a part to The Beatles' success, and it would be hard to squeeze them all into this mvoie. However, it would be fascinating to see an actor giving a glimpse of his recording genius.



Seth Swirsky interviews Beatles engineer Norman Smith at his home in March, 2006,
for his upcoming movie (Fall, 2008) called "A Year In The Life." (0:42 minutes)
youtube.com/watch?v=XWbTgUbEvbY

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Smith_%28record_producer%29

[yerblues1968]

Also, any possibility of any of these giants be portrayed in The Fifth Beatle movie? Most notably, Richard Lester (director), Walter Shenson (producer) Alun Owen (writer), and Gilbert Taylor (director of photography) of A Hard Day's Night movie.

Richard Lester (January 19, 1932 - present). He is an American born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a child prodigy and at 15 began studies at the University of Pennsylvania, where he first developed an interest in British film, particularly Ealing comedies. In 1953, Lester moved to London and began work as a director in independent television. A variety show he produced caught the eye of Peter Sellers, who enlisted Lester's help in translating The Goon Show to television as The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d. It was a hit, as were two follow-up shows, A Show Called Fred and Son of Fred.


Director Richard Lester.

Richard Lester is a legendary director. He has a long list of directing several successful movies, besides A Hard Day's Night. He also directed their second movie, Help!. He was also involved in directing, The Knack and How To Get It (1965), Petulia (1968), How I Won the War (1967) co-starring John Lennon, The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers, Superman, "Superman II, and Superman III.

Richard Lester was chosen as director for A Hard Day's Night. A short film Lester made with Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers, The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film, was a favorite of The Beatles; and, in particular, John Lennon. When the band were contracted to make a film in 1964, they chose Lester from a list of possible directors.

Walter Shenson (June 22, 1919 - October 17, 2000) was an American producer. He was born in San Francisco, CA and was educated at Stanford University. He came to Hollywood in 1941 as a writer and producer of promotional shorts. who had also produced Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River, The Chicken Chronicles (1977), Reuben, Reuben (1983). In an Associated Press report, Walter Shenson said that John Lennon described to him some of Ringo Starr's funnier gaffes, including "a hard day's night", whereupon Shenson immediately decided that that was going to be the title of the movie (the originally planned title was "Beatlemania"). Shenson then told Lennon that he needed a theme song for the film. That song, also titled A Hard Day's Night, became a huge hit.

Alun Owen (November 24, 1925 - December 6, 1994) was a British screenwriter predominantly active in television but is best remembered for writing the screenplay for The Beatles' A Hard Day's Night for which his script writing earned him a 1965 Academy Award nomination for Writing Original Screenplay. Richard Lester remembered Alun Owen from previous work together for television and asked him to work on the "A Hard Day's Night" movie. Alun Owen was born in Menai Bridge in Wales, but was raised in Liverpool since he was 8 years old when his family moved to England. He died in London at age 94. A festival was held in his honor October 19-21, 2006 in Liverpool arranged by the Merseyside Welsh Heritage Society.

Gilbert Taylor (April 12, 1914 - present) was born in Bushey Heath, Herthfordshire, England. He has worked on a number of films noted for their stylish cinematography. Some of his most noted work were: A Hard Day's Night (1964), Doctor Strangelove (1964), The Omen (1976), Star Wars (1977), Dracula (1978), and Flash Gordon (1980).

These great legends each had an important part in contributing to the success of The Beatles in their first theatrical movie. Even a small glimpse of their presence in the movie would give the public some insight in the making of A Hard Day's Night during the short period of 6-1/2 weeks with the low budget (at the time) of $500,000. The decision to produce the movie in black and white was chosen for lower cost, and the studio thought Beatlemania would not last beyond summer 1964. The rest is history.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Lester
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alun_Owen
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Taylor
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Hard_Day%27s_Night_%28film%29

[yerblues1968]

Gareth L. Pawlowski - Any possibility that he would be portrayed in the movie?

Gareth Pawlowski is an author and historian and had written a book on the Beatles' early years called, How They Became the Beatles: A Definitive History of the Early Years 1960-1964.

Hardcover:
search.barnesandnoble.com/How-They-Became-the-Beatles/Gareth-L-Pawlowski/p/9780525248231

Softcover:
search.barnesandnoble.com/How-They-Became-the-Beatles/Gereth-L-Pawlowski/p/9780452265066

Gareth was the first person inside Brian's apartment after he died, who received Queenie's (Brian mum) blessing to acquire Brian's private collection. She probably did not want to deal with it. He took EVERYTHING-acetates, test pressings, autographs. Gareth received Brian's collection of 59 original 45 rpm 7-inch acetates of Beatles recordings from Brian's brother Clive in 1978. Eventually Gareth died in 1995 and his collection was auctioned in 1997 and sold to various collectors, most notably, Rockaway Records.

Is there a possibility of any of Brian's collection be shown in the movie?

Some acetates are seen here:
www.rarebeatles.com/photospg/acetate.htm
www.rockaway.com/online/online/title.php?ItemID=948

[yerblues1968]

Diana Vero Palmer - Secretary to Brian Epstein in 1964

Diana Vero Palmer was secretary to Brian Epstein in 1964. Diana did the typing of Brian's book, A Cellarful of Noise while Derek Taylor (co-author) dictated. Diana was a timely figure in Brian's life, whose work contributed immensely to getting the book published.

[yerblues1968]

Alan W. Livingston (October 15, 1917 - March 13, 2009) - former President, Capitol Records.



Alan W. Livingston, President of Capitol Records.
Alan with The Beatles at a 1966 press conference.


Capitol Records was four years old when Alan Livingston started his first job creating a children's record library, for which he created "Bozo the Clown." He had also wrote and produced many story-telling record albums and read-along box sets. His success with children's recordings advanced him to Vice President of all creative operations in the company, which also led him to the adult music area. He signed Frank Sinatra during his low point in his career, who later worked with arranger Nelson Riddle, and became successful. Alan is also credited for the inspiration of the Capitol design of the first circular building in the world in 1956. After 10 years with Capitol Records, he was also hired as Vice President for the National Broadcasting Company. In this capacity, he hired David Dortort to write and produce the pilot for the series "Bonanza" for which Livingston's older brother, songwriter Jay Livingston, wrote the memorable theme. During this time, Alan also served on the Boards of Bob Hope Enterprises, Inc. and Joseph Mankiewicz's motion picture production company, Figaro, Inc. Five years later, Capitol Records induced him to return as President and, eventually, Chairman of the Board. He was also named to the Board of Electric and Musical Industries (EMI), a British corporation that was the largest stockholder in Capitol.

Alan Livingston was the President of Capitol Records during the earlier career of The Beatles, especially when introducing The Beatles in the United States.

Capitol recorded the Beatles in August of 1964 and 1965 at the Hollywood Bowl. In 1964, the plan was to release a live album quickly to give plenty of time for Christmas sales. Capitol cut acetates and probably sent copies to Brian Epstein and George Martin. The label was very upset when word came back from England not to release the LP. George Martin thought the crowd noise and the performances ruined the record. He believed that the studio performances were better. Capitol believed that the LP would sell in the millions. So, although Capitol desperately wanted to issue the live album, The Beatles and George Martin blocked its release. The same thing, more or less, happened in 1965.

The success of the Rock 'n' Roll Music album in 1976 proved that the public was willing to buy "new" Beatles product. It was only logical that the Hollywood Bowl tapes be pulled off the shelf. Capitol programmed a double album with performances from both 1964 and 1965. George Martin had other ideas. He and his engineers ran the Capitol tapes through a vintage tape machine and prepared a single record using what Martin considered to be the best performances from 1964 and 1965. As expected, the album was a big seller.

Would the movie display the production/release problems between Capitol Records and The Beatles on how The Beatles' albums would be introduced in the United States?

Beatles in Los Angeles, CA, 1964 -

In August, 1964 while in Los Angeles, the Beatles attended a charity event for the Hemophilia Foundation. The event was thrown by Capitol Records President Alan Livingston, so this was one charity the Beatles HAD to attend. For some $$, Hollywood celebrities and their children could meet the Beatles and give to a worthy cause. If you look closely, you will see Brian Epstein, Neil Aspinall, Derek Taylor, and Mal Evans in back of the Beatles.




Beatles in Los Angeles, California. - Part 1. (4:11 minutes):
youtube.com/watch?v=o3mUPJvMDJI




Beatles in Los Angeles, California. - Part 2. (7:43 minutes):
youtube.com/watch?v=VdiSA_Q8k6U




Alan Livingston, former President of Capitol Records in the 1960s,
tells Seth Swirsky how the group The Band got their name.
youtube.com/watch?v=uEQLpfhUvWo

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_W._Livingston

[yerblues1968]

Anonymous said:

Pete Best (does he count as "the Beatles themselves?")

Pete Best (November 21, 1941 - present)


Pete Best, drummer


I firmly believe that Pete Best should be portrayed in the Brian Epstein movie. He was a pivotal character during the making of The Beatles. And, most importantly, the first contract between The Beatles and Brian Epstein, for a five-year period, was formally signed at Pete Best's house on January 24, 1962 with Alistair Taylor, Brian's assistant who accompanied him to watch The Beatles perform at The Cavern Club, bearing as a witness. Thereafter, Brian set out to change The Beatles' unpolished appearance from wearing blue jeans and leather jackets, to tailored suits. He ordered them not to eat, smoke, or swear on stage and to bow simultaneously to the audience after each performance.

Pete was a key person during The Beatles' early beginnings, during the pivotal period of what would make or break The Beatles, and during the agonizing task of Brian having to tell Pete he was no longer a Beatle. Before Brian Epstein became The Beatles' manager, Pete Best made all the bookings for The Beatles in Liverpool, after The Beatles had parted company from their original manager, Allan Williams. I truly would like to see the difficulty Brian Epstein had to undertake to tell one of his boys he was no longer in the group. It was an extremely difficult position for Brian, as Brian was not a hatchet man. He knew The Beatles would be a phenomenon. He was careful and cautious how he would deliver the news to Pete, and how it would affect their relationship. He even offered Pete another band, but Pete refused. Brian was a sensitive man to all the artists he managed.

Also, Pete met and became good friends with Neil Aspinall in 1960, long before The Beatles became a world-wide sensation. Subsequently, Neil became the father of Pete's half-brother, Roag, and later admitted it several years later.




Pete Best on "Late Night With David Letterman" in July 1982. Part 1 of 2. (5.13 minutes):
youtube.com/watch?v=wb2GIFMLgpU



Pete Best on "Late Night With David Letterman" in July 1982. Part 2 of 2. (5:59 minutes).
youtube.com/watch?v=6C_hiy4bRLs



The Pete Best Band Performing at Misquamicut Beach Music Festival, Rhode Island in 2005.
youtube.com/watch?v=efcZHbUTuow

[yerblues1968]

Wendy Hanson - Capitol Records

During the first Beatles' flight to America, Brian Epstein was offered numerous samples of products by merchandisers—who required a license from Epstein to be allowed to sell them—including clocks, pens, plastic wigs, bracelets, and games, but Epstein rejected all of them. The Beatles were ensconced in the Plaza hotel in New York, and Epstein was further besieged by calls and visits from merchandisers, promoters, television commentators, and hustlers—all demanding to talk to him. Mindful of the number of records the group were selling in America, Capitol Records sent a well-spoken Yorkshire girl, Wendy Hanson, to the Plaza hotel to act as Epstein's secretary, and to filter his calls. Wendy Hanson later worked solely with Epstein in his Albemarle Street office, which was separate from the NEMS office.

[yerblues1968]

Alma Cogan (May 19, 1932 - October 26, 1966)

She was born Alma Angela Cohen of East European Jewish parentage, in Golders Green, London, getting her first name because her mother liked the motion picture actress Alma Taylor. While she was still a young child, her family moved to Worthing, Sussex. She later went to school at St Joseph's Convent School in Reading, Berkshire.

Her mother encouraged her to enter show business, and she auditioned for Ted Heath as a child. But her real patron was an executive of HMV Records, Walter Ridley, who saw her potential as a teenage art school student.

As a teenager, she had her professional debut singing at the Cumberland Hotel, in the dining room. Her first record was a 78rpm record of To Be Worthy Of You / Would You on the British HMV record label. When Joy Nichols left the BBC programme Take It From Here, Cogan replaced her as the resident singer, performing many types of songs but, most successfully, up-beat ballads and novelty songs. In 1953 she was working on the song If I Had A Golden Umbrella and broke into a giggle while recording it. The people decided that they liked the sound, and that sound became her trademark style. In 1954 she had her first chart hit, a cover of Teresa Brewer's Bell Bottom Blues.

She had many UK chart hits, some of which were covers of US hits, including some rock and roll flavoured ones as the 1950s progressed. Her recordings for EMI were produced by Walter "Wally" Ridley and then later by Norman Newell, with whom she had some disagreement. In 1965 EMI Records decided that they would not renew her contract with the company and requested that their newly hired young producer, David Gooch, produce an album of material which would bring the association to a conclusion. Alma had wanted to make an entire album of Beatles' material, but EMI felt that that was unsuitable since there were a number of other similar recordings available at the time. With orchestrations by Stan Foster, the songs comprising the album were recorded in Studio 1 at the Abbey Road Studios of EMI. Contrary to written reports, neither John Lennon nor Paul McCartney attended the sessions, although according to her sister, Alma had carried on a long-term affair with John Lennon in the early 1960s. One of the songs was initially recorded without the presence of the singer because she was unwell: the Musicians' Union gave permission for the backing tracks to be recorded to which she later added her voice. Although some sources cite Andrew Loog Oldham as the producer of the singles that appear on the subsequent album, Alma, this is incorrect. The producer of the singles and of the album itself was David Gooch who, in the fashion of the time, was uncredited. It is thought that during Cogan's lifetime, Oldham may have remixed one or more tracks, but contrary to popular belief, those were not released.

Epstein's strongest relationship with a woman was with Alma Cogan, who was also Jewish and was a part of the glitzy world of old-fashioned show business. Epstein always bought her presents when he was abroad, and even took her to Liverpool to meet his parents. Despite Epstein's preference for male company, some of his friends believed they would eventually get married. Alma Cogan died of ovarian cancer in 1966 at age 34.

Alma Cogan is also the title of a Whitbread Book Award winning novel by Gordon Burn published in 1991.



Alma Cogan singing, "Hello Young Lovers." (2:37 minutes)
youtube.com/watch?v=G9hUNYileM8

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma_Cogan

[yerblues1968]

Brian Epstein ALSO managed other artists BESIDES the Beatles:

Gerry and The Pacemakers, Cilla Black (already suggested by Eppylover), Billy J. Kramer, The Fourmost, The Big Three, The Remo Four, and Tommy Quickly.


Gerry and The Pacemakers, Cilla Black,and The Big Three

Elvis Presley's manager, Col. Tom Parker, found it astonishing that Epstein found the time to manage more than one major group. But no matter how many artists Epstein had to juggle, The Beatles were always his first love. Managing all these artists were in addition to his managing the NEMS store.

If any of these groups/artists would be mentioned in the Fifth Beatle movie, it would help the public see the extent and depth of Brian Epstein's work and responsibility to manage all of them besides managing his biggest successful group, The Beatles. Brian Epstein was, indeed, the busiest devoted manager.

[yerblues1968]

Bob Eubanks (January 8, 1938 - present) born in Flint, Michigan.


Bob Eubanks, host of "The Newlywed Game"

In retrospect, it seems hard to believe, but the management of the world famous Hollywood Bowl, had to be persuaded and cajoled into "taking a chance" on letting "upstart" Beatles perform there during their first American tour in 1964. They weren't at all sure, whether the British group was really a big enough draw to fill their amphitheater!

The man who did most of the persuading and cajoling was a Los Angeles radio DJ, artists' agent and promoter, by the name of Bob Eubanks, who proposed to promote and produce the concert. The Bowl people demanded a non-refundable security deposit, just in case the British rockers failed to bring in a large enough audience to cover expenses. Bob Eubanks actually had to go out and mortgage his home to raise the money!

www.bobeubanks.com/bio.html

As it turned out Eubanks and Capitol Records, with some help from the local media, created an event, the likes of which Los Angeles and the Hollywood Bowl had never seen before. To this day, the Bowl concert dates, all produced by Eubanks, are recalled, and replayed, as among the most important live performances of The Beatles careers.

Bob Eubanks began his broadcasting career as a disc jockey and, by the early 60's, had become one of the most successful DJs at Los Angeles' premier rock-and-roll station, KRLA. Besides producing the Beatles' Bowl appearances for three years running (Brian Epstein was so pleased with the first Bowl concert that he had Bob produce it the following year), Eubanks produced live concerts for Elton John, Barry Manilow, Bob Dylan, and The Rolling Stones.

In 1966, the superbly telegenic Eubanks became the host of televisions, "The Newlywed Game," which became one of the top rated prime time game shows of all time.

In 1972, he entered the country music business as a producer and artists' manager, guiding the careers of performers such as Marty Robbins, Barbara Mandrell, Dolly Parton and Merle Haggard, for whom he produced over a hundred concert dates a year for a decade.

Bob Eubanks continued to produced and/or host some of the successful game programs and musical shows for the major television networks into the 1990's, but is probably best known to audiences around the world for his coverage of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade for KTLA-TV, which he has done every New Years' Day since 1978!

www.ktla.com/roseparade

And he will always be remembered for bringing The Beatles to the Hollywood Bowl!



The Beatles perform A Hard Day's Night at the
Hollywood Bowl on August 23, 1964. (2:15 minutes)
youtu.be/GDye0t4hIYA



Bob Eubanks interview on hosting
The Tournament of Roses Parade. (1:40 minutes)
youtu.be/fjCu56uadHU

www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/bob-eubanks

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Eubanks

[yerblues1968]

Charles Oscar Finley (February 22, 1918 - February 19, 1996)

Nicknamed Charlie O or Charley O, was an American businessman who is best remembered for his tenure as the flamboyant owner of the Oakland Athletics Major League Baseball team (tenure actually started when the team was still based in Kansas City).


Charles Oscar Finley

When Finley owned the Kansas City Athletics, he promised the people of Kansas City that he would bring The Beatles to play in Kansas City's Municipal Stadium during the group's first tour of North America in the summer of 1964. Finley visited the group's manager, Brian Epstein, in San Francisco on August 19, 1964, where the Beatles were playing the first date of the tour. He told Epstein that he was disappointed that Kansas City was not among the group's itinerary, and offered first $50,000 and then $100,000 if the Beatles would schedule a concert in the Missouri city. Epstein refused, pointing out that on the only free date available, September 17, the band was scheduled for a day of rest in New Orleans. Finley left disappointed, but again encountered Epstein in Los Angeles a week later. Epstein again rejected Finley's offer of $100,000, noting that the band wanted to use their only day off to "explore the traditional home of jazz." Undetered, Finley tore up the $100,000 check and wrote a new one for $150,000. Astonished, Epstein excused himself to talk to the group. John Lennon speaking for his bandmates replied, "We'll do whatever you want." Satisfied that, in exchange for forfeiting their only day off, the Beatles had earned what at the time was the highest fee ever for a musical concert, a staggering $4,838 per minute, Epstein accepted Finley's check. Although Finley is usually remembered by the people of Kansas City as the man who provided mediocre baseball while attempting to abandon the city for a more promising market, it should also be kept in mind that he did deliver on his promise to bring the Beatles to Kansas City.

Source: Mark Lewisohn, The Beatles Live!: The Ultimate Reference Book (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1986), 168-69.

[yerblues1968]

Robert Whitaker (1939 - present) United Kingdom

Robert Whitaker is a renowned British photographer, best known internationally for his many photographs of The Beatles, taken between 1964 and 1966, and for his photographs of the rock group Cream, which were used in the Martin Sharp-designed collage on the cover of their 1967 LP Disraeli Gears.


Robert Whitaker and John Lennon

Whitaker was running a freelance penthouse photo studio in Flinders Street, Melbourne when he had his fateful meeting with The Beatles and their manager Brian Epstein, during the group's June 1964 Australasian tour. This came about more or less by accident, when Whitaker accompanied a journalist friend to an interview with Epstein for an article for the Melbourne Jewish News. Whitaker's picture was published with the article, which led to his introduction to Epstein and his first shots of the Beatles -- pictures of Paul McCartney and George Harrison each holding up boomerangs presented to them by their Australian fans.

"I photographed Epstein, saw he was a bit of a peacock and a cavalier, and put peacock feathers around his head in photographic relief. He was knocked out when he saw the picture. After that, he saw an exhibition of collages I had at the Museum of Modern Art and immediately offered me the position of staff photographer at NEMS, photographing all his artists. I initially turned it down, but after seeing The Beatles perform at Festival Hall I was overwhelmed by all the screaming fans and I decided to accept the offer to return to England."

Whitaker's most celebrated work is the 1966 photo which was appropriated for The Beatles' infamous Yesterday and Today album cover, which was briefly released in the U.S. in 1966 but hastily withdrawn.


The infamous "Butcher" version of Yesterday And Today
and its sedate replacement.

The Butcher sleeve LPs were withdrawn and returned, and a new cover was hastily prepared at a reported cost of $250,000. The offending Butcher photo was replaced by an unremarkable Whitaker shot of the Beatles gathered around a large steamer trunk, taken in Brian Epstein’s office. It was rushed to America, where Capitol staff spent the following weekend taking the discs from the returned "butcher” sleeves and putting them in the new sleeve. Several thousand copies of the original cover were destroyed and replaced by the ‘cabin trunk’ sleeve, but Capitol eventually decided that it would be more economical to simply paste the new cover photo over the old one. After the album was released, news of the ‘paste-over’ operation leaked out, and Beatle fans across America began steaming the cabin trunk photos off of their copies of Yesterday And Today in the hope of finding the “butcher cover" underneath.

On March 25, 1966, The Beatles went to Whitaker’s Chelsea studio for a photo session, intending to take photos for the cover of (and/or to promote) their forthcoming single, Rain / Paperback Writer. The band and their photographer were determined to create something more than the run-of-the-mill publicity shots, and among the resulting images was one which has since become known as the "butcher" photo, in which The Beatles are depicted wearing white coats, draped with dismembered doll parts, slabs of meat and false teeth.


Photo session of Yesterday and Today butcher cover.

This now-legendary image, probably the single most famous image of the group, was originally conceived as one of a triptych of photographs, and intended as a surreal, satirical pop art observation on The Beatles’ fame. Whitaker’s inspirations for the images included the work of German surrealist Hans Bellmer, notably his 1937 book Die Puppe (La Poupee). Bellmer’s images of dismembered doll and mannequin parts were first published in the French Surrealist journal Minotaure in 1934. Whitaker has also cited Meret Oppenheim as another important influence, notably her most famous surrealist creation 'Le Dejeuner en Fourrure (Lunch In Fur) (1936), a disturbing creation in which she covered a cup, saucer and spoon entirely in fur.

"It's an apparent switch-around of how you think. Can you imagine actually drinking out of a fur tea cup? I did a photograph of the Beatles covered in raw meat, dolls and false teeth. Putting meat, dolls and false teeth with The Beatles is essentially part of the same thing, the breakdown of what is regarded as normal. The actual conception for what I still call "Somnambulant Adventure" was Moses coming down from Mt. Sinai with the Ten Commandments. He comes across people worshiping a golden calf. All over the world I'd watched people worshiping like idols, like gods, four Beatles. To me they were just stock standard normal people. But this emotion that fans poured on them made me wonder where Christianity was heading".

The Beatles butcher cover LP. (2.37 minutes)
youtube.com/watch?v=rYpCYQ9v8AA

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Whitaker_%28photographer%29

[yerblues1968]

Robert Stigwood - (April 16, 1934 - present, Adelaide, South Australia)


Robert Stigwood

He is an Australian-born impresario and entertainment entrepreneur. In the 1960s and 1970s he was one of the most successful figures in the entertainment world, through his management of music groups like Cream and The Bee Gees, theatrical productions like "Hair" and "Jesus Christ Superstar" and film productions including the hugely successful "Saturday Night Fever."

In late 1961 Stigwood had made a record production deal with Sir Joseph Lockwood, managing director of EMI, who proved to be the crucial link between the record company and the budding entrepreneur, just as Lockwood had been in the Fifties for Larry Parnes, and just as he would be a couple of years later for Brian Epstein and The Beatles. From that time on, all John Leyton's singles were released on the HMV label, distributed by EMI.

The subject of Robert Stigwood's sexuality (he is understood to be gay) and its role in his career is one which has rarely been discussed. Whether or not it gave him an entree to the British showbiz scene is something probably only he can answer definitively, but it certainly would not have been a disadvantage, considering that so many other important figures in the music industry at that time -- Sir Joseph Lockwood, Larry Parnes, Brian Epstein, Lionel Bart, Kit Lambert, Simon Napier-Bell, Joe Meek, Vicki Wickham -- were also gay.

After Epstein's death, Stigwood wanted to take over the management of NEMS—believing that he was the "natural successor"—but Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr all vehemently opposed him, with Lennon saying, "We don't know you. Why would we do this?"

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Stigwood
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Epstein

[yerblues1968]

Malcolm 'Mal' Evans (27 May 1935 – 5 January 1976)

He is best known as the road manager, assistant, and a friend of The Beatles.


Malcolm 'Mal' Evans

In the early 1960s, Evans was working as a telephone engineer at the time, but was later employed as a doorman at the Cavern Club. The Beatles were performing at the Cavern Club when Evans saw them for the first time during a lunch break, and Brian Epstein later hired him as their road manager in 1963. Evans contributed to many recordings, and appeared in some of the films they made. The Beatles stopped touring in 1966, but Evans carried on assisting the band and working with them in the studio.

Evans was shot and killed by police on 5 January 1976 in his rented duplex in Los Angeles, because police officers mistakenly believed that the air gun Evans was holding was a rifle. Evans was cremated on 7 January 1976 in Los Angeles, and his ashes were sent by post back to England but were misplaced and lost in the postal system.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mal_Evans

[iamthewalrus]

Hey everybody, Jonathan Leeder here from TEG. For those who don't know me, I work for Vivek here in NYC.

All I can say is WOW! It is truly incredible seeing everyone weigh in on what characters from Eppy's life belong in the 5TH BEATLE. This is really great stuff and I love reading everyones posts and thoughts. Keep it coming.

[yerblues1968]

The BEE GEES (Commander of the British Empire - CBE)
Barry Alan Crompton Gibb (September 1, 1946 - present)
Maurice Ernest Gibb (December 22, 1949 - January 12, 2003)
Robin Hugh Gibb (December 22, 1949 - present)


Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb

Before their departure from Australia to their native England, Hugh Gibb (father) sent demos to Brian Epstein, who managed The Beatles and was director of NEMS, a British music store and promoter. Brian Epstein had given the demo tapes to Robert Stigwood who recently joined NEMS. After an audition with Stigwood in February 1967, The Bee Gees were signed to a five-year contract where Polydor Records would be the Bee Gees' record label in the UK and ATCO Records would be the U.S. distributor. Work quickly began on their first international LP and Robert Stigwood launched a huge promotion to coincide with their first album.

Massachusetts" is a song written, recorded, and released by the Bee Gees in 1967 and later appearing on their 1968 album, "Horizontal." It was their first Number 1 hit in the UK.

For Maurice Gibb, the song had a painful memory attached. Shortly after it was recorded, Beatles manager Brian Epstein told him that it was beautiful and would be the hit of the summer. These proved to be Epstein's last words to Maurice -- Epstein died a few days later.

This single is the first number-one hit single by a non-Japanese artist on Japan's official hit chart, Oricon.

Massachusetts (Original Footage) - BEE GEES
youtube.com/watch?v=DATBz5Gt3B4

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_Gees