Barry Diller

Barry Diller (born 2 February 1942) is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of IAC/InterActiveCorp and the media executive responsible for the creation of Fox Broadcasting Company and USA Broadcasting.
Barry Diller was born February 2, 1942 in San Francisco, California, where he was raised and began his career through a family connection in the mailroom of the William Morris Agency after dropping out of UCLA after one semester. In 2001 he married fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg. He is a life-long Democrat and supporter of progressive causes.
He was hired by ABC in 1966 and was soon placed in charge of negotiating broadcast rights to feature films. He was promoted to vice president in charge of feature films and program development in 1969. In this position, Diller created the ABC Movie of the Week, pioneering the concept of the made-for-television movie through a regular series of 90-minute films produced exclusively for television.
Diller served for ten years as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Paramount Pictures Corporation starting in 1974. With Diller at the helm, the studio produced hit television programs such as Laverne & Shirley (1976), Taxi (1978), and Cheers (1982) and films ranging from Saturday Night Fever (1977), and Grease (1978) to Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and its sequel Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) to Terms of Endearment (1983) and Beverly Hills Cop (1984).
From October 1984 to April 1992, he held the positions of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fox Inc, parent company of Fox Broadcasting Company and 20th Century Fox, where he greenlighted hits like The Simpsons. Diller quit 20th Century-Fox in 1992 and purchased a $25 million stake in QVC teleshopping network. Diller resigned from QVC in 1995.
In 1997, Diller acquired the assets of Silver King Broadcasting, the collective group of over-the-air TV stations owned by then Bud Paxson's Home Shopping Network as well as the Home Shopping Network itself. Along with this acquisition, Diller also purchased the rights to the USA Network from the Bronfman family. Due to Home Shopping getting more notoriety on the cable networks from his former dealings with the QVC Network, Diller sought to repurpose the broadcast stations into independent, locally-run stations as part of a station group dubbed USA Broadcasting of which the flagship station was WAMI-TV in Miami Beach, FL. The purpose of the network was to have the flagship, WAMI, produce sports and news programming while testing general interest programming for the other stations in the group, of which the general interest programming would be locally produced by the other stations in the group. Due to the high costs involved with producing and acquiring talent for shows outside the typical areas of New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA, plus the significantly low ratings such shows received in Miami Beach, the remaining shows were moved to Los Angeles to regain traction, but never did. Diller eventually sold the TV assets to Univision after rejecting a bid from The Walt Disney Company. The USA Network and its assets were later sold off to Vivendi. Diller retained the assets of the Home Shopping Network and the subsequent Internet assets he acquired later to bolster the HSN Online stable that later became IAC/InterActiveCorp.

Diller is currently the Chairman of Expedia and the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of IAC/InterActiveCorp, an interactive commerce conglomerate and the parent of companies including ServiceMagic, Home Shopping Network, Ticketmaster, Match.com, Citysearch, LendingTree and Connected Ventures, home of Vimeo and CollegeHumor. In 2005, IAC/InterActiveCorp acquired Ask.com, marking a strategic move into the Internet search category. Diller has been on the board of The Coca-Cola Company since 2002. The new headquarters of IAC/InterActiveCorp was designed by Frank Gehry and opened in 2007 at 18th Street and the West Side Highway in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, an epicenter of the city's gay community. The western half of the block is dedicated to the building which stands several stories taller than the massive Chelsea Piers Sporting complex just across the West Side Highway. The extra floors guarantee a panoramic Hudson River view from Diller's sixth-floor office.

In 2001, Diller married fashion designer and longtime friend Diane von Fürstenberg.

In 2003, on the PBS TV program NOW with Bill Moyers, Diller vocalized a strong warning against media consolidation. In the interview he referred to media ownership by a few big corporations as an oligarchy, saying the concentration strangles new ideas.

Barry Diller was "the highest-paid executive [of 2005 fiscal year]" according to a report by The New York Times on Thursday, October 26, 2006 with a total compensation package in excess of $295 million.^[4] In an opinion article in the New York Times of Nov 7, 2006, Nicholas D. Kristof awarded him his annual Michael Eisner Award, consisting of a $5 shower curtain, for corporate rapacity and laziness.
Diller is responsible for what the media dubs "The Killer Dillers" – people whom Diller mentored and who later became big-time media executives in their own right. Examples include Michael Eisner (who was President & COO of Paramount Pictures while Diller was Chairman & CEO of Paramount Pictures, who went on to become Chairman & CEO of The Walt Disney Company), Dawn Steel (future head of Columbia Pictures and the first woman to run a movie studio, who worked under Diller at Paramount), Jeffrey Katzenberg (head of PDI/DreamWorks Animation, principal of DreamWorks SKG, former head of Walt Disney Studios, and a head of production of Paramount under Diller), Garth Ancier, President of BBC America, and Don Simpson, who was President of Production at Paramount under Diller and Eisner, was also included – he later went on to run a production company based on the Disney lot with Jerry Bruckheimer. Diller also had a well known heated working relationship with the controversial TV executive, Stephen Chao, whom he worked with at Fox Television and later hired as President of Programming and Marketing at USA Network.
Barry Diller is the owner of the sailing yacht EOS; at 93 metres it is the largest sailing yacht in the world.

Szövetségesei és ellenségei ódákat zengenek intelligenciájáról, emberismeretéről, tárgyalási technikáiról, kisugárzásáról és arról a képességéről, ahogyan a maga malmára képes hajtani a vállalati intrikák hullámait. Nem tartozik a sztárként kezelt médiamogulok közé, pedig kevesen bírnak annyi tapasztalattal, mint ő, aki bejárta a szórakoztatóipar és a médiavilág minden szegletét. A televíziózásban korszakalkotó formulákat talált ki (a hét filmje, a négyrészes mini-sorozat); 30 évesen mindenfajta idevágó gyakorlat nélkül lett hollywoodi stúdiófőnök (felturbósította a gyengélkedő Paramountot, majd a Foxot); dolgozott keménykezű tulajdonosoknak (Rupert Murdoch, John Malone); önállósult, felfejlesztette cégét, egy vagyonért adott túl rajta (a USA Networks 10,8 milliárd dollárt kóstált); a Forbes listáján a 400 leggazdagabb üzletember között szerepelt. Miután a nyáron nem sikerült megszereznie az eladósodott Vivendit, most az internetre kacsingat. Napóleon és Machiavelli keveréke nem az a típus, aki feladja.

Szülei ingatlanfejlesztők voltak, Beverly Hillsben nevelkedett fel, 19 évesen otthagyta az egyetemet (a rangos UCLA-t), és a William Morris ügynökség kifutófiújaként kezdte az ipart, majd családi kapcsolatok révén került az ABC programigazgatóságára. Későbbi fontos kollégája, Michael Eisner (jelenleg a Disney elnöke) így eleveníti fel könyvében első találkozásukat az ABC-nél: "Megdöbbentett, hogy a feje már akkor erősen kopaszodott. Bekísért az irodájába, anélkül, hogy bemutatkozott volna. Az állásinterjú alatt, amely húsz percig tartott, mindvégig udvarias volt, de látszott, hogy nem sokat törődik velem. Valahányszor kigyulladt egy gomb a telefonon, felkapott egy fülhallgatót, egy percig hallgatott, aztán folytatta a beszélgetésünket." Eisner ezután vacsorázni ment azzal a férfivel, aki beajánlotta őt az ABC-hez. "Azt mondtam a férfiról, hogy elég alacsony. "Nem az." Megemlítettem, hogy kopaszodik. "Ez sem igaz." A viselkedése kapkodó és kizárólag üzletre vonatkozik. "Ez lehetséges, de mindazok alapján, amit elmondtál, szerintem az asszisztensével találkoztál. Barry Dillerrel." Eisner később tudta meg: az ABC-s asszisztensek körében bevett gyakorlat volt, hogy belehallgattak főnökeik telefonbeszélgetéseibe, hogy lépést tartsanak az eseményekkel.

Dillert 1968-ban 26 tévéfilm gyártásával bízták meg. A másfél órás alkotásokat egyenként 450 ezer dollárból kellett elkészíteni, ami a fele volt annak, amit akkoriban az NBC költött hasonló dramatikus programokra. Senki sem vállalkozott a gyártásukra. A filmstúdiók nem akartak ilyen olcsón gyártani, főleg nem a mozivászon riválisa számára. Diller független producerekhez fordult, akik éhesek voltak a munkára; így találta meg Aaron Spellinget, a Starsky és Hutch, a T. J. Hooker, a Melrose Place későbbi producerét. 1970-ben Los Angelesbe helyezték át, nemcsak azért, mert a filmkészítés ott összpontosult, hanem mert felettese a távolban szerette volna látni az eredményesen dolgozó, de olykor kezelhetetlen Dillert. Néhány éven belül az ABC esti főműsoridejét heti három nap az ő programjai töltötték ki. Élen járt az olcsó, ám társadalmi témájukkal annál nagyobb érdeklődésre számot tartó doku-drámák gyártásában (homoszexualitás, vietnami háború, drogok), és ő indította el a Gyökerek című sorozatot is. 1973-ban honosította meg a négyrészes mini-széria formuláját (ma a televíziózás alapvető panelje), amikor 12 órás verziót rendelt Irwin Shaw Rich Man, Poor Man című könyvéből. A baljóslatú vélekedések ellenére a sorozat nagy siker aratott, amikor 1976-ben képernyőre került. Programjai ugyan sikeresek voltak, de az ABC évről-évre utolsó helyen végzett a csatornák nézettségi összesítésében.

"Diller felfelé bukott" - jegyezte meg a Variety, amikor a Paramountot birtokló Gulf & Western feje, Charles Bluhdorn őt kérte fel a stúdió társelnökévé, Frank Yablans mellé - annak ellenére, hogy Diller alkalmazottként sose tette be a lábát egyetlen filmstúdióba, nemhogy vezetőként. 32 éves volt ekkor. Lecserélte banánnak tetsző, sárga Jaguárját, és fejest ugrott a feladatba. Apa-fiú kapcsolat alakult ki Bluhdorn és Diller között, a főnök gyakran vendégül látta a Dominikai Köztársaságban álló birtokán, ahol Henry Kissinger-féle nagyságok fordultak meg rendszeresen, és már Diller "kiházasításán" törte a fejét, hogy ne csak remek vezetőt, de apát faragjon belőle (ami nem vált valóra).
"Bluhdorn azt remélte, hogy a két férfi közötti versengés helyre teszi Yablans elharapózó egóját, és mindkettejükből a legjobb munkát hozza ki. Csodálta azt a ravaszságot, amellyel Diller az üzleteket kötötte és a beosztottjait kezelte" - írja könyvében Peter Bart. Diller bevetette az általa "folyamatos kirúgás"-nak nevezett módszert: elszigetelni valakit az eseményektől, ellehetetleníteni őt az információk visszatartásával. Vetélytársa, Yablans hat hét múltán feladta, és kilépett! Miután gyorsan megvált az előző rezsimtől, maga mellé hívta ABC-s kollégáját, Michael Eisnert társelnöknek. Ő is filmes munkatapasztalat nélkül érkezett a posztra, 34 évesen.

Az elkövetkező tíz évben Hollywood óriásai közé hozták fel a sereghajtó stúdiót. 1977 és 1982 között megháromszorozták a forgalmat, és a profitot 13 millióról több mint 100 millióra tornázták fel! Sikerük lényege az úgynevezett "high concept" volt, ami elvetette a nyolcvanas évek popkultúrájába beágyazott filmiparának magjait: ha van egy világos, egyszerű ötleted, ami egy film alapja lehet, és ezt el tudod mondani egy-két mondatban, akkor nagy az esélyed, hogy ebből sikerfilm lesz. Az a film, amely nem egy érthető ötleten vagy történeten alapul, csak rétegfilm lehet, mert a nagyközönség nem fogja azzal fárasztani magát, hogy megértse. Ebből nőtt ki a mai folytatásokra és franchise-lehetőségekre koncentráló, kockázatkerülő filmipar. Elvégre Diller irányítása alatt készültek az első Star Trek- és Indiana Jones-mozifilmek. Ellenségei ezért jegyezik meg, hogy sosem tartozott az ágazat kreatív figurái közé: "Neki a filmek mindig termékek voltak. Ezért árul most trikókat a Home Shopping-nál", mondta egy megfigyelő a kilencvenes évek végén. A high concept szellemében fogtak bele forgatókönyvek fejlesztésébe, és nem vártak az ügynökségek javaslataira, az úgynevezett packagingre, amely a rendezőt, írót/könyvet, színészt együtt kínáló, ügynökségi jutalékkal megfejelt "csomagokat" jelenti. Nem mentek bele a népszerű könyvek filmes jogaira utazó stúdiós licitálásokba sem - mindabba, ami mára elengedhetetlenné vált a hollywoodi versenyben. A Paramount égisze alatt olyan filmek születtek, mint a Beverly Hills-i zsaru, a Flashdance, a Footlose, a Szombat esti láz, a Grease, az American Gigolo, a Benjamin közlegény, az Airplane!, meg művészfilmek, mint az Átlagemberek, a Becéző szavak, a Vörösök, az Atlantic City, a Mennyei napok, az Elefántember.

Diller és Eisner a stúdió pénzügyi stabilitását tartották elsődlegesnek. Az iparági átlag alatt tartották filmjeik költségvetését, és ahol nem bíztak a sikerben, még a forgatás során partnereket hoztak be, hogy minimalizálják a stúdió lehetséges veszteségét. Így ment a váratlanul nagyot durranó Flashdance profitja stúdión kívüli zsebekbe, vagy a Vörösök - Oscar-díjainak köszönhető - szerény nyeresége a Barclay's Bank kasszájába. Máskor már a finanszírozást is külső résztvevőkkel oldották meg, az amerikai adókedvezmények révén chicagói, New York-i fogorvosok és ügyvédek adták össze a filmek költségvetését, a jogszabály-módosítások után pedig az angol adótörvényeket kihasználva szereztek brit támogatókat. Elsőként kezdték el lábon eladni gyártás előtt álló filmjeiket (pre-sale) a tévécsatornáknak.

Bluhdorn halála után az új tulajdonos azzal próbálta magához láncolni a stúdió vezéreit, hogy megfosztotta őket hűséges középvezetőiktől. Így került szorításba Eisner is. Diller eleinte palástolta a veszélyt, de aztán - hamarosan lejáró szerződése tudatában - már csak másfelé kacsingatott. 1984. szeptember 12-én a lejtmenetbe került Foxhoz szerződött, hogy fellendítse a bizniszt. Tíz nappal később Eisnert a Disney - ismét egy szebb napokat látott birodalom - elnöke lett.
Még alig ült le a székébe a Foxnál, 1985-ben tulajdonosváltás történt a stúdió felett, és a hiperkonzervatív Rupert Murdoch lett Diller új főnöke. A két mogul ambíciói találkoztak: Diller valóra válthatta nagy álmát, hogy létrehozza a "nagy három" (NBC, ABC, CBS) vetélytársát. Kétmilliárd (!) dollárért megvett egy hálózatot, amely az USA nyolc nagyvárosában működő csatornát fogott egybe, és a lakosság 23 százalékát érte el. Erre építette rá a negyedik országos tévécsatornát, a Fox Broadcastingot, amely eleinte csak hetente két este sugárzott programot. Három évbe telt, míg teljes műsoridejű csatornává vált, főként olyan sikerekkel, mint a Simpson család vagy később a Power Rangers. A filmstúdióról sem feledkezett el, 1989-ben a magyar származású Joe Rothot nevezte ki az élére, aki olyan családi mozik bevételeivel járult hozzá a News Corp. mérlegéhez, mint a Reszkessetek, betörők! és a Mrs. Doubtfire.

Dillernek az évek során egyre inkább elege lett abból, hogy a más birodalmát építi. Ötvenéves korára elmondhatta, hogy három médiakonszernt vezetett, és mindet nyereségesen. Eredményein felbuzdulva Murdoch-kal egyenrangú pozícióra törekedett, ám ez nem volt az ausztrál mogul ínyére. 1992-ben nyilvánosan kijelentette, hogy még egyszer nem fog másnak dolgozni - és önállósította magát...

A teljes, részletes életrajz ITT olvasható!
Forrás: Hullámvadász Médiaportál

Baron De Reuter and the Reuters News Agency

Paul Julius Freiherr von Reuter (Baron De Reuter) (July 21, 1816 – February 25, 1899) was a German entrepreneur and later naturalized British citizen. The pioneer of telegraphy and news reporting[1] was journalist and media owner, the founder of Reuters news agency.

He was born in Kassel, Germany to a Jewish family[3]. His father was a rabbi. His birthname was Israel Beer Josaphat. In Göttingen Reuter met Carl Friedrich Gauss who experimented with the transmission of electrical signals via wire.
On 29 October 1845, he moved to London, where he called himself Joseph Josephat. On November 16 he converted to Christianity during a ceremony at St. George's German Lutheran Chapel in London[4] and changed his name to Paul Julius Reuter. One week later on November 23, he married Ida Maria Elizabeth Clementine Magnus in Berlin. After the failed Revolution of 1848, he fled from Germany and went to Paris and worked there in Charles-Louis Havas' news agency, the future Agence France Presse. While telegraphy evolved, Reuter first founded the Reuters News Agency in Aachen which transferred messages between Brussels and Aachen using carrier pigeons. This was the missing link to connect Berlin and Paris. The carrier pigeons were much faster than the post train, giving Reuter faster access to stock news from the Paris stock exchange. In 1851, the carrier pigeons were superseded by a direct telegraph link.[5] A telegraph link was established between Britain and the European continent through the English Channel. This link was extended to the south-western shore of Ireland, at Cork in 1863. There ships coming from America threw canisters containing news into the sea. The news was telegraphed to London, arriving before the ships.
In 1851 Reuter moved back to London and set up an office at the London Stock Exchange. Reuter founded Reuters, one of the major financial news agencies of the world. On 17 March 1857, Reuter was naturalised as a British subject, and on September 7, 1871, the German Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha conferred a barony (Freiherr) on Julius Reuter. The title was "confirmed by Queen Victoria as conferring the privileges of the nobility in England".[4]
Baron de Reuter had two sons, George, 3rd Baron de Reuter, and André Reuter. His only daughter, Clementine Maria, married Count Otto Stenbock, and after his death, Sir Herbert Chermside, a governor of Queensland.[6] George, 3rd Baron de Reuter had two sons, Oliver, 4th Baron de Reuter, and Ronald Reuter. The last member of the family, Marguerite, widow of the 4th baron, died on January 25, 2009.[7]
Paul Reuter died in Villa Reuter, Nice, France, and was buried in the family vault at West Norwood Cemetery in London.
Edward G. Robinson portrayed Reuter in the Warner Bros. biopic A Dispatch from Reuters (1940).
On February 25, 1999, the Reuters News Agency commemorated the 100th anniversary of the death of its founder by launching a university award (Paul Julius Reuter Innovation Award) in Germany.[8]
The last surviving member of the Reuters family, Marguerite, Baroness de Reuter, who was Paul Reuter's granddaughter-in-law, died in 2009 at the age of 96.

Az olvasók többségének a Reuters forrásmegjelölés pontos, megbízható, tárgyilagos hírügynökséget takar. Pedig ma már a cég tevékenységének alig tizedét teszi ki a hírszolgáltatás; a nagyobbik hányadot gazdasági információk, elemzések adják, a részvények, devizák árfolyamának valós idejű szolgáltatása, valamint a technikai háttér megteremtése, a Reuters rendszerén bonyolítják le például a bankok közötti pénzmozgást.A birodalom alapjait lerakó Paul Julius Reuter 1816-ban született a németországi Kasselben, Israel Beer Josaphat néven, egy rabbi harmadik fiaként. Egy göttingeni bankban kezdett dolgozni tisztviselőként, a nagybátyjáéban, ott ismerte meg Carl Friedrich Gausst, a zseniális matematikust. Nagy ívű karrierjét részben neki köszönheti, hiszen Wilhelm Weber fizikaprofesszorral Gauss fejlesztette ki az első elektromos távírót.Otthagyta a bankot, 1845-ben Londonba költözött, akkor már a Joseph Josephat nevet használta. Néhány héttel később megkeresztelkedett a Szent György-kápolnában, és felvette a Paul Julius Reuter nevet, újabb egy hétre pedig ugyanott feleségül vette Ida Maria Elizabeth Clementine Magnust. Nem sokkal később visszatért Németországba, betársult egy könyvesboltba, és egy kisebb kiadó munkatársa lett. Politikai pamfleteket írt, és emiatt meggyűlt a baja a hatóságokkal, ezért 1848-ban Párizsba ment. Ma úgy mondanánk, hogy lapszemléket készített, a helyi újságokból válogatott híreket és kereskedelmi információkat, és eladta őket Németországban. A vállalkozás azonban megbukott, és Reuter a konkurenciánál vállalt állást, fordító lett az Havas hírügynökségénél (abból lett később az AFP).Aztán ismét Németország következett, 1850-ben hírügynökséget alapított a belga és a holland határ közelében fekvő Aachenben. Mivel a vezetékes távíróvonal nem volt végig kiépítve Párizstól Berlinig, Brüsszel és Aachen között postagalambok vitték a híreket. A szolgáltatással megelőzte a vasutat, hiszen a galambok gyorsabbak voltak, és a menetrend sem kötötte őket.
Egy évvel később megint költözött a család, Reuter Londonba tette át a székhelyét, és irodát nyitott a tőzsde közelében. Dover és Calais között akkor fektették le a tenger alatti kábelt, megvolt tehát az összeköttetés Anglia és a kontinens között. Kezdetben bankoknak, brókercégeknek küldtek üzleti táviratokat Párizsba, később, ahogy fejlődött a cég, gazdasági és egyéb híreket is. Reuter azt ismerte fel, hogy a hírből is áru lett, fontossá vált a gyorsaság, a távíróval pedig percek alatt jutottak el az információk egyik országból a másikba. Óriási dolog volt ez, főleg ha figyelembe vesszük, hogy a waterlooi csata eredménye négy nap alatt ért el Londonba.

„Kövesd a kábelt” – ez volt Reuter elve. És a gyakorlata is: 1858-ra már több irodája működött a kontinensen. Hírügynökségének első előfizetője a londoni Morning Advertiser című újság lett, és nem sokkal később követte a Times is, majd gyakorlatilag az egész angol sajtó. A legmagasabb körökben is felfigyeltek rá, olyannyira, hogy Lord Palmerston miniszterelnök a királynőnek is bemutatta. Reuter nagy győzelmei között tartják számon, hogy 1865-ben az ő hírügynökségéé volt az európai elsőség, amikor riportban számolt be Lincoln amerikai elnök meggyilkolásáról.

Mihelyt a tenger alatti kábelek lehetővé tették, Reuter irodát nyitott Egyiptomban, később Amerikában, a Távol-Keleten és Dél-Amerikában is. Ahol meg hiányzott a műszaki háttér, mint például Kínában, ott futárokat alkalmazott. A kábelhálózatot kiépíttette az ír partokig, Corkig, és ezáltal az Egyesült Államok került közelebb: az Amerikából érkező hajók kidobták a híreket, ily módon távírón órákkal hamarabb jutottak el Londonba, mint ahogy a hajó kikötött volna.

A brit állampolgárságot 1857-ben vette fel Reuter. Szülőhazájában 1871-ben bárói rangot kapott, és Viktória királynő jóvoltából Angliában is élvezhette a vele járó kiváltságokat. Hatvankét évesen, 1878-ban átadta a vezetői feladatokat fiának, Herbertnek. A cég irányításában azért még utána is részt vett, ezt mutatja egy 1883-as, a munkatársainak írt körlevele, amelyben tulajdonképpen lefektette a hírügynökségi munka alapjait. Tehát amiről Reuter szerint feltétlenül hírt kell adni: tűzvész, robbanás, áradás, vonatbaleset, földrengés, pusztító viharok, áldozatokat követelő hajótörés, súlyos utcai zavargások, sztrájkok, ismert emberek öngyilkossága, borzalmas gyilkosságok. A puszta tényeket a lehető legsürgősebben kell jelenteni, utána pedig – ugyancsak minél előbb – a részletes leírást, az események súlyával arányosan. És persze alapelv, hogy követni kell a fejleményeket.A Reuter éles harcot vívott a francia Havas és a német Wolff hírügynökséggel, 1870-ben azonban felosztották egymás között a piacot, és újabb konkurens egy jó ideig nem volt képes beférkőzni közéjük.Paul Julius Reuter idős korában kellemesebb éghajlatra vágyott, Nizzába költözött, és ottani villájában halt meg 1899-ben. Virágzó hírügynökséget hagyott maga után. Ha belegondolunk, hogy néhány postagalambbal kezdte…
(http://zona.hu/)

Adolf Zukor

Adolf Zukor, born Adolph Cukor, (January 7, 1873 – June 10, 1976) was a film mogul and founder of Paramount Pictures.
He was born to a Jewish family in Ricse, Hungary, which was then a part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. In 1889, at the age of 16, he emigrated to America. Like most immigrants, he began modestly. When he first landed in New York, he stayed with his family and worked in an upholstery shop. A friend got him a job as an apprentice at a furrier. Zukor stayed there for two years. When he left to become a "contract" worker, sewing fur pieces and selling them himself, he was nineteen years old and an accomplished designer. But he was young and adventuresome, and the 1892 Columbian Exposition in Chicago, commemorating Columbus's discovery of America, drew him to the Midwest. Once there, he started a fur business. In the second season of operation, Zukor's Novelty Fur Company expanded to twenty-five men and opened a branch.
One of the stubborn fallacies of movie history is that the men who created the film industry were all impoverished young vulgarians. Zukor clearly didn't fit this profile. By 1903, he already looked and lived like a wealthy young burgher, and he certainly earned the income of one. He had a commodious apartment at 111th Street and Seventh Avenue in New York City's wealthy German-Jewish section. He became involved in the motion picture industry when in 1903 his cousin, Max Goldstein approached him for a loan. Mitchell Mark needed investors in order to expand his chain of similar theaters that begun in Buffalo, New York with Edisonia Hall. The arcade salon was to feature Thomas Edison's marvels: phonographs, electric lights and moving pictures. Zukor not only gave Goldstein the money but insisted on forming a partnership to open another one. Another partner in the venture was Marcus Loew.
In 1912, Adolph Zukor established Famous Players in Famous Plays as the American distribution company for the French film production Les Amours de la reine Élisabeth starring Sarah Bernhardt. The following year he obtained the financial backing of the Frohman brothers, the powerful New York City theatre impresarios. Their primary goal was to bring noted stage actors to the screen and they created the Famous Players Film Company that produced The Prisoner of Zenda (1913). The studio evolved into Famous Players-Lasky and then Paramount Pictures, of which he served as president until 1936 when he was elevated to chairman of the board. He revolutionized the film industry by organizing production, distribution, and exhibition within a single company.
Zukor was also an accomplished director and producer. He retired from Paramount Pictures in 1959 and thereafter assumed Chairman Emeritus status, a position he held up until his death at the age of 103 in Los Angeles.
Zukor Adolf (Zukor, Adolph) (Ricse, 1873. január 7. - Los Angeles, 1976. június 10.) producer, a Paramount Pictures filmvállalat alapítója, a hollywoodi filmgyártás egyik létrehozója.

Falusi zsidó szatócs családjában született. Mátészalkán elvégzett 4 polgárit, majd Abaújszántóra került inasnak Blau Herman vegyeskereskedésébe. 15 éves korában (1888) gondolt egy merészet, és kezébe vette a vándorbotot.
Noha a zsebében mindössze pár dollár árválkodott, meg sem állt Amerikáig. Előbb egy szőrméshez szegődött, később önállósította magát és szűcsműhelyt nyitott. 20 éves korában (1893) látott egy filmet és azonnal megérezte benne az üzleti lehetőséget. Nem a művészet érdekelte, hanem a pénzcsinálás, a vállalkozás öröme és kockázata.
1904-ben betársult egy filléres bódéba, ahol három perces mozidarabokat lehetett megtekinteni egy penny bedobása fejében. Marcus Loew-vel, a későbbi mozimogullal szövetkezve hálózatot épített ki, s arra törekedett, hogy az új találmány iránti érdeklődést maximálisan kielégítse. A piacon azonban a korai nagy társaságokból alakult tröszt diktált, Zukornak tehát "robbantania" kellett. A szerencse az Erzsébet királynő képében sietett a segítségére. Megvásárolta a Sarah Bernhardt főszereplésével készült francia film forgalmazási jogát, és ezzel 1912-ben a szó szoros értelmében tarolt Amerikában.
A mind magabiztosabb egykori szűcs még ugyanabban az esztendőben megalapította a Famous Players in Famous Plays Company-t, s a büszke cégtáblának megfelelően kiváló erőket szerződtetett igényes regények és színdarabok vászonra viteléhez. Többek között Edwin S. Porter, a tehetséges pionírok egyike rendezett számára, csillagai között pedig Mary Pickford, az első igazi sztár is ott tündökölt.

1914-ben Zukor már évi 30 film készítésére képes csapatot verbuvált, megnyílt a Broadwayn 3500 személyes mozipalotája, a Standard. Los Angeles külvárosában, Hollywoodban kibérelte egy narancsfarm gazdasági épületét, ott rendezte be az első stúdiót. Hamarosan csapatostól kéredzkedtek hozzá a népszerű szerepjátszók. Az ő "istállójából" került ki ekkor, ill. a fölemelkedés esztendeiben Douglas Fairbanks, John Barrymore, Pola Negri, Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow, Adolphe Menjou, Rudolph Valentino, Gary Cooper és a többi élő legenda. Bevezette a kizárólagosságot: színészei más cégek számára nem dolgozhattak.
Zukor cége 1916-ban egyesült Jesse L. Lasky Feature Film Company nevű gyárával. Az óriási tekintéllyel rendelkező ex-magyart választották elnökké. A birodalom megkoronázását a forgalmazás megkaparintása jelenthette. Erre is született stratégia. William Hodkinson rendelkezett a legtöbb mozidarab vetítési jogával. Zukor először felajánlotta neki a fúziót, de az elutasítástól sem jött zavarba: annak rendje és módja szerint megbuktatta vetélytársát és megvalósította elképzelését. Így kezdődött 1916-ban a Paramount Pictures krónikája.
A birodalom és vezére uralkodott a filmszakmában, de a virágzás nem tart(hat)ott örökké. 1932-ben a könyvek 21 millió dolláros deficitet mutattak.
A hosszabb szünet utáni újjászervezéstől kezdve a cég a Paramount Pictures Inc. nevet viselte. Barney Balaban lett az új vezető, ám az alapítónak sem kötöttek útilaput a talpára: az igazgatótanács elnökeként továbbra is bejárhatott hivatalába.
Az 1940-es évek végén a televíziót akarta az ellenőrzése alá vonni. Szövetkezett az ABC (American Broadcasting Company) tévétársasággal, ami nem kis hatalmat és befolyást jelentett.
1966-ban a stúdió a Gulf and Western Industries nevű konszernbe olvadt. Adolph Zukor a "szép új világon" is rajta tarthatta a szemét, tiszteletbeli elnökként fürödhetett a népszerűségben.
1949-ben életművéért Oscar-díjat kapott. Századik születésnapját világraszóló külsőségek között ünnepelték meg.

Brian Epstein and The Beatles

Brian Samuel Epstein (19 September 1934 – 27 August 1967) was an English music entrepeneur, and the manager of The Beatles. Through his family's company, NEMS (North End Music Stores) he also managed several other musical artists such as Gerry & The Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black and The Remo Four.
The Beatles recorded a demo in Decca's studios—paid for by Epstein—which he later persuaded George Martin to listen to, as Decca were not interested in signing The Beatles. Epstein was then offered a contract (after Martin had auditioned the group) by EMI's small Parlophone label, even though they had previously been rejected by almost every other British record company.
Epstein died of an accidental drug overdose at his home in London in August 1967. The Beatles' early success has been attributed to Epstein's management and sense of style. Paul McCartney said of Epstein: "If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian."

Epstein was born into a Jewish family in Rodney Street, Liverpool, England. Epstein's grandfather, Isaac Epstein, was from Hodan, Lithuania (which was part of Russia at that time) and arrived in England in the 1890s, at the age of eighteen.[2] His grandmother, Dinah, was the daughter of Joseph and Esther Hyman, who emigirated (from either Poland or Russia) to England (circa 1870) with their eldest son, Jacob. The Hymans had six more children.
Isaac Epstein married Dinah Hyman in Manchester, in 1900.[3] In 1901, Isaac and Dinah were living at 80 Walton Road, Liverpool, with Isaac's sister, Rachael Epstein, above the furniture dealership he had recently founded.[4] Dinah and Isaac's third son was Harry Epstein; the father of Brian Epstein.[5] After Harry and his brother Leslie had joined the family firm, Isaac Epstein founded "I. Epstein and Sons", and enlarged his furniture business by taking over adjacent shops (62/72 Walton Road) to sell a varied range of other goods, such as musical instruments and household appliances.[5][6] They called the expanding business NEMS (North End Music Stores) which offered lenient credit terms, and from which McCartney's father once bought a piano.

Epstein's mother was formally named Malka (although always known by her family as Queenie—Malka translating as "queen" in Hebrew) and was a member of the Hyman furniture family, which owned the successful Sheffield Veneering Company.[5] Harry and Queenie also had another son, Clive, who was born 22 months after Epstein's birth.[10] During WWII the Epsteins moved to Southport to escape The Blitz—where two schools expelled Epstein for laziness and poor performance—but returned to Liverpool in 1945.[11] The Epsteins lived at 197 Queens Drive, Childwall, in Liverpool, and stayed there for 30 years.[12] After his parents had moved him from one boarding school to another, the 14-year-old Epstein spent two years at Wrekin College, in Shropshire. Shortly before his sixteenth birthday in 1950, he sent a long letter to his father, explaining that he wanted to become a dress designer, but Harry Epstein was adamantly opposed to this idea, and his son finally had to "report for duty" at the family's furniture shop.[2][10] On a £5 per week wage, selling furniture was not what Epstein wanted, but he was congratulated by his family on the first day of work after selling a £12 dining room table to a woman who originally wanted to buy a mirror.[13]
In December 1951, Epstein was drafted—as a clerk—into the Royal Army Service Corps, and was posted to the Albany Street Barracks near Regent's Park, in London, where he was often reprimanded for not picking up his army pay.[14] After returning to Liverpool Epstein was put in charge of Clarendon Furnishing shop in Hoylake, and in 1955, at the age of twenty-one, was made a director of NEMS.[10] In September of 1956, he took a trip to London to meet a friend, but after being there for only one day, he was robbed of his passport, birth certificate, chequebook, wristwatch, and all the money he had on him. As he did not want his parents to find out, he worked as department store clerk until he had earned enough money to buy a train ticket back to Liverpool.[15] Back in Liverpool, he confessed "everything" (his homosexuality) to a psychiatrist—a friend of the Epstein family—who suggested to Harry Epstein that his son should leave Liverpool as soon as possible. During the sessions Epstein revealed his ambition of becoming an actor, so his parents allowed him go to London to study.[10][15] Epstein attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. His RADA classmates included actors Susannah York, Albert Finney and Peter O'Toole, but Epstein dropped out after the third term.[16] Back in Liverpool, Harry Epstein put his son in charge of the record department of the newly-opened NEMS music store on Great Charlotte Street.[17] Epstein worked "day and night" at the store to make it a success, and it became one of the biggest musical retail outlets in the North of England.[18] The Epsteins opened a second store at 12-14 Whitechapel, and Epstein was put in charge of the entire operation. Epstein often walked across the road to the Lewis's department store (which also had a music section) where Peter Brown was employed. He watched Brown's sales technique and was impressed enough to lure Brown to work for NEMS with the offer of a higher salary and a commission on sales.[19] On 3 August 1961, Epstein started a regular music column in the Mersey Beat magazine, called, 'Record Releases, by Brian Epstein of NEMS'.

The Beatles' name was supposedly first noticed by Epstein in issues of Mersey Beat (magazine), and on numerous posters around Liverpool, before he asked Bill Harry who they were, as Harry had previously convinced Epstein to sell the Mersey Beat magazine at NEMS).[20] (The Beatles were featured on the front page of Mersey Beat's second issue).[21][22] The Beatles had recorded the 'My Bonnie' single with Tony Sheridan in Germany, and some months after its release Epstein asked Alistair Taylor about it in NEMS.[23] Epstein's version of the story was that a customer, Raymond Jones, walked into the NEMS shop and asked Epstein for the "My Bonnie" single, which made Epstein curious about the group.[24] Taylor later claimed that he used the name of Jones (a regular customer) to order the single and paid the deposit himself, knowing that Epstein would notice it, and order further copies.[25]
The Beatles were due to perform a lunchtime concert in the Cavern Club (a dark, damp, and dirty basement) on 9 November 1961, not far from the NEMS store.[16] Epstein asked Bill Harry to arrange for Epstein and his assistant Taylor to watch The Beatles perform, and Epstein and Taylor were allowed into the club without queuing, with a welcome message being announced over the club's public-address system by Bob Wooler, who was the resident DJ.[26] Epstein later talked about the performance:

“ I was immediately struck by their music, their beat, and their sense of humour on stage—and, even afterwards, when I met them, I was struck again by their personal charm. And it was there that, really, it all started.”

After the performance, Epstein and Taylor went into the dressing room—which was "as big as a broom cupboard"—to talk to them.[28] The Beatles immediately recognised Epstein—as they were regular customers at NEMS—but before Epstein could congratulate them on their performance, George Harrison said, "And what brings Mr. Epstein here?"[29]
The Beatles played at the Cavern over the next three weeks, and Epstein was always there to watch them. Epstein contacted their previous manager, Allan Williams, to confirm that Williams no longer had any ties to them, but Williams advised Epstein "not to touch them with a barge pole".[30][31] In a meeting with the group at NEMS on 10 December 1961, he proposed the idea of managing them.[32] The Beatles signed a five-year contract with Epstein on 24 January 1962.[22] Epstein had told his mother and father that managing The Beatles was only a part-time occupation, and would never interfere with the family business.[27]
Although Epstein had had no prior experience of artist management, he had a strong influence on their early dress-code and attitude on stage.[33] When Epstein discovered the band, they wore blue jeans and leather jackets, performing at rowdy rock 'n' roll shows where they would stop and start songs when they felt like it, or when an audience member requested a certain song. Epstein encouraged them to wear suits and ties, insisted that they stop swearing, smoking, drinking or eating onstage, and also suggested the famous synchronised bow at the end of their performances.[34] McCartney was the first to agree with Epstein's ideas, believing it was—in part—due to Epstein's RADA training.[35] Lennon was against the idea of suits and ties, but later said, "Yeah, man, all right, I'll wear a suit. I'll wear a bloody balloon if somebody's going to pay me".[36]
Epstein made numerous trips to London to visit record companies with the hope of securing a record contract, but was rejected by many, including Columbia, Pye, Philips, Oriole, and most famously, Decca [see The Decca audition].[37] The Beatles later found out that Epstein had paid Decca producer Tony Meehan (ex-drummer of the Shadows) to produce the studio recordings.[37] While Epstein was negotiating with Decca, he also approached EMI marketing executive Ron White, who later contacted EMI producers Norrie Paramor, Walter Ridley, and Norman Newell, but they all declined to record the group.[38][39] White could not contact EMI's fourth staff producer (George Martin) as he was on holiday.[40]
On 8 February 1962, Epstein visited a HMV store in Oxford Street, London, to have the Decca audition tape transferred to disc. A HMV technician named Jim Foy liked the recordings, and suggested that Epstein should contact Parlophone's George Martin.[41] The Beatles were signed by EMI's small Parlophone label after the group had been rejected by almost every other British record company, and without Martin ever having seen them play live.[42] Martin later explained that Epstein's enthusiasm and conviction that one day The Beatles would become internationally famous convinced him to sign them.[33]
Martin scheduled an audition—at Abbey Road Studios—which convinced Martin that they were good enough, but with one exception: He felt the recording would be better served by an experienced session drummer in place of Pete Best.[42] When the news came that Martin wanted to replace Best on their recordings with a session drummer, John Lennon, McCartney and Harrison asked Epstein to fire Best from the band.[33] Epstein agonised about the decision, and asked Bob Wooler if it was a good idea, to which Wooler replied that Best was very popular with the fans and they wouldn't like it at all.[43] Ringo Starr took his place, as Starr had previously played with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, and had previously stepped in to drum with them when Best was ill or unable to play.[42]
The Beatles toured the Philippines in July 1966, but Epstein unintentionally snubbed the nation's first lady, Imelda Marcos, when presented with an invitation to a breakfast party.[44] Epstein politely declined on behalf of the group, as it had been their policy never to accept such official invitations.[45] The Beatles and their entourage were ejected from their hotel the same day and were given a police escort to the airport. They boarded the plane to fly home, but Epstein and Mal Evans were ordered off, with both believing they would not be allowed back on the plane.[46] Epstein was forced to give back most of the money that they had earned in the Philippines before being allowed back on the plane.

The Beatles' hectic schedule of touring, television, and film work between 1963-65 kept Epstein very busy. The Beatles' last live concert was at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California on 29 August 1966, and Epstein's management duties changed to reflect the changing nature of their career. He wanted them to continue touring, however, but they adamantly refused.[48] The Beatles started to pay less attention to Epstein's advice on many issues after they stopped touring, such as the legally risky cover art of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Epstein later brought Robert Stigwood into the NEMS organisation, and wanted to sell the control of NEMS to him, but didn't tell any of the group about his decision.[49]
Before Epstein's death, McCartney had been taking a much more active interest in NEMS' finances, and the group was becoming aware that some artists with more ruthless managers—such as the Rolling Stones under Allen Klein—claimed to be receiving more commercially advantageous terms. 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?"

McCartney admitted that they signed all the contracts Epstein presented to them without reading them first, but when Lennon was asked for a comment about Epstein's business dealings after Epstein’s death, he said, "Well, he was alright. I've found out since, of course, that he wasn't quite as honest to us as he made out"—although many other interviews with Lennon report him as being very loyal to Epstein, and even saying, "We had complete faith in him when he was running us. To us, he was the expert".[50][51]
The Beatles all signed Epstein's first management contract, but Epstein did not sign it himself, thereby giving himself the option of withdrawing at any time, although he told his assistant Taylor the opposite by saying, "Well, if they ever want to tear it up, they can hold me but I can't hold them".[33] The contract was not legally binding on McCartney and Harrison in any case, as they were both still minors (the age of majority at that time was 21) and lacked the legal capacity to sign a binding contract. The contract stated that Epstein would receive a management commission of 25 percent of their gross income after a certain threshold had been reached.[22][52] The Beatles argued for a smaller percentage, but Epstein pointed out that he had been paying their expenses for months, without receiving anything in return.[53] Epstein once offered the individual Beatles a fixed wage of £50-a-week for life, instead of receiving money from record sales. Harrison commented that he was earning £25 a week at the time, which was more than the £10 a week his father was earning, but the group as a whole declined Epstein's offer, as they thought that they were worth much more than £50-a-week.[54] After the release of Love Me Do in 1962, Epstein signed a second (and legally binding) contract.[55][6]
The Beatles' recording contract that EMI offered Epstein gave them one penny for each record sold, which was split amongst the four members, meaning one farthing per group member. The royalty rate was further reduced for singles sold outside the UK, on which the group received half of one penny (again split between the whole band) per single.[56] Martin said later that EMI had "nothing to lose" by signing a contract with them.[57]
The Beatles' concerts were booked by Epstein himself, and he also presented groups managed by NEMS as an opening act, thereby making money for NEMS as the promoter, booking agent, and Manager for all the concerts.[58] The Beatles were constantly in demand by concert promoters, and Epstein took advantage of the situation to avoid paying some taxes by accepting "hidden" fees on the night of a performance, which he always kept in a brown paper bag.[59] Epstein also successfully managed Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas (who had three hits with Lennon-McCartney songs) the Fourmost (their first two singles were written by Lennon) the Cyrkle (Epstein's first American group) and Cilla Black (who was Epstein's only female artist) as well as other artists.
During the first Beatles' flight to America Epstein was offered numerous samples of products by merchandisers—who required a licence from Epstein to be allowed to sell them—including clocks, pens, plastic wigs, bracelets, and games, but Epstein rejected all of them. David Jacobs, the lawyer for NEMS, had already given away 90% of merchandising rights to Nicky Byrne in England, which later turned out to be a financial disaster, as that left only 10% for Epstein, NEMS and The Beatles.[60] Byrne took over Epstein's Stramsact merchandising in the UK and set up Seltaeb (Beatles spelt backwards) in the USA. While The Beatles were ensconced in the Plaza hotel in New York, Epstein was further besieged by calls and visits from merchandisers, promoters, television commentators, and hustlers—all demanding to talk to him.[61] 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.[62] Hanson later worked solely with Epstein in his Albemarle Street office, which was separate from the NEMS office.[63]
Epstein asked James Trevor Isherwood (a Chartered Accountant) to set up a company to collect Lennon and McCartney's PRS payments—called Lenmac—which he did on 12 May 1964. When he first visited Epstein's office, Isherwood was surprised to learn that Epstein took 25% of the gross income, and not what he thought was the usual 10% that other managers received at that time.[64] All of Epstein's expenses were also deducted from any of his artists gross income, which meant office rental, staff wages, travel, telephone costs, and entertaining expenses.[65] Before his death, Epstein knew that the renegotiation of his management contract (up for renewal on 30 September 1967) would reduce his management fee from 25 per cent to 10 per cent, and would also mean a larger drop in NEMS income, as The Beatles' concert fees would be taken out of the equation.[66]
The Beatles entered into a publishing agreement with Dick James Music (DJM) who set up a company called Northern Songs. Epstein agreed that James should receive 25 per cent of the shares, and Charles Silver—his financial partner and accountant—should also receive 25 per cent. Lennon and McCartney received 20 per cent each, and Epstein held the remaining 10 per cent.[67] The Beatles PRS income increased rapidly, and Epstein asked Isherwood to work out a way of avoiding the tax that Lennon and McCartney would have to pay. Isherwood suggested a Stock-market flotation for Northern Songs, and further advised Epstein that Lennon and McCartney should move to houses near his [Isherwood's] in Esher during the flotation, which Lennon, Harrison, and Starr did—with only Epstein and McCartney remaining in London.[68]
After moving to London Epstein rented an office in Monmouth Street—close to Seven Dials—in 1965, and later leased the Saville Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue.[69] He promoted new works by writers such as Arnold Wesker in productions that occasionally fell afoul of the Lord Chamberlain by including "obscene" content or nudity. Epstein changed the programme to that of a music venue in 1966, presenting various U.S. acts.[70] Epstein was asked to appear on several music-based TV programmes in Britain after the success of The Beatles, and also hosted a regular part of the US TV show Hullabaloo, by filming his appearances in the UK.[33] Lennon later said: "On the business end he [Epstein] ripped us off on the Seltaeb thing."[51] McCartney said years later: "He [Epstein] looked to his dad for business advice, and his dad knew how to run a furniture store in Liverpool."

Throughout Epstein's life he was known to be kind and caring to his family, friends of his family, and business colleagues. When Lennon married Cynthia Powell, on 23 August 1962, Epstein attended the wedding as the "best man" and paid for their celebration lunch afterwards.[72][73] During Cynthia's pregnancy Epstein paid for a private room in a hospital and offered the Lennons the sole use of his flat on Falkner Street when they needed somewhere to live. He also agreed to be the godfather to Julian Lennon, John and Cynthia's son.

Epstein was homosexual, which was not publicly known until a long time after his death, although it was an open secret among his friends and business associates.[76] While Epstein was in the Army, he had a tailor make an officer's uniform for him that he wore when cruising the bars of London, but was arrested one night (for impersonating an officer) at the Army and Navy Club on Piccadilly by the Military Police. Epstein managed to avoid a court martial by agreeing to see an army psychiatrist, who uncovered Epstein's homosexuality.[77] He was discharged from the army after ten months on the medical grounds of being "emotionally and mentally unfit", although Epstein later stated that his first homosexual experience was after he returned to Liverpool.

After the start of his management career, Epstein started taking stimulants—usually Preludin, which was legal at that time—which Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr also took and had previously taken in Hamburg. He explained his use of the drug as the only way of staying awake at night during numerous concert tours.[88] In 1964, Brown started to notice that Epstein was taking too many pills, because Epstein often had a cough at parties, which Brown knew was Epstein's way of secretly putting pills into his mouth without anyone noticing.[89] McCartney often met Epstein at late-night clubs in London, and remembered that Epstein would often grind his jaws, once saying, "Ugghhh, the pills..." to McCartney.[90]
In 1964, after having been introduced to cannabis by Bob Dylan in New York, McCartney remembered Epstein standing in front of a mirror, pointing at himself and repeatedly saying "Jew!", and laughing loudly, which McCartney found hilarious and "very liberating".[91] Epstein later became heavily involved in the 1960s drug scene, and during the four months when the Sgt. Pepper album was being recorded, Epstein spent his time on holiday, or at the Priory Clinic, in Putney, London, where he tried unsuccessfully to curb his drug use. He left the Priory for the party to launch Sgt. Pepper to selected journalists at his house at 24 Chapel Street, but went straight back to the Priory afterwards.[92][93] After McCartney's admission, on 19 June 1967, of his use of LSD, Epstein defended McCartney to the media—admitting that he had also taken it himself.

The Beatles and Epstein visited Elvis Presley in America, and while they were at Graceland, Colonel Tom Parker and Joe Esposito set up a roulette wheel and several packs of playing cards. Epstein immediately wanted to play, as he was known for his love of gambling for high-stakes.[95] McCartney frequently visited gambling clubs in London, such as the "Curzon House" (which was Epstein's favourite club)[96] and often saw Brian Epstein gambling there.[97] He once saw Epstein put a Dunhill lighter on the table that was worth £100 (worth approximately £1,300 GBP, or $2,500 USD in today's money), and then lose it during a game of cards.[98] Epstein would often lose thousands of pounds by playing baccarat or chemin de fer, but would stay at the Curzon House the whole evening—eating an expensive meal and drinking fine wines. The club never presented Epstein with a bill, as they knew that he lost so much in their casino.

A few weeks before his own death, Epstein attended a traditional shiva in Liverpool after his father passed away, having just come out of the Priory clinic where he had been trying to cure his acute insomnia and his addiction to amphetamines.[99] Epstein's last visit to a Beatles' recording session was on 23 August 1967, at the Chappell Recording Studios on Maddox Street, London.[100]
On Thursday 24 August, Epstein asked Brown and Geoffrey Ellis down to Kingsley Hall (44.5 miles from his home in Chapel Street) which was Epstein's country home in Uckfield, Sussex, for the Bank Holiday weekend. After they got there, Epstein decided to drive back to London by himself because an expected group of rent boys he had invited failed to arrive.[66] Epstein phoned Brown the next day at 5 o'clock in the afternoon from his Chapel Street house in London. Brown thought that Epstein sounded "very groggy", and suggested that Epstein take a train back down to Kingsley Hall instead of driving under the influence of Tuinals. Epstein replied that he would eat something, read his mail and watch Juke Box Jury before phoning Brown to tell him which train to meet. He never called again.[66]
Epstein died of a drug overdose on 27 August 1967. The Beatles were in Bangor at the time, having a meeting with the Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and Epstein had previously agreed to travel to Bangor after the August Bank Holiday.[101][102] A concert by Jimi Hendrix at the Saville Theatre (which Epstein leased) was cancelled out of respect on the same day that Epstein died.[101] At the statutory inquest, his death was officially ruled accidental, probably caused by a gradual buildup of Carbitral in his system, mixed with alcohol. It was revealed that he had taken six Carbitral pills in order to sleep, which was probably usual for Epstein, but meant that his tolerance was very close to becoming lethal.[66]
Peter Brown claimed in his memoir, The Love You Make: An Insider's Story of The Beatles, that he had once found a suicide note written by Epstein and spoke with him directly about it. According to Brown, the note read in part, "This is all too much and I can't take it anymore." A short will and testament followed, in which Epstein left his house and money to his mother and his brother (Brown himself was a small beneficiary). When confronted with the note, Epstein told Brown that he was grateful Brown had not told anyone about it, and told him that he was sorry he had made Brown worry. He explained that he had simply taken one pill too many and that he did not intend to overdose and promised to be more careful from then on. Brown later wrote that he wondered if he was really doing Epstein a favour by not showing the note to Epstein's doctor, Norman Cowan, who would have stopped prescribing drugs for Epstein.[103] The Beatles did not attend Epstein's funeral, wishing to give his family privacy by not attracting the media and fans.[36] A few weeks later, however, all four attended a memorial service for Epstein at the New London Synagogue in St. John's Wood (near the Abbey Road studios) which was officiated by Rabbi Louis Jacobs, who said that Epstein was "a symbol of the malaise of our generation".[36] Epstein is buried in the Kirkdale Jewish Cemetery in Liverpool (section A grave H12).[104] The coroner, Gavin Thurston, told the Westminster inquest that Epstein's death was caused by an overdose of Carbitral, and ruled it as an Accidental Death. The pathologist, Dr. Donald Teare, said Epstein had been taking bromide in the form of Carbitral for some time, and that the barbiturate level in Epstein's blood was a "low fatal level".

Epstein was overlooked when Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr were honoured with the MBE in 1965 (Harrison (or McCartney) once said that the MBE stood for "Mister Brian Epstein").[106] The Beatles were among the earliest entrants into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but Epstein is not in the Hall's "Non-Performer's Section". Martin Lewis—previously Taylor's assistant—created The Official Brian Epstein Website, which includes a petition that Epstein be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[10] Lewis also organized the 1998 re-publication (in the U.S.) of Epstein's 1964 autobiography, A Cellarful of Noise.[10] McCartney summarised the importance of Epstein when he was interviewed, in 1997, for a BBC documentary about Epstein by stating: "If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian."[107] In his 1970 Rolling Stone interview, John Lennon commented that Epstein's death marked the beginning of the end for the group: "I knew that we were in trouble then ... I thought, We've fuckin' had it now".[108][28] 30 years after Epstein's death, McCartney said, "Brian would really be happy to hear how much we loved him."[36] The first contract between The Beatles and Epstein was auctioned in London in 2008, and was sold for £240,000.
Brian Samuel Epstein (Liverpool, Egyesült Királyság, 1934. szeptember 19. – London, Egyesült Királyság, 1967. augusztus 27.) brit üzletember volt, akit legtöbben a Beatles menedzsereként ismernek. Kulcsszerepe volt a zenekar kezdeti sikereiben. Epstein tapasztalata az üzleti életben és a zenekar őstehetsége tette lehetővé, hogy három év alatt világhírnévre tegyenek szert.
Amikor Epstein a zenekar menedzsere lett, már több éve játszottak együtt különösebb siker nélkül. Akkoriban a Beatles csak egy volt a 300 liverpooli zenekar közül. Bár azelőtt még senkit sem menedzselt, Epstein rendkívül sikeresen „adta el” a zenekart. 1967-ben bekövetkezett halála volt a kezdőlökés a Beatles feloszlásához vezető úton.

Epstein zsidó családba született. Nagyapja alapította az Isaac Epstein and Sons nevű bútorgyárat Liverpoolban, anyja pedig a Hyman bútorgyáros-család tagja volt. Apja Harry Epstein, anyja Malka (a család csak Queenie-nek hívta) Hyman volt; Briannek volt egy Clive nevű öccse is. Harry saját boltját vezette, ahol Paul McCartney családja egyszer egy zongorát vett. Brian a shropshire-i Wrekin College diákja volt, majd a londoni Royal Academy of Dramatic Art hallgatója lett; osztálytársa volt többek között Susannah York és Peter O'Toole is. A harmadik félév után otthagyta az iskolát, így apja az újonnan alapított Great Charlotte Street-i North End Music Stores (NEMS) irányítását bízta rá. Később egy második üzletet is nyitottak (a Whitechapel 12–14 alatt), Brian pedig az egész hálózat vezetője lett. Epstein 1961. augusztus 3-án állandó zenei rovatot indított a Mersey Beat című lapban.

A Beatles nevét Epstein először egy koncert plakátján látta meg, és azt gondola, hogy bután hangzik. A történet legelfogadottabb változata szerint Epstein boltjában több vásárló kereste egy bizonyos Beatles nevű zenekar Tony Sheridannel Hamburgban készített kislemezét. Epstein egyik kiadótól sem tudta megszerezni a lemezt, ezért elhatározta, maga keresi fel a zenekart. 1961. november 9-én asszisztensével, Alistair Taylorral lementek a Cavern Clubba, ahol a Beatles egy ebédidei koncertet adott. Érkezését a klub hangosbemondóján is tudatták a vendégekkel. Epstein ezt mondta a Beatles műsoráról: „Azonnal megfogott a zenéjük, a tempójuk és a színpadi humoruk. És miután beszéltem velük, személyiségükkel is mély benyomást tettek rám. Igazából minden ott kezdődött el.” (Egyébként arcról már ismerte a zenekar tagjait, akik a fellépések közötti szünetekben gyakran vettek lemezeket a boltjában.) Bill Harry (a Mersey Beat akkori szerkesztője) szerint ez a történet nem teljesen igaz; ő azt mondta, hogy ő mutatta be Epsteint John Lennonnak. Ezt azonban senki sem erősítette meg, Lennon pedig mindig ugyanazt mondta, amit Epstein. Az viszont igaz, hogy Harrynek sikerült rábeszélnie Epsteint, hogy boltjában is terjeszthesse a Beatlest propagáló magazint.

A Beatles nevét Epstein először egy koncert plakátján látta meg, és azt gondola, hogy bután hangzik. A történet legelfogadottabb változata szerint Epstein boltjában több vásárló kereste egy bizonyos Beatles nevű zenekar Tony Sheridannel Hamburgban készített kislemezét. Epstein egyik kiadótól sem tudta megszerezni a lemezt, ezért elhatározta, maga keresi fel a zenekart. 1961. november 9-én asszisztensével, Alistair Taylorral lementek a Cavern Clubba, ahol a Beatles egy ebédidei koncertet adott. Érkezését a klub hangosbemondóján is tudatták a vendégekkel. Epstein ezt mondta a Beatles műsoráról: „Azonnal megfogott a zenéjük, a tempójuk és a színpadi humoruk. És miután beszéltem velük, személyiségükkel is mély benyomást tettek rám. Igazából minden ott kezdődött el.” (Egyébként arcról már ismerte a zenekar tagjait, akik a fellépések közötti szünetekben gyakran vettek lemezeket a boltjában.) Bill Harry (a Mersey Beat akkori szerkesztője) szerint ez a történet nem teljesen igaz; ő azt mondta, hogy ő mutatta be Epsteint John Lennonnak. Ezt azonban senki sem erősítette meg, Lennon pedig mindig ugyanazt mondta, amit Epstein. Az viszont igaz, hogy Harrynek sikerült rábeszélnie Epsteint, hogy boltjában is terjeszthesse a Beatlest propagáló magazint.

Bár barátai és üzlettársai körében nyílt titok volt, a nyilvánosság számára csak jóval halála után vált közismertté, hogy saját neméhez vonzódott. Egyes pletykák szerint az 1963. áprilisi spanyolországi tartózkodásuk alatt John Lennonnal is szexuális kapcsolatba került, ezt azonban Lennon egy 1980-ban a Playboy-nak adott interjújában tagadta. Ennek ellenére az affér több Lennon-életrajzban is szerepel.