Beatles Manager Subject Of New Film

08/27/09 2:36pm

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

The life of Brian Epstein, The Beatles' first manager, is set to be documented in a film about the late entrepreneur.

A Life In The Day was written by Tony Gottelson and will be produced by David Permut (Face/Off, Youth In Revolt), according to Variety. It's not known whether any Beatles songs will appear in the film, since Permut is still negotiating the right to use them. Permut told Variety the film will focus on The Beatles' formation.

Epstein was the owner of North End Music Stores (NEMS) in Liverpool, England during the early '60s when people began asking him if he carried any Beatles music. The entrepreneur, who then had a column in Mersey Beat magazine, became intrigued and went to watch The Beatles perform at Liverpool's Cavern Club. Epstein repeatedly went to Beatles shows before signing them to a management contract in 1961.

"Everybody turned down the band, even though Brian promised they would become bigger than Elvis, and he finally got George Martin at EMI to change his mind and give them an audition."

Although Epstein became very successful himself due to the overwhelming popularity of The Beatles, he didn't have an easy life. He was born into a Jewish family and had to deal with antisemitism throughout his life. Epstein was also gay, and had to be careful about it because male homosexuality was illegal in the United Kingdom until 1967.

John Lennon wrote "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" about Epstein's struggle, but in his recently published John Lennon: The Life, Philip Norman details how Lennon often viciously mocked Epstein's sexual orientation and religion.

Before he died at age 32, Epstein had developed an addiction to amphetamines and also reportedly had a gambling problem. Epstein, who suffered from depression, had been taking pills to help himself sleep but became dependent on them. Epistein died on Aug. 27, 1967 of a drug overdose.