He Had No Experience

When Brian Epstein first saw the Beatles in a smoky Liverpool club, they were raw and unruly—but he saw something more. Epstein wasn’t a music exec, just a record store manager with vision. But he cleaned them up, believed in them, and turned them into global icons. But while the band rose, Epstein struggled behind the scenes—and he wouldn’t live to see just how far they’d go.

1. He Was Lazy

It was on September 19, 1934, that Brian Epstein was born in Liverpool. England. With the advent of WWII, the family soon relocated to Southport where Epstein did the opposite of settling down and excelling at school. In fact, two schools expelled him for his laziness. But much worse things loomed on the horizon for young Epstein...

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2. He Felt A Spark 

In 1945, the Epstein family moved back to Liverpool, but there was no improvement in Epstein’s behavior at school. Seeming to decide a change of scenery might help him, the wealthy Epsteins sent him to boarding school. Two different boarding schools had no luck educating Epstein. Eventually, at Wrekin College, Epstein finally found something that sparked his interest. 

But this would not sit well with Dad. 

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3. He Found His Calling

Epstein immersed himself in theater and ultimately found his life’s calling as he indulged in the arts. He wanted to be a dress designer. To get the ball rolling, he decided to confess it all his father. Instead of a face-to-face chat, though, Epstein opted for a long letter. Dad was not at all impressed. 

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4. He Crushed His Dreams

Upon learning his son's true desires, Epstein’s father, Harry Epstein, made a demand. His son was not going to be a dress designer, he was going to work at the family furniture shop. Epstein obeyed his father and started earning a measly sum working at the store. There was only one thing that could save him. 

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5. He Found A Way Out

As this was the time of WWII, Epstein soon got the call to fight for his country. In 1952, the Royal Army Service Corps brought him on as a data entry clerk. Luckily for him, he served far away from the front line and actually found himself in the posh London area near Regent’s Park. 

It proved to be a particularly bright silver lining...

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6. It Was A Bonus

Epstein didn’t sit around complaining about his conscription. He saw it as a bonus. It got him out of the furniture shop and into London. Here he explored the “high culture” of the city. The only trouble he gave the army was forgetting to collect his army paycheck. 

That and dressing up for a part he had no intention of playing.

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7. He Dressed Up

While doing his time in the army, Epstein hired a tailor to custom make him an officer’s uniform. With his new fake uniform, Epstein became a professional impersonator. Even more, he actually dared to wear the uniform at various clubs in London, using it to attract attention. But when he got a little too brave and wandered into the Army and Navy Club, he got into big trouble.

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8. He Saw A Psychiatrist

It's a serious offense to dress like an officer when you weren’t one. As such, Officers soon took Epstein in and suggested a court martial. Instead of this punishment, Epstein agreed to see a psychiatrist. Well, he saw more than one and the verdict was an early release from his duties. 

Sadly, this meant he was going back to furniture sales. 

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9. He Lost It All 

Epstein now found himself, thanks to his family, the boss of a furniture shop. But , just as before, trouble seemed to follow him. Shortly after taking the shop back over, he went to London for a short trip, and someone robbed him of everything he was carrying. This included his passport, watch, checkbook and all the cash he’d brought with him. 

He dealt with his loss in an unexpected way.

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10. He Kept It A Secret

With everything taken, Epstein couldn’t even buy a ticket back home. But instead of calling his rich parents for help, he got a job in a department store. When he finally earned enough money to buy a ticket he went home. 

Upon his arrival, he delivered some rather shocking news. 

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11. He Had To Leave

When he got home, Epstein told his psychiatrist that he was gay. The psychiatrist made a strange suggestion. He said that Epstein should get out of Liverpool and do it as quickly as he could. He did just that, but first he shared another bit of surprising news—he now wanted to be an actor. 

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12. He Didn’t Last

With his parents’ permission, Epstein moved to London and started studying acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). This school was full of up-and-coming talents like Susannah York and Peter O’Toole, but Epstein didn’t have the stomach for it. He quit after his third term and said he didn’t like being a student. 

But he didn't leave London before getting himself into some very serious trouble (again). 

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13. He Talked To The Wrong Guy

Before dropping out of RADA, Epstein got himself into some serious issues. Epstein approached a man near a tube station and suggested a romantic encounter. That probably doesn't sound like a crime at all, but at the time, men having relations with men was prohibited. As it turns out, the man Epstein approached was an undercover officer, and he received a sentence of two years of probation. 

But there was more trouble on the horizon. 

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14. He Refused To Pay 

Epstein was still on probation when he had a run-in with another man. This “friend with benefits” physically harmed Epstein and then went even further. He demanded money from Epstein to keep his orientation a secret. Epstein was having none of it and went straight to the authorities. 

But a trial may have been the last thing he wanted. 

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15. It Had To Be A Secret 

When it looked like there would be a trial, Epstein wanted to keep his name out of the papers. The judge kindly obliged and the trial began. In the end, the assailant got a two-year sentence and Epstein got to walk away a free man. London had not been kind to Epstein, and he headed back to Liverpool. 

It looked like Epstein was going to be selling furniture once again—for a while anyway. 

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16. He Gave It His Best 

Luckily, Epstein’s family now also owned a record store, and this was a great interest to him. Because music was one of Epstein’s passions, he put everything he had into the stores, NEMS. Eventually, his long hours paid off and NEMS was a huge success. 

Epstein was becoming a bit of a celebrity around Liverpool, but things were just beginning. 

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17. He Was Famous 

Epstein first came across The Beatles on the cover of Mersey Beat, a magazine he carried at his record store. Curious, he arranged to hear them play at a club called The Cavern Club at lunchtime on November 9, 1961. Epstein, now rather famous in the Liverpool scene, entered through the backdoor. 

It was a day that would change music history. 

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18. They Couldn’t Agree

After the show, Epstein and his assistant, Alistair Taylor, went backstage to congratulate the Beatles, but nothing much came of the meeting. He later made a pretty surprising discovery—his assistant gave mixed reviews, calling them “absolutely awful” but somehow "remarkable". 

Epstein had a very different response. 

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19. He Saw Their Potential

Epstein didn’t agree with Taylor. He liked the Beatles for their music but also their charm on stage. It was around this time that Epstein made the famous remark that the Beatles were going to be “bigger than Elvis”. Epstein’s idea was to manage this fabulous foursome. 

But there was a good reason not to.

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20. He Received A Warning

Epstein contacted Allan Williams, the Beatles ex-manager and promoter. He had some advice for Epstein. He said to stay as far away from them as possible. This was because they had refused to pay his percentage for a concert in Hamburg. But that didn’t stop Epstein from doing exactly what he wanted to do anyway...not that it would be easy.

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21. They Were Late

On December 3, 1961, Epstein waited impatiently for his first business meeting with the Beatles. John Lennon, George Harrison, and then-drummer Pete Best, all arrived late because they’d been at a pub. Paul McCartney was even later for an entirely ridiculous reason—he was in the bath. But once they all finally arrived, Epstein suggested that someone needed to take care of them. 

Now the Beatles had to decide if they wanted Epstein. 

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22. They Made It Official

After several more meetings, they finally made things official on January 24, 1962. McCartney, Harrison and Best all needed to procure parental consent as they were not yet 21. But they did, and it was finally a deal. Epstein would manage the Beatles for at least five years. 

Now, Epstein had to clean up their act—literally.

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23. He Changed Them

It didn't take long to see the effect Epstein had on the Beatles. Before meeting Epstein, the guys wore jeans and leather jackets to perform. But before long, Epstein had them in suits and ties. He also didn’t like their swearing, eating, and drinking on stage, so he cleaned all that up and taught them to bow after every song. 

They looked good, but now he had to make them superstars.

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24. He Was The One

Epstein approached EMI executive George Martin about taking on the Beatles. Much later, Martin said that it was the insistence of Epstein that made the Beatles that mega-band that they would eventually become. But there was one very important change that had to happen first. 

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25. He Did Their Dirty Work

As it turned out, there was trouble in Beatles paradise. The problem was that their drummer, Pete Best—in contrast to his name—just wasn’t good enough. He also didn’t hang out with the other band members enough. When they finally decided to get rid of him, the guys turned to Epstein to do the dirty work. 

After some hemming and hawing, Epstein ultimately delivered the bad news to Best. But his only issues didn't come from inside the band...

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26. He Took Some Insults

While the general public had no idea that Epstein was gay, the Beatles certainly did. The official word was that the Beatles didn’t care, and if he could make them famous then so be it. Reportedly, though, John Lennon couldn’t help but make comments, most of them sarcastic, about Epstein’s orientation. But when a non-Beatle started making comments, things got out of control. 

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27. They Had His Back

A friend of Lennon’s—actor Ian Sharp—dared to ask which Beatle Epstein liked romantically. For this faux pas, Epstein’s office sent Sharp a letter that demanded he apologize. Sharp did apologize but was not warmly welcomed into the group ever again. Later, Paul McCartney sent a letter asking Sharp to stay away for good. 

As it turned out, it seemed that Epstein did have his eye on one of the Beatles. 

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28. He Had A Favorite

In April 1963, Epstein and Lennon went away together to Barcelona. Later, reporters asked the question about whether anything romantic happened in Barcelona, Spain. Lennon's response came as a shock—he said he knew Epstein was gay, and that he himself liked playing gay. 

And as more news came out, it seemed they did a little more than "play".

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29. There Were Rumors

In 1980 Lennon told another reporter that the friendship was intense but never consummated. But that didn’t stop more speculation. In 1991, the film The Hours and Times pushed the rumors further by dramatizing the romantic trip Epstein and Lennon had in Spain. 

But romantic trips to Spain were not the norm. Instead, Epstein was rocking hard. Too Hard. 

THE HOURS AND TIMES | Official Trailer | HD Remaster, Antarctic Pictures

30. He Turned To Pills

Managing the Beatles’ rise to fame was more than a full-time job. Epstein had to stay awake for the concerts, and so he turned to stimulants to help him. The idea came to him from the Beatles themselves. They’d all taken stimulants since they were touring in Hamburg. 

But Epstein’s behavior soon spiraled out of control.

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31. He Hid It

Peter Brown had since joined the team that managed the Beatles, and he noticed something odd about Epstein. Epstein coughed a lot at parties. Brown soon figured out that Epstein’s coughs were his way of hiding the fact that he was popping pills. 

The coughs were just the beginning of the red flags...

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32. He Used Them Too Much

Paul McCartney also noticed something odd about Epstein’s behavior. He said when they went clubbing late at night, Epstein kept grinding his teeth, a likely symptom of his vices. Sometimes when Epstein saw McCartney noticing his grinding he’d simply say: “ugghhh, the pills”. 

Things got weirder when Epstein met a famous folk singer. 

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33. He Had Some Strange Behaviors

When Epstein got the opportunity to meet singer Bob Dylan in New York City, he also got the chance to try cannabis. While using, McCartney saw Epstein doing something very strange, he was laughing, standing in front of a mirror and repeating the word “Jew”. 

Clearly, it was time to clean up his act. 

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34. He Tried A Clinic

While the Beatles were hard at work recording one of their most iconic albums—Sgt Pepper—Epstein was in one of two places: on holiday or at the Priory Clinic fighting his addiction. He even had to rush from the clinic in order to attend a party at his own house. After the party, he went right back to the clinic. 

But it turned out that Epstein had something quite serious to worry about. 

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35. He Thought They Wouldn’t Need Him 

In August of 1966, the Beatles played their final concert at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park. Since they were going to stop touring, Epstein worried that the Fab Four would no longer need the service he provided. It was going to be a huge shift for Epstein, and his vices now had the opportunity to take over. 

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36. He Went Public

On July 24, 1967, there was a letter published in The Times. This letter, signed by Epstein, the Beatles, and many others was attempting to make cannabis legal. When asked, Epstein said that using cannabis was certainly not as harmful as drinking. But there was more than just cannabis and booze. 

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37. He Supported His Friend

That same year, McCartney told the press that he, on occasion, used a psychedelic substance. Always the good friend, Epstein supported McCartney by announcing that he used the same thing. Sadly, though, his addiction was not the most expensive of his vices. 

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38. He Threw Money Away

Epstein also liked to gamble. He became famous for losing thousands of pounds at the baccarat table. He lost so much money at this club that after sleeping in one of their rooms and eating expensive dinners, the club didn't charge him. They got much more money from his loss at the gambling table. 

His next loss was not at all financial. 

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39. It Was A Familial Loss 

While Epstein was back at the Priory Clinic—this time fighting insomnia and amphetamine addiction—he got some bad news. His father had passed. Epstein returned to Liverpool to attend the traditional Jewish mourning period called Shiva. 

Sadly, Epstein himself had very little time left to live. 

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40. He Wanted A Party

After sitting shiva for his dad, Epstein arranged for a weekend holiday party at his country house in Warbleton, East Sussex. He invited his personal assistant, Peter Brown, his business partner, Geoffrey Ellis, and a few others. When the others didn’t arrive, Epstein decided to drive back to London to get them. 

This proved to be a horrible mistake. 

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41. His Voice Gave Him Away 

The following day, Epstein called Brown and said he would drive back up as the missing guests were now there at the country house. Brown had a concern. He thought that Epstein sounded groggy. He told Epstein to take the train instead of driving because he’d taken pills. 

Epstein agreed, but things soon went awry. 

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42. He Did Three Things

Epstein agreed to take the train but said he was going to get something to eat, do some work and watch TV first. He told Brown he’d call him to tell him which train he would be on so he could pick him up at the station. Brown never received that call from Epstein. 

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43. He Was Locked In

On August 27, 1967, Epstein’s butler tried to wake Epstein up. The locked bedroom door prevented the butler from entering the room and knocking on the door did little to wake Epstein up. The butler then called Epstein’s personal assistant, Joanne Petersen, but they still couldn't wake him. Things escalated quickly...

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44. They Needed To Get In 

When Peterson also failed to wake Epstein up, they called for his doctor. By that time they were very worried, and the doctor and the butler combined their efforts to break the door down. There was Epstein on his bed, and he appeared to be asleep. 

But that wasn’t the truth. 

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45. They Had To Hide Everything 

Peterson, the butler and the doctor soon realized that Epstein was not sleeping but had passed. Before calling the police, the staff did a thorough sweep of the house in order to hide any substance that was not legal. Then they called the authorities.

Joop van Bilsen / Anefo, Wikimedia Commons

46. He Combined Two Things

Once doctors had a chance to look at Epstein, they concluded the reason for his passing was not illicit substances. Epstein had taken six carbrital tablets to help him sleep. Sadly, he’d also had something to drink with them. The drink caused him to have a lower tolerance for the pills and he passed. 

Now it was time to mourn. 

Bettmann, Getty Images

47. They Stayed Away

Of course, the funeral was going to be a big deal. The Beatles, thinking they would just add to the media circus, decided not to attend. Instead of the Beatles’ presence, George Harrison simply took a chrysanthemum and gave it to Epstein’s friend Nat Weiss. The Beatles asked that Weiss place the flower on the coffin. 

Unfortunately, this was the wrong thing to do. 

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48. He Bent The Rules

What the Beatles didn’t know was that Jewish law forbids flowers at funerals. Weiss was at a loss over what to do. The most famous band in the world had asked a favor from him. At the last minute, he tossed the flower into the grave just as the workers were shoveling dirt on the coffin. 

It was a sad goodbye to Epstein, and the world was about to find out about how important he really was. 

Jim Dyson, Getty Images

49. He Was The Fifth

Years later, the public got to know more about Epstein’s invaluable contributions to the Beatles. Some called him the glue that held the band together. Paul McCartney went a step further. He called Epstein the “fifth Beatle”. Some even say that with Epstein’s departure, the end of the Beatles was now in sight. 

Without Epstein there probably wouldn’t have been the Beatles. 

Cummings Archives, Getty Images

50. It Was Too Little, Too Late

Epstein had lived his life hiding his orientation from the world. Yes, his close friends and the Beatles all knew he was gay, but because of the law, Epstein had to hide it from the public. Ironically, one month after Epstein’s passing, England changed their laws. It was now legal to be gay. 

Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4