On this day in 1967, the Beatles' manager Brian Epstein pictured (far left) was found dead at his Belgravia home in London. It was not clear how he died. Friends found his body in bed after his housekeeper raised the alarm.Mr Epstein, 32, was due to travel to Bangor in north Wales the following day to join the Beatles at a meeting of the International Meditation Society. Brian Epstein's housekeeper became worried when she did not get an answer after knocking on the door of his bedroom in the middle of the afternoon. Friends, who had called round to see him broke into the room and found him dead. The police were called.
Paul McCartney and his girlfriend, Jane Asher, drove back to London in a chauffeur-driven car after hearing the news. The other Beatles were also returning to London.
A concert scheduled for later that night, at the Saville Theatre, London headed by Jimmy Hendrix was cancelled in tribute to Mr Epstein. He owned the theatre's lease. Mr Epstein brought a number of singers to fame. Apart from the Beatles, his other proteges included Cilla Black, Billy J Kramer, The Dakotas and Gerry and the Pacemakers.
Mr Epstein discovered the Beatles when they were still performing in blue jeans and leather jackets at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. He encouraged them to smarten up their image, wear suits and stop swearing and smoking in public - in order to broaden their appeal.
In January 1962, the band agreed a five year contract with Epstein, although he refused to sign it, saying their mutual regard for one another was enough. He got them their first record deal with EMI in October 1962 and by autumn 1963, Britain was engulfed by Beatle mania.
A post mortem examination showed Brian Epstein died of an overdose of sleeping pills. The death was officially ruled as accidental, although it has often been speculated that it was suicide.
Brian Epstein started out in the family business as a furniture salesman, before spending a year at RADA. He returned to the family business and began to sell gramophone records and the new department was so successful he opened a separate branch, which became known as NEMS. The shop was just around the corner from the Cavern Club.
He looked after every aspect of the Beatles' careers and after he died their business affairs rapidly crumbled. By 1970 they had split up.
