Originally posted April 7, 2006 
on The Fifth Beatle Movie Discussion Board
by eppylover
 - - -

Regarding this quote:

"When Brian was 'on' he had an amazing sense of humour, and when Brian would come into the room with the four Beatles it was Brian who was the star.

He would light up the room. He was very good-looking, very well dressed and had this infectious smile.

He was filled with witticisms and he could be very funny … and when he started to get funny he became outrageously funny.

He was such an iconoclast and nothing was sacred to him... "    (Quote from Nat Weiss, The Brian Epstein Story by Debbie Geller, page 111)

I also have found similar quotes from others, such as Derek Taylor and (unrelated to Derek) Alistair Taylor. 


Here are my questions:

1. Why do you think there is so little written, and no footage (that I'm aware of, anyway), of Brian being such a funny person?

Every actor who's ever played him depicts him as being a perfect gentleman, yet so very... un-funny. Nothing showing what a great sense of humour he was said to have exhibited.

2. Therefore, do you think all past portrayals of Mr Epstein have therefore been faulty ~ or, at the very least, incomplete?

And

3. What could or should be done to remedy this, if anything?



To read this and the accompanying comments from forum members and guests ~ and other Brian materials ~ go to the forum.

CASTING BRIAN / A LIFE OF ITS OWN
September 26, 2008 - 08:45am

I've just returned from a first round of serious U.K. casting sessions where I met numerous actors interested in the role of Brian Epstein. A second-round process will take place in November, and I fully expect we will have the lead cast by the end of this year!

Looking back on this Blog, it strikes me how much has happened since we began this project, almost 3 years ago... Several past entries begin with "In Memory Of" noting that we have lost friends and partners along the way. And many of you will remember that we were hoping to debut the film in Liverpool by the end of this year, as a Capital of Culture 2008 event... and of course that's not happening...

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans" indeed.

And that is, really, what's happened here. "The Fifth Beatle" has taken on a life of its own.

The film started as my passion project-- and to be sure, it's still very much that. But now it's so much more, and it represents something important to so many other people-- its family has grown along the way despite some tough losses, it's taken more gestation than expected to develop all aspects properly, it's been both magical and elusive narrowing in on our "perfect" Brian... but it's also closer than ever to entering a new stage of life altogether...

So stay tuned-- the next several months and 2009 have a lot in store for us... And thanks to everyone who's reading this, for being a part of this life of its own.

Vivek J. Tiwary
writer/director

Here's part of Vivek's blog entry on the newest addition to the Eppy Movie crew ~ the very respected JOHN HUBBARD!

John is currently hard at work casting the lead role of Brian Epstein and we're thrilled to have him on board."

BACKBEAT
~ That Beatles-in-Hamburg movie starring Ian Hart ~
one of the best Lennon-actors ever.

(Ian Hart, John in Backbeat, also played John in The Hours and Times.
Don't talk to me about THAT movie though! ~ explanation)

Very small sampling of the vast list of other movies John Hubbard has cast:

"Lord Of The Rings" films (2001, 2002 & 2003)
"The DaVinci Code" (2006)
The "Bourne" films (2004 & 2007)
"United 93" (2006)
"King Kong" (2005)
"Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" (2001 & 2003 movies)
"Angela's Ashes" (1999)
"Aristocrats" (1999) TV mini-series
"Evita" (1996)
"Max Headroom" (1985) ...(*Hahaa* says eppylover!)

BTW, I found those titles merely from glancing/skimming the imbd list ~ and whatever sounded familiar I jotted down.

NOTE: Since I'm not very knowledgeable about movies, take a look at the imdb list yourself, and I know you will see other projects you recognize.

We can talk about this more, over at the forum.

Who is the so called "Fifth Beatle"?  The honor of that informal title has been associated with several individuals throughout the years, including famed New York disc jockey Murray the K, musician Billy Preston who performed on later Beatles albums, Australian disc jockey Bob Rogers.  Some fans might say the fifth Beatle is former drummer Pete Best. At the Beatles' 1988 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, George Harrison stated that there were two "fifth Beatles": Derek Taylor and Neil Aspinall.. And Paul McCartney is quoted as having said
"If anyone was the fifth Beatle it was Brian" (Epstein).
_____________

(Eppylover Note: George Martin has shrugged off the title more than a few times, and has also confirmed that Brian Epstein, to him, was indeed the Fifth Beatle. Just sayin'...)
_____________

The Fifth Beatle is the title of a film in pre-production.  Brian Epstein was the flamboyant, brilliant, but troubled entertainment industry visionary best-known for discovering and managing The Beatles. The Fifth Beatle is a non-documentary feature film that will cover the last 6 years of his life. His story will unfold via a mixture of history, fantasy, allegory, dream sequences, and hallucinations.

Film Update: The Fifth Beatle
Recent Production Updates
 
Casting - The search for the actor to play the lead role as Brian Epstein continues.  The Casting Director is Kerry Barden, a partner at Hopkins, Smith & Barden. Kerry Barden has cast "Seven," "Good Will Hunting," "Shakespeare In Love," "Sex And The City," "World Trade Center," "Alexander," "Monster's Ball," "Chocolat," "Any Given Sunday," among other films.

Music Supervisor – Wayne Issak is the music director. He has been a producer of VH1's "Storytellers' series, as well as programs such as Eric Clapton & Friends in Concert: A Benefit for the Crossroads Centre at Antigua, Elvis Lives and VH-1 Where Are They Now: Former Childstars.

Production - Production Designer Gavin Bocquet ("Star Wars: Episodes I, II, III"),and Costume Designer Jany Temime (the "Harry Potter" films, "Bridget Jones," "Children of Men") are on board.

Classic Rock Central.com

2006 article in Rolling Stone Magazine about the film.

Eppylover Note on the above link to the Rolling Stone article:
Vivek has since denied that he told them "Beatles music would not be an element" in the movie. Of course he may use Beatles music! However, he does not wish to overshadow Brian's story with too much focus on the Beatles. There are many other fascinating untold or little-known stories in Brian's life other than his Boys ~ believe it or not!

September 4, 2007 entry by writer/producer Vivek Tiwary on The Fifth Beatle movie website

IT WAS 40 YEARS AGO TODAY (well, last week actually)…        
 …that Brian Epstein passed away.

I take the day off work every August 27th, and use the time to do some "visioning" about what I want from my future — both personally and professionally.

As you can imagine, Brian was a great inspiration to me — all his accomplishments, all those hurdles crossed. The fact that there are Jews and homosexuals in the entertainment business doesn't raise any eyebrows today, but in the UK in the 1960's, Brian was a true outsider and a trailblazer.

I don't face nearly the same hurdles, but as a first-generation American of West-Indian origin making his way through the shark-infested entertainment waters... well, Brian's story has many emotional touchstones for me, and he has become a kind of "historical mentor" to me. But as with all my mentors, I've learned from them both what to do and what NOT to do.

For example, Brian never made enough time for love in his life… I try to be conscious of that trap and make sure to spend as much time with my loved ones as I can…

And I've devoted half of my professional life to StarPolish, a company dedicated to educating musical artists about the pitfalls of the business, and empowering them in their careers.

Brian did the opposite, sheltering The Beatles when it came to the business of music... Although it could be argued that he freed their minds (and time) to be all that they could be as artists, to take their music to new, uncharted territories, to break boundaries... and we know how well that turned out :)

COPY OF AUG 28, 1967
LIVERPOOL DAILY POST
OWNED BY ME, CHRISTINE
Nevertheless, The Beatles were truly at sea in the wake of Brian's passing — at which time he had also accomplished, by the age of 32, what I can only hope to accomplish before I close my eyes for good... with any luck, well past the age of 32... So many emotions crowd so many thoughts during this time of year... Rest In Well-Deserved Peace, Brian.

If anyone else has a strong feeling or reaction to the anniversary of Brian's passing, please, let's discuss it on our Message Boards here.

And now, you're probably also wondering what's doing with the development of "The Fifth Beatle" film.

Well, Brian was a complicated man with many facets both public and private — a man steeped in seeming contradictions. So, we need an actor who really wants the difficult challenge of doing the work, and digging deep into these facets… and we're accordingly being very careful and patient with our casting, doing our research and making sure we'll have no regrets.

I can say that I've been flying to both Los Angeles and London regularly, and that there is a LOT of love for the film from all the right "players" in this process.

And I'll also add that we are still prepared to shoot in the first quarter of 2008, with a goal to premiering the film in Liverpool by the end of 2008, while the city is still Europe's Capital Of Culture.

But please be patient as we keep more exact details behind-the-scenes for now... and since timeframes can alter and Tomorrow Never Knows, please stay tuned for more specific breaking news...

With Love,

Vivek J. Tiwary
Writer/Director

Click to read this blog on The Fifth Beatle Movie website

Whether you choose to register or not, you will enjoy reading everything and anything regarding Brian, his Boys, and the movie ~ Here

Click this link, and then type epstein into the
Video Search box in their upper right-hand corner.

Jan 16 2006 Update - Fifth Beatle Movie News

That's kind of the way he wanted it in the first years, he was so shy. He didn't want to be noticed. When reporters started interviewing him, he admits to refusing information on where he was from, his upbringing, etc. - because it had nothing to do with his Boys, and he felt it was irrelevant and distracting.

However, as time went by he craved his own attention, and was getting noticed quite a bit in England - but not in the States. If he had lived, the plans he had would have placed him quite a bit in America's spotlight. But it was not to be.

So that's why, when I search eBay, most of the good Brian stuff comes from England. There are a lot of people in the US who don't even know who he is. In the UK, he's fairly well-known, but not remembered in the same way as John and George are - mainly because the Boys themselves never made much of a fuss about his passing, never gave him proper tribute. No "Concert for Eppy" or anything.

Unfortunately, most Beatle people tend to follow the boys' example regarding Brian. I don't know if the boys just never think of him anymore, or if they merely want to put on that impression for the sake of the public eye.

You see, in many ways, theirs was an uneasy alliance. They loved each other but didn't quite know how to express it because of what I call "the fairy factor." It's almost impossible for people who didn't live back then to realize how BAD it was to be a gay person or even to associate with one in the 60's-70's. Child molesting/abuse and homosexuality were thought of in the same light.

Consequently, it was very much a "we don't know how to love him" situation. So the public still ignores him - and it's mostly because his boys set that example.

Of course, I still love The Beatles because I still think of them like family ~ besides being the most awesome, sweet, phenomenal, talented, funny, world-changing people who ever existed.

And because, despite everything, Brian Epstein loved them more than life itself. He was so very, very proud of them.

In Vivek's own words:

"...at a press conference in 1997, when specifically asked who was "The Fifth Beatle," Paul McCartney replied without hesitation:

"If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian."

That's the first time a Beatle has addressed the issue. And the only other time is when McCartney repeated his words on national television during the BBC's Arena documentary on Epstein.

And it's where my money lies. Brian was an integral part of the band's life-- both peronsally and professionally-- as my film will dramatize.

But I also think Sir Paul picked his words carefully when he said, "if anyone." The truth is, the Beatles were a four-piece band. End of story.

I think there's a certain sadness that Brian could never really be "one of the boys" no matter what he did for them, no matter how close he was to them. But -- if ANYONE -- then Brian!"

Pictures of Brian hanging out with his friends the other Beatles

Go to The Fifth Beatle Movie Discussion Board