A controversy arose in the days after Harrison's death, when it turned out his death certificate listed a bogus address; it was revealed he had died at Paul McCartney's Los Angeles house, whose address they'd wanted to keep secret. McCartney described the late Harrison as "my baby brother".
A good deal of confusion as to his real birthday was solved when a family birth record noted him as being born shortly before midnight around 11:50 P.M.) on February 24th, 1943. He had believed his birthday was February 25th for his entire life.
A New York Federal Court ruled in 1976 that his famous song "My Sweet Lord" was a copyright infringement on the song 1963 Laurie Records hit "He's So Fine" by The Chiffons. "My Sweet Lord" contained a similar repetition of two musical phrases ("sol-mi-re" and "sol-la-do-la-do") found in "He's So Fine," along with identical harmonies. Although the Court found that Harrison did not intended to plagiarize "He's So Fine," it ruled that, having been familar with the song, he had "subconsciously" copied its melody. Bright Tunes Music Corp. v. Harrisongs Music, Ltd., 420 F.Supp. 177 (S.D.N.Y. Aug 31, 1976). Appeals dragged the case on into the 1990s, with Harrison's former manager Allen Klein becoming the plaintiff when he bought Bright Tunes. Harrison eventually ended up owning both songs, while Klein's reputation suffered from his "changing sides" in the suit.
A vegetarian.
After eight years being idle, he decided to tour in 1974 despite a bad voice due to some throat problems. The tour was a critical and commercial disaster, with unfair severe criticism for the opening act of "Ravi Shankar and Friends", Harrison's voice (which was called "Dark Hoarse") and his preaching. He was so disillusioned and angry with the incident that he never toured in America again, only going to Japan in 1992 for a very large sum and Eric Clapton's back-up band.
After his lung cancer was found to have returned in March 2001, Harrison was operated on in June and had half of one lung removed. By November of that year however the cancer had spread to his brain, making recovery impossible.
Although rightly considered the shyest Beatle, Harrison loved comedy and often associated with Monty Python through the 1970s.
Attended Dovedale Road Primary School (now Dovedale Road Junior School) and the Liverpool Institute High School for Boys (now the Liverpool Institute of the Performing Arts).
Brother-in-law of Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac (Fleetwood was married to Jenny Boyd, Patty Boyd's sister.)
Disillusioned with working for a major label, he quickly and hastily recorded "Gone Troppo" in 1982 to fulfill his contract. When asked to renew, he refused. He also refused to do any publicity for the album, which he thought of as second-rate. Due to the shoddy publicity campaign by Warner Brothers for the album, it was a flop and its highest chart position was #108. Harrison decided not to make another album for five years. When he did, the album, "Cloud Nine", was a smash, landing in the #1 spot.
During his November 1976 appearance on "Saturday Night Live" (1975), he appeared and sang, in a video titled "This Song". The "This Song" video referenced the then popular controversy over the similarity in the Melody of his mega hit "My Sweet Lord"(1971) and that of The Chiffon's earlier Pop, R n B hit "He's So Fine"(1963).
Executive Producer & Principal Partner, 'HandMade Films' [1979 - 1994]
First ex-Beatle to have a number one hit as a solo artist ("My Sweet Lord" December 1970) after the breakup of the Fab Four.
First musician of the pop era to introduce the sitar when he played it on "Norwegian Wood" from the The Beatles' album "Rubber Soul" (1965). This was the first time the Indian instrument had been played on a pop single. Rivals The Rolling Stones soon followed with sitar accompaniment on their hit "Paint It Black" (1966).
Former schoolmate of Paul McCartney; the two got acquainted riding the same bus every day, carrying their first guitars. After McCartney joined John Lennon's Quarrymen, Harrison began turning up at their shows, and filled in when other members weren't available. Lennon objected to having a "kid" join the band, but McCartney persuaded him.
George met Pattie Boyd on the set of A Hard Day's Night (1964). She was engaged at the time, but George kept asking her out until she gave in. They were married in 1966.
George's older sister Louise resides in southern Illinois as of 1998.
Got a job as an apprentice electrician at age 16 but didn't have the interest to continue it. With one son a mechanic and another a groundskeeper, father Harry hoped his sons would go into business together once George finished his apprenticeship. Harry let George quit to become a working musician, though, when The Beatles began to get weekly bookings, figuring he was young and could still "start over" if music didn't work out.
Had his own professional 16-track recording studio installed at Friar Park, where nearly all his solo records after 'All Things Must Pass' were made (album credits usually mention "Friar Park Studio", or "F.P.S.H.O.T."). In the 1980s Jeff Lynne, used to working with 48-track digital machines, found it startling to have to rethink his approach to record with Harrison, but found it refreshing in the long run (the band Shakespear's Sister also borrowed the studio in the early 1990s, to record "Hormonally Yours").
Harrison was cremated within hours of his death, and his ashes were later scattered along the Ganges River in India, in accordance with his last wishes.