A big fan of the Monty Python team, he was very keen to see the film finished and so came up with the money to see its completion. When the original company who were backing the film pulled out, Harrison stepped in to finance it.
The guitarist is even said to have mortgaged his own house to come up with the money.
A controversy surrounded the Python’s film. George Harrison loved the subversive quality of the film and very much enjoyed its humour.
The former Beatle even makes a discreet cameo appearance in the film – as a man in a false beard, during a scene when Brian's mother turns round from talking to the crowds out of her window and finds the room full of people wanting her son.
Handmade Films, the independent film company which Harrison set up, went on to produce a great many films during the eighties.
“He remained heavily involved in Handmade Films” said former Monty Python star Michael Palin. and liked the hands-on way of doing things. He didn't like big business very much, didn't like the way the press treated him and was mistrustful of them. "
Handmade Films were responsible for the London underworld film called The Long Good Friday (1980), which starred Bob Hoskins. Hoskins was later to turn up in another Handmade film, again with a seedy London underworld theme. This time his performance won the 1986 Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival where the film, Mona Lisa (1986), was an official British entry.
In between Handmade produced another film from one of the Monty Python team. Time Bandits (1981), directed by Terry Gilliam, was a fantasy adventure. Harrison contributed to the production by also writing the music and lyrics with Mike Moran.
The most successful of Handmade's films was probably the cult classic Withnail and I (1987), which starred Richard E Grant and Paul McGann.
Handmade films produced a number of films in the 16 years that Harrison was involved before he eventually sold the company in 1994 due to falling profits.
George Harrison - musician and film producer, died in Los Angeles aged 58 on November 29th 2001.
Go To Page: 1
