Lee Eastman

Lee Eastman, born Leopold Vail Epstein, (12 January 1910 - 30 July 1991) was a New York show business attorney, the son of Louis (b. Russia ~1887, imm. 1906) and Stella (Freyer) Epstein. His sisters were Emmaline and Rose. He married Louise Linder, heiress to the Linder Department Store fortune; they had four children, including John Eastman and Linda (Eastman) McCartney, the late wife of former Beatle Paul McCartney. Eastman became McCartney's business manager shortly before the breakup of The Beatles while his son John represented McCartney during his 1970 lawsuit to legally dissolve the Beatles. He is the maternal grandfather of potter Heather McCartney, photographer Mary McCartney Donald, fashion designer Stella McCartney Willis, and musician/sculptor James Louis McCartney.

Eastman's involvement with Apple

When the Beatles' company Apple Corps was in business trouble early in 1969, Eastman and Allen Klein were both considered to take the reins of the company, and of the band's careers. John Lennon favoured Klein. Lennon said he was impressed that Klein knew Lennon's lyrics, and understood them, and that Klein was very intelligent.cite book |first=Jann S |last=Wenner |title=Lennon Remembers (Full interview from Lennon's 1970 interview in Rolling Stone magazine) |year=2000 |pages=119-120 |publisher=Verso |location=London |isbn=1-85984-600-9] George Harrison and Ringo Starr chose Klein, though Lennon said in 1970 that he maneuvered Klein into Apple.cite book |first=Jann S |last=Wenner |title=Lennon Remembers |year=2000 |pages=34-35] McCartney wanted Eastman, but was out-voted 3-1. For a short period, Klein managed Apple and the personal careers of Lennon, Harrison, and Starr while Eastman was the corporate counsel and managed McCartney. The Klein/Eastman combination did not work, and after a contentious meeting, Eastman was out. Subsequent disagreements over decisions made by Klein and the other Beatles prompted McCartney—represented by Eastman—to sue them to dissolve the partnership, and he eventually succeeded.

Klein made some successful deals for the Beatles, and they made more money during their short tenure with Klein than they did while managed by Brian Epstein.cite book |first=Barry |last=Miles |authorlink=Barry Miles |title=Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now |year=1997 |pages=549 |publisher=Henry Holt & Company |location=New York |isbn=0-8050-5249-6] Lennon, Harrison, and Starr eventually soured on Klein, and after a series of suits and countersuits, Klein left Apple with a multi-million dollar buyout.cite book |first=Barry |last=Miles |authorlink=Barry Miles |title=Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now |year=1997 |pages=581] cite book |first=Bill |last=Harry |title=The Beatles Encyclopedia: Revised and Updated |year=2000 |pages=613 |publisher=Virgin Publishing |location=London |isbn=0-7535-0481-2]

Manager of McCartney

Eastman and his son successfully managed McCartney's solo career, leaving McCartney the wealthiest of the former Beatles. In 1984, McCartney cited one example of advice he received from Eastman:

McCartney's music publishing investments have paid off. In 1984, he estimated that half his income came from recording, and half from his music publishing business.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.wingspan.ru/bookseng/linda/contents.html Danny Fields' biography]