The Beatles’ former manager Allen Klein dies at 77

The Beatles’ former business manager, Allen Klein, has died in New York City at the age of 77.

Klein was the brash and notoriously hard-nosed accountant and businessman who negotiated a series of deals for artists including Sam Cooke, Bobby Darin and The Rolling Stones. He became known for his tenacity in securing royalties owed to his clients.

He began working with The Beatles in 1969, re-negotiating their contract with EMI, which resulted in the group gaining the highest royalties ever paid to an artist at the time. He shook up the structure of The Beatles’ company Apple, which had previously lost vast amounts of money, and controversially brought in Phil Spector to rescue the Let It Be album.

However, Klein’s tactics brought tensions to the group, with Paul McCartney, in particular, bitterly opposing his appointment.

Klein died on Saturday 4 July 2009 of Alzheimer’s disease, at his home in New York City. He was 77.

Read our profile of Allen Klein.