George Harrison, MBE (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English rock guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other Beatles, as well as those of their Western audience. Following the band's break-up, he had a successful career as a solo artist and later as part of the Traveling Wilburys, and also as a film and record producer. Harrison is listed at number 21 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Although most of The Beatles' songs were written by Lennon and McCartney, Beatle albums generally included one or two of Harrison's own songs, from With The Beatles onwards. His later compositions with The Beatles include "Here Comes the Sun", "Something" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". By the time of the band's break-up, Harrison had accumulated a backlog of material, which he then released as the acclaimed and successful triple album All Things Must Pass in 1970, from which came two singles: a double A-side single, "My Sweet Lord" backed with "Isn't It a Pity", and "What Is Life". In addition to his solo work, Harrison co-wrote two hits for Ringo Starr, another former Beatle, as well as songs for the Traveling Wilburys—the supergroup he formed in 1988 with Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, and Roy Orbison.
Harrison embraced Indian culture and Hinduism in the mid 1960s, and helped expand Western awareness of sitar music and of the Hare Krishna movement. With Ravi Shankar he organised a major charity concert with the 1971 Concert for Bangladesh.
Besides being a musician, he was also a record producer and co-founder of the production company HandMade Films. In his work as a film producer, he collaborated with people as diverse as the members of Monty Python and Madonna. He was married twice, to model Pattie Boyd from 1966 to 1974, and for 23 years to record company secretary Olivia Trinidad Arias, with whom he had one son, Dhani Harrison. He was a close friend of Eric Clapton. He is the only Beatle to have published an autobiography, with I Me Mine in 1980. Harrison died of lung cancer in 2001.
Academy Awards
Best Original Score
Known For
Life of Brian
(1979)
Mr. Papadopolous (uncredited)
Help!
(1965)
George
Yellow Submarine
(1968)
George (uncredited)
Water
(1985)
Himself - The Singing Rebels' Band
A Hard Day's Night
(1964)
George
My Generation
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
Let It Be
(1970)
Self (The Beatles) (uncredited)
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
Magical Mystery Tour
(1967)
Self / Magician Looking Through Telescope
The Movie Orgy
(1968)
Self (archive footage)
Shanghai Surprise
(1986)
Nightclub Singer
This Is Elvis
(1981)
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
(1978)
Self (archive footage)
Naqoyqatsi
(2002)
Self (archive footage)
How the Beatles Changed the World
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
Full Filmography
Acting
The Mersey Sound
(1963)
Self
The Beatles Come to Town
(1963)
Self
The Beatles - Live at The Empire Theatre Liverpool
(1963)
A Hard Day's Night
(1964)
George
The Beatles - Live at the Washington Coliseum, 1964
(1964)
Self
The Beatles Sing for Shell
(1964)
Self
The Beatles in Australia
(1964)
Self
The Beatles: Live in Washington DC
(1964)
Self
The Beatles: Live in The Netherlands
(1964)
Self
Around the Beatles
(1964)
Self
What's Happening! The Beatles in the USA
(1964)
Self - The Beatles Member
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! The Beatles in New York
(1964)
Self (archive footage)
Help!
(1965)
George
The Beatles Unauthorized
(1965)
Self (archive footage)
Pop Gear
(1965)
Self
The Beatles: Live in Paris
(1965)
Self
The Music of Lennon & McCartney
(1965)
Self (archive footage)
Doctor Who: The Chase
(1965)
Self (archive footage)
Reflections on Love
(1966)
Self (archive footage)
Die Beatles
(1966)
Self (as The Beatles)
El Rey en Londres
(1966)
Self (archive footage)
Beatles - Tokyo, Japan 66
(1966)
Himself
Magical Mystery Tour
(1967)
Self / Magician Looking Through Telescope
All You Need Is Love
(1967)
Self
Monument
(1967)
Self (archive footage)
Our World
(1967)
Self
All My Loving
(1968)
Self
Yellow Submarine
(1968)
George (uncredited)
The Movie Orgy
(1968)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: REVOLUTION
(1968)
Self
The Beatles: HEY JUDE
(1968)
Self
The Beatles Mod Odyssey
(1968)
Self
The Beatles: Get Back...Winter of Discontent
(1969)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles - The Get Back Chronicles 1969 Volume Two
(1969)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles - The Get Back Chronicles 1969 Volume One
(1969)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles - The Get Back Chronicles 1969 Volume Three
(1969)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles - Abbey Road
(1969)
Self - guitar, vocals
The Beatles: SOMETHING
(1969)
Self
Let It Be
(1970)
Self (The Beatles) (uncredited)
Raga
(1971)
Self
The Concert for Bangladesh
(1972)
Self
Imagine
(1972)
Self
The Society of the Spectacle
(1974)
Self (archive footage)
Braverman's Condensed Cream of the Beatles
(1974)
Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali: The Greatest
(1974)
Self
Night Lunch
(1975)
Self
The Beatles at Shea Stadium
(1977)
Self
The Day the Music Died
(1977)
Self
Mighty Good: The Beatles
(1977)
Self
The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash
(1978)
The Interviewer (Jimmy “The Wallasey Warbler” Climmer)
Eric Clapton and His Rolling Hotel
(1978)
Self
Ringo
(1978)
George Harrison
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
(1978)
Self (archive footage)
Life of Brian
(1979)
Mr. Papadopolous (uncredited)
This Is Elvis
(1981)
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Compleat Beatles
(1982)
Self (archive footage)
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
(1982)
Self (archive footage)
Water
(1985)
Himself - The Singing Rebels' Band
Carl Perkins & Friends: Blue Suede Shoes - A Rockabilly Session
(1985)
Self
British Rock: The First Wave
(1985)
Self (archive footage)
Fun with the Fab Four
(1986)
Self (archive footage)
Shanghai Surprise
(1986)
Nightclub Singer
Jimi Plays Monterey
(1987)
Self (archive footage)
Taj Mahal and Friends
(1987)
Self
Imagine: John Lennon
(1988)
Self
Checking Out
(1989)
Cleaner (uncredited)
The Movie Life of George
(1989)
Self
My Sweet Lord in the Far East
(1991)
Self
The Beatles: The First U.S. Visit
(1991)
Self (archive footage)
The Making of Sgt. Pepper
(1992)
Self
Holiday Greetings from 'The Ed Sullivan Show'
(1992)
Self (archive footage)
Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration
(1993)
Self
Curves Contours & Body Horns
(1993)
Self
Ready Steady Go! The Beatles Live
(1993)
Self
The Beatles In Australia: 30th Anniversary
(1994)
Self (archive footage)
Tom Petty: Going Home
(1994)
Self
You Can't Do That! The Making of 'A Hard Day's Night'
(1995)
Self
Alf Bicknell's Beatles Diary
(1996)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles Story
(1996)
Self (archive footage)
In Dreams: The Roy Orbison Story
(1999)
Self
The Beatles: A Celebration
(1999)
Self (archive footage)
Goodnight Moon & Other Sleepytime Tales
(1999)
Self (archive footage / uncredited)
Television: The First Fifty Years
(1999)
Self – The Beatles (archive footage)
Gimme Some Truth: The Making of John Lennon's Imagine Album
(2000)
Self
Beatles: Big Beat Box
(2001)
Self (archive footage)
Wingspan
(2001)
Himself (archive footage)
Paul McCartney: Back in the U.S.
(2002)
Self (archive footage)
George Harrison - The Quiet one
(2002)
Self (archive footage)
Naqoyqatsi
(2002)
Self (archive footage)
Things They Said Today
(2002)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Around the World
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
Beatles: The Journey
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
Hagström: Everything in Music
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
Inside John Lennon - Unauthorized
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch
(2003)
Jimmy “The Wallasey Warbler” Climmer (archive footage)
The Beatles: Watching Rainbows
(2004)
Self (archive footage)
George Harrison: The Dark Horse Years 1976-1992
(2004)
Self (archive footage)
Beatles Biggest Secrets
(2004)
Self (archive footage)
George Harrison: All things must pass
(2004)
Self (archive footage)
Brian Epstein: Inside the Fifth Beatle
(2004)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Love Me Do - A Documentary
(2005)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Chronology Vol. 1 y 2
(2005)
Self - guitarra solista, vocalista
George Harrison & Friends - The Concert for Bangladesh Revisited
(2005)
Self
Doctor Who: Origins
(2006)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Love
(2006)
Self
The True History Of The Traveling Wilburys
(2007)
Self
The Beatles: Help!
(2007)
Self (archive footage)
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream
(2007)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Destination Hamburg
(2007)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles Explosion
(2007)
Self (archive footage)
Composing the Beatles Songbook: Lennon & McCartney 1966-1970
(2008)
Self (archive footage)
Rare and Unseen: The Beatles
(2008)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Magical Mystery Tour Memories
(2008)
Self (Archive Footage)
The Beatles on Record
(2009)
Self
The Beatles: Here There and Everywhere
(2009)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Budokan Tokyo 1966
(2009)
Self (lead and backing vocals, lead guitar)
The Beatles: The Mini Documentaries
(2009)
Self
The Beatles: Parting Ways
(2009)
Himself
The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles
(2010)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: A Magical History Tour
(2010)
Self (archive footage)
Paul McCartney Really Is Dead: The Last Testament of George Harrison
(2010)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Fifty Fabulous Years
(2010)
Self (archive footage)
Ravi Shankar's Music Festival from India
(2010)
Self
John Lennon: Love Is All You Need
(2010)
Self (archive footage)
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles - Unsurpassed Promos
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
I Was There: When the Beatles Played the Cavern
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Recovered Archives Vol. 4
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Recovered Archives Vol. 2
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Recovered Archives Vol. 3
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Recovered Archives Vol. 1
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
Beatles Stories
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
Magical Mystery Tour Revisited
(2012)
Self (archive footage)
Mr. Blue Sky: The Story of Jeff Lynne & ELO
(2012)
Self (archive footage)
The Winged Beetle
(2012)
Self
The Beatles: In Chicago 1964-1966
(2012)
Self
Genius
(2012)
Self (archive footage)
Good Ol' Freda
(2013)
Self (archive footage)
Awake: The Life of Yogananda
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
George Harrison: The Apple Years 1968-75
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
Delaney & Bonnie & Friends: Live In Denmark 1969
(2014)
Self
Roy Orbison: Mystery Girl - Unraveled
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
Beatles på Sverigeturné
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles 1
(2015)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles 1+
(2015)
Self (archive footage)
The Nation's Favourite Beatles Number One
(2015)
Self (archive footage)
Beatles chronology (1962-1970)
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
Deconstructing the Beatles' White Album
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
George Fest: A Night to Celebrate the Music of George Harrison
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
Stupor Mundi: Livre 1, Rituel de décapitation du pape
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
It Was Fifty Years Ago Today! The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper & Beyond
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
How the Beatles Changed the World
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
Sgt Pepper's Musical Revolution
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
Free to Rock
(2017)
Self - The Beatles (archive footage)
Dark Glamour: The Blood and Guts of Hammer Productions
(2017)
Self - Musician (archive footage)
Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami Who Started It All
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
My Generation
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
14 STANDARD 8mm REELS 1981–1988
(2018)
Self
George Harrison - All Things Pass
(2018)
Self (archive footage)
John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky
(2018)
Self (archive footage)
ReMastered: Who Shot the Sheriff
(2018)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles – Ready Steady Go!
(2018)
Self
Take Your Pills
(2018)
Self (archive footage)
Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars
(2018)
Self
Understanding Lennon/McCartney
(2018)
Self (archival footage)
An Accidental Studio
(2019)
Self (archive footage)
Deconstructing the Beatles' Abbey Road: Side 2
(2019)
Self (archive footage)
Deconstructing the Beatles' Abbey Road: Side 1
(2019)
Self (archive footage)
Paul McCartney: Wings of a Beatle
(2019)
Self (archive footage)
Manson: Music From an Unsound Mind
(2019)
Self (archive footage)
Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band
(2020)
Self (archive footage)
Meeting the Beatles in India
(2020)
Self (archive footage)
Jealous Guy: The Assassination of John Lennon
(2020)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles and India
(2021)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Let It Be
(2021)
The Beatles: Get Back - The Rooftop Concert
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
HISTORY OF ROCK MUSIC. What is Rock Music?
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: 1964 US Tour Reconstruction
(2022)
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
(2022)
Self (archive Footage)
If These Walls Could Sing
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Roy Orbison At The BBC
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
The Lost Weekend: A Love Story
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Louder Than Rock
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Sounds of Liverpool at the BBC
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Paul Newman: The Restless
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Reinventing Elvis: The 68' Comeback
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Now and Then - The Last Beatles Song
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles and the BBC
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Music Genres. Voices of the World
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Let It Be - At Last (The Restored 1970 Film)
(2024)
Himself
Sound
The Beatles: Live in Washington DC
(1964)
Music
Help!
(1965)
Songs
Magical Mystery Tour
(1967)
Original Music Composer and Songs
Revolution
(1967)
Songs
Wonderwall
(1968)
Original Music Composer
Yellow Submarine
(1968)
Songs
Let It Be
(1970)
Songs
Time Bandits
(1981)
Music and Theme Song Performance
Shanghai Surprise
(1986)
Songs, Theme Song Performance, and Music
Everest
(1998)
Music
Across the Universe
(2007)
Songs
Yesterday
(2019)
Songs
Production
Magical Mystery Tour
(1967)
Producer
Let It Be
(1970)
Executive Producer
The Concert for Bangladesh
(1972)
Producer
Little Malcolm and His Struggle Against the Eunuchs
(1974)
Executive Producer
Life of Brian
(1979)
Executive Producer
Time Bandits
(1981)
Executive Producer
Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl
(1982)
Executive Producer
The Missionary
(1982)
Executive Producer
Scrubbers
(1982)
Executive Producer
Privates on Parade
(1983)
Producer
Bullshot
(1983)
Producer
A Private Function
(1984)
Executive Producer
Water
(1985)
Executive Producer
Mona Lisa
(1986)
Executive Producer
Shanghai Surprise
(1986)
Executive Producer
Bellman and True
(1987)
Executive Producer
Withnail & I
(1987)
Executive Producer
The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne
(1987)
Producer
Five Corners
(1987)
Executive Producer
Track 29
(1988)
Executive Producer
The Raggedy Rawney
(1988)
Executive Producer
Powwow Highway
(1989)
Executive Producer
Checking Out
(1989)
Executive Producer
How to Get Ahead in Advertising
(1989)
Executive Producer
Nuns on the Run
(1990)
Producer
Cold Dog Soup
(1990)
Executive Producer
Directing
Writing