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)
Let It Be
(1970)
Self (The Beatles) (uncredited)
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
A Hard Day's Night
(1964)
George
Yellow Submarine
(1968)
George (uncredited)
Magical Mystery Tour
(1967)
Self / Magician Looking Through Telescope
Help!
(1965)
George
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
Shanghai Surprise
(1986)
Nightclub Singer
Imagine: John Lennon
(1988)
Self
How the Beatles Changed the World
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
Take Your Pills
(2018)
Self (archive footage)
Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars
(2018)
Self
Naqoyqatsi
(2002)
Self (archive footage)
This Is Elvis
(1981)
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Full Filmography
Acting
The Beatles Come to Town
(1963)
Self
The Mersey Sound
(1963)
Self
The Beatles - Live at The Empire Theatre Liverpool
(1963)
The Beatles in Australia
(1964)
Self
A Hard Day's Night
(1964)
George
The Beatles: Live in Washington DC
(1964)
Self
The Beatles: Live in The Netherlands
(1964)
Self
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! The Beatles in New York
(1964)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles - Live at the Washington Coliseum, 1964
(1964)
Self
Around the Beatles
(1964)
Self
What's Happening! The Beatles in the USA
(1964)
Self - The Beatles Member
The Beatles Sing for Shell
(1964)
Self
The Music of Lennon & McCartney
(1965)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Live in Paris
(1965)
Self
Help!
(1965)
George
Doctor Who: The Chase
(1965)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles Unauthorized
(1965)
Self (archive footage)
Pop Gear
(1965)
Self
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
Our World
(1967)
Self
Monument
(1967)
Self (archive footage)
Magical Mystery Tour
(1967)
Self / Magician Looking Through Telescope
All You Need Is Love
(1967)
Self
The Movie Orgy
(1968)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles Mod Odyssey
(1968)
Self
Yellow Submarine
(1968)
George (uncredited)
All My Loving
(1968)
Self
The Beatles: REVOLUTION
(1968)
Self
The Beatles: HEY JUDE
(1968)
Self
The Beatles: Get Back...Winter of Discontent
(1969)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles - Abbey Road
(1969)
Self - guitar, vocals
The Beatles - The Get Back Chronicles 1969 Volume Two
(1969)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: SOMETHING
(1969)
Self
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)
Let It Be
(1970)
Self (The Beatles) (uncredited)
Raga
(1971)
Self
The Concert for Bangladesh
(1972)
Self
Imagine
(1972)
Self
Braverman's Condensed Cream of the Beatles
(1974)
Self (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali: The Greatest
(1974)
Self
The Society of the Spectacle
(1974)
Self (archive footage)
Night Lunch
(1975)
Self
The Day the Music Died
(1977)
Self
Mighty Good: The Beatles
(1977)
Self
The Beatles at Shea Stadium
(1977)
Self
Eric Clapton and His Rolling Hotel
(1978)
Self
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
(1978)
Self (archive footage)
Ringo
(1978)
George Harrison
The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash
(1978)
The Interviewer (Jimmy “The Wallasey Warbler” Climmer)
Life of Brian
(1979)
Mr. Papadopolous (uncredited)
This Is Elvis
(1981)
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
(1982)
Self (archive footage)
The Compleat Beatles
(1982)
Self (archive footage)
British Rock: The First Wave
(1985)
Self (archive footage)
Carl Perkins & Friends: Blue Suede Shoes - A Rockabilly Session
(1985)
Self
Water
(1985)
Himself - The Singing Rebels' Band
Shanghai Surprise
(1986)
Nightclub Singer
Fun with the Fab Four
(1986)
Self (archive footage)
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)
Curves Contours & Body Horns
(1993)
Self
Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration
(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)
The Beatles: A Celebration
(1999)
Self (archive footage)
Television: The First Fifty Years
(1999)
Self – The Beatles (archive footage)
In Dreams: The Roy Orbison Story
(1999)
Self
Goodnight Moon & Other Sleepytime Tales
(1999)
Self (archive footage / uncredited)
Gimme Some Truth: The Making of John Lennon's Imagine Album
(2000)
Self
Wingspan
(2001)
Himself (archive footage)
Beatles: Big Beat Box
(2001)
Self (archive footage)
Things They Said Today
(2002)
Self (archive footage)
George Harrison - The Quiet one
(2002)
Self (archive footage)
Paul McCartney: Back in the U.S.
(2002)
Self (archive footage)
Naqoyqatsi
(2002)
Self (archive footage)
Beatles: The Journey
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch
(2003)
Jimmy “The Wallasey Warbler” Climmer (archive footage)
The Beatles: Around the World
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
Inside John Lennon - Unauthorized
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
Hagström: Everything in Music
(2003)
Self (archive footage)
George Harrison: The Dark Horse Years 1976-1992
(2004)
Self (archive footage)
George Harrison: All things must pass
(2004)
Self (archive footage)
Beatles Biggest Secrets
(2004)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Watching Rainbows
(2004)
Self (archive footage)
Brian Epstein: Inside the Fifth Beatle
(2004)
Self (archive footage)
George Harrison & Friends - The Concert for Bangladesh Revisited
(2005)
Self
The Beatles: Chronology Vol. 1 y 2
(2005)
Self - guitarra solista, vocalista
The Beatles: Love Me Do - A Documentary
(2005)
Self (archive footage)
Doctor Who: Origins
(2006)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Love
(2006)
Self
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream
(2007)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles Explosion
(2007)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Destination Hamburg
(2007)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Help!
(2007)
Self (archive footage)
The True History Of The Traveling Wilburys
(2007)
Self
The Beatles: Magical Mystery Tour Memories
(2008)
Self (Archive Footage)
Rare and Unseen: The Beatles
(2008)
Self (archive footage)
Composing the Beatles Songbook: Lennon & McCartney 1966-1970
(2008)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Parting Ways
(2009)
Himself
The Beatles: Here There and Everywhere
(2009)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles on Record
(2009)
Self
The Beatles: The Mini Documentaries
(2009)
Self
The Beatles: Budokan Tokyo 1966
(2009)
Self (lead and backing vocals, lead guitar)
Ravi Shankar's Music Festival from India
(2010)
Self
The Beatles: Fifty Fabulous Years
(2010)
Self (archive footage)
John Lennon: Love Is All You Need
(2010)
Self (archive footage)
Paul McCartney Really Is Dead: The Last Testament of George Harrison
(2010)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: A Magical History Tour
(2010)
Self (archive footage)
The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles
(2010)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Recovered Archives Vol. 2
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Recovered Archives Vol. 4
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Recovered Archives Vol. 1
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Recovered Archives Vol. 3
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
Beatles Stories
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
I Was There: When the Beatles Played the Cavern
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles - Unsurpassed Promos
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
Magical Mystery Tour Revisited
(2012)
Self (archive footage)
Genius
(2012)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: In Chicago 1964-1966
(2012)
Self
The Winged Beetle
(2012)
Self
Mr. Blue Sky: The Story of Jeff Lynne & ELO
(2012)
Self (archive footage)
Good Ol' Freda
(2013)
Self (archive footage)
Beatles på Sverigeturné
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
George Harrison: The Apple Years 1968-75
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
Delaney & Bonnie & Friends: Live In Denmark 1969
(2014)
Self
Awake: The Life of Yogananda
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
Roy Orbison: Mystery Girl - Unraveled
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
The Nation's Favourite Beatles Number One
(2015)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles 1
(2015)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles 1+
(2015)
Self (archive footage)
Stupor Mundi: Livre 1, Rituel de décapitation du pape
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
Deconstructing the Beatles' White Album
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
George Fest: A Night to Celebrate the Music of George Harrison
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
Beatles chronology (1962-1970)
(2016)
Self (archive footage)
Dark Glamour: The Blood and Guts of Hammer Productions
(2017)
Self - Musician (archive footage)
Sgt Pepper's Musical Revolution
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
Free to Rock
(2017)
Self - The Beatles (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)
My Generation
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami Who Started It All
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
George Harrison - All Things Pass
(2018)
Self (archive footage)
Take Your Pills
(2018)
Self (archive footage)
14 STANDARD 8mm REELS 1981–1988
(2018)
Self
Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars
(2018)
Self
The Beatles – Ready Steady Go!
(2018)
Self
Understanding Lennon/McCartney
(2018)
Self (archival footage)
ReMastered: Who Shot the Sheriff
(2018)
Self (archive footage)
John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky
(2018)
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)
An Accidental Studio
(2019)
Self (archive footage)
Manson: Music From an Unsound Mind
(2019)
Self (archive footage)
Paul McCartney: Wings of a Beatle
(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: Let It Be
(2021)
The Beatles and India
(2021)
Self (archive footage)
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
(2022)
Self (archive Footage)
HISTORY OF ROCK MUSIC. What is Rock Music?
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles: 1964 US Tour Reconstruction
(2022)
The Beatles: Get Back - The Rooftop Concert
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
If These Walls Could Sing
(2022)
Self (archive footage)
Reinventing Elvis: The 68' Comeback
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Paul Newman: The Restless
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Now and Then - The Last Beatles Song
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Louder Than Rock
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Sounds of Liverpool at the BBC
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Roy Orbison At The BBC
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
The Lost Weekend: A Love Story
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
The Beatles and the BBC
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Music Genres. Voices of the World
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Sound
The Beatles: Live in Washington DC
(1964)
Music
Help!
(1965)
Songs
Magical Mystery Tour
(1967)
Original Music Composer and Songs
Revolution
(1967)
Songs
Yellow Submarine
(1968)
Songs
Wonderwall
(1968)
Original Music Composer
Let It Be
(1970)
Songs
All This and World War II
(1976)
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
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years
(2016)
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
The Missionary
(1982)
Executive Producer
Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl
(1982)
Executive Producer
Scrubbers
(1982)
Executive Producer
Bullshot
(1983)
Producer
Privates on Parade
(1983)
Producer
A Private Function
(1984)
Executive Producer
Water
(1985)
Executive Producer
Shanghai Surprise
(1986)
Executive Producer
Mona Lisa
(1986)
Executive Producer
Withnail & I
(1987)
Executive Producer
The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne
(1987)
Producer
Bellman and True
(1987)
Executive 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
Cold Dog Soup
(1990)
Executive Producer
Nuns on the Run
(1990)
Producer
Writing
Directing