Ex–Beatles Manager Klein Dead At 77

Allen Klein, the bare-knuckle Beatles manager whom many blame for splitting up the group, died today after battling Alzheimer’s disease, Reuters reports. The former New Jersey accountant, who also managed the Rolling Stones, became a legend in his own right, known for his gangster-like business style in a career spanning more than 50 years. He was 77.

In the mid-1960s, he alienated Mick Jagger by snapping up ownership of the Stones’ recordings and copyrights. He later managed the Beatles at the behest of John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison—and against the opposition of Paul McCartney. Survived by his wife and three adult children, Klein will be remembered Tuesday at a funeral in New York.
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