The years following John Lennon’s murder were a delicate time for the remaining Beatles. They were unified in their grief and rekindled a sense of brotherhood through the immense loss of John.
By the mid-90s, and all three living Beatles agreed to revisit their legendary body of work for the Anthology series. Those sessions, coincided with the filming of the documentary of the same name. This is best illustrated in the footage where they record new harmonies to songs like ‘Free As A Bird’, but also in the casual hangouts like the one filmed in Harrison’s garden with the members picking up ukuleles.
By 2001, George was in ailing health due to his lung cancer diagnosis. While receiving treatment in New York, George was informed that the cancer had spread to his brain and it was likely terminal. Radiotherapy began, but George was are that he likely didn’t have long to live. As such, he invited Paul and Ringo out to New York for lunch, with the understanding that this was likely the final time all three would be together.
George’s doctor, who accompanied him to the meeting, described it thusly. “It was a spirited affair,” said Dr. Gilbert Lederman, “not a sombre one. There were lots of laughs and lots of fun. There were tears, but George remained very much a man of dignity. At the end, after both Paul and Ringo had left, he was fine and calm. He was a very happy man. This meeting meant so much to him. For me, it was a unique phenomenon to be there. The whole experience was an incredible one. These were the icons of my life – some of the most important people of the 20th century.”
George’s doctor, who accompanied him to the meeting, described it thusly. “It was a spirited affair,” said Dr. Gilbert Lederman, “not a sombre one. There were lots of laughs and lots of fun. There were tears, but George remained very much a man of dignity. At the end, after both Paul and Ringo had left, he was fine and calm. He was a very happy man. This meeting meant so much to him. For me, it was a unique phenomenon to be there. The whole experience was an incredible one. These were the icons of my life – some of the most important people of the 20th century.”
Lederman’s role at the end of George´s life is somewhat controversial. He allegedly leaked some of the more dire aspects of George’s diagnosis to the press, and at one point even had a weakened Harrison sign a guitar for him. Harrison’s family would later claim damages from Lederman, but even the immoral doctor couldn’t dampen the lively spirits of the luncheon.
George reportedly told jokes throughout lunch and mentioned some of his favourite memories from the past. Paul, Ringo and George had mended their relationship well enough for Paul to offer up his house as a place to stay when George’s treatment moved him to Los Angeles. It would be in this house that George would eventually succumb to his sickness on November 29, 2001 at the age of 58. It was less than three weeks after his final meeting with his Beatle bandmates.
George reportedly told jokes throughout lunch and mentioned some of his favourite memories from the past. Paul, Ringo and George had mended their relationship well enough for Paul to offer up his house as a place to stay when George’s treatment moved him to Los Angeles. It would be in this house that George would eventually succumb to his sickness on November 29, 2001 at the age of 58. It was less than three weeks after his final meeting with his Beatle bandmates.
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