American music producer and promoter
First learned about The Beatles when he was taking an adult-education class, where students were encouraged to study foreign cultures by reading their newspapers. Reading about Beatlemania in England and Europe, Bernstein was encouraged to book them in America in a big way. This he realized early in 1964, when he booked them into Carnegie Hall, as part of their first American visit.
Campaigned many times during the 1970s, for The Beatles to reunite onstage, either for charity or for a huge profit (usually in the millions). The former Beatles always refused the offers, feeling that a show would not live up to everyones expectations, and that it was best to move on. "Saturday Night Live" parodied the situation (and their own small musical budget) by offering the band $3200, then later $3500, to appear there.
