Editing Brian Epstein (section)

==Early life==
[[File:Epstein plaque, 4 Rodney Street.jpg|thumb|Commemorative plaque at Epstein's birthplace, 4 [[Rodney Street, Liverpool]]]]
Brian Epstein was born on 19 September 1934 at 4 [[Rodney Street, Liverpool|Rodney Street]], [[Liverpool]].{{sfn|Spitz|2005|p=254}} Harry and Queenie also had another son named Clive, who was born 22&nbsp;months after his older brother.<ref name="EpsteinCom">{{cite web |url=http://www.brianepstein.com/brian.html |title=Mr. Brian Epstein |publisher=Springtime! |access-date=18 April 2008}}</ref> During [[World War II]] the Epsteins moved to [[Southport]], where two schools expelled Epstein for laziness and poor performance, but the family returned to Liverpool in 1945.{{sfn|Spitz|2005|p=2557}} The Epsteins lived at 197&nbsp;[[A5058 road|Queens Drive]], Childwall in Liverpool, and remained there for the next 30&nbsp;years.<ref>{{cite book |first=Chris|last=Ingham |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=htl2U1fPq8QC&pg=PA326 |title=The Rough Guide to The Beatles |publisher=Rough Guides |isbn=978-1-84353-140-1 |date=28 October 2003}}</ref> The family was aided by a live-in nanny.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=248}}

Epstein's parents moved him from one boarding school to another, including [[Clayesmore School]] in [[Dorset]], [[Liverpool College]], and a Jewish school in [[Kent]].{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=251}} He spent two years at [[Wrekin College]] in [[Wellington, Shropshire|Wellington]], [[Shropshire]], where he was taught the [[violin]].<ref name="FranklyBrian1127">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/mersey/5184.shtml |title=Frankly Speaking: Brian Epstein (time: 11.27) |publisher=BBC |date=23 March 1964 |access-date=2 July 2011}}</ref> At Wrekin, Epstein suffered from the strict culture, possibly in part as a result of his suppressed [[homosexuality]].{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=251}} Epstein fell in love with the arts, particularly theatre, and it was his one consistently successful school subject. His favourite book as a child was Pamela Brown's ''[[The Swish of the Curtain]]''.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=249}} Shortly before his 16th birthday he sent a long letter to his father stating that he wanted to become a dress designer, but Harry Epstein was adamantly opposed, and after serving a six months' apprenticeship at another company<ref name="FranklyBrian1012">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/mersey/5184.shtml |title=Frankly Speaking: Brian Epstein (time: 10.12) |publisher=BBC |date=23 March 1964 |access-date=2 July 2011}}</ref> his son finally had to "report for duty" at the family's furniture shop on a £5 per week wage.{{sfn|Spitz|2005|p=259}}<ref name="EpsteinCom" />

In December 1952, Epstein was conscripted to do his [[Conscription in the United Kingdom|national service]] as a [[data entry clerk]] into the [[Royal Army Service Corps]], and was posted to the [[Regent's Park Barracks|Albany Street Barracks]] near [[Regent's Park]] in London in spring 1953, where he was often reprimanded for not collecting his army pay.{{sfn|Spitz|2005|p=259}} Epstein used this posting to explore London's high culture for the first time and also visited local relatives.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=255}} By January 1954, Epstein had seen numerous Army psychiatrists, who recommended an early medical discharge.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=255}}

After returning to Liverpool, he was put in charge of the Clarendon Furnishing shop in [[Hoylake]] and in 1955 was made a director of NEMS.<ref name="EpsteinCom" /> In September 1956, he took a trip to London to meet a friend but after being there for only one day, was robbed of his passport, birth certificate, chequebook, wristwatch, and all the money he had in his possession. He did not want his parents to find out, so he worked as a department store clerk until he had earned enough money to buy a train ticket back to Liverpool.{{sfn|Spitz|2005|p=261}} On returning home he confessed his homosexuality to a psychiatrist—a friend of the Epstein family—who suggested to Harry Epstein that his son should leave Liverpool as soon as possible. During the sessions, Epstein revealed his ambition of becoming an actor, so his parents allowed him to go to London to study.<ref name="EpsteinCom" />{{sfn|Spitz|2005|p=261}}

In autumn 1956, Epstein enrolled in a two-year course at the [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]] (RADA) in London.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=259}} His RADA classmates included actors [[Susannah York]], [[Albert Finney]], and [[Peter O'Toole]], but Epstein dropped out after the third term,<ref name="NowhereMan" /> saying that he had become "too much of a businessman to enjoy being a student, and I didn't like being a student at all."<ref name="FranklyBrian1100">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/mersey/5184.shtml |title=Frankly Speaking: Brian Epstein (time: 11.00) |publisher=BBC |date=23 March 1964 |access-date=2 July 2011}}</ref> He said in 1964 that he "felt like an old man at the age of 21".<ref name="FranklyBrian1043">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/mersey/5184.shtml |title=Frankly Speaking: Brian Epstein (time: 10.43) |publisher=BBC |date=23 March 1964 |access-date=2 July 2011}}</ref> He also revealed that he would have liked to produce a theatre play, or even act, "in something by [[Anton Chekhov|Chekhov]]", or a "straight drama" by [[John Osborne]].<ref name="FranklyBrian2719">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/mersey/5184.shtml |title=Frankly Speaking: Brian Epstein (time: 27.19) |publisher=BBC |date=23 March 1964 |access-date=2 July 2011}}</ref>

In late April 1957, while a RADA student, Epstein was arrested for soliciting an undercover police officer for sex near the [[Swiss Cottage tube station]]. (Homosexual sex for men was illegal in Britain at this time.){{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=262}} He appeared in a [[Marylebone]] courthouse the next day and pleaded not guilty. He was sentenced to two years' [[probation]].{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=263}} While still serving probation in May 1958, he was assaulted by a casual sex partner in Liverpool and extorted for [[hush money]]. Epstein reported the encounter to the police, forcing him to testify in court and reveal his sexual orientation to his family.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=270}} The court [[gag order|barred the press]] from revealing Epstein's identity during the trial. His assailant was sentenced to serve two years in jail, and Epstein was not charged.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=270}}

After his withdrawal from RADA, Epstein returned to Liverpool, where his father put his son in charge of the record department of the family's newly opened NEMS music store on Great Charlotte Street.{{sfn|Spitz|2005|p=263}} Epstein worked "day and night" at the store to make it a success, and it became one of the biggest musical retail outlets in [[Northern England]].{{sfn|Spitz|2005|p=264}} The Epsteins opened a second store at 12–14 Whitechapel, and Epstein was put in charge of the entire operation. He often walked across the road to the [[Lewis's]] department store (which also had a music section) where [[Peter Brown (music manager)|Peter Brown]] was employed. He watched Brown's sales technique and was impressed enough to lure him to work for NEMS with the offer of a higher salary and a commission on sales.{{sfn|Brown|Gaines|2002|p=63}} Through his work in the record department at NEMS, Epstein gained considerable knowledge of the pop music business.{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=269}}