John Lennon, born in Liverpool in 1940, grew up with his Aunt Mimi after his parents split. He kicked off his music journey with The Quarrymen, which morphed into The Beatles once Paul McCartney and George Harrison joined the ride. They hustled in Liverpool and Hamburg before the world lost its mind over "Love Me Do" and "Please Please Me" in '63. Beatlemania was officially a thing. John’s first son, Julian, came along that year too. By ’64, The Beatles hit America, crushed it on The Ed Sullivan Show, and suddenly everyone from teenagers to the Queen was obsessed—literally, they got M.B.E. medals in ’65. John tossed his back later, sticking it to the establishment over the Vietnam War. Things got hairy after John’s “more popular than Jesus” comment—outrage, protests, you name it. They ditched touring, got weird (in a good way) in the studio, and cranked out classics like "Sgt. Pepper" and the "White Album," plus some trippy music videos before those were even a thing. Late '60s, John paired up with Yoko Ono, making experimental stuff that flopped at first, but "Live Peace In Toronto" hit the charts. He moved to the US, almost got deported, split with Yoko for a bit, then they patched things up. After Sean was born, John laid low for five years, just being a dad. Then, just as he was coming back with "Double Fantasy," everything ended—shot outside his New York home at 40. Gone way too soon, but impossible to forget.
So, back in the swinging '60s, The Beatles—yeah, those Beatles—actually wanted to do a live-action version of The Lord of the Rings. No joke, Lennon was all about playing Gollum, which is honestly kind of hilarious if you think about it. Paul was supposed to be Frodo, Ringo as Sam, and George as Gandalf. Just imagine that lineup for a second. They were all pretty into Tolkien’s books, apparently. It wasn’t just some random idea, either—they really tried to make it happen. The plan was for them to star in it themselves, so it would’ve been a totally different take on Middle-earth, with a major British rock band vibe. In the end, the whole thing fizzled out and never happened, but the thought of The Beatles wandering around Mordor in full costume is kinda wild. This is one of those weird “almost” moments in movie history. Still blows my mind.
You ever hear someone talk about music like it’s magic? That’s pretty much the vibe here. The character’s not out here bragging about skills or genius—nah, it’s more like something cosmic takes over. When the real music hits, it’s not even about them, it’s like the universe is just using them as a messenger. All those fancy phrases, “music of the spheres,” or “music that surpasses understanding”—that’s what they’re chasing. It’s not about fame or recognition, it’s about catching those rare moments when inspiration basically possesses you. They just want to write it down before it disappears, like scribbling a dream before it fades. That’s the thrill, that’s the payoff. Not awards or applause, just the pure rush of being the one who gets to bring something otherworldly into the world, even if only for a second. That’s what keeps them going, every single time.
October 9, 1940
5′ 11″ (1.80 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Liverpool, Lancashire, England, UK
Yes, Sean Lennon
Alfred Lennon and Surekha
84 years old