Denis O'Dell, producer of 'Beatles' movies, dies at 98
Dec 31, 2021
Washington [US], December 31 : Denis O'Dell, a producer on two Beatles' movies as well as 'How I Won the War', 'Robin and Marion' and 'Heaven's Gate', has died at the age of 98.
According to Variety, he died from natural causes on Thursday in Almeria, Spain at his home in San Jose, Cabo de Gata.
Father of 'Exodus: Gods and Kings' producer Denise O'Dell and grandfather of Denis Pedregosa, producer of Netflix hit 'The Paramedic', O'Dell's connection with movies stretches back to the '40s.
He had already produced six movies, such as Brian Desmond Hurst's 'The Playboy of the Western World' in 1962, before his association with the Beatles which begun in professional terms with O'Dell taking an associate producer credit on Richard Lester's 'A Hard Day's Night', starring the Beatles and released in 1964.
O'Dell is generally credited with persuading John Lennon to go to Almeria to star in absurdist WWII drama 'How I Won the War', during whose shoot Lennon composed much of 'Strawberry Fields Forever', a milestone in the Beatles' output.
An associate producer on 'How I Won the War', O'Dell took a full producer credit on the made for TV 'Magical Mystery Tour', directed by George Harrison, Lennon and Paul McCartney.
Such was the Beatles' gratitude to O'Dell that on 'You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)', one of the last songs the group recorded, Lennon introduces McCartney by the name of 'Denis O'Bell'.
Despite ranking as one of Spain's biggest film producers, O'Dell never sought the limelight. In a rare moment of public attention, in 2013 he was bestowed with the Almeria Land of Cinema Award by the Almeria Short Film Festival, its highest honour.
As per Variety, he is survived by daughter Denise O'Dell, who co-produced 'Sahara' and 'The Kingdom of Heaven', and grandson Denis Pedregosa whose production credits also take in 'Cold Skin' and 'Black Mirror's' 'Black Museum' episode.
