Allen KIein - hero or villain?

Allen Klein, one of the most influential and controversial figures in music history, has died aged 77. An accountant by profession, he had a long and varied career and created tension and distrust in most of the roles he had. He advised Bobby Darin after meeting him at a friend's wedding, became Sam Cooke's business manager, briefly managed the Rolling Stones and was blamed for the break up of the Beatles, after Paul McCartney refused to accept him. Along the way he bought Cameo Parkway records, helped John Lennon and George Harrison after the Beatles split, bought the rights to Phil Spector's Philles records, produced a series of spaghetti Westerns and won a bitter legal battle against the Verve. Was he a force for good or bad? Difficult to tell, as at heart he was just an uncompromising accountant, but he certainly helped Sam Cooke become the first successful black music business man, so perhaps he wasn't all bad. Here are a couple of his obits: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article6643671.ece http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/allen-klein-notorious-business-manager-for-the-beatles-and-the-rolling-stones-1732780.html
There have been a couple of other high profile deaths over the last few days. Karl Malden, with his prominent proboscis, was probably best known for his role as Mike Stone in The Streets of San Francisco, one of the top US cop shows of the 70s. But he also made over 50 movies, including Patton, How The West Was Won, On The Waterfront, Kiss of Death, Birdman of Alcatraz and Murderer's Row.. He was 97.

Mollie Sugden, who has died aged 86, starred as Mrs Slocombe in Are You Being Served and will forever be remembered for her fondness for her 'pussy'. She also starred in The Liver Birds.