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Sir Benmania? [Posted by Dave Haber on Thursday, 07/31/08 4:13 pm] [Full Blog] [Digg This] Now recognised as one of Britain's most talented and distinguished actors, it was revealed today in an interview in the Telegraph that Sir Ben Kingsley began his stage career in February, 1966, in A Smashing Day, a musical produced by Brian Epstein, the manager of the Beatles. According to Sir Ben, he was faced with the choice of pursing an acting career or following the Beatles to worldwide fame as a singer-guitarist. "I was offered a contract by Dick James, who was the manager of Northern Songs, who in turn recorded all the Beatles' early discs," he recalls. "It was an extraordinary meeting and he was quite insistent because he'd heard me play the guitar and sing on stage, as did John and Ringo. It was quite difficult for me to decide which way to go, and then in the same week I was offered a line of small roles in classical theatre and I decided to follow that route." Within a year, he was invited to join the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the rest is show business history.

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