Women of The Beatles: Olivia Harrison

Olivia Harrison in the 1980's

Olivia Arias was a cute little Mexican girl working as a receptionist in the Los Angeles office of Dark Horse Records in the early 1970's when George Harrison, the company's founder, walked in. He'd spoken to her on the phone several times and began to form an attraction to her. George then asked a mutual friend to go to L.A. and take a photo of Olivia and send it to him as he wanted to know if she was as beautiful as she sounded. That never happened so George went over to see her for himself and they began a relationship with him bringing Olivia on his 1974 North American tour and marrying her in 1978. They had a son the same year, Dhani and they lived together at Friar Park. Olivia admitted that during their marriage George did have affairs with other women but she knew what she was getting into when she married a Beatle. In 1999 she successfully saved George's life when a psychopath who was convinced George was the devil stormed into their Friar Park mansion and stabbed George multiple times, grabbing a nearby lamp she hit the assailant over the head knocking him out. Tom Petty later sent him a fax saying "Aren't you glad you married a Mexican girl?". George was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1997 which was successfully treated. However, in early 2001 it came back on his lungs and had spread to his brain. He died on the 29th November 2001 with his family by his side. In the years since his death Olivia has maintained George's legacy, lending her support to the 2002 'Concert For George' which was organized by his old mate Eric Clapton and featured his friends from all over the music world including his most famous; Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr. Olivia continues to lend her support to Charities and still lives in Friar Park.