Francie Schwartz
Encyclopedia
Francie Schwartz, born 1944, is an American
scriptwriter and the former girlfriend, during the late 1960s, of Paul McCartney
, who referred to her as "Franny". At the time, McCartney was engaged to the actress Jane Asher
who broke off the engagement when she found them in bed together, although Schwartz claims otherwise. One of the fans who used to hang around McCartney's Cavendish Avenue house says that "...Paul brought this American girl home...[and a little while later]...another car turned into Cavendish Avenue – it was Jane. She'd come back...earlier than she was supposed to. Jane went into the house. A bit later on she came storming out again and drove away." Later on, Jane's mother arrived to retrieve Jane's things.
which she had read about in the American magazine "Rolling Stone
", at the age of 23 she went to London
to see if one of her scripts was of interest to what she regarded as the "non-establishment
". She met the Beatles at a critical point in their development – when they were making the "White Album".
Her script was for a film about a street violinist and actor she had met when he was doing his act in front of Carnegie Hall
, New York
. She thought the story would be perfect for Paul McCartney with the addition of his lyrical and romantic musical melodies. She came to London on 3 April 1968 and a few days later just walked into the reception room of their first office in 95 Wigmore Street
, London W1U 1QW. This was prior to Apple Corps' move to Savile Row
later in 1968. At the time McCartney was just standing there in conversation with some business contacts. A relationship developed and he later invited her to move in with him at 7 Cavendish Avenue in St John's Wood
, London NW8 9JD, where he was living at the time. McCartney gave her a job working for Derek Taylor, Apple Corps' Public Relations
manager, writing press releases for various Apple Corps artists including James Taylor
, Mary Hopkin
, Badfinger
and Jackie Lomax
.
She was present, as was Lennon's
girlfriend Yoko Ono
when the "White Album" was being recorded when she says she: "was almost always stoned", and that: "the four began to diverge as artists during these sessions". Lennon and Ono came to live at Cavendish Avenue temporarily as guests when Schwartz was living there. Schwartz says that John was upset one morning after finding an insulting note from Paul about Ono, which referred to her as a "Jap
tart".
On Sunday, 28 July 1968, in the midst of recording the "White Album", the Beatles decided to spend what became known as "A Mad Day Out" being photographed at seemingly random locations in London. Schwartz had the task of picking suitable photographic sites. Veteran war photographer Don McCullin was primary cameraman, with additional photographers Ronald Fitzgibbon, Stephen Goldblatt, Tom Murray and Tony Bramwell coming along as well. Beatles' assistant Mal Evans
also took pictures. Ono and Schwartz were also present. In February 2010, Tom Murray unearthed some of the "Mad Day Out" photographs and put them on display at the Three White Walls Gallery in Birmingham
, England. In September, 1999, Schwartz reconnected with Yoko in SoHo
for a mini-reunion.
McCartney married Linda Eastman
in 1969.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
scriptwriter and the former girlfriend, during the late 1960s, of Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, who referred to her as "Franny". At the time, McCartney was engaged to the actress Jane Asher
Jane Asher
Jane Asher is an English actress. She has also developed a second career as a cake decorator and cake shop proprietor.-Early life:...
who broke off the engagement when she found them in bed together, although Schwartz claims otherwise. One of the fans who used to hang around McCartney's Cavendish Avenue house says that "...Paul brought this American girl home...[and a little while later]...another car turned into Cavendish Avenue – it was Jane. She'd come back...earlier than she was supposed to. Jane went into the house. A bit later on she came storming out again and drove away." Later on, Jane's mother arrived to retrieve Jane's things.
White Album
In 1968, intrigued by the Beatles' formation of the Apple CorpsApple Corps
Apple Corps Ltd. is a multi-armed multimedia corporation founded in January 1968 by the members of The Beatles to replace their earlier company and to form a conglomerate. Its name is a pun. Its chief division is Apple Records, which was launched in the same year...
which she had read about in the American magazine "Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
", at the age of 23 she went to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to see if one of her scripts was of interest to what she regarded as the "non-establishment
The Establishment
The Establishment is a term used to refer to a visible dominant group or elite that holds power or authority in a nation. The term suggests a closed social group which selects its own members...
". She met the Beatles at a critical point in their development – when they were making the "White Album".
Her script was for a film about a street violinist and actor she had met when he was doing his act in front of Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. She thought the story would be perfect for Paul McCartney with the addition of his lyrical and romantic musical melodies. She came to London on 3 April 1968 and a few days later just walked into the reception room of their first office in 95 Wigmore Street
Wigmore Street
Wigmore Street is a street in the City of Westminster, in the West End of London, England. The street runs for about 600 yards parallel and to the north of Oxford Street between Portman Square to the west and Cavendish Square to the east....
, London W1U 1QW. This was prior to Apple Corps' move to Savile Row
Savile Row
Savile Row is a shopping street in Mayfair, central London, famous for its traditional men's bespoke tailoring. The term "bespoke" is understood to have originated in Savile Row when cloth for a suit was said to "be spoken for" by individual customers...
later in 1968. At the time McCartney was just standing there in conversation with some business contacts. A relationship developed and he later invited her to move in with him at 7 Cavendish Avenue in St John's Wood
St John's Wood
St John's Wood is a district of north-west London, England, in the City of Westminster, and at the north-west end of Regent's Park. It is approximately 2.5 miles north-west of Charing Cross. Once part of the Great Middlesex Forest, it was later owned by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem...
, London NW8 9JD, where he was living at the time. McCartney gave her a job working for Derek Taylor, Apple Corps' Public Relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
manager, writing press releases for various Apple Corps artists including James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
, Mary Hopkin
Mary Hopkin
Mary Hopkin , credited on some recordings as Mary Visconti, is a Welsh folk singer best known for her 1968 UK number one single "Those Were The Days". She was one of the first musicians to sign to The Beatles' Apple label....
, Badfinger
Badfinger
Badfinger were a British rock band consisting originally of Pete Ham, Ron Griffiths, Mike Gibbins and Tom Evans, active from 1968 to 1983, and evolving from The Iveys, formed by Ham, Griffiths and David "Dai" Jenkins in Swansea, Wales, in the early 1960s. Joey Molland joined the group in 1969,...
and Jackie Lomax
Jackie Lomax
John Richard 'Jackie' Lomax is a British guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his association with George Harrison and Eric Clapton...
.
She was present, as was Lennon's
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
girlfriend Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
when the "White Album" was being recorded when she says she: "was almost always stoned", and that: "the four began to diverge as artists during these sessions". Lennon and Ono came to live at Cavendish Avenue temporarily as guests when Schwartz was living there. Schwartz says that John was upset one morning after finding an insulting note from Paul about Ono, which referred to her as a "Jap
Jap
Jap is an English abbreviation of the word "Japanese." Today it is generally regarded as an ethnic slur, although English-speaking countries differ in the degree to which they consider the term offensive. In the United States, Japanese Americans have come to find the term controversial or...
tart".
On Sunday, 28 July 1968, in the midst of recording the "White Album", the Beatles decided to spend what became known as "A Mad Day Out" being photographed at seemingly random locations in London. Schwartz had the task of picking suitable photographic sites. Veteran war photographer Don McCullin was primary cameraman, with additional photographers Ronald Fitzgibbon, Stephen Goldblatt, Tom Murray and Tony Bramwell coming along as well. Beatles' assistant Mal Evans
Mal Evans
Malcolm Frederick 'Mal' Evans was best known as the road manager, assistant, and a friend of The Beatles: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr....
also took pictures. Ono and Schwartz were also present. In February 2010, Tom Murray unearthed some of the "Mad Day Out" photographs and put them on display at the Three White Walls Gallery in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England. In September, 1999, Schwartz reconnected with Yoko in SoHo
SoHo
SoHo is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City, notable for being the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, and also, more recently, for the wide variety of stores and shops ranging from trendy boutiques to outlets of upscale national and international chain stores...
for a mini-reunion.
McCartney married Linda Eastman
Linda McCartney
Linda Louise McCartney, Lady McCartney was an American photographer, musician and animal rights activist. Her father and mother were Lee Eastman and Louise Sara Lindner Eastman....
in 1969.