Man who signed the Beatles talks at U.

If it were not for Alan Livingston, America may have never met Sergeant Pepper or his Lonely Hearts Club Band. Livingston, a former Capitol Records executive, told a crowd of over 50 students the story of how he signed the Beatles and other celebrity acts in an hour-long speech last night in McClelland Hall. Livingston, a 1940 Wharton alum, revealed many of the secrets to his success in the entertainment industry, and how he came to represent such celebrities as Frank Sinatra and The Steve Miller Band. After graduating from the University, Livingston traveled to California to pursue a career in the record business. At that time, a "little company called Capitol Records" decided to give him a break in the fledgling childrens' record market and he responded by creating Bozo the Clown. Livingston said he credits his success in the industry to his astute eye for talent, his aggressive nature and his creativity. "No matter what business you go into, there's a creative aspect to almost anything," he said. However, Livingston admitted he has made a few mistakes, like the time he turned down the song "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer." He also said he probably would not have accepted a project like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but feels he has done pretty well so far. After leaving Captiol Records, Livingston served as president of NBC and worked as an executive for 20th Century Fox. Livingston now owns his own animation production company that has worked with both Disney and Steven Spielberg. Livingston said that he disapproves of many of the changes in the entertainment industry in recent years. "[Networks] don't concentrate on show business, on entertainment," he said. "They find out what appeals to the sponsors." Many students who attended the speech said they came because of Livingston's reputation for signing the Fab Four and did not go home disappointed. "I saw the signs and heard he'd signed the Beatles," said College freshman Lee Snyder. College freshman Jocelyn Carp said that she came to the speech to learn more about the entertainment industry. "I want to learn more about the music industry and learn as much as I can before I go into the business," she said.

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