Quick Facts

• John Lennon was born to Julia Lennon after 30 hours of labor on October 9, 1940.
• John was expelled from school for misbehavior at age 5.
• John was raised by his mother's sister, Mimi Smith.
• Later in life, John discovered that he had dyslexia.
• By age fifteen, John was a big fan of Elvis Presley.
• John decided to become a rocker after hearing Elvis' "Heartbreak Hotel."
• Without glasses, John was legally blind.
• John had brown hair and brown eyes.
• John was about 5'11" tall and weighed about 165.
• John's favourite colour was green.
• John's favourite foods were corn flakes, bread, and vegetarian dishes.
• John's favourite group was The Shirelles.
• John had a strong affection for cats, at one time owning as many as six of them.
• John's mother taught him to play an old Spanish guitar as if it was a banjo.
• The first instrument John was given as a child was an accordion.
• John formed his first band, The Quarrymen in 1956.
• John was 15 when he met Paul McCartney, who was 14.
• John didn't want George Harrison in The Quarrymen, at first, because he was too young.
• It has been reported that John got a big thrill out of shoplifting when he was young.
• In the late '60's, John purchased his own island of the coast of Ireland.
• John Lennon married Cynthia Powell on August 23, 1962, after finding out she was pregnant.
• Brian Epstein was the best man at the wedding.
• Brian reportedly wanted to keep the marriage secret because he didn't want to ruin John's rock star image.
• John and Cynthia did not go on a honeymoon until 13 months after their wedding.
• John did not appear at the hospital until a full week after his son Julian was born.
• In 1965, John wrote the biographical songs, "I'm a Loser," "Help," and "Nowhere Man."
• John and Yoko first met in 1966.
• John often referred to Yoko as "it."
• Yoko referred to John as "businessman" early in their relationship.
• John and Paul were never as close as they appeared publicly.
• On the road, John would room with George, and Paul would room with Ringo.
• The dissension between John and Paul probably started the long decline that ultimately broke up the group.
• At first, John was apprehensive about divorcing Cynthia because he did not want a public scandal.
• John saw his father for the first time in seventeen years in 1964.
• In October 1967, John invited his father to live at this home at Kenwood.
• Cynthia read about John's affair with Yoko in the paper while she was on vacation in Italy.
• In November 1968, the divorce was final.
• John and Yoko were married in March, 1969.
• John kept a light on while he slept, because he hated the dark.
• John travelled with his own huge supply of books, music and videos.
• John ate very little after a reporter labeled him "the fat Beatle" in 1965.
• John drank 20 to 30 cups of tea or coffee every day.
• John gave Yoko Ono power of attorney and responsibility for his estate.
• John frequently chose to wear no clothing, even when he had visitors in his home.
• John believed in reincarnation.
• On March 5, 1970, John and Yoko checked into the London clinic, a private hospital for wealthy addicts.
• The St. Regis Hotel in New York City became home to John and Yoko in 1971.
• In 1973, the Lennons rented an apartment in the Dakota for $1800 a month; they later bought the apartment.
• Sean Ono Taro Lennon was born on October 9, 1975, John's birthday.
• By 1978, John Lennon had wasted away to a mere 130 pounds.
• John signed his autograph for Mark Chapman six hours before he was shot.
• Mark Chapman shot John as he was walking into his apartment building around 10:50 p.m. on Monday, December 8, 1980.
• John's will was a simple four page document which he wrote the year before he died.
• Yoko had John's body cremated on Wednesday, December 10, 1980.