- During the recording of his "Pussy Cats" album (produced, co-written and co-performed by John Lennon), he kept secret from everyone that his smoking and drinking were threatening his health. It was clear that his once-celebrated voice was not what it once was, but Nilsson, afraid that Lennon would cancel the recording sessions, kept a bucket hidden so he could spit out the blood produced after his coughing fits ruptured a vocal cord.
- Was given John Lennon's lambskin-and-wool coat when they first met in England; Nilsson passed it along to his sister (it didn't fit him), who stored it in a vault.
- Became active in the anti-handgun movement after friend John Lennon's murder; appeared at several public events for this cause.
- He had six children with his third wife, Una: Annie, Beau, Ben, Kief, Olivia, and Oscar. He also had a son, Zachary Nine, from his marriage to Diane.
- His grandparents were Swedish circus performers, whose act was known as the "Aerial Ballet" (which became the title for his second album).
- Nilsson's relationship with his record label, RCA, went through a gradual decline through the 1970s, largely driven by his own excesses. His "Pussy Cats" album was almost canceled because of its original title, "Strange Pussies." Shortly after that album was released, close friend John Lennon (who had produced "Pussy Cats") marched into the RCA offices and demanded that Nilsson be paid what he was worth, hinting that both he and Ringo Starr might have signed with RCA Records once their EMI contracts were up the following year, but not if Nilsson didn't get a new contract. RCA pulled out all the stops, offering Nilsson a royalty increase, greater creative control and a completion bonus for each new album. As it turned out, neither Lennon nor Starr signed with RCA and Nilsson's subsequent albums were largely critical and commercial failures. In 1977 his "Knnillssonn" album showed great promise, and RCA planned a large marketing campaign, but the death of Elvis Presley shifted the label's focus, and it turned instead to promoting Presley's back catalog. Disappointed by this, and by the release of a greatest-hits album without his input, Nilsson asked RCA to cancel his contract.
- The Park Street apartment that he owned in London was where Cass Elliot died from a heart attack in July 1974. In September 1978 The Who's drummer Keith Moon died at the same apartment of an overdose of Heminevrin, a prescription drug that he was taking for alcoholism.
- His cover of Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'" was chosen to be played over the opening titles and during the first part of Midnight Cowboy (1969). Other songs considered included Nilsson's own "I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City", and Randy Newman's "Cowboy", which he and Nilsson re-recorded later.
- Met The Monkees through producer Chip Douglas; Douglas had played bass on a Nilsson collaboration with Phil Spector. Nilsson sat at a piano and played the group a selection of his recent songs for them to possibly record. Michael Nesmith's reaction to what they heard was a delighted "Where the fuck did you COME from, man?!" Nilsson was an instant hit with The Monkees, who did record his "Cuddly Toy" for their next album, and later "Daddy's Song" for their movie Head (1968). When Nilsson heard "Cuddly Toy" on the radio, he knew he could quit his job at the bank.
- In 1971 Nilsson did a cover of the Badfinger song "Without You," which appeared on his "Nilsson Schmilsson" album, with haunting vocals that showed his incredible multiple-octave range. The song went to #1 in the charts, and he won a Grammy for it.
- He suffered a massive heart attack on February 14, 1993. He died in his sleep from heart disease on January 15, 1994, at his home in Agoura Hills, CA.
- His funeral service included an unplanned singalong of "You're Breakin' My Heart", remembered by mourners as "his greatest song".
- After leaving RCA Records in the late 1970s, his later recorded output was mostly songs for soundtracks (The World's Greatest Lover (1977), Popeye (1980), and the holiday special Ziggy's Gift (1982)), though he did contribute two vocals to a Yoko Ono all-star tribute. At the time of his death in 1994, he had just completed the vocals for a possible comeback album.
- Along with composing the soundtrack for Otto Preminger's Skidoo (1968) (he appears briefly as a stoned tower guard and also sings the closing credits), he provided much of the music for The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969).
- His father was a scout for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team who lived in Palatka, FL. Harry's half-brother, Gary Nilsson, still lives in Palatka.
- Met The Beatles, which had been impressed by his first album, "Pandemonium Shadow Show," early in 1968. Became close friends with John Lennon and Ringo Starr, in particular, and he shared a house with them in Los Angeles during 1974. The three collaborated on several records in the mid-1970s, while their off-hours drinking binges around L.A. became legendary.
- Friend Ringo Starr served as best man at his marriage to Una O'Keeffe.
- When approached by Ringo Starr to star with him in Son of Dracula (1973), Nilsson at first thought the idea had come from his recent "Son of Schmilsson" album, which included some horror-movie motifs; Starr had played drums on some of the songs. Starr hadn't seen the finished album, and knew nothing of it until shown a copy later by then-wife Maureen. Nilsson starred as young Count Downe (the Son of Dracula), while Starr played the aged Merlin the Magician. Both knew the movie wasn't going to be a hit while they were making it, but they enjoyed working together.
- Gained early recording experience by singing on commercial jingles and beds, including ads for Ban deodorant, Sea & Ski and Der Weinerschnitzel. Several Nilsson songs were also later used in commercials, including "Me And My Arrow" (for Plymouth), "Good Old Desk", and more recently a re-edited version of "Everybody's Talkin'".
- Never made personal appearances (aside from one very brief European tour, early on) because he knew he could never recreate his complex sounds outside of a studio. Made a handful of television guest appearances in the '60s on his manager's advice, but disliked the results.
- Worked the night shift at a bank's computer center in order to have his days free to pursue recording and publishing deals, and worked on songs during his breaks. Composer/publisher Perry Botkin Jr. befriended him and gave him a key to his office so he'd have another place to write after hours. By the time Nilsson scored his RCA recording contract, he was used to working out of an office, so he asked for one at RCA in Hollywood as part of his deal. He often surprised fans, the press and industry people by answering his own phone, and any questions about his performing live with a brief "I didn't." "I haven't." "I don't.").
- Told Hugh Hefner when he guested on Playboy After Dark (1969) that his song "Good Old Desk" was about God, as the first letters of the title spelled G-O-D. Admitted years later he'd been kidding, and Hefner apparently didn't catch on.
- Got his first real break in the music industry from producer Rick Jarrard of RCA Records.
- Is referenced in the song "Life Is A Rock But the Radio Rolled Me" by Reunion.
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