EXCLUSIVE: Revealed — The Poignant Four-Word Message Beatles Icon George Harrison Used to Cheer Up Pals and Make Them Realize Every Day Could Be Their Last

Eric Idle has revealed George Harrison had a surprisingly morbid but uplifting way of comforting his friends – by reminding them, with a smile, that they were going to die.

The 81-year-old Monty Python legend, who became close friends with Harrison in the 1970s, said the late Beatle used humor and spiritual wisdom to help his pals keep perspective during hard times, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

Their friendship began at a Hollywood screening of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, where, as Idle recalls: "George tapped me on the shoulder and said: 'I've been looking for you.'"

He added: "We went up to the control booth and had a reefer, and spent the whole night talking.

"It was love at first sight. I was about to go through a divorce and he cheered me up by telling me I was going to die. That was always his mantra: every day is potentially your last, so look on the bright side."

Harrison's deadpan four-word philosophy – "You're going to die" – became a running theme in their friendship and others nurtured by the Beatles guitarist.Idle said the curt reminder of life's fragility "still makes me laugh."

A source close to the comedian said: "George had this beautiful way of cutting through all the drama. When Eric was in pieces, George would just grin and say, 'You're going to die.' It sounds dark, but he meant it kindly – it was his way of saying, 'Stop worrying and live while you can,' and it was the same thing he said to other close friends when they were feeling low."

Idle and Harrison remained close for decades until the musician's death in 2001 at the age of 58.

The Monty Python star still speaks of him with reverence, calling him "the kindest man I've ever known."

Harrison famously mortgaged his house and company, Handmade Films, to finance Monty Python's Life of Brian in 1979 after studios refused to touch the controversial project.

"He paid entirely for Life of Brian, mortgaging his house and company premises, raising $6million from the bank," Idle said. "How crazy is that? It wouldn't have been made if not for him."

Harrison, who had drifted from the spotlight after the Beatles' split, found solace in his friendships with comedians.

Idle often joined him at his Friar Park estate in Henley-on-Thames, where they would play guitar, watch Fawlty Towers, and meditate.

"George always had this mix of spirituality and silliness," said our source. "He could be talking about the meaning of life one minute and cracking a Python joke the next. That's what Eric loved about him."

After Harrison's death from cancer, Idle was one of several close friends – along with Ravi Shankar, Tom Petty, and Jeff Lynne – to attend his intimate memorial in Los Angeles. He has since said Harrison's influence remains with him every day.

"George made you realize you couldn't waste a minute," the source said. "He wasn't afraid of death – he saw it as part of the joke of life. That's why his friends adored him. He helped them see how lucky they were to be here at all."

Idle's new one-man show, which he describes as "a mix of comedy, music, and philosophy – with one fart joke," has been touring Britain.

He says he still channels Harrison's perspective whenever life feels overwhelming.

"George taught me to stop taking it all so seriously," he said. "Every day could be your last – so make it funny."