Short answers, pulled from the story.
Robert Holmes à Court built his fortune by acquiring a series of companies through The Bell Group Limited, his flagship vehicle. He grew his interests from a struggling wool mill he took over in 1970 into a diversified resources and media group estimated at around A$2 billion by the time of the October 1987 stock market crash.
Through his acquisition of Lew Grade's Associated Communications Corporation in 1982, Holmes à Court gained control of ATV Music, which held the copyright to Beatles songs through Northern Songs. He later sold ATV Music Publishing to Michael Jackson, and as part of that deal arranged for Jackson to make a brief visit to Perth to appear on Channel 7's annual Telethon.
Holmes à Court's unsuccessful bids typically drove up the target company's share price as owners mounted aggressive defences. Bell Group would hold the inflated shares and sell at a profit. A failed 1979 bid for Ansett Transport Industries returned an $11 million profit, and a failed 1981 bid for Elders Goldsbrough Mort returned $16.5 million.
Robert Holmes à Court died of heart failure in bed on the morning of the 2nd of September 1990. He was 53 years old. He was a heavy smoker who also suffered from diabetes.
After Holmes à Court accepted a joint takeover by Bond Corporation and the State Government Insurance Commission, Bond Corp acquired a 68% majority of Bell Group and proceeded to strip $500 million from Bell Resources to cover its own debts. The asset stripping was found to breach company law and ultimately sent Bond Corporation chairman Alan Bond to jail. Bond Corporation entered a scheme of arrangement in 1991 and Bell Group went into receivership.
Peter Holmes à Court sold his share of Heytesbury for a reported A$35 million and became a major investor; he is a 75.8% owner of the National Rugby League club South Sydney Rabbitohs alongside Russell Crowe. Paul Holmes à Court became chief executive of Heytesbury Holdings. Simon Holmes à Court became an academic focused on climate and founded the climate fund Climate 200.