The Grim Reaper's Celebrity Death Pool

GOODBYE!

Recent Celebrity Deaths

Dec 29th 2003: Bob Monkhouse: Legendary comic and gameshow host with a gag for every occasion. Sadly missed. Scores points for sixteen players.

Sep 12th 2003: Johnny Cash: One of country music's most enduring star, the Man in Black taken from us at the age of seventy-one as a result of complications of diabetes. Sadly missed. Scores points for ten players.

Aug 30th 2003: Charles Bronson: Hollywood hardman who appeared in such films as The Magnificent Seven, The Dirty Dozen and Death Wish. Taken from us at the age of 81 by pneumonia, leaves a wife, six children and a psycotic fan who changed his name to Charles Bronson, currently Britain's longest serving and most dangerous prisoner. Sadly missed. Scores points for four players.

Aug 16th 2003: Idi Amin: Dictator who ruled Uganda with an iron fist in the 1970s. Barking mad - but this lunatic was responsible for around 400,000 deaths and a brutal war with Tanzania. Awarded himself the Victoria Cross, and was convinced he was going to marry Princess Anne. Also crowned himself King of Scotland, a position for which there is now a vacancy. Will burn in hell. Scores points for six players.

Aug 2nd 2003: Don Estelle: Singer and Actor Estelle, died after a long illness at the age of seventy. Best known as diminuative Lofty in It Ain't 'Alf Hot Mum, he was also an accomplished singer with a number one hit to his name. Scores points for Deadringer. Sadly missed.

July 28th 2003: Bob Hope: Literally the greatest entertainer of the twentieth century, British-born Hope was THE iconic name of the epoch. Died peacefully at the age of 100 after a life-long career. Still managed to crack a joke on his deathbed. Scores points for 110 players. Sadly missed.

Jul 5th 2003: Barry White: Iconic soul singer, who lurved the laydez and provided the soundtrack for many a romance. Died after a period of illness, scores points for three punters. Sadly missed.

Jun 29th 2003: Katherine Hepburn: One of the greatest of all Hollywood icons, multiple Oscar winner, much loved star, and just a damn fine looking woman, died at the age of ninety-six after a period of ill health. Sadly missed. Scores points for thirty-nine punters.

Jun 26th 2003: Strom Thurmond: Veteran US Senator who ran for president in 1948. A true legend of Republican American politics who will be sadly missed. Scores points for fourteen punters.

Jun 26th 2003: Sir Denis Thatcher: Husband of Prime Minister Margaret Thacher, very much the quiet man of the partnership. An oil millionaire, he dies aged 88 after a history of illness. Scores points for fifteen punters.

June 12th 2003: Gregory Peck: A truly great actor, one of the Hollywood greats. Renowned for his portrayal of Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird" and a great many number of memoral roles. Sadly missed. Scores points for eight players.

Mar 15th 2003: Dame Thora Hird: One of Britain's great character actresses, taken from us after a life on the stage. Known for her many, many roles playing ordinary women, she latterly became famous for her appearances on Songs of Praise and Last of the Summer Wine, and as the face of Churchill's Stairlifts. Scores points for fifty-one punters.

Mar 10th 2003: Barry Sheene: World Champion motorcyclist and all-round good guy. Had legs famously held together with the entire output of the Sheffield steel mills. One hundred per cent hero. Our entire class at school wanted to be him, even the girls. Sadly taken from us by cancer. Scores points for The Aardvark.

Jan 12th 2003: Maurice Gibb: World famous member of the Bee Gees singing group, sadly taken from us following a heart attack during emergency surgery. "How deep is your love?" they sang. About six foot deep. Scores points for KNS.

Nov 19th 2002: James Coburn: Veteran Hollywood actor, who made his name in The Magnificent Seven, going on to make his name as an action star. An Academy Award winner in 1999, taken from us at the age of 74 by a heart attack. Will be sadly missed. Scores points for T-Bird.

Nov 15th 2002: Myra Hindley: A first class ticket to hell for the Moors Murderer, who along with Ian Brady, kidnapped, tortured and murdered children while recording their screams for mercy for their perverted pleasure. Evil and manipulatative, successive governments decided that she should never be freed from prison, where she stayed for 36 years. A nation rejoices. Points scored for seven players.

October 25th 2002: Richard Harris: Veteran Irish actor, star of many films in a career reaching back to the 1950's. Starred in hits such as A Man Called Horse, The Wild Geese, and more recently Gladiator and the Harry Potter movies. The original rebel-rouser, he was getting into bar-room brawls even in his seventies. A hero. Sadly missed. Points scored by ten players.

September 9th 2002: Michael Elphick: Much-loved British actor, known for his roles as Private Schultz, Boon, and most recently as Harry Slater in EastEnders. Died suddenly at the age of 55 after collapsing. Scores points for three players.

July 5th 2002: Ted Williams: Baseball legend, the "Splendid Splinter", who as a Boston Red Sox player was the last major league batsman to hit a .400 average. Died after a long illness at the age of 83. Greatly missed, scores points for nine players.

June 10th 2002: John Gotti: Mafia boss "the Teflon Don" who evaded justice for years before getting nailed for murder in 1992. Died of throat cancer ten years into a hundred year sentence, and if he thinks he can escape justice that way he's got another thing coming. Scores points for HPSauce, George Kevorkian, Daisypushers, Minnie the Minx and Woody.

May 24th 2002: Sam Snead: Golfing legend "Slammin' Sammy" whose career spanned some fifty years, taken from us four days short of his 90th birthday following a stroke, rather ironic given his line of work. Scores points for London Scot, with five point irony bonus.

May 13th 2002: Diane Pretty: Housewife to went to court asking for the right to die after being struck down by Motor Neurone Disease. The courts declined, and Mrs Pretty died peacefully in a hospice. Scores points for Jonesy, Kent Clerk and Charley Farley. Note rule 14 has been introduced to disallow further "right to die" campaigners.

April 28th 2002: Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes: R'n'B singer, destined for great things, sadly killed in a car accident. A tragedy. Scores points for Toomz.

April 21st 2002: Layne Staley: Lead singer of grunge band Alice in Chains, laid low by an accidental drugs overdose. A life wasted. Scores points for Amy.

April 18th 2002: Thor Heyerdahl: Legendary Norwegian explorer, whose Kon-Tiki and Ra expeditions made world headlines as he demonstrated how the ancients were able to explore the world centuries before accepted wisdom. One of the world's last great adventurers, sadly missed. Scores points for Alan and Blind Dogs for the Guides.

March 31st 2002: Barry Took: A true gentleman, who I had the pleasure to meet on several occasions. Known to millions as a TV presenter and wit of many radio comedies, Took started off performing variety on the boards before carving a career as a script writer. Was one of a group of writers including Milligan, Sykes and Norden who re-defined British comedy after the war. Sadly missed, scores points for Toasted Crumpet, En_croute and Janet.

March 30th 2002: It saddens us to announce the death of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: Surely one of the most remarkable lives of the twentieth century. Born in 1900 to a titled family, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was destined to a life at the fringes of royalty on marrying Albert, Duke of York. However, it was on the adbication of Albert's brother, Edward VIII, Albert became King George VI and Elizabeth became his Queen.

Gaining much public support by remaining in London during the worst years of the German Blitz, Her Majesty became well known for her unstinting public service and her touch with the people. Widowed at the age of fifty-two, she continued her life's role as ambassador for the British people, always a steady figurehead in turbulant times. Her death of natural causes aged 101 may not have come as a great shock, but she will be greatly mourned round the world. A sad loss for the nation.

Points scored by forty-nine punters, with a further seven sharing the Queen Mother Stakes.

March 29th 2002: Billy Wilder: Legendary Hollywood film director who gave us the classics Some Like it Hot and Sunset Boulevard, died of pneumonia at the age of 95. Perhaps the best directing talent the film industry has ever seen. A true legend, scores points for Slimcea, Jenkis and Gravedigger.

March 27th 2002: Dudley Moore: Comedian, actor, musician, artist - Dudley Moore was an outstandingly talented individual, and surely Dagenham's finest son. Shot to fame with his double act with Peter Cook - Dud to me will always be Mr Spiggott, the one-legged midget auditioning for the part of Tarzan. Dud went on to become a major Hollywood star, and even got to see Bo Derek in the nudd, the lucky, lucky devil. Struck down by a progressive illness, he was increasingly frail in later life, but never lost his charm and East End wit. A gentleman. Sadly missed. Scores points for sixty punters.

March 27th 2002: Milton Berle: America's first superstar of the television age, Berle WAS "Mr Television, the vaudeville star who embraced the new medium and reaped the rewards. Died aged 93, will be missed by millions. Scores points for Matt, HPSauce, Big Tweed and Wicked One.

March 26th 2002: Kenneth Wolstenholme: The quintessential English sports commentator, famous for uttering the famous line "They think it's all over... it is now!" at the end of the nation-defining 1966 World Cup final, a phrase destined to be his epitaph. The consummate professional, continued to work as a commentator right up to his death. Sadly missed. Scores points for Patrick Bateman, Ragdoll and Stan Grytviken.

February 27th 2002: Spike Milligan: The Godfather of British comedy. The funniest man of the 20th Century, bar none. Had the ability to leave you gasping for air with laughter.

Comic: The Goon Show, the Q series and a razor sharp wit. We challenge you to read "Adolf Hitler: My part in his Downfall" with snorting stuff out of your nose. Only Spike could have got away with the Pakistani Dalek Sketch.
Musician: An accomplished jazz trumpet and guitar player who found fame as a forces entertainer during the war.
Conservationist: Was involved in "green" issues years before it became fashionable.
Poet: A stunning selection of prose for adults and kids.

Frankly, the world is a worse place without him. His epitaph, penned in his own words reads : "See? I told you I was ill." Scores points for 52 punters.

February 21st 2002: John Thaw: Britain's best known and best loved television actor. Known to generations as rock-hard Jack Regan in The Sweeney, and then as the more cerebral Inspector Morse, Thaw became one of the most famous faces in British culture. Cruelly taken by an unpleasant form of cancer at the age of sixty, he leaves a wife - actress Sheila Hancock - and three daughters. Scores points for thirty-six punters. Sadly missed. "Leave it!"

February 14th 2002: Waylon Jennings: Country music legend, who defined the style of the genre over several decades, selling 40 million records in the process. Unfortunately, best known round these parts for singing the theme to The Dukes of Hazard. Sadly missed. Scores points for Crash & Burn and Big Tweed.

February 9th 2002: HRH Princess Margaret: Sister to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Margaret Rose lived a life in the shadow of her more illustrious sibling. Unlucky in love - forced by protocol to reject the only man she truly loved - her story appears a tragic one. However, she was the most admired socialite of the 50's and 60's and was tirelessly devoted to her duties as a senior member of the royal family. Died of a stroke and heart failure following a long illness at the age of seventy-one. Dearly loved by her family and much admired by the nation. Sorely missed. Scores points for... just about everyone.

January 22nd 2002: Peggy Lee: Legendary singer died at the age of 81 after a heart attack. Hugely talented, gained an oscar nomination in 1955 and her distinctive version of "Fever" is known by millions. Sadly missed. The first points of the 2002 game go to Matt.

Other recent notable deaths

Who	What	Why	When
Art Carney	Actor	Old Age - scores points for two players	Nov 9th 2003
Warren Zevon	Musician	Cancer - scores points for four players	Sep 7th 2003
Buddy Ebsen	Actor	Undisclosed illness	Jul 7th 2003
Marc-Vivien Foe	Footballer	Heart Attack (?)	Jun 26th 2003
Laura Sadler	Actress	Drugs/Gravity interface	Jun 20th 2003
Hume Cronyn	Actor	"Old Age"	Jun 16th 2003
John Paul Getty	Squillionaire	Chest Infection - points for Supersub	Apr 17th 2003
Robert Atkins	Diet Guru	Injuries sustained in a fall - points for Nezza	Apr 17th 2003
Major Ronald Ferguson	Father of the Duchess of York	Heart Attack	Mar 17th 2003
Zoran Djindjic	Prime Minister of Serbia	Assassinated	Mar 12th 2003
Adam Faith	Singer and Actor	Heart Attack	Mar 8th 2003
Hardy Amies	Fashion designer	"Peacefully"	Mar 5th 2003
Dolly the Sheep	Celebrity Sheep	Mint Sauce	Feb 2003
Bill Werbeniuk	Snooker star	Heart failure	Jan 22nd 2003
Leopoldo Galteiri	Argentine dictator who invaded the Falklands, thus ensuring a further ten years of Mrs Thatcher. Bastard.	Cancer	Jan 12th 2003
Roy Jenkins	Famed politician	---	Jan 5th 2003
Joe Strummer	Legendary Punk star	Heart Attack	Dec 22nd 2002
Sir Bert Millichip	Football Association Chairman	In the arms of "Deadly" Doug Ellis - scores points for Supersub	Dec 18th 2002
Prince Claus of the Netherlands	Husband of Queen Beatrix	Respiratory failure - scores points for Meena	Oct 6th 2002
Leo McKern	"Rumpole of the Bailey" actor	"Old Age"	July 23rd 2002
Rod Steiger	Hollywood Legend	Pneumonia/Kidney Failure	July 10th 2002
Rosemary Clooney	Singer	Cancer - scores points for one player	June 30th 2002
John Entwistle	Musician	"Died before he got old"	June 28th 2002
Dee Dee Ramone	Musician	Drugs	June 6th 2002
Hansie Cronje	South African cricketer	Plane crash	June 1st 2002
Pat Coombs	British comedy legend	Emphysema	May 25th 2002
Barbara Castle	Politician	"Peacefully" - scores points for three players	May 4th 2002
Robert Urich	Hollywood actor	Cancer	April 16th 2002
Ben Hollioake	England cricketer	Car accident	March 23rd 2002
Tracy Housel	Murderer	Lethal injection - scores points for Kirkaldy Lass	March 13th 2002
Chuck Jones	Creator of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Wile E Coyote.	"That's all folks!"	February 23rd 2002
Jonas Savimbi	Angolan Rebel Leader	Hail of bullets	February 22nd 2002
Sir Walter Winterbottom	England Football Manager	Old age	February 17th 2002
Stratford Johns	"Z Cars" actor	Heart condition	January 30th 2002
Jeff Astle	Footballer and dodgy singer	"Suddenly"	January 19th 2002
Peter Adamson	TV's Len Fairclough	Cancer	January 19th 2002
Stanley Unwin	Comedian	Old Age	January 13th 2002