Well, here goes nothing!
My three teams submitted at the beginning of December are:
12 Lords A-Leaving, 8 Ladies Dying (An attempt to get as many uniques as possible this year)
JOKER (Pick 1): Ian Hamilton (Advocate): Scottish lawyer who, as a student, was involved in the removal of the Stone of Scone from Westminster Abbey in 1950. (M)
(Pick 2): Rachel Ames: US film and TV actress, probably best known for her long-running role in General Hospital. (F)
(Pick 3): Stanley Appel: British light entertainment director and producer, probably best known for his overhaul of Top Of The Pops in the 1990s. (M)
(Pick 4): Donald P Bellisario: US producer and screenwriter, known for such programmes as Magnum, P.I., Airwolf and Quantum Leap. (M)
(Pick 5): Brian Clark (British Writer): British author and playwright, best known for his award winning play, Whose Life Is It Anyway?. (M)
(Pick 6): Patricia Driscoll: Irish actress, appeared on British TV as Maid Marian and presented the children's programme, Picture Book. (F)
(Pick 7): Cissy Houston: US soul and gospel singer in her own right, mother of the late Whitney Houston. (F)
(Pick 8): Sol Kerzner: South African businessman who founded Sun City in 1979. (M)
(Pick 9): Sergei Khrushchev: Soviet born American engineer and academic, son of former Soviet Russia era President, Nikita Khrushchev. (M)
(Pick 10): Philip Latham: British character actor known for his appearances in Hammer films and as Lord President Borusa in Doctor Who. (M)
(Pick 11): Jackie Lee (Irish Singer): Irish singer best known for singing the theme tunes to the children's TV programmes White Horses and Rupert The Bear. (F)
(Pick 12): Mary Marquis: Scottish former presenter who appeared on Nationwide while presenting the news on BBC Scotland. (F)
(Pick 13): Peter Murphy (Musician): English singer-songwriter, former vocalist for the band Bauhaus, known as the Godfather of Goth. (M)
(Pick 14): Sally Oppenheim-Barnes: Former Conservative Member of Parliament for Gloucester from 1970 to 1987. (F)
(Pick 15): Toni Palmer: English character actress, known mainly for comedic roles in The Rag Trade, Russ Abbott's Saturday Madhouse, Only Fools And Horses, and Mog. (F)
(Pick 16): James T Russell (Inventor): US inventor who made developments in optical digital technology and is sometimes credited as the inventor of the compact disc. (M)
(Pick 17): Valerie Simpson: American singer-songwriter who, as one half of Ashford and Simpson, had a huge UK hit with Solid. Everybody sing, solid, solid as a rock.... (F)
(Pick 18): Davie Sneddon (Footballer): Scottish footballer who played for, and then managed, Kilmarnock FC. (M)
(Pick 19): Jim Steinman: American lyricist and composer, long term associate of Meat Loaf (the singer and actor, not the foodstuff). (M)
(Pick 20): Bobby Wilson (Tennis Player): English former top ranked tennis player and former member of the British Davis Cup team. (M)
Comedy Cremations
JOKER (Pick 1): Paul Mayhew-Archer: Comedy Writer e.g. The Vicar Of Dibley
(Pick 2): Stanley Baxter: Scottish Comedy Actor
(Pick 3): Eric Chappell: English Comedy Writer e.g. Rising Damp
(Pick 4): Billy Connolly: Scottish Comedian
(Pick 5): Bill Cosby: American comedy performer e.g. The Cosby Show
(Pick 6): Barry Cryer: English Comedy Writer
(Pick 7): David Daker: English character actor known for comedic roles, e.g. Porridge
(Pick 8): Melvyn Hayes: Comedy Actor e.g. It Ain't Half Hot Mum
(Pick 9): Tim Healy: Comic Actor, e.g. Benidorm; Still Open All Hours
(Pick 10): Terry Jones: Member of Monty Python's Flying Circus
(Pick 11): Jackie Mason: American Stand Up Comic
(Pick 12): Brian Murphy: Comedy Actor e.g. Man About The House; George And Mildred
(Pick 13): Bob Newhart: American Comedy Performer
(Pick 14): Duncan Norvelle: English Comedy Performer
(Pick 15): Nicholas Parsons: English Comedy Straight Man/Presenter of Just A Minute
(Pick 16): Leslie Phillips: English Comedy Actor e.g. Carry On series and Harry Potter
(Pick 17): John Quayle (Actor): English character actor known for comedic roles, e.g. Terry And June.
(Pick 18): Dick Van Dyke: Had his own eponymous comedy show in the 1960s.
(Pick 19): Betty White: Last surviving member of the main cast of The Golden Girls.
(Pick 20): Barbara Windsor: English actress still best known for appearing in the Carry On franchise.
Hits of 36 Years Ago And Hits Today
JOKER (Pick 1): Willie Nelson: US Country musician, actor and activist. [#17 To All The Girls I've Loved Before (with Julio Iglesias)]
(Pick 2): Afrika Bambaataa: US DJ, rapper and songwriter. [#30 Renegades Of Funk (Afrika Bambaata And The Soulsonic Force)]
(Pick 3): Steve Bronski: Scottish musician who gave his name to openly gay band Bronski Beat. [#3 Smalltown Boy (Bronski Beat)]
(Pick 4): Mel Brooks: US director,actor and comedian. [#12 To Be Or Not To Be]
(Pick 5): Phil Collins: Drummer with Genesis and solo artist. [#2 Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)/#1 Do They Know It's Xmas (Band Aid)]
(Pick 6): Joe Fagin (Singer): British singer-songwriter who sang the theme tune to British TV serial Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. [#3 That's Living Alright]
(Pick 7): Gary Glitter: English glam rock hitmaker now in prison. [#7 Another Rock And Roll Christmas]
(Pick 8): Lou Gramm: US singer-songwriter, original front man for Foreigner. [#11 I Want To Know What Love Is (Foreigner)]
(Pick 9): Julio Iglesias: Spanish singer-songwriter. [#17 To All The Girls I've Loved Before (with Willie Nelson)]
(Pick 10): Jim Lea: Musician, vocalist and songwriter with 70s glam rock band, Slade. [#2 My Oh My (Slade)]
(Pick 11): Meat Loaf: US singer and actor best known for Bat Out Of Hell. [#17 Modern Girl]
(Pick 12): Frank Maudsley: Bassist with synthpop band A Flock Of Seagulls. [#26 The More You Live, The More You Love (Flock of Seagulls)]
(Pick 13): Ozzy Osbourne: Former lead vocalist with Black Sabbath. [#20 So Tired]
(Pick 14): Walter Parazaider: US musician, founding member of the band, Chicago. [#8 Hard Habit To Break (Chicago)]
(Pick 15): Alvin "Seeco" Patterson: Former percussionist with Bob Marley And The Wailers. [#5 One Love/People Get Ready (Bob Marley And The Wailers)]
(Pick 16): Mike Peters: Welsh musician, lead singer of The Alarm. [#22 Where Were You When The Storm Broke (The Alarm)]
(Pick 17): Kenny Rogers: Well known US Country singer. [#7 Islands In The Stream]
(Pick 18): Rick Springfield: Australian born American singer-songwriter. [#23 Human Touch]
(Pick 19): Brian Travers: English saxophonist with Birmingham originating reggae specialists UB40. [#9 If It Happens Again (UB40)]
(Pick 20): Eddie Van Halen: Dutch-American musician and songwriter with Van Halen. [#7 Jump (Van Halen)]
