Drewsky1211

Tove Jansson died on this day 22 years ago, aged 86. - Jansson was from an artistic family; her father Viktor was a sculptor and her mother Signe was a graphic designer. Her brother Per became a photographer, and her other brother Lars became a cartoonist, like her. - Jansson first made paintings in her 20s, and her first art exhibition was in 1943 (considering WWII, I doubt attendance was high). - Up to 1953, Jansson was a political cartoonist for Garm magazine- one notable cartoon she made (in 1938) lampooned appeasement by depicting Hitler as a crying baby, and European leaders such as Neville Chamberlain giving him slices of cake representing the land Germany annexed: - Jansson wrote her first children's book when she was 14- it was called Sara and Pelle and Neptune's Children. - Jansson is most famous as the creator of the Moomins- children's books featuring a family of donkey-like trolls. She wrote the first book in the series, The Moomins and the Great Flood, in 1945, with the following book Comet in Moominland establishing most of the main characters. She wrote these from up to 1970- the series remains hugely popular in Finland today, and it has been adapted into TV shows, theatrical plays, video games, and even two theme parks:

Tobey Maguire (of the 2000s Spider-Man trilogy fame) is 48.

6/26/2023 35 The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black +2 30 Marvin Gaye — I Heard It Through The Grapevine 28 The Supremes – Baby Love -6 29 The Four Tops – Reach Out I´ll Be There 28 Dusty Springfield – You Don´t Have To Say You Love Me 28 The Animals – House Of The Rising Sun +2 24 The Kinks – You Really Got Me 23 The Rolling Stones – (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction 1 The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown – Fire -6

John B. Goodenough dead at 100.

Denis Thatcher died on this day 20 years ago, aged 88. - Thatcher's family owned a paint preservative business, which he joined once he turned 18. - During World War II, Thatcher served in Italy. His highest military rank was a major. - Thatcher first married Margot Kempson in 1942, divorcing her in 1948- their six-year marriage was quite an unhappy one. His second wife, who he married in 1951, was Margaret "Milk Snatcher" Roberts. - Denis' would sell his family business to Castrol in 1965, but would continue running it and became a member of Castrol's board of directors. Burmah Oil took over Castrol the following year, and Denis also received a high position within the company; he retired in 1975. - In 1979, Denis became the first male SOTPMUK (spouse of the prime minister of the United Kingdom) when Margaret was elected Prime Minister. He was known for his very short speeches and advocation for the abolition of the death penalty. - Denis would be made a baronet following his wife's resignation as PM in 1990- this is the most recent baronetcy to be created. - Denis was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1992, which led to his debut on the DeathList in 1994. He beat the disease, but would appear on the DeathList again in 2003. - Denis had heart surgery in January of 2003, but was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in June and died two weeks after diagnosis. Denis was the fifth hit of 2003, and followed that night by Strom Thurmond.

Derek Jeter is 49.

6/25/2023 40 The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black +2 35 The Four Tops – Reach Out I´ll Be There 31 Dusty Springfield – You Don´t Have To Say You Love Me 31 The Animals – House Of The Rising Sun +2 30 The Rolling Stones – (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction 28 The Kinks – You Really Got Me 28 The Supremes – Baby Love 22 The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown – Fire 19 Marvin Gaye – I Heard It Through The Grapevine 12 Del Shannon – Runaway -6

Lester Maddox died on this day 20 years ago, aged 87. - Before entering politics, Maddox was a restaurateur who opened the restaurants Lester's Grill and Pickrick Restaurant. Maddox advertised Pickrick using political cartoons featuring chickens in Atlanta newspapers. - Maddox was a notorious segregationist, stating that he would rather close his restaurant than serve Black customers after the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, and also overreacted by saying that three Black people who wished to be seated were "invaders". - Maddox was elected the governor of Georgia in 1966, running on a segregationist platform- he lost the popular vote to Republican Bo Callaway, but won because no candidate received 50% of the vote and it had to be decided by the Georgia legislature. Maddox infamously denied Martin Luther King Jr.'s body to lie in state at the Georgia state capitol during his tenure. - Maddox was not allowed to serve a consecutive term, and in 1970 successfully won the nomination for Lieutenant Governor. The governor he would serve under was none other than future president Jimmy Carter, and the two often feuded due to political differences. - Maddox was known for an appearance on The Dick Cavett Show, walking off during a debate about segregation with (the late) Jim Brown. In a subsequent episode, Cavett walked off to the delight of the audience and Maddox himself. - Maddox was the presidential nominee of George Wallace's American Independent Party, running against the previously mentioned Carter. He received 170,373 votes in total (0.21% of the popular vote). - In 1977, Maddox started a musical comedy act with a Black musician named Bobby Lee Fears- their group was called "The Governor and The Dishwasher": - Despite his partnership with an African-American, Maddox would attend a KKK rally in 1987, and his last public speech was at a 2001 conference of the Council of Conservative Citizens (labeled a white supremacist group by the SPLC and ADL). - Maddox suffered from many ailments in his later years (good), such as heart and intestinal issues which required surgery, as well as prostate cancer.

June Lockhart (of Lost in Space and Lassie fame) is 98.

6/24/2023 40 The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black +2 33 Dusty Springfield – You Don´t Have To Say You Love Me 32 The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown – Fire 32 The Supremes – Baby Love 31 The Kinks – You Really Got Me 31 Marvin Gaye – I Heard It Through The Grapevine 27 The Four Tops – Reach Out I´ll Be There 26 The Rolling Stones – (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction 25 The Animals – House Of The Rising Sun +2 23 Del Shannon – Runaway 13 Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade Of Pale -6 11 Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World

Grover Cleveland died on this day 115 years ago, aged 71. - Grover was his middle name- his first name was actually Stephen. - While he was the sheriff of Erie County in New York, Cleveland was the executioner of two criminals. - Cleveland owned a gun that he named "Death and Destruction". - Cleveland became the mayor of Buffalo, New York in 1882, and governor of the state in that year's election. Cleveland won the election of 1884 against James G. Blaine, and was the first Democrat elected to the presidency since James Buchanan in 1856. - In 1886, Cleveland married Frances Folsom at the White House- when he was 49 and she was 21. - Cleveland had an illegitimate son, Oscar, born in 1874 from an affair with a woman named Maria Halpin. - Cleveland is the only US president so far to serve nonconsecutive terms, losing to Benjamin Harrison in 1888 and defeating him in the 1892 rematch. - During his second term, Cleveland was discovered to have mouth cancer. To prevent the media from finding out, his surgery to remove the tumor was done at night while on a boat. - Cleveland's presidencies are best known for the Panic of 1893 economic depression, the admission of Utah to the union, and his tendency to veto bills (due to the Republican-controlled Congress). - Cleveland's last photo was taken in March of 1908: - One of Cleveland's grandchildren was Philippa Foot, known as the creator of the ethical trolley problem.

Lionel Messi is 36.

6/23/2023 36 The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black 36 The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown – Fire 31 Del Shannon – Runaway 28 Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade of Pale 28 The Four Tops – Reach Out I´ll Be There 27 Marvin Gaye – I Heard It Through The Grapevine 26 The Kinks – You Really Got Me 26 Dusty Springfield – You Don´t Have To Say You Love Me 24 The Supremes – Baby Love 23 The Animals – House Of The Rising Sun 22 Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World 20 The Rolling Stones – (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction 18 The Shadows – Apache -6 15 Elvis Presley – Rock-A-Hula Baby/Can´t Help Falling In Love 12 The Tornados – Telstar +4

Emperor Vespasian died on this day 1944 years ago, aged 69. - When he was young (around the year 35 AD), Vespasian was a street cleaner; his work was so half-assed that Emperor Caligula would shove muck from the streets down his toga. - One of Vespasian's first major military roles was during the Judean Revolt in 66. He reported that he destroyed the ancient Biblical city of Jericho in 68, and took Jewish captives to the Dead Sea to test its legendary buoyancy (a fact later proven due to its extreme salt content). - Vespasian was the last emperor of the Year of the Four Emperors (before him were Galba, Otho, and Vitellius). He was in Egypt when declared emperor, and was considered a pharaoh by its citizens. - Vespasian was particularly unpopular in the provinces of Judea (he ordered the descendants of King David "hunted down") and Africa (modern-day Tunisia and Libya; its populace disliked his financial policies and some threw turnips at him during a procession). - Vespasian would place a tax on urine during his reign. - Vespasian's most lasting contribution to the world was the Colosseum, which he ordered constructed over the site of Emperor Nero's destroyed palace in 72. - Vespasian died from either complications from a stomach virus, or dehydration from the resulting diarrhea. His last words were "I think I'm turning into a god... An emperor should die on his feet."

Randy Jackson is 67.

6/22/2023 31 The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black 31 Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade Of Pale 30 The Rolling Stones – (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction 29 The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown – Fire 27 The Four Tops – Reach Out I´ll Be There 26 Dusty Springfield – You Don´t Have To Say You Love Me 25 Marvin Gaye – I Heard It Through The Grapevine 24 Del Shannon – Runaway 24 The Supremes – Baby Love 23 The Kinks – You Really Got Me 20 Creedence Clearwater Revival — Bad Moon Rising 20 The Animals – House Of The Rising Sun 20 The Shadows – Apache 19 Elvis Presley – Rock-A-Hula Baby/Can´t Help Falling In Love 19 Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World 17 The Tornados – Telstar +4 12 B. Bumble & The Stingers – Nut Rocker 8 Roy Orbison – Only The Lonely 8 The Beatles – From Me To You 7 John Leyton – Johnny Remember Me -6

Fred Astaire died on this day 36 years ago, aged 88. - Fred's surname at birth was "Austerlitz"; his family changed it to "Astaire" in 1905 due to the connotations with the Battle of Austerlitz (of the Napoleonic Wars). - Fred and his older sister Adele were both child actors, debuting as a vaudeville act in 1905. They made it to Broadway in 1917, and often starred as dancing partners in the plays. Their act ended with Adele's marriage in 1932. - From there, Astaire would begin to star in movies, often with Ginger Rogers as his leading lady. Astaire requested that his dance scenes would move the films' plots along, and he also innovated single tracking shots. One of his most notable dances was in 1951's Royal Wedding (a scene that would inspire the iconic music video for Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice"): Astaire would retire from dancing in films in 1957 when he was 58 (the same age Christopher Walken was in the music video). - Astaire would move to TV in 1958, hosting several television specials. 1958's An Evening with Fred Astaire earned a total of nine Emmys. - In 1970, Astaire would provide the voice of the mailman narrator of the Rankin/Bass Christmas special Santa Claus in Comin' to Town: - Astaire would be nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 1975 for his role as Harlee Claiborne in The Towering Inferno. - In his late 70s, Astaire took up skateboarding as a hobby, and broke his wrist one time. - Posthumously, Astaire was the initial inspiration for the Weezer song "Buddy Holly"- the chorus originally went "Wee-ooo you look just like Ginger Rogers/Oh oh I move just like Fred Astaire". Rogers was still alive at the time of the song's release and became DeathList 1995's third hit.

Two birthdays of likely DeathList 2024 contenders: Dianne Feinstein is 90... ...and Esther Rantzen is 83.

Jack be nimble Jack be quick Jack Flash sat on a candlestick

6/21/2023 27 Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising 27 The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black +2 26 Procol Harum – A Whiter Shade Of Pale 24 The Rolling Stones – (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction +2 24 Dusty Springfield – You Don´t Have To Say You Love Me 23 The Four Tops – Reach Out I´ll Be There 23 Marvin Gaye – I Heard It Through The Grapevine 22 The Kinks – You Really Got Me 22 Elvis Presley – Rock-A-Hula Baby/Can´t Help Falling In Love 22 The Monkees – I´m A Believer 20 The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown – Fire 20 Del Shannon – Runaway 20 Helen Shapiro – Walkin´ Back To Happiness 20 The Beatles – From Me To You 20 The Shadows – Apache 20 The Supremes – Baby Love 18 The Animals – House Of The Rising Sun 17 The Rolling Stones – Get Off Of My Cloud 17 Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World 14 Roy Orbison – Only The Lonely 13 The Tornados – Telstar +4 13 John Leyton – Johnny Remember Me -6 08 The Rolling Stones – Jumpin´ Jack Flash 08 B. Bumble & The Stingers – Nut Rocker

King Edward III died on this day 646 years ago, aged 64. - Edward became king at the age of 14 when his father, Edward II, was ousted in a coup led by his wife Isabella, and Isabella's lover Roger Mortimer became the de facto ruler of England. Edward would oust Mortimer in 1330 and took complete control. - In 1332, Edward initiated an invasion of Scotland, unsuccessfully attempting to replace their king (David II) with Edward Balliol. - In 1337, Edward's cousin Philip VI of France confiscated England's French realms. In retaliation, Edward declared himself the rightful heir to the French throne, initiating the Hundred Years' War (which lasted 116 years in actuality). This war defined the rest of Edward's reign. - Edward's married Philippa of Hainault when he was 15 years old, and they had nine children (7 sons and 2 daughters). His heir, Edward the Black Prince, died a year before his father, and when Edward died, the crown went to his grandson Richard II- Richard's cousin Henry (IV) considered himself the heir, which began the Wars of the Roses (medieval European royalty was just one big dysfunctional and incestuous family). - Edward died of a stroke after a fifty-year reign, the second-longest reign of an English monarch at the time (his great-grandfather Henry III reigned 56 years).

Mario Chris Pratt is 44.

59 The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown – Fire 58 Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising +3 57 Marvin Gaye – I Heard It Through The Grapevine 54 Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World +1 30 The Rolling Stones – Jumpin´ Jack Flash  14 The Love Affair – Everlasting Love -6

King William IV died on this day 186 years ago, aged 71. - When William was born, he was third in line to the British throne (after his older brothers George and Frederick). - William saw combat during the American Revolution, serving in New York. George Washington made a plan to kidnap him to force British surrender; British troops were alerted to this and William received bodyguards. During his reign, he was quoted as calling Washington "the greatest man that ever lived", possibly to flatter the American ambassador (likely Andrew Stevenson). - William continued to serve in the Royal Navy, and became a rear-admiral in 1790. - William was pro-slavery, arguing that the quality of life of freed Blacks was worse than enslaved ones, and he openly insulted William Wilberforce. - Beginning in 1791, William began a relationship with actress Dorothea Jordan. They had ten bastard children together- one of his daughters, Elizabeth Hay, was the 4x-great-grandmother of Prime Minister David Cameron. - His brother Frederick died in 1827, making him heir apparent; George IV died in 1830 with no legitimate children, and so William became king. William was the oldest British monarch to accede to the throne at the age of 64, a record surpassed in 2022 by Charles III (aged 73). - William's reign is known for a reform crisis from 1830 to 1832, the appointment of the Duke of Wellington as PM, and allowing a more liberal constitution to take effect in Hanover. - William died of heart failure not too long after the death of his eldest daughter Sophia, having reigned for seven years. The crown went to his niece Victoria.

John Goodman is 71.