themaninblack

I thought I'd start a thread focusing on anniversaries of famous deaths, the most famous of which in Deathlist is of course 29th November 1986 - Cary Grant. This is a bit late but I thought I'd get the ball rolling with the anniversary of the death of Carry On actor Peter Butterworth, who died on 16th January 1979, making Janet Brown a widow in the process...

Thought I'd start this thread, inspired by a little exchange on the Ideas adn Possibilities thread... I'll mention former PM Gough Whitlam to kick things off...

Congratulations to the Deathlist of making 20 years of predictions. Who'd have thought that a conversation in a student bar on the death of Cary Grant could have led to all this.... (probably) Britain's longst running 'Dead Pool'. How did it keep going? How many of the originators are still bothered? And did happen to Deathlist 1988?

Stephen Gately's recent tragic death and that of Matt Lucas' ex Kevin McGee has got me thinking. Prominent homosexuals do seem to have shorter lifespans. Even if you disregard the obvious AIDS tragedies that have happened over the years, many known (or indeed not so 'known') homosexuals have come a cropper somewhat early. I'm thinking radio DJ Kevin Greening who bought the farm last Christmas. BBC presenter Christopher Price (Christopher who? You ask) who died suddenly in 2002. Russel Harty and Kenneth Williams.. Montgomery Clift and James Dean.. Just a few examples...

Blimey, there's a lot of things to write when posting a poll these days... Any additional suggestions will be welcome

Cher denies throat cancer rumours...

With John Biffen and Ian Gilmour recently deciding to spend more time with their ancestors, I'd thought I'd update you all on the current roll-call of politicians from Maggie's first cabinet from 1979 that are still on-message. Here goes... Margaret Thatcher - Prime Minister (d. 2013) William Whitelaw - Deputy PM/ Home Secretary (d. 1999) Sir Geoffrey Howe - Chancellor of the Exchequer (d. 2015) John Biffen - Chief Secretary to the Treasury (d. 2007) Lord Soames - Lord President of the Council (d. 1987) Lord Hailsham - Lord Chancellor (d. 2001) Sir Ian Gilmour - Lord Privy Seal (d. 2007) Lord Carrington - Foreign Secretary (b. 1919) Peter Walker - Agriculture, Fisheries & Food (d. 2010) Norman St-John Stevas - Arts/ Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (d. 2012) Francis Pym - Defence (d. 2008) Mark Carlisle - Education & Science (d. 2005) James Prior - Employment (bet he had a jolly time then!) (b. 2016) David Howell - Energy (b. 1936) Michael Heseltine - Environment (b. 1933) Patrick Jenkin - Health & Social Security (b. 2016) Keith Joseph (architect of Thatcherism) - Industry (d. 1994) Humphrey Atkins - Northern Ireland (d. 1996) Angus Maude - Paymaster-General (d. 1993) George Younger - Scotland (d. 2003) John Nott (Here today, gone tomorrow?) - President of the Board of Trade (b. 1932) Nicholas Edwards - Wales (b. 1934) With Thatch gone, there's just 5 left....

Man commits suicide on TV. This story is starting to be a grower and a can of worms...

Michael Schumacher injured after a skiing accident...

Lord Archer has applied to re-join the Conservative Party. I just get this feeling that this man is so crooked he'll up dead in 'mysterious' circumstances. What do you, the DLr's think?

With Alexandra Bastedo's death earlier this year, I thought I'd compile the list of "cover stars" of the various Smiths singles and albums cover up until their live album "Rank" in 1988... Hand in Glove (1983) George O'Mara (b. 1956) This Charming Man (1983) Jean Marais (d.1998) What Difference Does It Make? (1984) Terence Stamp (b. 1938) (and indeed in the 2nd version, Morrissey himself b. 1959) The Smiths (1984) Joe Dallesandro (b. 1948) Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now (1984) Viv Nicholson (d. 2015) William, It Was Really Nothing (1984) Unknown model Hatful of Hollow (1984) Fabrice Colette How Soon Is Now? (1985) Sean Barrett (b. 1940) Meat is Murder (1985) Michael Wynn (b. 1947) Shakespeare's Sister (1985) Pat Phoenix (d. 1986) That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore (1985) Unknown from some Russian film The Boy with the Thorn in His Side (1985) Truman Capote (d. 1984) Bigmouth Strikes Again (1986) James Dean (d. 1955) The Queen is Dead (1986) Alan Delon (b. 1935) Panic (1986) Richard Bradford (d. 2016) Ask (1986) Yootha Joyce (d. 1980) Shoplifters of the World Unite (1987) Elvis Presley (d. 1977) The World Wont Listen (1987) Unknown group of youths Louder Than Bombs (1987) Shelagh Delaney (d. 2011) Sheila Take a Bow (1987) Candy Darling (d. 1974) Girlfriend in a Coma (1987) Shelagh Delaney again Strangeways, Here We Come (1987) Richard Davalos (d. 2016) I Started Something I Couldn't Finish (1987) Avril Angers (d. 2005) Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me (1987) Billy Fury (d. 1983) Rank (1988) Alexandra Bastedo (d. 2014)

With the captain Mooro, the man of the match Bally and manager Sir Alf now in the dressing room in the sky or some other such death/football based cliché, who will next join the almighty for a kickabout?

Thought I might start a thread seeing as the current Prime Minister is getting engulfed in this phone-hacking imbroglio... Is he toast?

Alan Bennett has admitted he has been treated for cancer. Will he make the anniversary of '40 Years On', forty years on?

Russian Dissident Alexander Litvinenko has been poisoned allegedly by the KGB. I don't know about you, but I think we have a high new entry to the DDP possibles chart!

There's a fair few ex-newscasters knocking about these days and they can't dodge the obituary pages forever..... Setting the ball rolling, I've gone for Robert Kee...

Lou Reed is recovering after a "life saving" liver transplant...

Latest update... ...and we're back in business. Good luck everyone!

Chris Tarrant has been admitted to hospital following a heart scare..... Link

Might as well, seeing as it's already New Year's Day down under...

Surprised there hasn't been too much on this site about the plight of the newspaper salesman who 'fell down the stairs' and died at the G20 protests last month. So here's a thread to post any stories about the boys in blue who are supposed to protect us.. This gem of a story posits that the police use informers amongst the protesters to get information.... Orwell would be laughing...

Here's an email I got from one of our picks a Mr. David Quantick (Tuesday 3rd August): Does he want me to remove the other 870 or so dead celebs in case we cause offence? And of all fucking people, Steven Wells, the oh so iconoclastic journo too... Not sure how to respond. Any suggestions?

Comedian Dawn French has moved to Cornwall to die, apparently. She reckons she will not live long.....

Happy new year everybody...

Fuck off you cunt.