The Watcher

That's a shame, I like him in Dexter. He survived the Ice Truck Killer, I'm sure a spot of cancer won't trouble him.

That's a shame, I like him in Dexter. He survived the Ice Truck Killer, I'm sure a spot of cancer won't trouble him.

2009 didn't have too many major losses in the film industry. Probably the biggest names in the film industry to have passed away in 2009 were ... you guessed it, Patrick Swayze and John Hughes with honorable mentions going to Brittany Murphy and Karl Malden (distinguished old school Hollywood character actor). Farrah was more well known for her TV work (her filmography was sporadic at best) and MJ only did the occassional movie. 2008 incurred heavy losses in the film industry with the deaths of Paul Newman, Charlton Heston, Sydney Pollack, and Heath Ledger. Wither 2011? It's looking too far forward for me, but I expect that Elizabeth Taylor, Kirk Douglas, and James Garner will have all died by 2011 if not in 2010. I'd Expect Hevy Losses This Year in the Film Industry: Here are My Top Ten 1.Kirk Douglas 2.Norman Wisdom 3.Dennis Hopper 4.Peter Falk 5.Jerry Lewis 6.Micheal Gough 7.Barbra Kent 8.James Garner 9.Tony Curtis 10.Dino DeLaurentis Trust me I Bet Half of these will be gone by Christmas

Bob Hope - 100 years before he went to the Great Comedy Club in the sky. George Burns - 100 years before he stopped making Americans laugh. They were both comedians as well as being comic actors. Too many people - especially in the media - try to pigeon-hole 'celebrities' into one category at the expense of all others. Fair enough that Jordan and Naomi Campbell are NOT authors - well not in the recognised sense!!! - but people such as Roy Hudd and June Whitfield ARE comedians as well as comic actors as are Eric Sykes and Russ Abbott. The fact that so many die young such as Tony Hancock, Kenneth Williams, Eric Morecombe, James Beck, Richard Beckinsdale is due to either: Depression, An excess of nervous energy Alcohol abuse Heart problems - often due to their life/work balance and the effort required to make people laugh.

Why do comedians often live so long? Apart from "Jonesy" (Clive Dunn), there is Bill Pertwee, Eric Sykes, Peter Sallis, Frank Thornton, Barry Howard,June Whitfield, Roy Hudd, ............

Both Frank Thornton & Peter Sallis are nearing 90 and extremely frail which is why there have been no new Last of the Summer Wines for a year. Frank Thornton appeared a generation older than Nicholas Smith who is a sprightly 75 & played Mr Rumbold to Frank Thornton;s Captain Peacock in Are You Being Served?

I don't think 'Fangs' Lee will be leaving this mortal coil for a long time yet. Apart from Bollywood actors, he has appeared in more films than any other living actor. (& more than most dead ones as well!)

Although two have died this year, ghere are still afew left from Dad's Army apart from the Immortal Jack Jones! Firstly the two who have died are Eric Longworth(approx 90) who played the Town Clerk & looked old 35 years ago! The other one who died was Colin Bean(approx 84) & he played Private Sponge. The other survivors are Bill Pertwee (Air Warden Hodges), Pamela Cundell (Mrs Fox) & Frank Williams (The Vicar) - he's outlived The Verger by 32 years - it had been hoped that they could star as a double act in a sit-com.

A sad loss but inevitable. He looked old 30 years ago when he presented "Did You See?"