Octopus of Odstock

What?!! No!!!!! On my birthday too. Bugger. Great footballer. 59 is no age at all. With this & Linda Smith, it's been a sad few days. to both & also LA Times Publisher, Otis Chandler.

Happy Birthday Mr Sharon

I think a thread with the subtitle Don Knotts has died is quite enough notice for most people. Besides, most of us have Wiki Recent Deaths or Google News Search or something else to alert us, so it's not like you were bringing us a scoop.

McGavin will be there, just give it time. Although more famous in the US, he's been in enough films to warrant enough obits here. Puzlman's Passing Picks are the most notable scorers, now on 18 - the Raven & Eternity Tours both now on 14 & Mr C's joker takes him to 13. Looks like it might be a brilliant scrap for second this year, but who knows?

Oh, will I? I've never seen it!! However, I have heard of him vaguely. Wrong thread again, anyway, Iain. Sad to hear about McGavin though. Always good entertainment

Okay, here we go.. Wanda B. Aamot, 95, resident of Dundee, Oregon Mary E Aarant, 92, resident of Nacoghoches, Texas Bradley A. Abbott, 40 - very tragic... Thing is, if the three had been posted on recent deaths on Wikipedia, you'd known about them via Iain!

Tempus, both count, they're just busy at the moment, I should imagine. I would expect to see it up in the next few days - after all, it doesn't really matter if its a few days late when there's still 10 months to go!

The trouble is that someone else doesn't understand subtle. If everyone would like, based on Iain's criteria, I can post all 120,386 names listed in the Social Security Death Index who died in January 2006......

No glitz & glamour from me but I do wish you a very happy birthday

No. In fact I took him off the DDP longlist completely as he's cancer free and apart from the fact he can't speak is quite healthy.

I'd be surprised if you do. "World's 11th oldest person dies" isn't that exciting a headline bar her local area. Paul, Genarians get their info from www.grg.org who decide who is oldest etc, so you can take it as read they are dead if they come up on the Genarians site.

Somewhat surprised to hear of film star Osa Maasen's death. Not in itself, she was 90, after all, but that she died on January 2nd & it wasn't more publicised - in her day she was relatively famous in her field. Osa Massen

Agree with Ward Baker, I thought he had died until I checked the Genarians website. Neame is remarkably good health & form given his age. I can see him possibly reaching 100 if he continues as he is doing. Another name from that period, Sally Gray has just turned 90. She too could be a decent bet.

Only just noticed the Marquess of Ely has died, so that's another unique pick hit for Go Green.

A kinda personal one here - I used to live & work in Crete & they love their legends. Mostly ancient Greek legends, like Zeus but they are proud of how they fought against the Germans in WW2. They delighted in any victory, even as small as Max Schmeling breaking his leg when parachute jumping because of the morale it had on the Germans. Perhaps the most famous of these was George Psychoundakis who wrote the book "The Cretan Runner" along with (now Sir) Patrick Leigh Fermor. Maybe not a household name, but his book was an excellent tale of real-life war & I'm very sorry to see him go, although one had been part expecting it.

O Of O presents useful tips - note, some of these are famous for not just Grand Prix: Paul Pietsch, b. 1911 Oldest living GP driver. In good health & active, despite age. Has 40-50% chance of obit as more of a survivor than a legend. Emmanuel de Graffenried b.1914 Still healthy, but increasingly frail. Obit certain, partly due to winning the 1949 British GP. Paul Frere b. 1917 Man is more active than me! In excellent health, well known racing journalist as well. Robert Manzon b. 1917 Again, in good health, but again, getting a little more frail. Was one of the top immediate post-war drivers - may get an obit, but never won a GP & French, so... difficult to say John Fitch b. 1917 Only started two GP's, but one of the best known of all the living elderly drivers. Would get obituaries in the States without a problem, the UK... possibly... Excellent health though. Tony Rolt b. 1918 Discussed above. Frailer. Le Mans winner, war hero & 4-wheel drive developer. Definite obit. Andre Guelfi b. 1919 Another man whose fame is greater than his GP career - just one racer. Likely to get an obit on the BBC as he was the man who was embroiled in the Elf Aquaitaine scandal & very well known in France. Also had a role in the IOC. In good health though. Hans Klenk & Eric Thompson b. 1919 Both are in reasonable health. Klenk was a constructor/sportscar ace, Thompson had a few GP's & worked at Lloyd's & ran his bookshop. However both have only a slim chance of an obit. Andre Simon b. 1920 Outside chance of an obit - 25% at best. Was famous in his day, but largely forgotten in motor racing circles, so globally, unlikely. "Okay" health last I heard. Tony Crook b. 1920 Head of Bristol Cars. Definite Obit in broadsheets. Health... pretty good at the moment. Sharp as a tack anyway. Tony Gaze DFC AOM b. 1920 Living Aussie legend. WW2 fighter ace whose motorsport involvement was a small part of his life, but even then he left a big mark, a man who helped Goodwood flourish as a motorsport venue. In excellent health, however, both mind & body. Les Leston b.1920 Founded a hugely successful racewear business, which along with his motorsport career might be enough for an obit. Much frailer now, health is solid though. Kenneth McAlpine OBE b.1920 Member of McAlpine construction family & Connaught racing. Obit assured, health is, again, solid. Roy Salvadori b. 1922 One of Britain's best drivers in the 1950's. Obit certain, but again, Roy is quite healthy at the moment, lives in Monaco. Leslie Marr Bt. b. 1922 More famous as an artist. Definite obit, of which racing would be a small mention. No known health scares, but a little more frail recently. Jose Froilan Gonzalez b. 1922 Definite obit, first man to win a GP for Ferrari & one of the top 50's racers. Not in brilliant health, has had heart surgery & is overweight. Active though, despite this. Carroll Shelby b. 1923 Has had heart trouble but since transplant in 1990, pretty good. Overweight, though. Likely to get an obit due to his fame in US & also sportscars. Roberto Mieres b. 1924 & Maria Teresa de Fillippis b. 1926 Mieres is a well known sportsman who has a slim chance of a broadsheet obit, de Fillippis more so due to her being the first woman in F1. Both, however, are in absolutely superb health. Sir Jack Brabham b.1926 Overweight, deaf but in excellent health - no known scares. Still active & as a ex-World Champion, definite obit everywhere Phil Hill b. 1927 Like Brabham, obit assured. Last time I saw him, he was in excellent health. John Rhodes b. 1927 Might well get an obit due to being a legend in club racing. This would be broadsheet only, kinda news in brief etc. Was in good health a few years back, but I haven't heard much of him last few years Lloyd Ruby b. 1928 Now suffering from cancer & very poorly. Obit? Well, in US, yes. UK might have a mention somewhere, but I'd put it 35% chance only. Hans Herrmann b. 1928 Obit possible due to relative fame in his day. But, despite overweight, another in fine health. Sir Stirling Moss b.1929 Perhaps the most famous living driver, obit certain. Has had prostate cancer, but recovered. A little frailer than before as a result, but I don't see him going just yet, too active. Guy Ligier b.1930 Although a rugby international & F1 ace, his road cars assure him an obit. Health is good, but his legendary temper plus being overweight make him a heart-attack waiting to happen sometimes!! Because of the relative good health of most of the above, they're not on my DDP list - but some are. There are some excellent suggestions for the DL there & for the DDP, as some, if I don't choose them, will probably be unique picks - the sporting world is under-represented...

Firstly, "Toulo" is still doing well health-wise, but he's getting a little more frail. Hardly surprising, I suppose. He would be famous enough for DL & DDP's needs. He won the 1949 British GP & during the late 1940's, was one of the more successful drivers. He remained in the F1 paddock for years after that, and would get an obituary in at least the Times or Telegraph as Doug Nye often does specialist obits. I know Doug & I know he has a "list of obituaries" as such, which are on tap for usage when the required person dies. de Graffenried is as famous as Trintignant was, on a global scale. Trintignant's death was well covered by the UK media generally. Paul Pietsch, now 94, is a possible. However, despite his age, he is doing brilliantly & although he is the last really famous pre-war driver alive in motor racing circles, I'm not sure about his global fame. The reason I chose Tony Rolt in my DDP is because he's a lot frailer than before, and he would definitely get an obituary in most papers & probably the BBC. If you really want to take a risk, try John Paul Jr., a US sportscar & Indianapolis 500 driver who's got cancer, Doug Serrurier, now in his mid 80's & ill, a car builder who is famous enough in his field, as two alternative choices. By the way, as an update the list M.Lawrenson posted on oldest drivers still alive, well, all of those on there are still alive as somewhat amazingly, taking age into account, no GP driver has died since last June.

What? From the link: sometimes seems as if her Golden Girls co-stars Betty White and Rue McClanahan are part of that welding. "We see each other quite a bit," Arthur says. "We're always meeting somewhere to sign DVDs or participate in some event. Unfortunately, Estelle (Getty, who played the mother) can't be with us because of her health, but we have a good time. I will always remember that show as one of the best parts of my life." That's what I call 3 of them doing well & the other one not so....

Latest on Karl Malden AND Richard Widmark

Health Status

3 out of 4 of the Golden Girls doing fine....

Sad one this, young British stage actress Lou Gish has died aged 35, less than a year after her mother also died from cancer.

Although he was doubtful for a UK obit, I was still surprised when I checked DDP & found he wasn't chosen this year. DDP was the only way I'd ever heard of him.

That, and she was a legal fighter AND a slow death week. The Guardian loves people like Lauren Hester & timing helped, I think. Having said that, Go Fish deserves congratulations for such an audicious & wise choice.

He's not been a well chap for a few years. Decent bet. Should get an obit, especially as he was featured heavily in one of Michael Palin's travel documentaries - Sahara, I believe. Palin was of the presumption that he was well known worldwide, so.. maybe...