Death Anniversary Thread

[Drewsky1211 4,744]

Paul Eddington died on this day 27 years ago, aged 68.

Eddington first appeared on TV for the show The Adventures of Robin Hood, where he portrayed multiple characters, most notably Will Scarlet beginning in season 4. He would also make appearances on shows such as The Avengers, Hine, and Frontier.

 

In 1975, Eddington began to play the role of Jerry Leadbetter, the neighbor of the main characters in The Good Life, for which he became famous for. Eddington would receive further fame as the title character, Jim Hacker, in Yes Minister- the minister of the fictional Department of Administrative Affairs, and beginning in season 4, prime minister (to which the show was promptly retitled Yes, Prime Minister). The show ran from 1980 to 1988.

 

In 1994, Eddington revealed that he had been suffering from Mycosis fungoides, a rare form of lymphoma, since the 1950s. He made the information public due to concerns about his darkening skin and hair loss.

Because of this, Eddington debuted on the 1995 DeathList, put at number 39. Eddington would become the seventh death out of nine that year- his death being overshadowed by the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin that same day.

(Incidentally, Mr. T was diagnosed with the same illness that year, and would be put on next year's list- now you know why.)

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On this day in 1995 british singer, comedienne and actress  Marti Caine died of cancer aged 50.

 

Her big break famewise  came about when she won the  New faces talent show

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Its 27 years since the death of Eddie Egan.

After serving in the US Marine Corp. Egan joined the Yankees Triple-A affiliate, but was recalled for service in the Korean War; following that service, he joined the New York Police Department, where he is reckoned to be responsible for more than 8,000 arrests over a 15-year career. He, along with partner Sonny Russo and other NYPD detectives broke up an organised crime ring seizing 112 pounds of heroin, an investigation that was recorded in a book The French Connection, later to be made into a film, with Gene Hackman playing the part based on Egan (whose own nickname was Popeye). Egan himself played Hackman's supervisor in the film.

 

When the film was released, Egan requested retirement from the PD, but on the day he was due to retire, he was fired, for allegedly missing court appearances and failing to submit contraband weapons' and narcotics, thus losing his pension; he appealed and the pension was reinstated.

 

Following his retirement, he took up acting full-time, appearing (usually as a police officer) in many TV programmes.

 

He died, aged 65, from colon cancer.

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Israeli politician, statesman and general who served as the Prime Minister of Israel from 1974 to 1977 and from 1992 to 1995 Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated on this day 27 years ago, aged 73.

 

[The Ashes Urn 1,357]

Russian-American painter, draftsman and printmaker Raphael Soyer died on this day 35 years ago, aged 87.

 

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On this day 14 years ago in  2008  prolific american  author  of science fiction and techno thrillers filmmaker Michael Crichton died aged 66.

 

Undoubtedly his most famous novel is Jurassic Park.

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On this day in 2015  british political lobbyist  Ian Greer died aged 82.

 

He was involved in the cash for questions political scandal in the 1990s  when he was accused of bribing two Conservative mps,   including Neil Hamilton, to ask questions in the house of commons on behalf  of Harrods owner Mohammed Al Fayed.  The scandal did huge damage to John Majors  governments and the wider Conservative partys reputation. 

Greer  unsuccessfully sued The Guardian over the published claims.

[Drewsky1211 4,744]

King Casimir III "the Great" of Poland died on this day 652 years ago, aged 60.

Casimir became king in 1333 following the death of his father Ladislaus (Wladyslaw) I. At the time, Poland had been exhausted from war and was in an economic depression. Casimir made it his mission to fix his kingdom.

 

A year into his reign, Casimir declared Jews to be protected as people of the king, and encouraged them to move to Poland. Casimir also threatened the death penalty for Christians who kidnapped and forcefully baptized Jewish children, and punished those who vandalized Jewish cemeteries. A myth persists that Casimir had a Jewish concubine named Esther.

 

Casimir built up Poland's defense by fortifying cities and building castles, and in 1347, made reforms to Poland's judicial system by introducing new civil and criminal codes- the former defended peasants against the powerful nobility. That year, the Black Death began to spread. Poland was largely spared due to Casimir's policies- he banned foreigners from entering walled cities, and Poland's Jewish populace had religious handwashing practices (usually before eating certain foods, such as bread).

 

In 1364, Casimir founded the University of Krakow, and later that year, initiated a meeting of kings in the city- either to determine who Casimir's successor would be (he had no male heir), declare a crusade against the Ottomans, or simply just show how prosperous Poland had become during his reign.

 

Casimir died in 1370 and was succeeded by his nephew, Louis I- the king of Hungary.

 

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On this day two years ago in 2020, australian actress  Joy Westmore,  best known for playing prison warden Officer Joyce Barry in cult aussie  tv soap Prisoner Cell Block H,  died aged 88.

 

On this day 35 years ago in 1987,  Irish radio and television presenter  Eamonn  Andrews  died aged 64.

 

He was primarily  employed in the UK   and probably his biggest claim to fame was presenting hit tv show  This is your life were surprised celebrities were reunited on television with family, friends and colleagues in a life tribute. 

[The Ashes Urn 1,357]

American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer and theatrical producer George M. Cohan died on this day 80 years ago, aged 64.

 

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American actress, producer and entrepreneur Texas Guinan died on this day 89 years ago, aged 49.

 

[Drewsky1211 4,744]

DeathList favorite Clive Dunn died on this day 10 years ago, aged 92.

For those new...

 

Clive Dunn was an actor who started his career in 1935, and then served in World War II. Dunn's first memorable TV role was in The Tony Hancock Show, where he was a regular.

 

In 1968, Dunn was catapulted to stardom as Lance Corporal Jones in Dad's Army, and would become famous for his catchphrases such as "don't panic, don't panic", and "they don't like it up em". The show ran until 1977, and during his time on the show, recorded the novelty song "Grandad", which topped the UK Singles chart in 1971 for three weeks- he would later star in a show of the same name that lasted from 1979 to 1984.

 

Dunn is called the "DeathList favorite" in his list description because he topped the inaugural list in 1987 (for reasons I don't know). Over the next 25 years, Dunn would make a total of sixteen appearances on the list, which was a record at the time of his death (surpassed by Kirk Douglas' 17th in 2019). Dunn would often be picked at the #50 spot in his later appearances- 2004, 2006 to 2008, and 2010 onward. It should also be mentioned that he was a cousin of four-time DeathList pick Gretchen Franklin (a hit in 2005). 

 

Dunn died from complications following surgery.

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On 04/11/2022 at 23:44, Gooseberry Crumble said:

 

 

On this day in 2015  british political lobbyist  Ian Greer died aged 82.

 

He was involved in the cash for questions political scandal in the 1990s  when he was accused of bribing two Conservative mps,   including Neil Hamilton, to ask questions in the house of commons on behalf  of Harrods owner Mohammed Al Fayed.  The scandal did huge damage to John Majors  governments and the wider Conservative partys reputation. 

Greer  unsuccessfully sued The Guardian over the published claims.

 

I thought that was Rab C. Nesbitt's Baldy Man at first glance.

[Hell 1,334]

American rapper from Chicago, Illinois King Von died on this day 2 years ago, aged 26.

 

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Its 29 years since the death of Torsten Fenslau.

The German DJ and music producer was a regular performer at Frankfurt's Dorian Gray Club and had raduio shows on Frankfurt radio. He formed his own record label Abfahrt Records, and achieved international success with dance group Culture Beat, who hit number one in many countries with their single Mr. Vain.

 

He died as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident, when he skidded on a wet road, aged 29.

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On this day in 2015 retired English footballer and manager Bobby Campbell died aged 78.

 

He aged for Liverpool  from 1958-1961, Portsmouth from 1961-1966 and Aldershot from 1966-1967.

 

In terms of management  he twice managed football teams in Kuwait  and in  the English football leagues he managed Fulham, Portsmouth and latterly managed Chelsea between 1988 and 1991. 

[The Ashes Urn 1,357]

American board game designer and collector Sid Sackson died on this day 20 years ago, aged 82.

 

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American actor and stuntman  Brad Harris died on this day in  2017 aged 84.

 

He starred in numerous films, mainly European and for his impressive physique in ancient epic tales of brawn , sand and sandals and sometimes  biblical. 

 

His film credits include  Samson (1961) The Fury of Hercules (1962),  Goliath against the giants (1961), Oceans 11 (1960) Kong Island  (1968) and Island of lost girls (1969)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Drewsky1211 4,744]

John Nance Garner died on this day 55 years ago, aged 98.

Garner got his start in politics in 1893, when he ran to become the county judge of Uvalde County in Texas. Despite women not having the right to vote at the time, a woman named Mariette Rheiner ran against him- the two married in 1895.

 

In 1898, Garner was elected to the Texas House of Representatives, and would be elected to the US House in 1902 for its newly-created 15th district. Garner was known to be a racist (showing hatred towards Latinos even if they voted for him)- though he was popular amongst his colleagues for creating a designated drinking spot for lawmakers during the Prohibition era.

 

Garner was elected speaker of the house in 1931, and ran for president in 1932- winning the California Democratic primary. He lost the primaries to FDR, but would be elected as his running mate, and they defeated the Hoover/Curtis ticket in a landslide. Garner showed contempt for his new role, stating that it was "not worth a bucket of warm piss". In 1940, Garner ran against Roosevelt in the primaries again as the more conservative candidate- and losing again, with FDR replacing him as VP with Secretary of Agriculture Henry A. Wallace.

 

Garner retired from politics following this, and spent the rest of his days at his ranch. On Garner's 95th birthday in 1963, president John F. Kennedy called him- this was hours before he was assassinated in Dallas. Dying 15 days before turning 99, Garner remains the longest-lived US vice president.

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On this day 18 years ago in 2004 american actor and singer Howard keel died aged 85 from cancer. 

Keel known for his rich bass baritone singing voice starred in a number of memorable MGM film musicals of the 1950s such as Seven brides for Seven brothers with Jane Powell  and Kiss me Kate..

In his latter years Howard gained fame with a new audience in the 1980s and 1990s  playing Clayton Farlow in legendary US Primetime soap Dallas. 

His character became the second husband  of widowed Ewing oil family matriarch  Miss Ellie, often being a voice of reason and fairness in a family run amok  with jealousy,  greed, questionable morals and bitter power struggles.

 

 

[The Ashes Urn 1,357]

American film and television actor Jack Kelly died on this day 30 years ago, aged 65.

 

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Thomas Percy and Robert Catesby were shot and killed on this day, 417 years ago. 

 

Percy was the second cousin of the 9th Earl of Northumberland and it was estimated he was one of the first of the Gunpowder Plotters, alongside mastermind Catesby. It was Percy that Guido Fawkes initially claimed to work for when caught in the early hours of 5th November 1605, trying to blow up parliament, and therefore it was Percy who was the first to be issued with an arrest warrant. Both he and Catesby were killed, allegedly by the same musketball, while fleeing to Warwickshire. Percy's death meant that nobody could either implicate or clear the aforementioned Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland of any involvement in the plot. With insufficient enough evidence for a conviction, Henry Percy was charged with contempt; fined £30,000; stripped of all public offices; and remained imprisoned in the Tower of London until 1621. Henry died in 1632, somewhat poetically on 5th November. 

 

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Alex Trebek died on this day 2 years ago, aged 80.

Trebek was originally a radio broadcaster for CBC, and would eventually host game shows on the network, such as Reach for the Top and Strategy.

 

In 1973, Trebek moved to the US to host The Wizard of Odds. Other shows he hosted throughout the '70s and '80s included High Rollers, Battlestars, and Pitfall.

 

Trebek began hosting Jeopardy! after its revival in 1984, and became synonymous with the show. Over the next 36 years, he hosted over 8,000 episodes, earning him the Guinness World Record for most game show episodes hosted by the same presenter.

 

In March of 2019, Trebek was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He survived for over a year and a half- about only a quarter of people diagnosed with the disease survive 12 months. Trebek was put on the 2020 DeathList at spot #35, and was hit #16 out of 20.

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On this day in 2004 australian professional snooker and billiards player Eddie  Charlton died aged 75.

To this day he is the only person to become the runner up in both the snooker and billiard world championships. 

 

On this day in 2003 british actor, comedian and writer  Bob Grant, best known for playing bus  conductor  Jack Harper in popular hit sitcom On the buses, died aged 71.

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Vanusa, Brazilian singer died on this date in 2020 at the age of 73 from respiratory failure Interestingly, she was married to Antônio Marcos, Brazilian singer, actor and composer who was born on this date in 1945, died in 1992 He caused surprise when he got the melody and lyrics of the national anthem wrong in the Legislative Assembly, later claimed to be under the influence of medicine for labyrinth