Death Anniversary Thread

[Drewsky1211 4,731]

Betty Driver died on this day 12 years ago, aged 91.

- Driver was a child actress who made her professional theatrical debut when she was 8 years old. By 12 years old, she was touring in a musical revue show, and she debuted on West End when she was 16 in the play Home and Beauty.

- Her film debut came in 1934 with the movie Boots! Boots!, but the scene she was in was deleted after its premiere because its star, Beryl Formby, felt that Driver would outperform her. Her scene was re-added to the film in its DVD release over 60 years later.

- Driver would entertain troops during World War II, and recorded her own songs around this time:

- Driver would audition for the role of Hilda Ogden on Coronation Street in 1964, but the role ended up going to Jean Alexander. However, Driver got the role of Betty Williams in 1969, a role she would play for 42 years and 2732 episodes, becoming a household name in the UK.

- While Driver never appeared on the DeathList, the soap opera thread on this forum continues to bear her name as the "Betty Driver Memorial Soapstar Superstar Thread". Her death was acknowledged on the thread (page 3).

[The Ashes Urn 1,355]

American film actor Pat O'Brien died on this day 40 years ago, aged 83.

 

[diego 1,980]

Petronila of Aragon was born in Aragon and died 850 years ago in Barcelona, she was queen of Aragon between 1157 and 1164 and countess of Barcelona between 1162 and 1164 at the age of 37

Hedwig of Silesia was born in Andechs, Germany, and died 780 years ago in Trzebnica, Poland, at the age of 69. She is a saint of the Catholic Church. With her own money, she built hospitals, schools, churches and convents. She gained a reputation as a protector of those in debt for helping inmates in the region, imprisoned for not having the resources to pay their debts.

Tião Carreiro was born in Monte Azul, Minas Gerais, Brazil and died in São Paulo at the age of 58 30 years ago, he was a famous Brazilian singer and instrumentalist of country music with roots who influenced many duos with his style. Tião Carreiro was the precursor of "Pagode", a rhythm that he dared to create based on the viola and its punctuation. The lyrics of his pagoda contemplate the magic of life in the countryside and country toil.

He formed a famous duo with Pardinho, the duo being Tião Carreiro and Pardinho.

Bruno Metsu was born in Dunkirk, and died in Paris 10 years ago, he was a football coach having coached the Senegal team in the 2002 World Cup, the Qatar team in the 2011 Asian Cup, and the United Arab Emirates in the 2007 Asian Cup

[Hell 1,334]

American business magnate, computer programmers researcher, investor, film producer, and philanthropist Paul Allen died on this day 5 years ago, aged 65. He is best known for co-founding Microsoft Corporation with his childhood friend Bill Gates in 1975, which sparked the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s. Microsoft went on to become the world's largest personal computer software company. Allen was ranked as the 44th wealthiest person in the world by Forbes in 2018, with an estimated net worth of $20.3 billion at the time of his death. He died from a septic shock related to cancer.

 

[Drewsky1211 4,731]

Pope Gregory XIV died on this day 432 years ago, aged 56.

- Gregory was born as Niccolo Sfondrati. His father Francesco was a notable law professor who became a member of the clergy after the death of his wife (who died giving birth to Gregory).

- Gregory himself entered the clergy in his 20s, becoming the bishop of Cremona in 1557 (aged 22). It was not until 1583 that he was made a cardinal, appointed by Pope Gregory XIII.

- Gregory was elected pope in December of 1590, to succeed Urban VII- an election that lasted two months due to interference from king Philip II of Spain- the man who requested Gregory be appointed as bishop.

- One of Gregory's first papal decrees was the excommunication of the Protestant Henry IV of France- Gregory had even planned to invade France in a holy war, but this never came to fruition.

- Gregory would also forbid his cardinals from betting on who they believed would become the next pope, who he would appoint as cardinals, and (relevant to this website) when he would die.

- Among Gregory's righteous acts was demanding Spanish Catholics to give reparations to Filipino natives they had enslaved, and ordered all of them to be freed under threat of their enslavers' excommunication.

- Gregory died from an untreated gallstone after ten months on the papal throne, and was succeeded by Pope Innocent IX.

[The Ashes Urn 1,355]

American jazz drummer, bandleader and composer Gene Krupa died on this day 50 years ago, aged 64.

 

[diego 1,980]

Amadeus V of Savoy was born in Le Bourget-du-Lac and died 700 years ago at the age of 74 in Avignon, he was Count of Savoy between 1285 - 1323

Antipope Nicholas V died 690 years ago, born in Corvara, Abruzzo, Italy, and died in Avignon, On May 12, 1328, he was crowned as pope (actually antipope) Nicholas V, with the support of Emperor Louis IV of the Holy Empire Romano-Germanic, in opposition to John XXII, who had previously been excommunicated by Pope John XXII.
In April 1329, he was excommunicated by John XXII. He then renounced his title and sought reconciliation with John XXII, who forgave him on August 25, 1330.
He remained in honorable imprisonment in the papal palace at Avignon until his death in October 1333.

Luca Signorelli died 500 years ago in Cortona, the city where he was born. He was an Italian Renaissance painter who stood out in particular for his skill as a draftsman and his use of foreshortening. His enormous frescoes of the Last Judgment (1499-1503) in Orvieto Cathedral are considered his masterpiece.

Lucas Cranach the Elder was born in Kronach and died in Weimar 470 years ago, was a Germanic Renaissance painter, also author of engravings and woodcuts. He was court painter to the Electors of Saxony for most of his career, and is best known for his portraits, both of German princes and leaders of the Protestant Reformation, whose cause he enthusiastically embraced, becoming a close friend of Martin Luther. He also painted religious subjects, first in the Catholic tradition, then looking for new ways to transfer Lutheran religious references to art.

Marie Antoinette died 230 years ago at age 37 in Paris, born in Vienna, was an Archduchess of Austria, the wife of King Louis XVI and Queen Consort of France and Navarre from 1774 until the French Revolution in 1792. Some academics and scholars believe that she had frivolous and superficial behavior, attributing to her the beginning of the French Revolution; however, other historians argue that she was portrayed unfairly and that opinions of her should be more sympathetic.

Leopoldina of Liechtenstein died 200 years ago at the age of 69 in Frankfurt am Main, born in Vienna, she was a princess of Liechtenstein by birth and countess of Hesse-Rottenburg by her marriage to Charles Emanuel of Hesse-Rottenburg.

Ismael Montes died 90 years ago at the age of 72 in Chaco, born in Corocoro, he was a Bolivian politician and president of his country between 1913 and 1917

 

 

[Hell 1,334]

British actress Deborah Kerr died on this day 16 years ago, aged 86. Kerr won a Golden Globe Award for her performance as Anna Leonowens in the musical film The King and I (1956). Her other major and best known films and performances are The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), Black Narcissus (1947), Quo Vadis (1951), From Here to Eternity (1953), Tea and Sympathy (1956), An Affair to Remember (1957), Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957), Bonjour Tristesse (1958), Separate Tables (1958), The Sundowners (1960), The Innocents (1961), The Grass is Greener (1960), and The Might of the Iguana (1964). She was nominated six times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, becoming the first person from Scotland to be nominated for any acting Oscar.

 

[John "요한" Sulu 419]

On this day 1 year ago, Dutch-born American chemical engineer and astronaut Lodewijk van den Berg passed away at the age of 90.

[Drewsky1211 4,731]

Gord Downie died on this day 6 years ago, aged 53.

- Downie formed his first band during high school for its student variety show- it was called The Slinks.

- Downie would form The Tragically Hip when he was 20 years old, which was initially a cover band. By the late '80s, they became a rock band, and soon skyrocketed in popularity in their native Canada- their second album, Road Apples, was their first number one album in Canada. Downie himself would become quite the popular personality by recalling fictional anecdotes during concerts.

- Downie would pursue a solo career in 2001, though he would continue to perform with the band.

- Downie would cameo in several movies- most notably in the Trailer Park Boys' 2008 film The Big Dirty as a police officer (alongside Alex Lifeson of Rush).

- Downie would be diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in December of 2015. The Tragically Hip would tour for one final time throughout 2016, and the final concert was televised and viewed by 11 million people (about a third of Canada's population).

- Downie debuted on the DeathList in 2017 in what was his only appearance- and was the record-breaking fifteenth hit that year. 

[The Ashes Urn 1,355]

American musician Criss Oliva died on this day 30 years ago, aged 30.

 

[diego 1,980]

Patrice de Mac-Mahon was born in Sully and died in Montcressonm 130 years ago, was a French soldier and politician who achieved the rank of Marshal and was President of France from 1873 until 1879 in the Third French Republic.Died at age 85

 

[Hell 1,334]

American politician and civil rights advocate Elijah Cummings died on this day 4 years ago, aged 68. He served in the United States House of Representatives for Maryland's 7th congressional district from 1996 until his death in 2019, when he succeeded by his predecessor Kweisi Mfume. The district he represented included over half of the city of Baltimore, including most of the majority black precincts of Baltimore County, and most of Howard County, Maryland. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Cummings previously served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1983 to 1996.

 

[Drewsky1211 4,731]

Henry Temple- or Lord Palmerston- died on this day 158 years ago, aged 80.

- Palmerston succeeded his father as Viscount Palmerston upon his death in 1802- he was 17 at the time.

- Palmerston was elected as an MP in 1807, and became the Secretary at War in 1809- among the wars he helped administer the British Army over included the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812. He held this position until 1828.

- Palmerston was Foreign Secretary three times (1830-1834, 1835-1841, and 1846-1851). He was known for his gunboat diplomacy (intimidating other countries with the Royal Navy), earning him the nickname "Lord Pumice Stone". He was in this role during the First Opium War with China, as well as the European revolutions of 1848.

- Immediately before becoming Prime Minister, Palmerston was Home Secretary (1852-1855). He would serve as PM twice from 1855 to 1858, and 1859 until his death in 1865. Palmerston was best known for helping end the Crimean War.

- When the US Civil War broke out, Palmerston supported the Confederacy, viewing their secession as helping increase British global power.

- Palmerston died two days before his 81st birthday, and is the most recent British Prime Minister to die in office.

- The former Chief Mouser of the FCO (2016-2020) was named after him- and was known for his rivalry with 10 Downing Street's cat, Larry.

[diego 1,980]

Agrippina died 1990 years ago in Ventotene, was born in Athens, Agrippina married Germanicus, and was the mother of Agrippina Minor and Emperor Caligula.

Pope Pius III was born in Siena and died 420 years ago in Rome, he was pope from September 22, 1503 until his death, having one of the shortest pontificates in papal history

Charles Gounod was born in Paris and died 130 years ago in Saint-Cloud, he was a French composer famous above all for his operas and religious music

 

[The Ashes Urn 1,355]

American animator and cartoonist Walt Kelly died on this day 50 years ago, aged 60.

 

[Hell 1,334]

American inventor and businessman Thomas Edison died on this day 92 years ago, aged 84. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventions, which include the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and early versions of the electric light bulb, have had a widespread impact on the modern industrialized world. He was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of organized science and teamwork to the process of invention, working with many researchers and employees. He established the first industrial research laboratory.

 

[John "요한" Sulu 419]

On this day 1 year ago, American government official Charles Duncan Jr, who was the Secretary of Energy from 1979 to 1981, passed away at the age of 96.

[Drewsky1211 4,731]

King John died on this day 807 years ago, aged 49.

- Being the youngest legitimate son of king Henry II and his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine, John was not expected to become king at the time of his birth in late 1166- his older brothers were Henry, Richard, and Geoffrey (another one, William, died before John was born).

- In 1185, Henry tried to get Pope Lucius III to proclaim John the King of Ireland, but he would deny his request.

- When his brother Richard I went on the Third Crusade, John promised to stay out of England (he was away at the time) due to fears he would seize power- John would return regardless and act as regent until Richard returned in 1194.

- John became king upon Richard's death in 1199. His reign was known for several events that damaged his reputation- the loss of Normandy to France in 1204, the subsequent high taxes he needed for a planned campaign to retake it (which led to the legend of Robin Hood), his excommunication by Pope Innocent III in 1209, the First Barons' War, and most notably, the Magna Carta.

- John died of dysentery during a campaign against the rebelling barons, and was succeeded by his son Henry III.

[The Ashes Urn 1,355]

American professional wrestler Road Warrior Hawk died on this day 20 years ago, aged 46.

 

[diego 1,980]

Alija Izetbegović was born in Šamac, and died in Sarajevo 20 years ago at the age of 78. In 1990 he became the first president of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a position he held until 1996, when he became part of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he remained until 2000. He is the author of several books, such as Islam between East and West and the Islamic Declaration. He was unable to prevent the civil war that broke out in 1992. On November 21, 1995, he signed a peace agreement in Dayton (United States) with the presidents of Croatia and Serbia.

[Hell 1,334]

English nutritional scientist, governmental scientic adviser, writer and presenter Magnus Pyke died on this day 31 years ago, aged 83. He worked for the UK Ministry of Food, the post war Allied Commission for Austria, and different food manufacturers. He wrote prolifically and became famous as a TV and radio personality, and was featured on Thomas Dolby's 1982 synthpop hit, "She Blinded Me with Science".

 

[John "요한" Sulu 419]

On this day 1 year ago, American football player Charley Trippi passes away at the age of 100.

[Drewsky1211 4,731]

James Randi died on this day 3 years ago, aged 92.

- Randi's birth name was Randall Zwinge- his pseudonym's last name is obviously taken from his first name. When he was a child, Randi got in a bike accident from which his doctors believed paralyzed him- and surprised them when he started to walk. During his time in a body cast, Randi would read about magic tricks, starting his primary interest.

- At the age of 17, Randi dropped out of high school to work as a magician at a travelling carnival. Shortly after this, while attending a church service, the church's pastor claimed that they could read the minds of his parishoners- Randi was able to recreate this, which led the pastor's wife to call the cops; Randi spent four hours in jail. This was his first instance of his soon-to-be career as a skeptic.

- Despite Randi exposing how magic tricks were done, he still loved the act- in 1956, he broke Harry Houdini's record for time spent in an underwater coffin (1 hour and 44 minutes to Houdini's 1 hour and 33 minutes), broadcast on Today. He would also appear as a magician on several kids' shows, such as Wonderama.

- Randi would also often appear on TV talk shows to debunk people who claimed they had psychic abilities:

- In old age, Randi would often be seen with a trademark cane adorned with a skull on top (as seen in the above picture).

- Randy was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009, and was able to beat it by April of 2010. Randi made a total of three appearances on the DeathList (2012, 2014, 2016).

[The Ashes Urn 1,355]

American film and television actor Jack Elam died on this day 20 years ago, aged 82.