Death Anniversary Thread

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On this day 33 years ago in 1989 Canadian champion swimmer and Olympic gold medallist  Victor Davis died aged 25 after being seriously injured in a hit and run car incident.

He won the gold medal for the mens  200m breaststroke  at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles as well as two other silver medals that year and one silver at the Seoul Olympics in 1988.

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American professional wrestler Eddie Guerrero died on this day 17 years ago, aged 38.

 

 

English serial killer who was dubbed the Yorkshire Ripper by the press Peter Sutcliffe died on this day 2 years ago, aged 74.

 

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Charles Carroll died on this day 190 years ago, aged 95.

Often called "Charles Carroll of Carrollton" to distinguish him from his father and grandfather who were also named Charles, he began to write advocating for independence in 1772 for the Maryland Gazette under the anonymous alias "First Citizen". A loyalist who called himself "Antillon" began to debate him in the paper, and Carroll retorted stating that Maryland's government was essentially owned by four families- Antillon's real identity was Daniel Dulany, a member of one of the families Carroll mentioned. After both of their identities were revealed through word-of-mouth, Dulany began to use ad hominem attacks on Carroll, while the latter responded in a gentlemanly manner.

 

In 1774, Carroll was elected to Maryland's committee of correspondence, and on July 4, 1776, was elected to the Continental Congress. He arrived too late to vote in favor of the document, but was there to sign it.

After the American Revolution, Carroll would serve on the Maryland Senate from 1781 to 1800. Carroll would also simultaneously be a US senator from 1789 to 1792- being forced to resign when Maryland passed a law preventing elected officials from serving on state and federal offices at the same time.

 

In later years, Carroll was known for philanthropic activities- he helped found the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and commissioned the Phoenix Shot Tower, laying its cornerstone. Carroll was the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence.

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American Thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Arcaro died on this day 25 years ago, aged 81.

 

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BAFTA award winning   British actor Warren Mitchell died on this day in 2015 aged 89.

 

He is best known  for playing the iconic comedy role of Alf Garnett in legendary british  Sitcoms Till Death do us part and In sickness and in health,  although he has a much varied body of acting work and two Laurence Olivier theatre awards to his name. 

 

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Oscar winning British theatre and film director Tony Richardson died on this day in 1991 aged 63 as a result of complications from AIDS. 

Tony was married to Vanessa Redgrave with whom he had two daughters Joely and Miranda Richardson.  He left Vanessa for French actress Jeanne Moreau. 

In 1972  he begin a relationship with Grizelda  Grimond, daughter of british MP Jo Grimond whom he fathered his third child with in 1973.

 

He won a best director Oscar for his film Tom Jones in 1963, whose lead cast was Albert Finney and Susannah York. 

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American educator, author, orator, and advisor to several presidents to the United States Booker T. Washington died on this day 107 years ago, aged 59.

 

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Its 33 years since the death of ex-footballer, coach and manager Jimmy Murphy, aged 79.

After more than 200 appearances for West Bromwich Albion, he transferred to Swindon Town in 1939, but had barely registered when war halted the season, and in the process his playing career. During the war he was observed by Matt Busby giving a talk to troops about football, which prompted Busby to offer him a position when the latter became manager of Manchester United. He was chief coach until 1955, after which he was assistant manager; he also managed the Welsh National team from 1956, reaching the finals for the first time (and until this year, the only time).

 

Following the Munich Air Crash in 1958, a flight Murphy would have been on had he not had World Cup qualifier to attend with Wales, it fell to Murphy to pick up the pieces of the season, while Busby recovered in hospital. With a scratch squad made up of youngsters, with a couple of veterans for experience, United fielded a team just 13 days after the crash, defeating Sheffield Wednesday in a FA Cup match 3-0. They would reach the final but lose to Bolton.

 

Murphy's stint as caretaker finished with a record of Played 22, Won 5, Drawn 7 and lost 10.

 

Permission was recently given for a statue to be erected at Old Trafford. A blue plaque was unveiled at his childhood home in Pentre, Rhondda, in 2009.

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John Le Mesurier died on this day 39 years ago, aged 71.

Le Mesurier took his mother's maiden name as his stage name, and debuted in theatre in 1934. During the Blitz in 1940, Le Mesurier's rental house and the theatre he worked at were bombed- he lost all his stuff. The next year, he was commissioned into the Royal Tank Regiment, being sent to India in 1943. He would return to the UK in 1946.

 

From there, Le Mesurier made his first film appearance (1948's Death in the Hand), and would soon appear on TV. He would continue to appear in comedy films throughout the '50s and '60s. In 1968, Le Mesurier was cast as Sergeant Wilson in Dad's Army- he was initially reluctant, but was persuaded by a pay raise and the casting of Clive Dunn on the show (Dunn was a friend of his). While this remains his most recognizable role, Le Mesurier continued to star in films during the show's run, and in terms of other television appearances, was the narrator of Bod.

 

Among his later roles were on the radio- he was the Wise Old Bird in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and Bilbo Baggins in BBC Radio 4's 1981 version of The Lord of the Rings.

 

Le Mesurier was a known alcoholic, and was diagnosed with cirrhosis in 1977 after a collapse. He died from internal bleeding of the stomach- likely a complication from cirrhosis.

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On this day in 1998  czechoslovakian discus thrower and Olympic gold medallist  Ludvik Danek died aged 61.

He won his Olympic gold medal at the Munich Olympics in 1972,  his silver medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics  and his bronze at the 1968 Olympics held in Mexico City. 

 

 

 

On this day in 41 years ago in 1981 american actress Enid  Markey died aged 87.

She was the first actress to play Jane in a Tarzan  movie.

Enid played the role onscreen  in two films , both in 1918. Tarzan of the apes and  The romance of Tarzan.  

Elmo  Lincoln played Tarzan. 

 

Enids first film was in 1911 and called  The firtunes of war .

In 1914 she was badly injured whilst filming movie The Wrath of the Gods.  She did eventually  recover  but it was whilst she was filming a scene portraying lava pouring down a volcano that she was hurt and nearly  asphyxiated by the fumes.

 

Other films she starred in include  The Devils double (1916)  and The Naked City   (1948).

 

She was eager to develop and prove her abilities as an actress after Tarzan  and became an experienced theatre actress appearing in 39 different Broadway shows.

In the 1950s and sixties  she played a number of small roles on US television including Barney Fifes landlady  on The Andy Griffith show.

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American film actress Alice Lake died on this day 55 years ago, aged 72.

 

 

 

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King Henry III of England died on this day 750 years ago, aged 65.

Henry became king at the age of 9 when his father, king John, died. He would be coronated in late October 1216, and had a second in May of 1220, when he was 12 years old. At this time, the regent monarchy was led by William Marshal and Ranulf de Blondeville, two nobles loyal to John. Henry would formally take power in 1227. In 1230, Henry led an invasion of France in order to reclaim family lands- this failed, although a truce was signed with Louis IX.

 

Henry was known for his lax authority, with his court gaining power- it was during this time that the term "parliament" first appeared, describing the court's large meetings, largely about taxation. Henry was also unable to create a stable government in the middle of his reign- beginning with a barons' revolt in 1258, and a civil war in 1263.

 

Henry died after a 56-year reign. It was the longest in British history until George III surpassed this in November of 1816.

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Woe, woe, and thrice woe, four years ago today when actress Jeanne Mockford died, aged 92.

Appearing in numerous comedy and drama staples of the UK TV offering throughough a 50+ year career, he best-known role was as Senna the Soothsayer in Up Pompeii!

 

She spent the latter years of her life at the entertainment industry retirement home Denville Hall.

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American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball Jim Brewer died on this day 35 years ago, aged 50.

 

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On this day yesterday (16th November) three years ago in 2019, iconic british photographer Terry O'Neill died aged 81.

Photographer of royalty ,music stars and film stars who was known for taking photographs in unconventional surroundings or context  and finding his subjects more 'at ease' - he is also the ex husband  of actress Faye  Dunaway with whom he has had a dispute with regarding their son. Terry openly says his son is adopted and Faye maintains  he is their biological son.

 

 

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Catherine II "the Great" of Russia died on this day 226 years ago, aged 67.

Catherine was born as Sophie, the daughter of the prince of Anhalt-Zerbst. Sophie married her second cousin, Charles of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, in 1745- she disliked Charles' affinity for alcohol at a young age, and the fact that he still played with toys. Despite this, they had three children together (two survived to adulthood). Charles became the tsar of Russia in 1762, taking the name Peter III, after his aunt Elizabeth died. Peter reigned for seven months until he was ousted in a coup and died under suspicious circumstances. Sophie was crowned due to the precedent of a widow taking the throne, becoming Catherine II.

 

Catherine greatly expanded Russian territory, annexing Crimea, large portions of Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania, and parts of modern-day Alaska. In 1795, she partitioned Poland between Russia, Prussia, and Austria. She was also known for her promiscuous lifestyle, rewarding her lovers with positions of power and large tracts of land. It is believed that she had an illegitimate child with count Grigory Orlov. In 1784, Catherine "invented" the roller coaster- she added wheels and grooved tracks to an ice slide at her palace so that it could be used during the summer.

 

Catherine died of a stroke after 34 years on the throne, and was succeeded by her son Paul. Anti-Russian sentiment within Western Europe caused the creation of a long-standing rumor that Catherine died while having sex with a horse... wonder if it'll happen again with Putin.

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American industrialist and philantropist Arthur Vining Davis died on this day 60 years ago, aged 95.

 

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English actress, theatrical manager and producer, whose career spanned seven decades on stage, in films and on television Gladys Cooper 51 years ago, aged 82.

 

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On the 16th November (yesterday) 28 years ago in 1994, British actress  Doris Speed who played the iconic and legendary landlady Annie Walker in Coronation Street,  died aged 95.

 

On this day in 1968,  British writer, poet, artist/illustrator Mervyn Peake  died aged 57.

Many compared  his style and work to Tolkien  but he actually  cited Charles Dickens as an inspiration.

His best known work is the Gormenghast  series of books which was made decades later into a BBC series. 

 

 

 

 

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On this day 61 years ago in 1961  professional american diver and Olympic gold medallist  Clarence Pinkston died aged 61.

The olympian,  born in Wichita,  Kansas   won a gymnastics title aged just 15 at the High School he attended in San Diego after moving to California. 

At the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp,  Clarence won a gold medal in the mens 10 metre  platform diving event and a silver medal  in the mens  3 metre springboard event.

Four years  later at the Paris Olympics he won 2 bronze medals in diving,  again in the 3 metre springboard and 10 metre platform diving event.

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Cab Calloway died on this day 28 years ago, aged 86.

Calloway first performed as a singer in cafes, and met Louis Armstrong in one, where he learned about scat singing (improvised wordless vocals). Calloway would soon form a band, and in 1931, released the song "Minnie the Moocher"- this song was the first by a black artist to sell over one million copies.

 

Calloway would work with Fleischer Studios for their Betty Boop cartoons- they used his music within 1932's Minnie the Moocher and 1933's Snow White. Fleischer Studios would trace over Calloway's dancing with their characters- this technique was called 'rotoscoping', allowing for very fluid animation.

One could argue that these were among the first ever music videos.

 

Calloway would continue to perform at theatres through the coming decades. In 1980, he was introduced to a new generation by appearing in The Blues Brothers as the character Curtis, in which he performs his signature song.

 

He also made an appearance in the music video for Janet Jackson's "Alright" in 1990.

Calloway continued to perform until shortly before his death, a month before he would've turned 87.

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Its 32 years since the death of Beatrice Shilling OBE PhD MSc CEng, aged 81.

Born in 1909, an early interest in engineering lead her to race motorcycles during the 1930s, becoming one of only three women to receive the BMCRC Gold Star for achieving a plus-100mph lap around Brooklands circuit.

 

She achieved a BSc electrical engineering and a masters in mechanical engineering at Victoria University Manchester, and found work as a research assistant at the University of Birmingham. In 1936 she was recruited by the Royal Aircraft Establishment, initially as a technical writer, but transferring to work on aircraft engines. In 1939 she was promoted to technical officer in charge of carburettor research & development.

 

The following year, it was discovered that fighter planes equipped the Rolls-Royce Merlin were experiencing engine stalls due to carburettors flooding during steep dives; to combat this she developed the RAE restrictor, which would limit fuel flow and could be fitted without taking the aircraft out of service; this was affectionately known as Miss Shilling's Orifice.

 

Post-war, Shilling was awarded an OBE in recognition of her work. She remained at the RAE until her retirement at age 60, and was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Surrey. She graduated from racing motorbikes to racing cars with her husband, racing a Lagonda and a Healey Sprite.

 

Engineering buildings at both Royal Holloway and Coventry Universities are named in her honour, as is a Wetherspoon's pub in Farnbourough. A blue plaque was unveiled outside her home in Farnborough in 2019.

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American stage and film actor Don Dillaway died on this day 40 years ago, aged 79.

 

 

 

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21st president of the United States Chester A. Arthur died on this day 136 years ago, aged 57.

 

 

American politician, journalist, farmer, and businessman who served as the 33rd vice president of the United States, the 11th U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, and the 10th U.S. Secretary of Commerce Henry A. Wallace died on this day 57 years ago, aged 77.

 

 

Australian musician who was the co-founder, rhythm guitarist, backing vocalist and songwriter of AC/DC Malcolm Young died on this day 5 years ago, aged 64.

 

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I bring you a tale of two popes tonight.

 

First, Pope Gelasius I, who died on this day 1526 years ago, aged ~86.

Gelasius was known for his writings- these included the Gelasian Decree, determining which Bible books were canon and which were apocryphal.

 

Gelasius succeeded Pope Felix III in 492, less than 20 years after the Western Roman Empire fell. He inherited the ongoing problems of the Acacian schism- the Western and Eastern Roman churches were growing further apart. Gelasius exacerbated the problem by wanting to remove the name of Patricarch Acacius of Constantinople removed from all church diptychs that commemorated him. Gelasius also took an Augustinian approach to the festival of Lupercalia, ending the Roman tradition and replacing it with Candlemas.

 

 After Gelasius' death in 496, he was succeeded by...

Pope Anastasius II, who died on this day 1524 years ago, aged ~53.

Anastasius sent bishops to Constantinople to meet with Emperor Anastasius I, and attempted to reconcile with the Byzantine church by allowing communion to be given to Acacius' followers. This angered Christians in Rome, who boycotted communion from Anastasius. After a two-year papacy, Anastasius unexpectedly died and was succeeded by Pope Symmachus- the emperor Anastasius supported an antipope named Laurentius instead, widening the schism.