Spade_Cooley 9,562 Posted September 7, 2015 A thread for, in the spirit of Doreen Keogh and Gerard Sim, detective work that needs to be undertaken by deathlisters to ascertain as to whether people with possible claims to celebritydom are still alive. I mainly ask this because I cannot find, after two hours online, if Brian Walker is still alive. My assumption is the man's death would at least get a mention somewhere, as he was the only man in history to be both a member of The Wurzels and a contributing artist to Viz. He was part of the original Adge Cutler line-up of the West Country's finest but left soon after their first album was released (he'd also played with Acker Bilk as well). He then became a full-time comics artist, and has his own entry in the Dictionary of British Comics. He drew mainly for Whizzer and Chips, an example of his work is pictured below: But I cannot find a) a death notice for him (he would be 89 now), or any sign of him making any sort of public declaration of being alive any time in the past decade. Can this forum's more learned members help out? Also, please suggest other names you consider to be Schroedinger's Dead Pool picks, not alive or dead until proven otherwise. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
msc 18,490 Posted September 7, 2015 A Brian E Walker was born in Chipping Sodbury (great name) on the outskirts of Bristol, September 1926 (mums maiden name, Vines). No record of death up to the free search (which ends at 2007). There was a Brian Walker born March 1926, but he was born in Guildford, and who mistakes Guildford for Bristol? As Viz mentioned him on Twitter in 2012, you'd think they'd note if he was gone. However, his 1960s sketch work for The Guardian has copyright owned by a Mary Andrews. Though, while that would usually suggest deceased, her being the Content Sales Manager suggests an artist who never paid attention to what rights he was giving away. So, what you want is either someone with the dosh to check the English death records to see if he's snuffed it since 2007. Or find someone brave to email that copyright holder... My money's on alive, purely because Lambiek, the UK Comics Wiki, etc etc all don't have a date of death, and surely comic book fans are just as compulsively obsessive as Dr Who fans and would find this out... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YoungWillz 21,081 Posted September 7, 2015 Why not pop down to the Upton Cheyney Chilli Festival on Sunday and ask the band members? http://www.uptonchilli.co.uk/the-upton-cheyney-chilli-festival-2015/ 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
paulh85 101 Posted September 7, 2015 Why not pop down to the Upton Cheyney Chilli Festival on Sunday and ask the band members? http://www.uptonchilli.co.uk/the-upton-cheyney-chilli-festival-2015/ OI Mate!!! Has Brian snuffed it yet?!?!? Should do the trick providing you get close enough 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cat O'Falk 3,290 Posted September 7, 2015 A Brian E Walker was born in Chipping Sodbury (great name) on the outskirts of Bristol, September 1926 (mums maiden name, Vines). No record of death up to the free search (which ends at 2007). There was a Brian Walker born March 1926, but he was born in Guildford, and who mistakes Guildford for Bristol? As Viz mentioned him on Twitter in 2012, you'd think they'd note if he was gone. However, his 1960s sketch work for The Guardian has copyright owned by a Mary Andrews. Though, while that would usually suggest deceased, her being the Content Sales Manager suggests an artist who never paid attention to what rights he was giving away. So, what you want is either someone with the dosh to check the English death records to see if he's snuffed it since 2007. Or find someone brave to email that copyright holder... My money's on alive, purely because Lambiek, the UK Comics Wiki, etc etc all don't have a date of death, and surely comic book fans are just as compulsively obsessive as Dr Who fans and would find this out... His birthplace of Brislington came under the district of Keynsham in 1926. Edit: http://ukcomics.wikia.com/wiki/Brian_Walker 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spade_Cooley 9,562 Posted September 7, 2015 Why not pop down to the Upton Cheyney Chilli Festival on Sunday and ask the band members? http://www.uptonchilli.co.uk/the-upton-cheyney-chilli-festival-2015/ The Wurzels _and_ Wurzel Steve and the Scrumpy Swillers? Is this a "David van Day's Bucks Fizz"-type situation? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handrejka 1,904 Posted September 7, 2015 Does anyone know for definite that Pepe Poupee (real name Kathy Gearen) is dead. I know a guest replied on the Munchkin thread that she died some time ago but anyone can post that. I'm sure she probably is dead but it would be nice to have proof. Monty Lister is another one I wonder about. His 35 years at Radio Merseyside would have got a local obit at least which leads me to believe he's still alive but I've no proof of that either. I know they're not household names but they're important to me in different ways 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
charon 4,943 Posted September 7, 2015 Lister is alive as far as I know, plus Clatterbridges site would mention it if he wasn't. Poupee I really don't know about. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handrejka 1,904 Posted September 7, 2015 Lister is alive as far as I know, plus Clatterbridges site would mention it if he wasn't. Poupee I really don't know about. I thought as much. He must be about 89 or so by now. Poupee is probably dead. I know she was in poor health. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
charon 4,943 Posted September 7, 2015 A quick check and a photo of Lister less than 2 years ago. https://www.flickr.com/photos/38874442@N08/10104141523 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DevonDeathTrip 2,360 Posted September 7, 2015 I'd like to know if Comical Ali is still with us. He looked so ill in footage from 2014 that it seems impossible he could still be alive. Yet no obit appears to have surfaced, which is very strange as he was a household name in the UK for a couple of months in 2003. If he lives, he's in the squad for next year. Saddam Hussain's former spokesman Mohammad Saeed al Sahhaf, better known in the UK as Comical Ali, is terminally ill according to his Wiki page. This video - dated November 2014 - shows him hospitalised in the United Arab Emirates. However the conversation is in Arabic and has Swedish subtitles... I'd be surprised if he'd died and not get a mention anywhere, but he does look very unwell in that footage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ulitzer95 12,690 Posted September 8, 2015 Can somebody please check birth/death records to see if we still have Patricia Laffan with us?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_LaffanHer wiki page has been edited countless times now to say she passed in 2014. One edit said she died around 11/03/14 in Chelsea.I'd be very shocked if her death has gone unnoticed altogether. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cat O'Falk 3,290 Posted September 8, 2015 Can somebody please check birth/death records to see if we still have Patricia Laffan with us? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Laffan Her wiki page has been edited countless times now to say she passed in 2014. One edit said she died around 11/03/14 in Chelsea. I'd be very shocked if her death has gone unnoticed altogether. Some guy says she died on 10/03/14 and was cremated on 26/03/14. http://www.isxdead.com/person/414267/Patricia%20Laffan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spade_Cooley 9,562 Posted September 8, 2015 This film writer is currently prepping an article on Laffan apparently, someone should ask him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deadsox 894 Posted September 15, 2015 Does anyone know for definite that Pepe Poupee (real name Kathy Gearen) is dead. I know a guest replied on the Munchkin thread that she died some time ago but anyone can post that. I'm sure she probably is dead but it would be nice to have proof. Monty Lister is another one I wonder about. His 35 years at Radio Merseyside would have got a local obit at least which leads me to believe he's still alive but I've no proof of that either. I know they're not household names but they're important to me in different ways There was really someone named Pepe Poupee? How about the "What a Moniker" thread for her? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spade_Cooley 9,562 Posted August 25, 2016 Does anyone have access to Texas death records? If so, can they confirm my suspicion that the top entry here, the guy who died in Smith County in 1998, is 1930s Beale Street blues musician Little Buddy Doyle? https://open.spotify.com/track/50JSLnIOsoCiXEQvpdpqD3 Wikipedia has a date of birth but no date of death (he'd be 105 if he was still around) and no photos of him were ever taken. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Creep 7,070 Posted August 25, 2016 Does anyone have access to Texas death records? If so, can they confirm my suspicion that the top entry here, the guy who died in Smith County in 1998, is 1930s Beale Street blues musician Little Buddy Doyle? https://open.spotify.com/track/50JSLnIOsoCiXEQvpdpqD3 Wikipedia has a date of birth but no date of death (he'd be 105 if he was still around) and no photos of him were ever taken. Don't have access to those records but I'll poke around a bit and see what I can find. His dying in SMITH County sure as shit isn't helping matters. HEY I just realized (after seeing a map) I have to drive through Smith County on the way home from this rig. I could get you a photo of the grave if we knew where he was buried. LOL. Need to search newspapers for obit. His date/place of birth is questionable at best, so that's a dead end. SC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
msc 18,490 Posted August 25, 2016 I don't have access to the Texas records. However, there is a chap buried in Howard County, Arkansas (less than a 3 hour journey away) who has the same date of death as chap number one above. If that IS the chap, he's got the wrong DOB. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spade_Cooley 9,562 Posted August 25, 2016 And the wife's name doesn't match up either. Hmmm. Back to the drawing board. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Creep 7,070 Posted August 25, 2016 And the wife's name doesn't match up either. Hmmm. Back to the drawing board. GAH What's his wife's name? What other info you have? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spade_Cooley 9,562 Posted August 25, 2016 "Hedda", although whether that was her actual name or a nickname, Christ knows. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toast 16,161 Posted August 25, 2016 Have you looked on http://www.findagrave.com ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drol 12,014 Posted August 25, 2016 It is not Charles E. Doyle. This man was bor on September the 17th, Little Buddy was born on March the 20th. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drol 12,014 Posted August 25, 2016 Here it says he probably died in the early 1940s. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/charlie-little-buddy-doyle-mn0001008537 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drol 12,014 Posted August 25, 2016 And here I have a Buddy Doyle, dancer and singer, who died in 1939. But his birthname was Benjamin Taubenhaus, so it's not our man. http://archives.nypl.org/18894 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
