The Derby Dead Pool

The online competition to guess which famous people won't make it to the end of the current year. If they're elderly, ill, or just live a high-risk lifestyle, stick 'em in your team, and for each one whose death you correctly predict, you'll score points. DDP was dreamt up in Derby, England (hence the name...) by Big-Iain back in 1996, then was run from 2003 to 2007 by Siegfried Baboon and Rude Kid. From 2008 to 2009, it was run by Octopus of Odstock, but from 2010 onwards it's the turn of The Man in Black to run the DDP.

Latest Stiffs: 23rd May 2013

Thorp buys the (Emmerdale) farm

Soap actor Richard Thorp has died. Thorp was the longest-serving member of the 'Emmerdale' cast, joining in 1982. His character Alan Turner started off as a bit of a sod before mellowing considerably as the years went by. Thorp appeared in 'The Dam Busters' before starring in the 1960s medical soap 'Emergency Ward 10'.
He was 81. Dispatch Dudes come away with the points...

+ = 9pts

McManus finally submits

Legendary wrestling "baddie" Mick McManus has died. Famed for his long-standing rivalry with the preening Jackie Pallo, he was instantly recognisable with his jet black hair. McManus was a fixture on ITV's World of Sport in the 1960s and 70s, alongside the likes of Big Daddy and Kendo Nagasaki.
McManus was 93 (not 85 as previously suggested) and a hit for 5 teams.

(5 teams) = 5pts

The obit what I wrote

Comedy writer Eddie Braben has written his last gag. Braben provided jokes and sketches for the likes of Ken Dodd and Charlie Chester before having the onerous task of replacing Sid Green and Dick Hills as the writer for Morecambe and Wise in 1969. Braben re-styled the pair. Ernie would be the pompous would-be playwright, with Eric playfully playing the fool in their "show-within-a-show" format. There would be a domestic feel too, they'd even share the same bed - despite Eric Morecambe's misgivings Braben persuded the pair that if it was good enough for Laurel & Hardy, it was good enough for them. The formula worked and Morecambe & Wise became TV legends. Braden died aged 82. Aptly a pair of team benefit. *Cough* Arsenal!

(2 teams) = 6pts

Videla disappears

Jorge Rafael Videla, military leader of Argentina from 1976-1981, has died. Videla presided over the "Dirty War" which saw some 30,000 dissidents tortured and killed in the name of retaining the junta, which was finally usurped in 1983 after the Falklands War debacle. By then Videla was himself removed from office. In 2010 he was finally brought to book for his crimes against humanity and he died in prison aged 87. Good riddance...

(2 teams) = 6pts

It's die-de-die from Paul

Actor/entertainer Paul Shane has passed away. Shane started out as a miner before an accident made him change careers. He became a comedian and singer in the working men's club circuit before breaking into television in the 1970s. In 1980, he landed the part of the faded comedian and holiday camp entertainer Ted Bovis in Croft and Perry's bittersweet 1960s set sitcom 'Hi-de-Hi!', which of course featured one of the DDP's earliest hits, Simon Cadell.
Shane was 72. Just for old time's sake, here's a link to his legendarily awful singing performance on 'Pebble Mill' in 1996...

(2 teams) = 7pts

Latest Stiffs: 14th May 2013

The dust to dust Brothers

TV psychologist Joyce Brothers has died. Brothers first made her name oddly enough in the TV game show 'The $64,000 Question', becoming the show's first female winner. She used her new-found wealth well and became a fixture on US televison as a "pop" psychologist. She also made cameo appearances as herself in shows such as 'Happy Days' and 'Police Squad'. Brothers was 85 and a unique hit for Carne And Sarne, Plus Eighteen...

+ + = 11pts

Forbes joins the league of dead gentlemen

British film actor and director Bryan Forbes has passed away. Forbes scripted and appreared in the 1959 crime caper 'The League of Gentlemen', starring Jack Hawkins and controversial film 'The Angry Silence' starring Richard Attenborough before making his directorial debut with 'Whistle Down the Wind', starring the late Alan Bates. Othe films included 'The Stepford Wives' and the script for 'Chaplin', another collaboration with Dickie. Forbes was 86. Two teams gain points including The Last Picture Show, who maintain their lead in the Theme Team League.

(2 teams) = 6pts

Ash of the titan

Special effects wizard Ray Harryhausen had died aged 92. Harryhausen's stop motion animated effects were famously used in the 1963 fantasy epic 'Jason and the Argonauts' and 1981's 'Clash of Titans' amongst others, inspiring a generation of effects technicians and directors into making what seemed impossible possible on the silver screen. Although by modern CGI standards, Harryhausen's effects seem rather quaint, he is rightly regarded as a pioneer...

(9 teams) = 5pts

That's all from Millwall

Andrew Millwall was a cult figure in British boxing, staring the Worldwide Weekly Boxing Prediction League, which became popular amongst those interested in the noble art. On May 6th, Millwall died of cancer aged 53 and an obit of sorts has arrived courtesy of Sky Sports. The news we want comes around two minutes in. Now as this is direct from a news source (albeit not written down) this counts as a legitimate obit. David Quantick's Showbiz Pals, who are the beneficiary of this, also picked Jack Pardee as did several others. However in Pardee's case, it was a link to US regional or specialist websites, rather than to a news organisation such as Associated Press. For this reason I decided not to award points for Pardee.

+ = 12pts

Latest Stiffs: 7th May 2013

One last kickback for Guilio

Three-time Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti has died. Andreotti was the most prominent Italian politician of the post-war era. He was a member of the centrist Christian Democracy party and was Prime Minister of Italy sporadically from 1972-1992. He was (as is inevitable in Italian politics) dogged by rumours and accusations of corrupt practices and mafia collusion. But many argued that he stood up against communism at a time when Italy was vulnerable. Andreotti was 94 and a hit for 8 teams.

(8 teams) = 5pts

Morgan-Morgan Giles: So good they named him twice!

Morgan Morgan-Giles served with distinction during the second world war in the Royal Navy, eventually rising to the postition of Rear-Admiral. He became Conservative MP for Winchester in 1964, with one of his achievements was saving the HMS Belfast from the scrapyard. He stood down in 1979. He was 98. Three teams take the points.

(3 teams) = 5pts

Durbin and gone

Formrer Hollywood starlet Deanna Durbin has died aged 91. The Canadian-born Durbin was a huge star in the 1940s, with her girl-next-door looks and powerful singing. She quit the business at the height of her popularity in 1949 at the age of only 28 and thus disappeared entirely into obscurity.

(7 teams) = 5pts

List of the Lost - Latest Entrants

Dennis James

List of the Missed - Latest Entrants

Leopold Engleitner, Otis R. Bowen, Christian de Duve, Reg Hollinshead, Ottavio Missoni, George M. Leader, Henri Dutilleux

Player of the Month - April

The Beatles Are Dying In The Wrong Order and Lord Football's Usual List of Ill People - 27 points

Latest News

Singer George Michael adds stunt work to his oevre by leaping out of a moving car. Golfer Tiger Woods gets involved in a spat with fellow golfer Sergio Garcia. Aussie entertainer Rolf Harris performs in public following serious sexual allegations against him. This sport isn't going to get tied down by this...
The Theme Team League is updated for May...

Message to all current competitors: If you haven't been receiving the notification mails that we send out whenever a celeb carks it, please check that we have your current email address (re-send it to us if unsure), your inbox is not full, and our address is not blocked by your mail system. The following teams are currently uncontactable; 50 Shades Of Grey Skinned Death,Minibus Of Death, This Mortal Coil. The following are also spamming: Gary Glitter - Baby Sitter, Luck Of The Dead, Gag Slow And Die, Dr Who(s) Next, What Goes Before The 5-0 Arrives?, Curse of Fame

Further Information

Rules & Scoring

E-mail The Man In Black with any questions/comments about the DDP: ddp2013@derbydeadpool.co.uk

Links

tomcat hosting

Derby Dead Pool is hosted by The Man In Black with contributions from Big-Iain, Rude Kid, Siegfried Baboon, Octopus of Odstock, WEP 2.0 - World's Eternity Prophet Reloaded and The Grey Horde