Celebrity picks for Derby Dead Pool 2005: W

 

Wagner, Robert
Born 10 February 1930  (Detroit, Michigan, USA)
Hollywood actor of "The Longest Day" fame, who went on to play Jonathan Hart in the TV series "Hart to Hart". Younger viewers may know him as Number Two out of the "Austin Powers" films (as pictured here). He did not, repeat not, push his wife Natalie Wood off a boat.
[Picture of Robert Wagner]

 

Wake, Nancy (Died in 2011)
Born 30 August 1912  (Wellington, New Zealand)
The Allies' most decorated servicewoman of World War II - received 6 major honours for her work alongside the French Resistance.
[Picture of Nancy Wake]

 

Waldheim, Kurt (Died in 2007)
Born 21 December 1918  (St. Andrä-Wördern, Austria)
Former president of Austria (1986-92), and before that Secretary-General of the United Nations (1971-1981). Ironically (or perhaps bafflingly, given his later position), after the Second World War he was wanted by the UN War Crimes Commission because of his involvement in Nazi atrocities committed in Bosnia while serving in the Wehrmacht. Perhaps we can look forward to Secretary-General Saddam Hussein in the not-too-distant future.
[Picture of Kurt Waldheim]

 

Walker, Johnnie
Born 30 March 1945  (Hampton-in-Arden, Birmingham, England)
DJ who started out on the pirate Radio Caroline in 1966, before moving to BBC Radio 1 not long after Caroline's demise. Since then he's been a continual presence on various stations, most recently presenting Radio 2's Drivetime Show. Born Peter Dingley, he announced in June 2003 that he was suffering from non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
[Picture of Johnnie Walker]

 

Walker, Murray
Born 10 October 1923  (Hall Green, Birmingham, England)
Excitable motor-racing commentator.
[Picture of Murray Walker]

 

Wallach, Eli
Born 7 December 1915  (Brooklyn, New York, USA)
Prolific film actor, mainly playing supporting roles. Highlights: "The Magnificent Seven", "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly", and Marilyn Monroe's last screen outing, "The Misfits". Lowlight: the risible final part of the "Godfather" trilogy. He has also maintained a continual presence on the stage throughout his film career.
[Picture of Eli Wallach]

 

Warrick, Ruth Ruth Warrick is no longer with us
Born 29 June 1915  (St Joseph, Missouri, USA)

Died 15 January 2005  (Manhattan, New York, USA)

Age at death: 89  (read death notice)
US actress - was Orson Welles' wife in "Citizen Kane", but most will remember her as Phoebe Tyler in the long-running American soap "All My Children", a part which she played for over 30 years.
[Picture of Ruth Warrick]

 

Watts, Charlie
Born 2 June 1941  (Islington, London, England)
The Rolling Stones' drummer. Diagnosed with throat cancer in June 2004.
[Picture of Charlie Watts]

 

Weaver, Dennis (Died in 2006)
Born 4 June 1924  (Joplin, Missouri, USA)
Movie actor who plugged away at bit parts before hitting the big time in 1971 as the pursued car driver in Steven Spielberg's "Duel".
[Picture of Dennis Weaver]

 

Weinberger, Caspar (Died in 2006)
Born 18 August 1917  (San Francisco, California, USA)
US Secretary of Defense from 1982-87 under the Reagan government, responsible as such for the Strategic Defense Initiative program, a.k.a. 'Star Wars'.
[Picture of Caspar Weinberger]

 

West, Adam
Born 19 September 1928  (Walla Walla, Washington, USA)
Played Batman in the original (1966-68) TV series.
[Picture of Adam West]

 

Westmoreland, William William Westmoreland is no longer with us
Born 26 March 1914  (Spartanburg County, South Carolina, USA)

Died 18 July 2005  (Charleston, South Carolina, USA)

Age at death: 91  (read death notice)
General who was commander of the American troops during the Vietnam War until 1968, following which he became Chief of Staff of the US Army, before retiring in 1972.
[Picture of William Westmoreland]

 

White, Betty
Born 17 January 1922  (Oak Park, Illinois, USA)
Rose Nylund in "The Golden Girls".
[Picture of Betty White]

 

Whitfield, June
Born 11 November 1925  (London, England)
Comedy actress, allegedly, who started out in radio in the 1950s and went on to work with most of the top comedians of her era. Was best known as the eponymous June in "Terry and June" before taking the role of Mother in the deeply unfunny "Absolutely Fabulous".
[Picture of June Whitfield]

 

Whitlam, Gough
Born 11 July 1916  (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
Leader of the Australian Labor Party for ten years, and Prime Minister from 1972 to 1975, during which time he oversaw the abolition of conscription, the introduction of "Advance Australia Fair" as the national anthem, and the granting of full independence to Papua New Guinea. He was dismissed by the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, amidst great controversy. He resigned from parliament in 1978 to become an academic.
[Picture of Gough Whitlam]

 

Whitman, Slim
Born 20 January 1924  (Tampa, Florida, USA)
Yodelling folk singer who enjoyed more success in Europe than in his native USA.
[Picture of Slim Whitman]

 

Whitney, Phyllis A. (Died in 2008)
Born 9 September 1903  (Yokohama, Japan)
Writer of mystery novels for both the adult and juvenile markets.
[Picture of Phyllis A. Whitney]

 

Widmark, Richard (Died in 2008)
Born 26 December 1914  (Sunrise, Minnesota, USA)
After a legendary silver screen debut as psychopathic villain Tommy Udo in 1947's "Kiss of Death", he went on to act in a wide variety of film roles, though by the 1980s was pretty much relegated to television.
[Picture of Richard Widmark]

 

Wiesenthal, Simon Simon Wiesenthal is no longer with us
Born 31 December 1908  (Buczacz, Poland (now part of the Ukraine))

Died 20 September 2005  (Vienna, Austria)

Age at death: 96  (read death notice)
Nazi concentration camp survivor who subsequently devoted his life after the war to bringing war criminals to justice, most notably Adolf Eichmann, who was living under an assumed name in Argentina. In 1977 he inaugurated the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an organisation dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust and countering anti-semitism and racism.
[Picture of Simon Wiesenthal]

 

Wild, Jack (Died in 2006)
Born 30 September 1952  (Royton, Lancashire, England)
Former child actor who earned an Academy Award nomination for his role as the Artful Dodger in the 1968 musical "Oliver!". Aside from this, Wild also starred as Jimmy in the cult classic TV series "H.R. Pufnstuf".
[Picture of Jack Wild]

 

Wilder, Gene
Born 11 June 1933  (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA)
Comic actor, screenwriter and director, noted for his collaborations with Mel Brooks and Richard Pryor. Underwent treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1999, apparently making a full recovery. Real name Jerome Silberman.
[Picture of Gene Wilder]

 

Wilders, Geert
Born 6 September 1963  (Venlo, Netherlands)
Dutch MP and outspoken critic of Islamic fundamentalism.
[Picture of Geert Wilders]

 

Williams, Robbie
Born 13 February 1974  (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)
The apparently directionless one out of Take That who unexpectedly made it huge as a solo artist.
[Picture of Robbie Williams]

 

Wilmer, Douglas
Born 8 January 1920  (London, England)
Actor who has played Sherlock Holmes in a couple of TV adaptations, as well as appearing in the James Bond film "Octopussy", but hasn't really done much else of note.
[Picture of Douglas Wilmer]

 

Wilson, Brian
Born 20 June 1942  (Hawthorne, California, USA)
Founder member of, and producer, composer and arranger for, The Beach Boys. Has suffered from long-term mental illness and drug problems.
[Picture of Brian Wilson]

 

Windsor, Barbara
Born 6 August 1937  (Shoreditch, London, England)
Veteran actress of the tiresome "Carry On" films who went on to become Peggy Mitchell in the tiresome BBC soap "EastEnders". In the 1960s Babs, who changed her surname from Deeks at the time of the Queen's coronation, was also known for her off-screen connections to the Kray Twins.
[Picture of Barbara Windsor]

 

Wing, Anna (Died in 2013)
Born 30 October 1914  (Hackney, London, England)
Played Lou Beale in the tiresome BBC soap "EastEnders", but was killed off before Peggy Mitchell's time.
[Picture of Anna Wing]

 

Winters, Shelley (Died in 2006)
Born 18 August 1922  (East St Louis, Illinois, USA)
Hollywood actress, born Shirley Schrift, who used to be Marilyn Monroe's roommate. Famed for her appearances on talk shows, she also had the misfortune to play opposite Michael Caine in the most overrated movie ever made: "Alfie".
[Picture of Shelley Winters]

 

Wisdom, Sir Norman (Died in 2010)
Born 4 February 1915  (London, England)
Inventive and hilarious comic or poor man's Charlie Chaplin, depending on your viewpoint. The cloth-cap-wearing star of stage and screen was awarded a knighthood in 2000 and lives in the medieval theme park known as the Isle of Man.
[Picture of Sir Norman Wisdom]

 

Wise, Robert Robert Wise is no longer with us
Born 10 September 1914  (Winchester, Indiana, USA)

Died 14 September 2005  (Los Angeles, California, USA)

Age at death: 91  (read death notice)
Worked as editor on the Orson Welles films "Citizen Kane" and "The Magnificent Ambersons", before going on to direct such classics as "West Side Story", "The Sound of Music" and, er, "Star Trek: The Motion Picture".
[Picture of Robert Wise]

 

Withe, Peter
Born 30 August 1951  (Liverpool, England)
Former Aston Villa footballer - scored the winning goal in the 1982 European Cup Final, and went on to coach the Thai national team.
[Picture of Peter Withe]

 

Wolfe, Tom
Born 2 March 1931  (Richmond, Virginia, USA)
Journalist and novelist who wrote "The Bonfire of the Vanities".
[Picture of Tom Wolfe]

 

Wooden, John (Died in 2010)
Born 14 October 1910  (Martinsville, Indiana, USA)
The most successful coach in American college basketball history. Prior to becoming a coach, he was a well-respected player, and was nicknamed (in complete contrast to his surname) "The Indiana Rubber Man".
[Picture of John Wooden]

 

Woods, Earl (Died in 2006)
Born 5 March 1932  (Manhattan, Kansas, USA)
Father and mentor to Tiger Woods.
[Picture of Earl Woods]

 

Wyman, Jane (Died in 2007)
Born 4 January 1914  (St. Joseph, Missouri, USA)
No relation to ex-Rolling Stone Bill (she was born Sarah Jane Mayfield and subsequently adopted the surname Fulks), the former Oscar-winning Hollywood actress may be better known to children of the 1980s for her role as Angela Channing in the TV series "Falcon Crest". Apparently she and Regis Toomey hold the record for the longest screen kiss. Her daughter Maureen, from her marriage to a certain Ronald Reagan, died of cancer in 2001.
[Picture of Jane Wyman]

Scoreboard | Team selections | Who's dead so far | DDP main page