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 2003-2007 by Siegfried Baboon and Rude Kid. From 2008-2009, 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: 29th May 2012

Jardine's telegraphed passing

Feature writer for the Daily Telegraph, Cassandra Jardine has died after a two year fight with lung cancer. Jardine had worked at the paper since 1989. Within the fourth estate, journalists tend to neatly fall into two groups when fighting illness, those that use their connections to keep such news quiet or those like Jardine, who chose to face cancer in public to raise awareness. Many choose the former which makes journalists a tricky category to choose potential DDP graduates. In this case, Jardine was public enough to encourage one team to pick her. This was David Quantick's Showbiz Pals, who get their 6th hit of the year. Jardine was 57, so Quantick and his chums receive 12 points and move up to joint 3rd, a timely boost to their DDP championship aspirations...

Obit's ready, Breck

Actor Peter Breck, who starred in various western shows on US television, died on February 6th but had been waiting for an obit. One finally turned up. Breck was 82 and a unique hit for I Drink Your Milkshake who get 9 points.

Latest Stiffs: 21st May 2012
[Picture of Abdelbaset Al Megrahi][Picture of Robin Gibb]

Not saved by the bell

The Man in Black was just minutes from posting the update for Al Megrahi, when news came through of the death of Robin Gibb after a long battle with cancer. Robin, with his brothers Maurice and Barry formed the Bee Gees who were one of the most successful groups of all time, with hit singles in 5 decades and songwriting credits for the likes of Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross, Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. Musically, Robin Gibb was famed for his tremulous vocal in the 1960s, before developing with Barry a falsetto sound, which was key to the Bee Gee's greatest success in the disco-era late 70s. He died aged 62. 56 teams (one more than Megrahi) double up with 16 points for the joker, the other 120 get 8 points. The Living End still lead by 12 points, with Misers moving into 2nd. Could well be a case of 'You Win Again' for the reigning champion...

Lockerbie the end of that then...

So he's finally gone. One of the DDP's great death teasers, Abdelbaset Al Megrahi, has finally succumbed to prostate cancer aged 60. Al Megrahi was convicted for the 1988 terrorist bombing of Pan Am flight 103 as it passed over Scotland in 2002 but was controversially relased on compassionate grounds in 2009. The Libyan agent always maintained his innocence. So the clock ticked and ticked and many deadpoolers were left frustrated by his stubborness not to kick the bucket.
But the patience of 230 teams, a record for a hit, paid off in the end. 8 points for the majority, 16 for the 55 teams that had him as the joker.

Latest Stiffs: 20th May 2012

Dietrich hits the low note

The fat lady has sung for German baritone opera singer Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Fischer-Dieskau is reputed to be the most recorded musical artist in history. A former prioner of war, he was asked to perform Benjamin Britten's War Requiem by the man himself. He died aged 86 and was a hit for teams Dead, Dead & Never Called Me Mother and Staring Down The Barrel. Each get 6 points.

Donald didn't duck

Pipe-smoking bassist with Booker T & the MGs, Donald "Duck" Dunn has died in Tokyo aged 70. Dunn played on many of the classics of the Stax label for the likes of Otis Redding and Sam and Dave. Booker T & the MGs had their own hit single with 'Green Onions' in 1962, a track arguably used the most in programmes looking back on the 1960s. Dunn also made gnomic contributions as himself to the 1980 cult classic 'The Blues Brothers' and it's the theme team devoted to the film, On A Mission To God, who benefit with 12 points as Dunn died on the 13th.

Shelby va-va vrooms to his doom

Car sports car designer Carroll Shelby has died. Shelby started off as a Formula 1 racing driver and also won the Le Mans 24-hour race in 1959, but had to prematurely retire due to a coronary condition. That didn't stop him from testing his own designed sports cars for General Motors and Ford amongst others. His most famous creation was the Cobra. Shelby was 89 and a unique hit for DDP veteran Brown Bread, who get 9 points.

Latest Stiffs: 11th May 2012

Redman, dead woman...

A 1960s feel to the latest batch of hits. First up is British actress Joyce Redman, who has died aged 96. Redman was twice nominated for the best supporting actress Oscar, in 1963 for "Tom Jones" and 1965 for "Othello" opposite Lawrence Olivier. This obit confirms that a trio of teams win 5 points.

Gone too Sassoon

Famous and influential hair stylist Vidal Sassoon wont be needing anything for the weekend anymore. Sassoon opened his first salon in 1954 but it was in the sixties that he came to fame and fortune with his modernist and geometric styles making him one the leading creatives of the time. Sassoon used much of his wealth promoting anti-semitism. Sasoon died aged 84. 18 teams each get 6 points.

Sendak goes where the old things are

Children's author and illustrator Maurice Sendak has died. Sendak is best known for his 1963 book "Where the Wild Things Are" which was later adapted for film and a clear influence on Julia Donaldson's modern classic "The Gruffalo". Sendak was 83 and a hit for 2 teams, Life Zucks! and Lights Out! They each get 6 points.

A life cut Short

Former Labour cabinet minister Edward Watson Short has died aged 99. Ted Short, later Lord Glenamara was very much the party loyalist and although not one of the better known members of the Wilson government, he nevertheless made his mark in government in the 1960s, closing down the pirate radio stations, introducing funding for opposition parties within Westminster (so-called "Short money") and the expansion of the comprehensive school system. So an obit was a formality. Nine teams each get 5 points.

Latest Stiffs: 6th May 2012
[Picture of Adam Yauch]

Licensed too ill

Rapper Adam Yauch, better known as MCA from the Beastie Boys has died of cancer. The Beastie Boys started out as a punk band but soon latched on to the growing sound of hip-hop. In 1986, they hit fame with the album 'Licensed To Ill', sparking controversy with their brattish behaviour which as always with the passing of time seems rather quaint these days. Other highlights of his career was the Beastie Boys 1989 follow up 'Paul's Boutique', the 1994 single 'Sabotage', with the 1970s cop show parody video and 1998 hit single 'Intergalactic'. It was Yauch who directed most of the boys videos. He was also heavily involved in the Free Tibet movement.
He died aged just 47. Misers lands a unique hit and 13 points moving him up to 3rd place. Kick it!

Another one to add to the Pyle

Actor George Lindsey has died aged 83. Lindsey was best known stateside for the role of Goober Pyle in the 'Andy Griffith Show' and it's spin-off 'Hee-Haw' from 1968-1993. With it's eye firmly on the American online market, The Daily Mail were quick with the obit. Theme team S*M*A*S*H*E*D, devoted to the famous film and sitcom spin-off M*A*S*H of which Lindsey guest-starred pick up 9 points for a unique hit.

Zion dyin' tryin'

Historian Benzion Netanyahu has died aged 102. Netanyahu was a staunch Zionist and a clear influence on the politics of his son, current Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. So make of that what you will. Parental theme team Mummy and Deady pick up 7 points.

List of the Lost - Latest Entrants

Rich Buhler, Antoine Nguyen Van Thien, Sattareh Farmanfarmaian, Joseph Lesniewski

List of the Missed - Latest Entrants

Carl Johan Bernadotte of Wisborg, Gunnar Sønsteby, Les Leston, Carlos Fuentes, Donna Summer

Player of the Month - April

Blacksox - 14 points

Latest News

Pressure builds on Syrian president Bashar al-Assad as hundreds of innocent people including children are found massacred. Former PM Tony Blair performs his classic "pretty straight guy" act once more at the Leveson inquiry. The Queen prepares to celebrate 60 years on the throne. Meanwhile, former US first lady Nancy Reagan suffers the ominous "fall". And with the deaths of Donna Summer and Robin Gibb, who else is heading for the Disco inferno? Chic's Nile Rogers perhaps? Or will it be Boney M supremo Frank Farian? A case of saturday night feverish anticipation...

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; Jesus Jones, Juicy Janny, Mad Maureen. Getting spammed by Lived So Let's Die, Shorter Of Breath, One Day Closer To Death and SeasideEssexXile...

Further Information

Who's dead so far | Celebrity picks | Team selections | DDP main page | DDP Archive


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