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: 3rd February 2014 (Updated)

No doubt some berk on Twitter has made his condolences for Dustin...

No more Boogie Nights for Hoffman

Two Oscar-winning actors have died within 24 hours but this one was not expected, by most at least.
Philip Seymour Hoffman has been acclaimed by many in the media as one of the finest actors of his generation. Nominated 4 times by the Academy, he won in 2005 for his portrayal of the writer Truman Capote in er... 'Capote'. Other well-rated performances, which swung between intense drama and comedy include 'Boogie Nights', 'Magnolia' and 'Charlie Wilson's War'. However, Hoffman had a long battle against drug and alcohol addiction, albeit not as well publicised as other Hollywood actors. Last year, he entered rehab, but this was not enough to save him and he died of an overdose at the age of just 46. Of course he's here because Weed 'Em and Weep took a punt and came up trumps, winning a cool 16 points for their instincts. Hoffman is a sad loss to the acting fraternity but he'll go down as a premier league DDP pick...

+ + = 16pts

Death delivers the final judgement on Max

Another one putting a downer on the forthcoming Academy Awards is Austrian actor Maximilian Schell. Schell took the Best Actor honours in 1961 for his role in 'Judgment at Nuremberg', a dramatisation of perhaps the most infamous trial of the 20th Century. Schell's career afterwards was largely character parts and film directing, mainly in German. He was 83. Two teams take the spoils.

(2 teams) = 6pts

Anna's gaudy funeral

Anna Gordy Gaye was the ex-wife of soul legend Marvin Gaye and sister of Motown founder Berry Gordy. Gordy Gaye formed her own record label, Anna Records and was married to Gaye for 13 years. Their bitter divorce was reflected in Gaye's 1978 album 'Here, My Dear', which was actually recorded as part of the alimony (no wonder the album had a bitter tone!) Gordy Gaye was 92 and the last hit for a record-breaking January, 31 in all, one for every day of the month. A great start but unlikely to be repeated in future months but you never know...

(2 teams) = 5 points

A sad Miklós

Hungarian filmmaker Miklós Jancsó was known for his experimental, historical films. He gained a reputation in the 1960s as something of an innovator before falling out of favour, save for his home country. He was 92 Theme team The Last Picture Show get off the mark...

+ = 8pts

Where Have All the (dead) Flowers Gone?

Folk singer and political activist Pete Seeger has died. Seeger worked with the legendary Woody Guthrie and was once jailed for his political affiliations during the "Witch Hunts" of the 1950s. Seeger was unbowed and helped to popularise folk music in the USA and cited as a major influence on the early career of Bob Dylan, although Seeger never forgave him for turning electric in 1965. Seeger died aged 94.

(18 teams) = 5 points

Marlise's moral maze

Marlise Munoz was a 33yr old pregnant woman who collapsed with a blood clot in the brain in November 2013. Although technically brain-dead, she was kept on life support for the sake of her unborn baby, who was just 14 weeks in development. On 24th January, a Texan court judged that she was legally dead and her support was switched off. A sad business but in DDP terms, in cases like this we wait for corporeal termination but no unnatural bonuses are awarded. Reigning champ David Quantick's Showbiz Pals continues his purple patch with this unique hit and an ominous lead in only the first month of the competition...

+ = 13pts

Latest Stiffs: 24th January 2014

January's Record breakers: All you need is deadication...

A quick update of the latest hits which have created a new record for the DDP. First up we have the former athlete and politician Sir Chris Chataway who has died aged 82. Chataway, who was the pacemaker in Roger Bannister's successful attempt at breaking the 4 minute barrier in the mile in 1954, was the first winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, when he broke the 5000m record, thus denying Sir Roger the honour (who said today's lot were fickle?). Chataway then went on to have successful career beyond the track, first as a television newscaster, then as a Conservative MP and later as a businessman. Busy chap.
Another 1950s sports star was the former England international goalkeeper Bert Williams who has passed away. Williams was the unfortunate keeper to pick the ball out of the net in England's famous shock defeat to the USA in the 1950 World Cup, held in Brazil. But let's reflect on happier times, when Williams was a key member of the all-conquering Wolves side of the 1950s, winning an FA Cup and League winners medal. Williams was 93. Kicking Buckets Instead Of Balls get another hit to remain top of the Theme Team League...
Next up we have veteran Indian actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao, who has died aged 90. ANR (as he was known) appeared in over 250 films in the Telugu language ("Tollywood"), often playing women.
Three teams what maybe considered contenders pick up the points, but they're going to have to get up early in the morning to catch up with David Quantick's Showbiz Pals, whose glory run to the 2013 championship continues unabated into 2014. The latest hit is that of conductor Claudio Abbado who has died aged 80. Abbado succeded Andre Previn as Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra in 1979, although as far as I know wasn't given any grief from Eric Morecambe! Abbado and Rao were the 26th & 27th hits for this month, breaking the old record of 25, also January from 2009.

(Chataway) + = 9pts

(Williams) (6 teams) = 5pts

(Rao) (3 teams) = 5pts

(Abaddo) (2 teams) = 6pts

Latest Stiffs: 18th January 2014

Careless talk cost lives?

Hard to know where to start with so many hits in the last few days, but the most notable death has been that of Lord Alistair McAlpine, who has died in Italy aged 71. McAlpine was a leading Tory grandee, becoming Conservative Party treasurer in 1975, leaving in 1990 when Margaret Thatcher was usurped. In 2012 he was the subject of what proved a false allegation of child abuse from the BBC and other speculators, later gaining a full apology and substantial compensation. Not that he's had much time to enjoy it. I'll Sleep When You're Dead get what is already their 3rd hit of the year. Still not enough for the lead though...

+ = 10pts

Such a shame for Sen

Bollywood star Suchitra Sen has died. Sen, a Bengali actress, was one of India's biggest film stars before retiring in 1978 and disappearing into obscurity, rather like Greta Garbo. She fell ill late in 2013 and died of a heart attack aged 82. Octopus of Odstock gets his campaign started along with three other teams.

(4 teams) = 6pts

Shia fluke

Another death from India is that of Muslim leader Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, who was 98. Perhaps in normal circumstances, it may have been difficult to find an obit, but owing to an unfortunate turn of events where he was interned, it means a hit for Not Gone Yet, But Still Forgotten. Well, they have gone now and have not been forgotten...

+ = 8pts

Evans above

If you think 3 hits in a single day was impressive, how about FIVE! Let's start off with the first of the day, a hit very much in tune with the times. Steve Evans used to work for Wolverhampton council and had terminal cancer. His plight was documented on Twitter and this caught the attention of BBC radio DJ Richard Bacon, who went on to interview the stricken man. This made an obit a distinct possibility and sure enough, this combination of tragedy and social media paid dividends when Evans died aged 52. A similar case would simply not have happened a decade ago. But then a decade ago, we probably didn't have so many teams that are so on the ball these days. One of them is defending champion David Quantick's Showbiz Pals, who this time play their joker and a mere 16 days after winning DDP 2013, top the table once again...

(4 teams) = 9pts (1 team) = 18pts

No more Hiroo any more

Japanese soldier Hiroo Onoda, has finally waved the white flag. Onoda was discovered in the Phillipines jungle in 1974, still apparently fighting World War II, having been given orders never to surrender. Despite killing some 30 locals in his one-man guerilla war, Onoda was greeted like a hero when he returned to Japan. However the then modern Japan was not to his liking and he relocated to Brazil, although he later returned to teach survival skills. A quite remarkable story. He died aged 91.
Four teams sure wont be giving up on the title just yet...

(4 teams) = 5pts

Duccini heads somewhere over the rainbow

Actress Ruth Duccini played one of the Munchkins in 'The Wizard of Oz'. She was the last female survivor and her death leaves Jerry Maren as the last one standing.. Duccini died aged 95.

(5 teams) = 5pts

Russell's cast away for good

Another member of a cast with a dwindling survival rate is the actor Russell Johnson, the last surviving male cast member of the 1960s US sitcom 'Gilligan's Island'. Once more the Second World War makes a cameo apperance, as Johnson won a Purple Heart after crash-landing in the Phillipines (luckily for him he didn't meet Hiroo Ondoa!). He died aged 89.

(2 teams) = 6pts

Dave's Laugh-In the face of death

Canadian actor Dave Madden has died at 82. Madden was a regular on 'Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In' in the 1960s before playing his most famous role, that of Reuben Kincaid in the hit 1970s series 'The Partridge Family'. Reuben was the musical family's manager. The Daily Mail oblige with an obit. 5 hits in one day makes it a record, breaking the 4-in-a-day set in 2007 and 2011.

(2 teams) = 6pts

Mae pole-axed

Mae Young was a pioneering female wrestler with a career across nine decades, having started in 1939. She was admitted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008. Young was 90. Curiously all five teams who scored points are debutants. So, 23 hits in 17 days, not a bad start. At this rate we could have 500 hits by the end of the year!!

(5 teams) = 5pts

Latest Stiffs: 15th January 2014

No more aspirins for Horsley

Actor John Horsley has passed away aged 93. Horsley had a long career but is chiefly remembered as the sex-obsessed Doc Morrissey in the seminal sitcom 'The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin', which ran from 1976-79. The Times are the first to come in with an obit, but you'll have to pay Rupert to see all of it. But it's there and that's all that matters. Three teams score, including Moribold Krakatoa's Playhour, not for the first time in this update...

(3 teams) = 5pts

Not such a jammy Bastedo

...for Moribold managed a second hit in a single day with the death of actress Alexandra Bastedo. Bastedo starred in 'The Champions', the 1960s ITC series about agents with special powers. Bastedo's sultry looks made her an icon of sorts (she features on the cover of The Smiths' live album 'Rank'), but she soon turned her back on showbusiness, opening an animal santuary. She died aged 67. Another couple pair up with Moribold, who also scores with a joker, but that's not enough for the lead even at this early stage in the competition, as we'll see...

(3 teams) = 8pts, (2 teams) = 16pts

Honeymoon (death) in Vegas for Felix

One can never accuse modern deadpoolers for being slow on the uptake. Felix Glenny was a young father of two, who unfortunately suffered from terminal cancer. Late in 2013, he made headlines by marrying his long-term girlfriend on his death bed. With celebrities such as Sharon Osbourne showing public sympathy, some teams were quick to make a move late in the nomination period. As with Paul Goggins, their instincts were correct and Glenny died aged just 23. Those looking in from the outside who might be horrified at such brazen profit (of sorts) from such a tragic demise may wish to consider the machinery of media manipulation that made him such a target for us heartless deadpoolers in the first place. That's not excusing it, but it does put it into context. Among the winners are three times champ The Living End and the trio of teams that take the joint lead with a very handy 24 points from just the one hit.

(8 teams) = 12pts, (3 teams) = 24pts

Shalom from Sharon

Former Israeli PM Ariel Sharon who has teased deadpoolers for the best part of a decade, has finally died aged 85. Sharon was in a coma for 8 years, following a stroke when he was still Prime Minister. His rise to the top was at times controversial. He was considered a brilliant military strategist, most notably in the "Six Day War" over Egypt in 1967. But he showed his more ruthless side with Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982, when Sharon was Defence minister and its attendant slaughter of Palestinian refugees brought much criticism and accusations of war crimes. Sharon's career recovered eventually and he rose to be leader of the right-wing Likud Party and then PM by the early noughties. Sharon suffered a massive stroke in January 2006 and ultimately didn't recover. Sharon is he biggest hit so far, the first from 2014's Drop Forty. Veteran team Mr C are only one to take a punt on a joker...

(78 teams) = 6pts, (1 team) = 12pts

Black power outage

Black poet and playwright Amiri Bakara has died. Born Everett LeRoi Jones, Bakara was part of the "beat generation", which included Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. Bakara moved into radical politics and was not short of saying the unsayable and was dogged by accusations of anti-semitism (he was married to a Jewish woman before his radicalism took hold) and homophobia. He was no doubt then a big favourite among the Hampstead liberals...
Bakara was 79. David Quantick's Showbiz Pals starts his defence of the title with this low-key hit...

(2 teams) = 7pts

Latest Stiffs: 8th January 2014

You can see how much it means to be the first major hit of 2014...

We're off and running!

So with barely a pause for breath (and there'll be plenty of those in the next twelve months) 2014 is up and away. The teams are up but most of the new celebs still need to have details added, but that will happen in time. 574 teams are competing this year (unless I've lost a couple down the back of the armchair). Less teams but more celebs (3,500+) and from what I've noticed from the emails coming in, more women competing than ever before. This year is shaping up to be just as competitive as 2013 and the Grim Reaper has not hung about either with a barrage of hits in the first week, starting with...

The Whacked Panther

Eusébio, one of the greatest footballers of the 1960s, has died. Born in Mozambique and famed for his pace and agility, he was the star player for Portuguese giants Benfica, winning the European Cup in 1962. In 1966, he was the top scorer in the World Cup held in England, dragging Portugal to the semi-finals, before losing to the host nation. Two years later he showed his sporting side, famously applauding Manchester United goalkeeper Alex Stepney when he saved what would have surely been the winning goal in the European Cup final in 1968, also held at the home of football. He died of heart failure aged 71. Kicking Buckets Instead Of Balls takes the joker points to jointly hold an early lead with another team to pick him, I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here...

(6 teams) = 7pts, (1 team) = 14pts

Nothing lasts for Everly

Another big hit comes in the form of the singer Phil Everly who has passed way. He was one half of the Everly brothers, the hugely successful vocal group, whose harmonies were an inspiration to the likes of the Beatles (indeed the first ever recording made by Paul McCartney and George Harrison was a homage). But the duo had (as siblings in bands often do) a tempestuous relationship and infamously didn't speak to each other for several years after breaking up on stage in 1973. The younger of the brothers died aged 74.
Theme team Shake, Rattle, Roll Over And Play Dead get a unique hit.

+ = 10pts

Moore's imitation of death

Actress Juanita Moore was the actual first hit of 2014. Moore was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 1959 for her performance in 'Imitation of Life', only the fifth black actor to nominated at that stage. Moore died of natural causes aged 99. A trio of teams score.

(3 teams) = 5pts

Terry the tipsters choice

National Hunt jockey Terry Biddlecombe has died. Biddlecombe was one of the most succcessful jump jockeys of the 1960s, winning the champion jockey title on three occasions and riding Woodland Venture to Cheltenham Gold Cup glory in 1967. He later married trainer Henrietta Knight and the pair trained another Gold Cup winner, Best Mate. Biddlecombe was 72.. Theme team Toast of the Turf give themselves a sporting chance along with three others...

(4 teams) = 7pts

Rhett's gone with the wind

Alicia Rhett, one of the last survivors of the film classic 'Gone With the Wind', has passed away. Rhett was cast as India Wilkes in the 1939 epic, but soon turned her back on a Hollywood career, instead turning to painting. Despite approaches from fans, she rarely gave an interview. Rhett was 98. Only Olivia de Havilland and Mary Anderson remain of the main cast...

(3 teams) = 5pts, (1 team) = 10pts

The misappliance of Zaentz

Film producer Saul Zaentz had died. Zaentz stareted off in the music business, discovering Creedence Clearwater Revival before turning his attention fo film. He became known for making movie versions of "unfilmable" novels, such as 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' in 1975, which was a massive, Oscar-winning success and the original, animated 'Lord of the Rings' in 1978. Two more big hits were 'Amadeus' and 'The English Patient', which earned nine statuettes. Zaentx was 92. Theme teams Kentucky Fried Genocide and The Bedsoring '20s grab the points.

(2 teams) = 5pts

Hart of darkness

Brian Hart was an engineer and former racing driver who developed engines for Formula 1 teams Toleman (who had the young Ayrton Senna on their roster), Jordan and Minardi Hart died aged 77.
DDP contender I Shall Need To Get The Black Out land a useful early unique hit.

+ = 10pts

Goggins joggin' on

Labour MP Paul Goggins wouldn't have come on the top of anyone's list a few weeks ago. But on New Year's Eve, he collapsed whilst out for a run . The news came through just hours before the nomination period closed and a couple of teams decided to take a late, late punt on his health.
It seems their ambulance-chasing was justified as Goggins has died aged 60.

(2 teams) = 6pts

Run Run is done done

Sir Run Run Shaw was a pioneeering film producer based in Hong Kong, ushering Kung Fu movies to mainstream success. His Shaw Brother studio also partly funded the 1982 cult classic 'Blade Runner'. Shaw was knighted in 1977. Shaw was the ripe old age of 106. Aptly, Bladerunner the team is one of 11 teams to score points, with former Theme Team champion Gray Panthers doubling up.

(11 teams) = 4pts, (1 team) = 8pts

List of the Lost - Latest Entrants

Dorothy Baldwin, Larry D. Mann, Dennis "Fergie" Frederiksen, Dorothy De Low

List of the Missed - Latest Entrants

Simon Hoggart, Carmen Zapata, Bobby Collins, Freddie "Fingers" Lee, Vasily Petrov, Tony Crook

Player of the Month - December

Biologically Dead - 23 points

Latest News

Pop wastrel Justin Bieber still manages to smile through a personal appearance in the local nick for drunk/drugged driving. Rumours abound about the health of Russian president Vladimir Putin on the eve of the Winter Olympics held in Russia. Is Alex Ferguson starting to regret retiring last season? Stopwatch on standby... The new Drop Forty for 2014 is up, with Zsa Zsa Gabor the landslide victor. Also up is the Theme Team League.

Message to all current competitors: There will be no more regular emails except in certain circumstances, such as rules and invitation to next year's competition.

Further Information

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

Archive

January