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 2003-2007 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: 30th September 2012

Lom's no longer in the pink

Czech-born character actor Herbert Lom has died. Lom was born to nobility, but came to Britain in 1939 to pursue an acting career, though initially he would often get parts as the "shifty" foreigner. In 1955, he starred alongside Peter Sellers and Alec Guinness in the classic Ealing comedy 'The Ladykillers'. He was reunited with the former Goon almost a decade later in 'A Shot in the Dark', a sequel to the hit film 'The Pink Panther', playing the increasingly exasperated boss of Inspector Clouseau, Charles Dreyfuss. He starred alongside Sellers in three more Pink Panther movies before the latter's death in 1980.
Lom died aged 95, a common age for hits this year it seems. 17 teams score 5 points bar Dr Shipman's Waiting Room who double up.

Grim cashes in his premium Bond

Former football manager John Bond has died. Bond was a graduate of West Ham United's famed team of future coaches in the 1950s, along with Malcolm Allison, Dave Sexton and Frank O'Farrell (curiously all four at one time managed one of the two Manchester clubs). Bond was very much the trench coat-wearing old school manager, leading Norwich to the top flight and a League Cup final appearance in 1975. In 1980 he succeeded Allison as manager of Manchester City, taking them to an FA Cup final in 1981 before the Citizens were undone in the replay by the genius of Ricky Villa of Tottenham Hostpur. His management career never recovered after resigning from City in 1983. Bond was 79 and a unique hit for The Blue and White Reaper who gets 10 points..

Moon Rivers run

Crooner Andy Williams has died after a battle with bladder cancer. Williams became one of America's most highly paid entertainers in the 1960s, with his own TV show and a string of easy-listening hits. His best known song wasn't actually a single. Moon River from the film 'Breakfast at Tiffanys' won the Oscar for best song in 1962. Williams performed the song at the ceremony and it became his signature tune. Williams later enjoyed a career revival in the 1990s. He was 84 and is the latest member of the Drop Forty to drop out, making it 9 so far this year. 58 teams in all picked him, with four doubling up with 12 points. One of the teams to have him is 'arry-Kiri, now just four points off The Living End with three months to go...

The Admirable Tritton

Minor aristo Maj Sir Anthony John Ernest Tritton, 4th Baronet or plain old Anthony Tritton died on August 9th aged 85. Don't know too much about him other than he was a baronet (which now passes to his son Jeremy - it had to Jeremy, didn't it?) and was in the military. This somewhat obscure mention in The Times is enough for Lard Bazaar to win a handy 18 points as a unique joker, moving her up to joint 25th. It also makes her the team of the month all along!

Latest Stiffs: 22nd September 2012

The last laugh's on Michael

TV producer Michael Hurll has died. Hurll started at the BBC in 1956 and went on to become producer of a host of light entertainment programmes including 'The Two Ronnies', 'The Late, Late Breakfast Show' and most notably of 'Top of the Pops', when he successfully revamped the show in 1981, adding a party atmosphere and giving left-field acts such as The Smiths and The Cure more exposure. It was arguably the show's imperial phase. Hurll later went on to create the British Comedy Awards in 1990.
Hurll was 75. Your host's team They're Dead Y'Know! score 10 points for a unique hit...

Steve NFL down

Pioneering sports film-maker Steve Sabol has died. Sabol, with his father Ed, revolutionised the coverage of American Football, making the sport the most popular in the United States with his emphasis on the human side of the tough game. Sabol was 69. Two teams, Alfred Lord Henious and Very Ill Turned Very Dead gain 8 points each.

Lou's left...

Lou Kenton, Possibly the last British survivor of the Spanish Civil War has died aged 104. Kenton was a communist, joining the armed resistance against the fascist takeover of Spain by General Franco. He remained a supporter of communism until the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, joning the Labour Party and working for the Financial Times. I wonder if he had a pink bathroom. 2011 Theme Team champion Gray Panthers and Tick Tock II take 4 points each.

Latest Stiffs: 15th September 2012

Professor Ex

Professor Sid Watkins, Formula 1's resident medic for many years, has died. A former neurosurgeon, Watkins became race doctor in 1978 and was said to have been instrumental in saving the lives of drivers, such as Rubens Barrichello and Mika Hakkinen. Watkins was 86 and a unique hit for Daniel Faraday's Notebook who get 9 points.

Do they mean he's dead? They surely do...

Broadcaster Derek Jameson has died aged 82. Jameson edited three tabloid newspapers, helping the Daily Star find it's feet and increasing he circulation of the Daily Express. However, after getting sacked from the News of the World in 1984, Jameson became a televison and radio staple, with his unmistakable caterwauling cockney voice. A trio of teams each win 6 points.

Alf's Button Afloat

Music Hall performer Alf Pearson died on July 7th but finally gets his obit 2 months later. Alf and his brother Bob (who died in 1985) were a popular singing act in the 1940s, appearing on radio with Ted Ray. He died aged 102. That's another unique hit for Twenty Tons of Fun? 7 points are awarded.

Latest Stiffs: 8th September 2012

Leaping lord is a late faller

Plenty of bits and bobs this week. Jockey and journalist Lord John Oaksey is the latest stiff. Oaksey had a successful career in the saddle before becoming a broadcaster. His biggest legacy was setting up the injured jockey's fund in 1964. Oaksey was 83 and a hit for 9 teams who all get 6 points.

Moon goes up as the Sun comes down

Religious leader Sun Myung Moon has said his final prayer. Moon formed the Unification Church in 1954 and styled himself as a modern day messiah. His followers were dubbed "the Moonies" and the church was accused of fleecing their followers. Moon spent time in jail for tax evasion in the early 1980s. He was best known for convening mass weddings, often thousands of couples at a time. Moon died aged 92. 9 teams each get 5 points, except See You In Hell who played their joker - so 12 points to them.

Hoodyanika Sokolov

Russian marshall Sergei Sokolov has died aged 101. Sokolov was in charge of the Soviet Unions ill-fated invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 but he was sacked in 1987 after a security blunder allowed a teenage German pilot to land on Red Square. His obit came via those pesky newsfeed ones in The Guardian that are so hard to spot. Theme team Twenty Tons Of Fun? takes the spoils with 7 points.

Make room for Harry

Sci-fi author Harry Harrison has died. Harrison wrote the novel 'Make Room! Make Room!' in 1966 which was later adapted as the film 'Soylent Green' in 1973 starring Charlton Heston and Edward G. Robinson. Harrison was 87 was a unique hit for Croaker D'Eath And The Prognosticators. Should have been spotted sooner really, but The Man In Black had something of a brain ache. For some reason I assumed he wasn't on the list and I've spent the best part of year trawling for far more obscure names to no avail. Still, 9 points to Croker and co...

Deaddy McDowell

Another death that slipped under the radar was John McDowell, who died way back on January 3rd aged 54. McDowell was Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police during the time of the War on Terror, so it seems odd that his demise wasn't reported more widely. This obit of sorts was found by the team who picked him, 2010 winner Octopus of Odstock, almost by chance. It might not seem much, but it counts. Most importantly it puts the Oc right into the mix for the 2012 championship. A 10th hit and 12 points moves the former host into 3rd place with just over three months to go...

Latest Stiffs: 2nd September 2012

Say a little prayer for Hal David

Hal David, who formed a legendary songwriting partnership with Burt Bacharach has died. The Bacharach/David partnership created hits for Dionne Warwick, Perry Como, Tom Jones and The Carpenters amongst others. They won the Oscar for best song in 1969 for 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head' from the film 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'. David also worked with John Barry and Willie Nelson et al. David was 91 with three teams getting 5 points each.

Bad news for theme team Gray Afternoons In Vain With Ms. Clandestine The Limo Driver. It seems that horror actor Jonathan Frid died on 14th April rather than 13th, so the Unlucky 13 bonus of 2 points is unfortunately taken away...

Dyingalongamax

Now I wanna tell you a story about the all-round entertainer Max Bygraves, who has died aged 89. Bygraves' career took him from an impoverished East London upbringing to top billing at the Royal Variety Performance. He was also a hugely successful recording artist, as popular as the likes of Elton John and David Bowie by the early 1970s, by capturing the spirit of the war years in song. Bygraves also succeeded Bob Monkhouse as the host of the popular TV gameshow 'Family Fortunes'. Bygraves was a hit for 26 teams, with Gwynhafyr and Pickett's Popped Off Picks picking up twelve joker points, the rest get six.

Boyson on the road to Death

Old-school Conservative politician Rhodes Boyson has passed away. Boyson was a familiar figure with his mutton-chopped side burns and distinctive Lancastrian voice. Interestingly he reperesented the East London seat of Brent North for over twenty years. He served as a minister under Margaret Thatcher, before settling down as a media-friendly backbencher, although he was occasionally the victim of spoofing from the likes of Fry and Laurie, Chris Morris and Ali G (Sacha Baron Cohen). Boyson was 87 with three teams getting six points each, including ex-host Octopus of Odstock who moves into the top 6.

Browne bread

Journalist and photographer Malcolm Browne has died after a long battle with Parkinson�s disease. Browne won the Pulitzer Prize in 1964 for his infamous picture of the self-immolating Vietnamese monk Thich Quang Duc, just as the conflict that was to define the 1960s was gathering pace. Browne was 81 and a hit for Lt. Colonel Kilgore's Ultimate Surf Party, appropriately a Vietnam-based theme team. 9 points head their way...

List of the Lost - Latest Entrants

Rebecca Lanier, Robert G. Barrett

List of the Missed - Latest Entrants

Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, Art Modell, Thomas Szasz, Santiago Carrillo,

Player of the Month - August

Lard Bazaar - 27 points

Latest News

Egomaniac footballer John Terry retires from international football before being banned and fined for racial abuse. Comics legend Stan Lee has a pacemaker fitted. Political activist Aung San Suu Kyi could have the chance of being president of Burma, which would confirm her status as the Nelson Mandela of east Asia. Watch our for a visit from the Spice Girls, Aung San! Formula 1 driver, Lewis Hamilton ends his association with McLaren and joins Mercedes. Big call...

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, You're Not Breathing Anymore, D�a De Muertos, Hell To The Chief, The Good, The Bad And Cliff Richard...

Further Information

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