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: 26th November 2012

Who's got J.R.?

Actor Larry Hagman has put down his ten gallon hat for last time. Hagman, the son of Broadway star Mary Martin, first hit fame in the 1960s fantasy comedy series 'I Dream of Jeannie' opposite Barbara Eden. When that series finished in 1970, Hagman had a number of smaller roles in a similar light comedy vein until 1978, when he was hired to play John Ross (J.R.) Ewing in the tv series 'Dallas', which became one of the biggest series of all time. The scheming J.R. became an 1980s icon, capturing ther public imagination of both sides of the Atlantic and beyond. Typically, Hagman was in real life the complete opposite of Ewing with his leftist outlook. What both had in common was the demon drink and Hagman endured poor heath for many years. Nethertheless he still appeared once more as the unscrupulous oil baron in a recent revival of the show. He died in the city that made his name aged 81. 32 teams score 6 points, the main beneficiary being ....Norfolk & Good, who move to 2nd, just 2 points from causing one of the biggest upsets in DDP history...

Don't wait up for Dinah

Veteran actress Dinah Sheridan has died. Sheridan was one of the stars of the legendary British film comedy 'Genevieve', long outliving her co-stars Kenneth More, John Gregson and Kay Kendall. It's for her role as the mother in Lionel Jeffries' classic children's film 'The Railway Children' that she will be best remembered. She was married four times, which made her a bit of a Liz Taylor on the quiet! She was 92. Three teams each get 5 points.

Latest Stiffs: 17th November 2012

It's Doomsday for this Leo

Leo Blair, father of former UK Prime Minister Tony has died. Blair Sr was an academic who taught law. He had ambitions to be a Conservative MP, but was scuppered by a stroke. His son was somewhat more successful. Blair was 89 and a unique hit for theme team Mummy & Deady. 9 points awarded.

Earl's dead, Shirley you can't be serious

Aristocratic politician Robert Shirley, 13th Earl Ferrers has died aged 83. Ferrers was one of the few hereditary peers to have voting powers in the House of Lords following changes in 1999. Before then he served under five prime ministers. Ferrers was a unique hit for theme team Dead Commons, who get an extra bonus with his death on the 13th. 11 points in all.

Craggy dieland

Clergyman Kenneth Cragg has died. Cragg was one of the few bishops to comprehend and approach the differences between the big religions - Christianity, Judaism and Islam - through his teachings and writing. An appropriate death at a time when tensions in the Middle East are rising once more. Cragg was 99 and a unique hit for Australian team Feng Shui Pig. Cragg was what you might call an "orphan" pick, continually chosen by just the one team year after year. The just reward for pesistance is 10 points as Cragg also died on the 13th....

Jack Duckworth 7 points

Actor Bill Tarmey has pulled his last pint. Tarmey was in 'Coronation Street' for over thirty years as Jack Duckworth, workshy, hen-pecked husband of garrulous machinist Vera, played Liz Dawn . Tarmey had had heath problems for many years although many are still surprised he went before his on-screen wife, whose own health issues have been well documented. Tarmey was 71 and was a solid pick, with 25 teams scoring 7 points. These include .....Norfolk & Good who storm into the top three and can now be considered a major threat to The Living End's chances of a third title...

Cornel enters the dark room

Photographer Cornel Lucas was passed away aged 92. Lucas was responsible for photographing some of the great film stars of the 1940s and 50s and worked with the likes of Marlene Dietrich, Sterwart Granger and Brigitte Bardot. The Telegraph oblige once more with the obit. Movie based theme team Lights, Camera, Action...Fin: A Rattly Score Of Cinematic Old Puffins snap up 8 points.

Latest Stiffs: 9th November 2012

Dunn enrols at Dead's Army

Comic actor and deadpooling legend Clive Dunn of 'Dad's Army' fame, has died. Dunn's career was characterised by playing older people even in his forties, as was the case when he played Lance Corporal Jack Jones in the legendary oft-repeated sitcom. Despite being the oldest character, Dunn had outlived virtually the entire cast. His propensity for playing doddering pensoners even extended to the pop charts, when he famously beat T. Rex to number 1 in 1971 with the hit 'Grandad'. Curiously he starred in a kid's tv series of the same title a decade later. Dunn was 92. A popular hit (at #27 in The Drop Forty), with 46 teams scoring 5 points and a trio doubling up. Spare a thought though for the DDP's older cousin The DeathList, a site devoted to picking potential stiffs since 1987 (albeit it started as a student in-joke when the World Wide Web was a gleam in Tim Berners-Lee's eye!) and winners of the DDP back in 2004. Dunn was the number one choice in the first list and his departure was after all this time in end a bit of a shock...

It's all gone tits up for Maxim

Bulgarian church leader Patriarch Maxim of Bulgaria has died. Maxim was leader of the Bulgarian Orthodox church from 1971 till his death aged 98. Reuters came up eith a suitable obit. Three teams score, with Mors Certa doubling with the joker and 10 points. The other two get 5, with Composition Of Death's second ecclesiastical hit in a week moving him ominously into third position.

Carter drops the baton

Modernist composer Elliott Carter has passed away aged 103. Carter wrote well over 100 pieces of music, often atonally challenging. He was considered one of America's finest modern composers although it would be fair to say that most of us haven't heard any of his work. One for the music buffs I fancy... He was certainly important enough for a BBC obit though. Six teams win 4 points.

Ivor the phantom Bantam

Ivor Powell, former manager of Bradford City football club amongst others, has died. Powell also managed Carlise United to promotion from the old Fourth Division in 1962 and continued to coach into his 90s. Powell was 96 and a hit for two teams who each get 5 points..

Faustino as killer

The last hit for October (and the one I was waitng on in the last update) was Archbishop Faustino Sainz Muñoz who died aged 75 after a long illness. Muñoz was the Vatican's man in Blighty as the Pope's Nuncio, or Ambassador to Britain. There was some sweating of palms was to whether a proper obit would arrive and one has, behind the Times firewall. 13 teams each get 7 points and a late boost to some contenders DDP title aspirations...

List of the Lost - Latest Entrants

Erika Vosseler, Lucille Bliss

List of the Missed - Latest Entrants

Sergey Nikolsky, Dave Sexton, Marvin Miller

Player of the Month - October

Their Royal Deadness or O'Deary Leader - 14 points

Latest News

Former Liverpool FC manager Rafael Benitez gets a hot reception from Chelsea fans as he becomes the controversial choice as the new boss. If he doesn't get it right he really will end up waiting tables! Hitman Xolile Mngeni is convicted for shooting dead the newly married Anni Dewani in 2010. Architect Oscar Niemeyer remains in a critical condition. A crumbling edifice but keeps hanging in there. A bit like his buildings really... Remember folks, the nomination period for DDP 2013 starts in just 5 days time, so get working on those lists...

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, Día De Muertos, The Other Side of Sunday, Hell To The Chief, The Good, The Bad And Cliff Richard. Also getting spam from Puzlman's Passing Picks.

Further Information

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

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