The final update for March brings us to the end of Q1 and a further five hits:
Film
Up first, and most popular for the week, is Valerie Perrine. She was an actress who’s biggest roles all came in the 1970’s with Slaughter-House Five, Lenny, and Superman being the stand-outs. Perrine came perilously close to being part of the group murdered by the Charles Manson cult in 1969, her boyfriend at the time being victim Jay Sebring. She was set to attend the dinner with the group but had to work at short notice, avoiding the grisly fate in store for them. Her death from Parkinson’s nets six points for eight teams.
We also lost another Back to the Future actor as Principle/Marshal Strickland joins Chester the Bartender in the great Hill Valley in the sky lanes. James Tolkan put in a memorable performance (but then who didn’t in those films) as Hill Vallley High School’s disciplinarian head teacher, though his marshal ancestor in Part III showed a bit more warmth. Enough that his rather cold-hearted murder at Tannen’s hands ended up on the cutting room floor in the end. Tolkan also appeared in Top Gun, Masters of the Universe and Serpico, and his death at 94 scores a unique 9 points for Now That’s What I Call Emeli Sande’s In Memoriam.
Music
Rock group and cover-specializing Showaddywaddy have lost their founding member and guitarist Trevor Oakes. He played with them from their formation in 1973 until 2009, retiring due to ill health. Oakes died back in February as it turns out, but the announcement only came this week. Their sole number 1 hit, Under the Moon of Love put him onto the radar of theme team #1 Hits, for a unique and week high 11 points.
Politics
David Winnick was a Labour MP who spent his entire career on the backbenches, being a bit too far to the left for Tony Blair’s liking. Given the direction the Overton Window has gone since he left parliament, in today’s terms that would probably make him comparable to Mao! His amendment to the post-7/7 Terrorism Act bill in 2005 was notable for being the first significant defeat of a Government bill under Blair’s leadership. The MP for Walsall North makes him a hit for midlands themed M6 Toll(ed), and fellow politics team No More Expenses, for five points each.
Sport
Rounding off the week, month and quarter we have former midfielder Alex Cropley, who’s long goodbye from dementia ends after six years at the age of 75. He spent his prime years playing in Edinburgh for Hibernian F.C. and later went on to play for Arsenal and Aston Villa before retiring at Portsmouth after a nasty run of crippling injuries. He became a taxi driver and pub owner in Edinburgh after that, and his club career nets seven points for Scottish and Midland football themed teams Waiting For Ugo, and They Think It’s All Over.
Scores
| Name and Age | Date of Death | Teams and Scores |
| Trevor Oakes, 79 | February 18 | #1 Hits 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀+👻 = 11 Points |
| Valerie Perrine, 82 | March 23 | 8 Teams 💀💀💀💀💀💀 = 6 Points |
| David Winnick, 92 | March 25 | 2 Teams 💀💀💀💀💀 = 5 Points |
| Alex Cropley, 75 | March 26 | 2 Teams 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀 = 7 Points |
| James Tolkan, 94 | March 26 | Now That’s What I Call Emeli Sande’s In Memoriam 💀💀💀💀💀+👻 = 9 Points |
So how does the board look as Spring heads to Summer?
Pretty Noose retains their lead by a single point, albeit with the good fortune of a QO for Peter Rhodes still failing to materialize. Fade to Black will take the top spot should one do so. Azrael takes the other spot on the podium for now, and several teams not far behind have strong jokers still in play too.
Over on the theme league, it’s Germany that has reaped dividends so far for leader Deutschland verabschiedet sich!, hitting four names already. Two musical departures have put LW’s Latest Hit in a solid second place, with third being a tussle between Jaydead, and Jextinction. Joe Biden’s no doubt watching those two with a nervous disposition.