The DeathList 2010

9 / 50 dead

The research is over and the candidates have been chosen for DeathList 2010. The list comprises the celebrities thought most likely to die during 2010. A quick rundown of the rules: Candidates must be famous in their own right such that their death is expected to be reported by the UK media, however candidates cannot be famous purely for the fact they are likely to die soon. A maximum of 25 candidates on the previous year’s list can reappear on the next year’s list. The 2009 list recovered from a slow start (and some shocking misses!) to record a valiant 12 deaths. No dead certs on this year but hopefully a solid list that can deliver plenty. Despite the valued contributions of the forum members, the long-standing record of 14 deaths is starting to look tough to beat.

The 2010 List

Rank	Prev Year	Appear	Name	Age	Description
1	2	2	Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi	58	Lockerbie Bomber
2	1	10	Ronnie Biggs	81	Ambassador
3		2	Anna Wing	96	Eastenders Lou Beale
4		4	Zsa Zsa Gabor	93	Actress
5	3	7	Oscar Niemeyer	103	Architect
6	7	11	Michael Foot	97	Tramp
7	8	4	Chapman Pincher	96	Journalist / Investigator
8	10	8	Eli Wallach	95	Actor
9	13	7	Norman Wisdom	95	Comedian
10	11	8	Fidel Castro	84	Dictator
11	16	8	Kirk Douglas	94	Actor
12	15	7	Yitzhak Shamir	95	Ex PM Israel
13	18	2	Kim Jong-il	69	N Korean Ruler
14		2	Herman Wouk	95	Author
15		3	Olivia de Havilland	94	Actress
16		1	Erich Priebke	97	Nazi
17	26	5	Betty Ford	92	Clinic owner
18		4	Dom Mintoff	94	Ex Malta PM
19	22	6	Herbert Lom	93	Actor
20		1	Denis Healey	93	Eyebrowed politican
21		1	Simon MacCorkindale	58	Actor
22		1	Peter Tork	68	Monkee
23		1	John Edrich	73	Cricketer
24		1	Laurent Fignon	50	Cyclist
25	28	5	Billy Graham	92	Evangelist
26	25	5	Dino de Laurentiis	92	Film Producer
27	29	5	Nelson Mandela	92	Politician
28		1	Ray Bradbury	90	Sci-fi author
29		1	Frank Bough	77	TV Presenter
30		2	Peter O'Sullevan	92	UK horse racing commentator
31	45	3	Margaret Thatcher	85	Milk Snatcher
32		2	Al Molinaro	91	Happy Days Al
33		4	JD Salinger	91	Author
34	24	8	John Demjanjuk	90	Nazi Collaborator
35	32	6	Jake LaMotta	89	Boxer
36		1	Dennis Hopper	74	Actor
37		1	Frank Thornton	89	UK TV Actor
38	38	3	Blake Edwards	88	Movie director
39	40	3	Jack Klugman	88	Quincy
40		1	Denis Norden	88	Comic / TV Presenter
41		5	Eric Sykes	87	Comedian
42		1	Richard Attenborough	87	Film director
43	43	2	B B King	85	Bluesman
44		1	Angela Lansbury	85	Actress
45		3	Jerry Lewis	84	Comedian
46		5	Cyril Smith	82	Former UK Politician
47		4	Fats Domino	82	Singer
48		1	James Garner	82	Jim Rockford
49	50	4	Ariel Sharon	82	Ex-Israeli Prime Minister
50	48	14	Clive Dunn	90	DeathList Favourite

Latest News

16th December 2010

Blake's Heaven

The movie director, Blake Edwards, has passed on to give DeathList 2010 another success. Edwards, 88, was most famous for the Pink Panther movies, but shouldn't be overlooked for the glorious movie, The Party, also with Peter Sellers ( "Howdy Partner", "Birdy Num Num"). Edwards was married to Julie Andrews and was making his third appearance on DeathList, this year at number 38. Edwards' death is the ninth success of the year. Can DeathList 2010 finally sneak into double figures??

3 appearances: 2010 (38), 2009 (38), 2008 (36)

9th Death
Age: 88, Movie director, Cause of death: Pneumonia
11th November 2010

De Laurentiis in the Dead Zone

Movie producer, Dino De Laurentiis, has died to give DeathList 2010 its eight success of the year. De Laurentiis produced a string of hit movies, including Barbarella, Death Wish, The Dead Zone and a number of the Hannibal Lecter movies. De Laurentiis was 91 and making his fifth appearance on DeathList, this year at number 26.

5 appearances: 2010 (26), 2009 (25), 2008 (25), 2007 (32), 2006 (37)

8th Death
Age: 92, Film Producer, Cause of death: Unspecified
14th October 2010

Another casualty!

English actor, Simon MacCorkindale, has given DeathList 2010 its seventh success. MacCorkindale made a number of movies but had most success in his TV roles, appearing in Dynasty and BBC's Casualty. Public disclosure of terminal cancer in 2009 was enough to secure MacCorkindale his debut appearance on DeathList in 2010, makingthe number 21 slot and helping to continue DeathList 2010's momentum in the later months of the year.

1 appearance: 2010 (21)

7th Death
Age: 58, Actor, Cause of death: Cancer
3rd October 2010

Mr Grim's Deal!

Sir Norman Wisdom, popular British slapstick comedy actor, has passed away, aged 95, to give DeathList 2010 its sixth score of the year. Wisdom was the star of many black and white movies in the 50's and early 60's, often playing madcap underdog character, Norman Pitkin, whose catchphrase was the shriek of "Mr Grimsdale!". Wisdom went on to became an unlikely folk hero in communist Albania, where the struggles of his characters were taken to be a political statement. Wisdom was also a favourite with DeathList making seven appearances in total and breaking into the top ten with the number nine slot this year.

7 appearances: 2010 (9), 2009 (13), 2008 (7), 2006 (24), 2005 (16), 2003 (33), 1997 (25)

6th Death
Age: 95, Comedian, Cause of death: Unknown
2nd September 2010

Nice one Cyril!

Big Cyril Smith, British Liberal MP for Rochdale throughout much of the 70s and 80s, has made a selfless contribution to world hunger by passing to the great debating chamber in the sky to give DeathList 2010 its 5th success. Smith was a well respected politician who came from a different era where there were never rumours of sharing his room/bed with his "special adviser" (although this may primarily have been as a result of safety concerns). Smith made 5 appearances on DeathList, squeezing into the number 46 slot in 2010. With a peak weight of 29 stone (406 pounds) Smith managed an impressive 82 years on this earth which probably leaves recently deceased and outstanding athlete, Laurnet Fignon, feeling short changed by 30 odd years or so. It's a funny old game.

5 appearances: 2010 (46), 2008 (42), 1991 (10), 1990 (31), 1989 (20)

5th Death
Age: 82, Former UK Politician, Cause of death: Unknown
30th August 2010

The final climb for Fignon

French cyclist, Laurent Fignon, has passed away at the age of 50 after a short battle with cancer. Fignon twice won the Tour de France and narrowly missed a third victory in 1989. He was famous for sporting distinctive round glasses and a long ponytail and was nicknamed "The Professor". Fignon was making his first appearance on DeathList this year, taking the 24 slot, and is just the fourth celebrity to coast over the line so far this year. We await the arrival of the peloton...

1 appearance: 2010 (24)

4th Death
Age: 50, Cyclist, Cause of death: Unknown
28th May 2010

Dead Easy Rider

Hell-raising actor, Dennis Hopper, has lost his battle with prostate cancer, aged 74. Hopper was probably best known for his 1969 movie, Easy Rider, but also appeared in a long list of major movies including Rebel Without A Cause, Cool Hand Luke, Apocalypse Now and Colors. With tales of epic drug use and five marriages, including the last of which was in acrimonious meltdown at the time of this death, Hopper clearly made effective use of his 74 years on the planet. 2010 saw Hopper's first appearance on DeathList, securing the number 36 spot, and delivering DeathList 2010 with its third success of the year.

1 appearance: 2010 (36)

3rd Death
Age: 74, Actor, Cause of death: Unknown
3rd March 2010

One Foot in the Grave!

Michael Foot, former British politician, has shuffled off his scruffy mortal coil to provide DeathList 2010 with its second score of the year. Foot became leader of the opposition Labour Party in the early 80’s, pitching his “Columbo-like” appearance against Margaret Thatcher’s power suits. Foot was destroyed by Thatcher in the 1983 general election and resigned as Labour leader. In his later years, there were accusations that he had been a KGB agent and a Plymouth Argyle fan, although only the latter had been proven at the time of his death. Foot was 97 years old and was making his 11th appearance on DeathList, appearing at number 6 this year.

11 appearances: 2010 (6), 2009 (7), 2008 (8), 2007 (7), 2006 (20), 2005 (35), 2004 (7), 2003 (29), 2002 (22), 2000 (34), 1993 (45)

2nd Death
Age: 97, Tramp, Cause of death: Unknown
28th January 2010

Caught in the Rye

Reclusive author, JD Salinger, has passed away to give DeathList 2010 its first success. Salinger was almost exclusively known for his hugely successful and controversial novel, The Catcher in the Rye, which was published in 1951. The attention brought by the book drove Salinger to become a recluse, publishing his last book in 1963. Salinger was 91 and was making his fourth appearance on DeathList, this year in 33rd place.

4 appearances: 2010 (33), 2008 (29), 2007 (37), 2006 (38)

1st Death
Age: 91, Author, Cause of death: Natural causes