The DeathList 2014

10 / 50 dead

Once again the DeathList committee, using the invaluable research provided by the forum members, has drawn up its list of 50 celebrities most likely to die in 2014. The DeathList rules require candidates to be famous enough such that their death is expected to be reported by the UK media, however they cannot be famous solely for the fact they are likely to die in the near future. Also, only half of the candidates can have appeared on the previous year’s list. DeathList 2013 had a powerful finish, finally ending with a total of 13 successes. With four of the top five passing in 2013, including DeathList ambassador, Ronnie Biggs, the 2014 list sees some new blood coming in and some old favourites moving up. Will the furious pace of December carry over into the new year?

The 2014 List

Rank	Prev Year	Appear	Name	Age	Description
1		1	Wilko Johnson	67	R&B Guitarist
2	31	8	Billy Graham	96	Evangelist
3	11	12	Eli Wallach	99	Actor
4		1	Sam Simon	59	Co-Creator of The Simpsons
5	8	8	Zsa Zsa Gabor	97	Actress
6	14	2	Gough Whitlam	98	Former Australian PM
7	6	8	Chapman Pincher	100	Journalist / Investigator
8		1	Luise Rainer	104	Actress
9	9	3	João Havelange	98	Ex Fifa president
10	18	7	Olivia de Havilland	98	Actress
11		1	Valerie Harper	75	Rhoda
12	4	2	Clive James	75	TV presenter
13	23	5	Denis Healey	97	Eyebrowed politican
14		1	Chris Woodhead	68	Ex UK Inspector of Schools
15	19	11	Fidel Castro	88	Dictator
16	13	2	Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh	93	Casual racist
17	32	4	Helmut Schmidt	96	Former German Chancellor
18	16	4	Ian Paisley	88	Unionist
19		1	Terry Pratchett	66	Fantasy novellist
20		1	Joost van der Westhuizen	43	Rugby player
21	21	6	Vera Lynn	97	Singer
22	30	5	Peter O'Sullevan	96	UK horse racing commentator
23	17	12	Kirk Douglas	98	Actor
24	33	6	Al Molinaro	95	Happy Days Al
25		1	Lord (Peter) Carrington	95	UK Politician
26	35	3	PD James	94	Author
27		8	Mickey Rooney	94	Actor
28	37	10	Jake LaMotta	93	Boxer
29		1	Javier Perez de Cuellar	94	Ex UN Secretary General
30	39	2	Peter Sallis	93	Last of the Summer Winer
31		2	Abe Vigoda	93	Actor
32		2	Stephen Hawking	72	Theoretical Physicist
33	41	2	Stan Lee	92	Marvel comics
34		2	Patrick Macnee	92	Avenger
35		2	Denis Norden	92	Comic / TV Presenter
36		2	James Randi	86	Magician / Skeptic
37		1	Sid Caesar	92	Comic Actor
38	10	2	George Bush Senior	90	Former President of USA
39		2	Charles Aznavour	90	Singer
40		1	Lauren Bacall	90	Actress
41		1	Casey Kasem	82	Shaggy
42		1	Shaw Taylor	90	Police 5 TV Presenter
43		2	Dick van Dyke	89	Actor
44		3	B B King	89	Bluesman
45		5	Jerry Lewis	88	Comedian
46		2	Tony Bennett	88	Crooner
47	47	7	Fats Domino	86	Singer
48		1	Ed Asner	85	Lou Grant
49		2	Christopher Lee	92	Actor
50	50	5	Ian Brady	76	All round Mr Nice Guy

Latest News

30th December 2014

It's Rainer, but it doesn't pour

In the closing hours of DeathList 2014, Luise Rainer, has pushed the success total into double figures. Rainer, a multiple Oscar winning actress, passed away at the age of 104 suffering from pneumonia. Most of Rainer’s movies were made in the 1930’s and she left Hollywood in the early 1940s and remained relatively low profile for the rest of her life. Somewhat surprisingly, Rainer was making her first appearance on DeathList this year, but was selected at number 8.

1 appearance: 2014 (8)

10th Death
Age: 104, Actress, Cause of death: Pneumonia
27th November 2014

Cover Her Face

British crime writer, P.D. James, has provided the answer to her final mystery in passing away at the age of 94. James published some 19 novels between 1962 and 2011, many of which were made into TV shows or movies, her most famous work being Children of Men. She was granted a life peerage in 1991, becoming Baroness James of Holland Park. James was making her third appearance on DeathList, in number 26 for 2014. She is the ninth success of the year for DeathList 2014.

3 appearances: 2014 (26), 2013 (35), 2012 (37)

9th Death
Age: 94, Author, Cause of death: Unknown
20th October 2014

It’s Time for Gough

Gough Whitlam, former Australian Prime Minister, has passed away at the ripe old age of 98 to give DeathList 2014 its eight success of the year. Whitlam took the Australian Labor Party to power in 1972 for the first time in 23 years and won a second election in 1974 but lost a further challenge in 1975. Whitlam was making his second appearance on DeathList, this year securing the number six slot.

2 appearances: 2014 (6), 2013 (14)

8th Death
Age: 98, Former Australian PM, Cause of death: Unknown
12th September 2014

Paisley Underground

Fearsome Irish Unionist politician and religious leader, Reverend Ian Paisley, has preached his last to provide DeathList 2014 with another score. Paisley was a major figure at the height of the troubles in Northern Ireland throughout the 70s and 80s and became the First Minister of the Northern Ireland assembly when it reconvened in 2007. He was made a life peer in 2010. In recent years Paisley retried from his public roles and passed away at the age of 85. Paisley was making his fourth appearance on DeathList, this year at number 18.

4 appearances: 2014 (18), 2013 (16), 1993 (22), 1989 (15)

7th Death
Age: 88, Unionist, Cause of death: Unknown
13th August 2014

The Big Sleep for Bacall

Actress Lauren Bacall has made DeathList 2014 her last starring role in passing a month short of her 90th birthday. Bacall was most famous for her films in the 1940s and 1950s, often playing the leading lady to Humphrey Bogart, in movies such as The Big Sleep, Key Largo and How to Marry a Millionaire. She was awarded an honorary Oscar in 2009. Surprisingly, she was making her first appearance on DeathList in 2014, being selected at number 40.

1 appearance: 2014 (40)

6th Death
Age: 90, Actress, Cause of death: Unknown
5th August 2014

DeathList gets a Pincher Hit

Chapman Pincher, British journalist and spy hunter, has died aged 100 to provide DeathList 2014 with another score. Pincher worked as the defence and science correspondent at the Daily Express for more than 30 years, but in his retirement he focused on espionage, publishing a number of books. Pincher was no stranger to the DeathList, appearing eight times, landing in seventh position this year.

8 appearances: 2014 (7), 2013 (6), 2012 (17), 2011 (27), 2010 (7), 2009 (8), 2008 (10), 2001 (47)

5th Death
Age: 100, Journalist/Investigator, Cause of death: Unknown
24th June 2014

The Good, The Bad and The Dead

Actor Eli Wallach has passed away, aged 98, providing DeathList 2014 with another death. Wallach was best known for his role in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly but also appeared in The Magnificent Seven and, in later years, The Godfather Part III. Wallach had been a nearly permanent fixture on the DeathList in recent years making a total of 12 appearances, peaking at number 3 this year.

12 appearances: 2014 (3), 2013 (11), 2012 (9), 2011 (28), 2010 (8), 2009 (10), 2008 (12), 2007 (21), 2006 (22), 2005 (39), 2004 (38), 2001 (48)

4th Death
Age: 99, Actor, Cause of death: Unknown
15th June 2014

Kasem Cased

Casey Kasem, presenter of the American Top 40 and voice of Shaggy in Scooby-Doo, has presented his final hit in passing at the age of 82. Kasem started his career as a disc jockey but ended up as a successful voice actor for many animated TV shows and even guest appeared in classic TV shows such as Quincy and Charlie’s Angles. Kasem was making his first appearance on DeathList, and just missed the top 40 with 41st position. He was 82.

1 appearance: 2014 (41)

3rd Death
Age: 82, Shaggy, Cause of death: Unknown
7th April 2014

Waned Rooney

Veteran actor, Mickey Rooney, has brought his 88 year career to a close, passing away at the age of 93. Rooney’s started as a child actor in the 1920s and was America’s big box office star by the end of the 1930s. He appeared in numerous movies throughout, including It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World alongside an actor who would provide DeathList 2014 with its first success of the year. He was nominated a number of times for an Oscar, was declared bankrupt twice and married eight times. 2014 was Rooney’s eight appearance on DeathList, this year at number 27.

8 appearances: 2014 (27), 2009 (34), 2006 (41), 2004 (48), 2003 (41), 2001 (50), 1998 (39), 1997 (26)

2nd Death
Age: 94, Actor, Cause of death: Unknown
12th February 2014

Hail Caesar!

American comic actor, Sid Caesar, has provided DeathList 2014 with its first success of the year. Caesar’s career peaked with pioneering TV shows in the 1950s and 1960s but he went on to appear in movies such as Grease, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and History of the World, Part I. Caesar was making his first appearance on DeathList and only lasted 43 days. He was number 37 on this years’ list.

1 appearance: 2014 (37)

1st Death
Age: 92, Comic Actor, Cause of death: Unknown
1st January 2014

DeathList 2014 tips off

With no more Ron, how will DeathList 2014 get on?