Dead Pool 10th September 2017

Not the best week to be a Country & Western singer, however nobody had either of them on their lists, so another pointless week. With little over three months left, perhaps now is a good time to start researching your list for 2018!!!

Look Who You Could Have Had:

  • Walter Becker, 67, American Hall of Fame musician (Steely Dan), songwriter and producer, Grammy winner (2001).
  • Kate Millett, 82, American feminist writer (Sexual Politics).
  • Mike Neville, 80, British television presenter (BBC North East and Cumbria, ITV Tyne Tees).
  • Don Williams, 78, American Hall of Fame country music singer (“Tulsa Time”, “I Believe in You”, “You’re My Best Friend”) and songwriter, emphysema.
  • Troy Gentry, 50, American country music singer (Montgomery Gentry), helicopter crash.
  • Blake Heron, 35, American actor (Shiloh, We Were Soldiers, Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher).

In Other News

Dave Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy, is calling time on public appearances. A statement on the 82-year-old’s social media accounts said he would “no longer be doing any personal appearances or conventions due to health problems” from January 2018 onwards. If you were not aware, Prowse was the man behind Vader’s mask in Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. He also played the Green Cross Code man in television road safety commercials. Born in Bristol in 1935, Prowse was a successful bodybuilder and weightlifter before landing his iconic Star Wars role. His face was never seen in the films though, while his voice was dubbed by US actor James Earl Jones. Prowse, a fixture on the convention circuit since Jedi’s release in 1983, announced last year “with great sadness” that he would no longer attend international events. In 2014 he revealed he had dementia, though this did not prevent him participating in the 2015 documentary I Am Your Father, or recently appearing in a music video for singer Jayce Lewis. Don’t worry, there’s still time to get that priceless collectors signed photograph.

Lil Wayne has reportedly been taken to hospital after suffering a seizure and being found unconscious in his hotel room in Chicago. Celebrity website TMZ says the 34-year-old rapper, who has epilepsy, suffered a number of fits and had another one after arriving at A&E. He had been due to perform in Las Vegas on Sunday night. The rap star, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr, was treated a year ago after suffering two minor seizures. Four years ago Lil Wayne spent several days at a hospital in Los Angeles. After those seizures the rapper told radio station Power 106 that he was epileptic and prone to having fits. He told DJ Felli Fel: “This wasn’t my first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh…I have had a bunch of seizures, you just never hear about them.” Lil Wayne says he suffers seizures because of stress, lack of rest and overworking himself. God knows what he’d be like if he had a proper job!

Family and friends have said farewell to Sir Bruce Forsyth at a private funeral. The star’s manager confirmed that the service took place last Monday. A public memorial service will be held in due course for fans to pay their respects to the entertainer, with details released in the next few weeks. There was also a tribute on Strictly Come Dancing when it returned to BBC One on Saturday evening. Sir Bruce, who co-hosted the dance show until 2014, died on 18th August at the age of 89 and gave the Dead Poolers a grand total of 2486 points, totally eclipsing the previous top scorer, Margaret Thatcher with 1945 points. Sir Bruce’s TV career stretched back to the 1950s and he became one of Britain’s best-loved entertainers thanks to shows like Sunday Night at the London Palladium, The Generation Game, Play Your Cards Right and The Price Is Right.

On This Day

  • 1961 – Italian Grand Prix, a crash causes the death of German Formula One driver Wolfgang von Trips and 13 spectators who are hit by his Ferrari.
  • 1977 – Hamida Djandoubi, convicted of torture and murder, is the last person to be executed by guillotine in France.
  • 2008 – The Large Hadron Collider at CERN, described as the biggest scientific experiment in history, is powered up in Geneva, Switzerland. We all survived.

Deaths

Last Week’s Birthdays

Adam Sandler (51), Hugh Grant (57), Henry Thomas (46), Eric Stonestreet (46), Jeffrey Combs (63), Julia Sawalha (49), Rachel Hunter (48), Martin Freeman (46), Pink (38), Heather Thomas (60), Evan Rachel Wood (30), Shannon Elizabeth (44), Toby Jones (51), Dario Argento (77), Julie Kavner (66), Doug Bradley (63), Chrissie Hynde (66), Gloria Gaynor (68), Idris Elba (45), Macy Gray (50), Carice van Houten (41), Rose McGowan (44), Michael Keaton (66), Raquel Welch (77), Werner Herzog (75), Paddy Considine (44), George Lazenby (78), Bob Newhart (88), Beyoncé Knowles (36), Charlie Sheen (52) and Jean-Pierre Jeunet (64).

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