Celebrity Deaths and Mishaps Archives 3

2002

Sounds

Jayne Mansfield (d. 1967) - sounds: "Jane," "Jay," "Ain," "Man," "Ann," "Fee," or "Field"

Possible predictions (1/6/02): Jayne Meadows, Jane Curtain, Jane Fonda, Janeane Garofalo, Jane Kean, Jane Seymour, Jay Leno, Laraine Newman, Shirley Maclaine, Shania Twain, Norman Mailer, Amanda Pays, Melissa Manchester, Howie Mandel, Nelson Mandela, Barbara Mandrell, Chuck Mangione, Barry Manilow, Charles Manson, Marilyn Manson, Ray Manzarek, Mandy Moore, Armand Assante, Rodney Dangerfield, Sally Field, Evander Holyfield, Lisa Stansfield.

Serie A star, Jason Mayele, dead in car crash

March 2, 2002 Posted: 10:36 AM EST (1536 GMT)

ROME, Italy (CNN) -- Chievo forward and Democratic Republic of Congo international Jason Mayele has been killed in a car crash in Verona. "Mayele was in a car on his way to the team coach," a Chievo club spokesman told Reuters. Sunday's Serie A match between Chievo and Parma has been postponed until March 13 "as a mark of respect in this time of mourning,"

Italian football league vice-president Adriano Galliani was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA. Chievo president Luca Campadelli was devastated by Mayele's death. "It's terrible news," he was quoted as saying on the Gazzetta Dello Sport Web site. "The players knew when they were almost ready to depart that it seemed strange that Mayele was late and we were all worried. "He was a great lad with a great love for life and one who really played his part in the group." Chievo coach Luigi Del Neri said: "He had integrated himself into the group well. "The game with Parma has no importance at this point and I will suffer this tragedy all my life. "We have lost a great deal on a personal level and this makes us understand something important -- football is just a game."

Mayele, 31, joined Chievo from Cagliari last October and has made 10 Serie A appearances for the club this season. According to the Gazzetta Dello Sport Web site, Italian Football Federation president Franco Carraro has ordered clubs to observe a one-minute silence during this weekend's matches. Mayele's death is the latest in a series of road accidents involving Italian soccer stars. Less than two months ago, Brescia defender Vittorio Mero was killed in a car crash. Juventus players, including Alessandro Del Piero, were involved in a car accident on their return from a Sunday evening game against Chievo and Fiorentina midfielder was also involved in a car accident earlier this year.

COMMENT (3/24/02): This is posted late because I have yet to find an image of Mr Mayele. In any event, it is shocking to see how closely Jason Mayele matches Jayne Mansfield. The name also contains sounds "Jay," "Son" (from Roy Orbison), and "Lee" (from Natalie Wood). Now, in light of the other car crash deaths listed above, Bille Piper's injuries in a November car accident, Posh Spice's close call, and now the Hollioake tragedy, it is quite clear that the Jayne Mansfield scenario, will indeed play a major role in 2002 as predicted (see my remarks under Ben Hollioake).

Mexico mourns its 'Marilyn Monroe' -- Maria Felix

Tuesday, 9 April, 2002 -- (BBC) - Thousands of Mexicans have paid tribute to one of the country's most famous actresses, Maria Felix, who died from a heart attack on her 88th birthday. She was renowned as a femme fatale throughout Latin America and the one-time lover of the painter Diego Rivera. The body of Felix, described as Mexico's Marilyn Monroe, was placed in a closed coffin in Mexico City's Palacio de Bellas Artes. Mourners including government officials and fellow actors such as Salma Hayek have paid their respects. Mexican president Vicente Fox said Felix left a legacy of history and prestige behind her. He said: "This was a great loss for all Mexicans, of a great Mexican that brought a great shine to our country. "She was one of the drivers of democratic change in the nation. As an artist, she gave a huge world image to Mexico. There have been few of her stature and quality."

Striking for her long, dark wavy hair and pale complexion, Felix made her film debut in 1942 in El penon de las Animas (The Crag of the Souls) alongside popular Mexican actor Jorge Negrete, whom she later married. She made 47 films in her career though few of them were shown widely outside Spanish-speaking nations. She often portrayed strong, silent women, endowed with intelligence and a voluptuous glamour. She was married four times and linked romantically with the late Mexican painter Rivera. In an interview she once said: "I cannot complain about men. I have had tons of them and they have treated me fabulously well. "But sometimes I had to hurt them to keep them from subjugating me."

Born in 1914 in Alamos, northern Sonora state, her real name was Maria de los Angeles Felix Guerena but she became affectionately known as La Dona, or The Dame in Mexico after her film hit Dona Barbara in 1943. She also had a home in Paris where she spent half the year and in 1996 France awarded her the nation's highest distinction, the National Order of Arts and Letters. Felix last starred in La Generala (The Lady General) in 1970, after which she worked on a series of film projects but none reached fruition. Asked once how old she was, Felix quipped: "I have been very busy living my life and haven't had time to count.

COMMENT (4/21/02): Va-va-voom! Maria Felix looks a bit more like a Mexican Linda Darnell than a "Marilyn" though. Not a blonde. Also was more prolific, making 47 films -- but of course Maria lived to be 88 years old compared to Marilyn's tragically abbreviated 36. The name "Maria" also is a near sound match for "Garcia" (from Jerry Garcia).

Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley dead at 34

April 21, 2002 Posted: 8:41 AM EDT (1241 GMT) -- SEATTLE, Washington (AP) -- Layne Staley, lead singer and guitarist for the grunge band Alice in Chains, was found dead in his apartment, authorities said. He was 34. Tests were required to establish the identity because the body, discovered Friday, had started to decompose. The King County Medical Examiner's office did not release his cause of death. "It was natural or an overdose -- that's the way it was determined by our investigators," said Seattle Police spokesman Duane Fish. Police did not immediately release details on anything that was found at the scene, and a spokesman did not respond to several messages. With Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, Alice in Chains was one of the most prominent bands of the Seattle grunge scene of the early '90s. The group was known for its dark, menacing sound, which combined grunge and heavy metal, and often wrote about heroin. "He was a sweet guy, but very troubled," said Charles Cross, a former editor of the defunct Seattle music magazine The Rocket who recently wrote a biography of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. "He lost his girlfriend to drugs a number of years ago. People still had hopes he would turn around. It's a sad tale."

While Alice in Chains didn't garner as much respect as other Seattle grunge groups, the band's influence still reverberates, Cross said. "Critically, they'll never rate in the same pantheon as Nirvana, but they were a band that inspired hundreds, if not thousands, of other bands," Cross said. He pointed to Creed and Godsmack, a band that shares its name with an Alice in Chains song. "They had huge commercial aspirations from the beginning. They fulfilled that, and so much of that was Layne's voice," Cross said. His voice ranged from a low, growly monotone to a pained, piercing wail; many a bar-band singer frayed vocal cords in the early 1990s trying to imitate it. Staley also played some guitar for the group. Chad Schuster, 21, a University of Washington student and guitarist in a garage band, came with other fans to an impromptu memorial Saturday at the Seattle Center. He said the group's music "was very dark, but it was melodic and hopeful at the same time. It was heavy metal that didn't hurt your ears." Despite his well-documented drug problems, Staley was an inspiration for many, Schuster said. "He was open about his drug problem and his struggles with life, and I think a lot of people can relate to that," he said.

COMMENT (4/21/02): See how close Layne is to Jayne? So close it's scarey. Also died the same age as Mansfield did, 34, but it appears he managed to keep his head. I was going to introduce a bit of amusing Nostradamus, reworking the band's name Alice in Chains into something about the "bloody Alus" ("bloody Alice") quatrain, but decided not.

Alice in Chains was not as big as Pearl Jam in my opinion, let alone Nirvana. Layne Staley was no Kurt Cobain either. If he was, he would have died last year with a bullet in his head. Ah well. A grungy Jayne, then? No, I think someone far more famous, a female, will go the way of Jayne Mansfield. Still, I would consider this a significant warning that the Mansfield tragedy will play out soon.

Mama Cass Elliot (d. 1974) - sounds: "Ma," "Cass," "Ass," "Elliot," "Ell"

Possible predictions (1/6/02): Madonna, George Maharis, Emma Samms, Emma Thompson, Macaulay Culkin, Mackenzie Phillips, Marie Osmond, Salma Hayek, Nick Cassavetes, David Cassidy, Joanna Cassidy, Elton John, Carmen Electra, Danny Aiello, Liza Minnelli, Kathleen Beller, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kate Nelligan, Tom Selleck, Tori Spelling, Neve Campbell, Geri Halliwell, Ellen Barkin, Ellen DeGeneres, Helen Hunt, Mel C, Shelly Duvall, Shelly Fabares, Shelley Long, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michelle Phillips, Danielle Steel.

Brazilian rock star Cassia Eller dead

December 30, 2001 -- RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) -- Cassia Eller, one of the most irreverent singers of Brazilian rock music, has died. She was 39. Eller was hospitalized Saturday at the Santa Maria hospital in Rio de Janeiro in an "agitated and disoriented" state and died late Saturday, probably following an "external intoxication," hospital spokesman Gedalias Heringer Filho said. He did not elaborate on what kind of intoxication was suspected, and the results of her autopsy were pending. Eller had admitted to using cocaine in the past. Eller's fame peaked this year with the sale of about 250,000 copies of her "MTV Unplugged" album and a performance in January's Rock in Rio festival in front of hundreds of thousands of fans, singing along with one of her hits, "I just ask God for a little indecency." Shunning middle-class Brazilian morals, Eller was open about her 13-year relationship with another woman and loved to provoke with unconventional punk haircuts or by showing her breast in televised shows. "There is no such thing as right or wrong. You choose what's good for you and it ends up working out well," she said in a recent interview. Eller was to be buried on Sunday evening. She is survived by her 8-year-old son.

COMMENT (1/7/02): What is really strange is how closely the name Cassia Eller comes to Cass Elliot! Mama Cass's influence must be very strong if it was already at work on December 30 of last year.

'Don't Be Cruel' songwriter Otis Blackwell dies at 70

May 8, 2002 -- NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) -- Otis Blackwell, who wrote the signature hits "Don't Be Cruel" for Elvis Presley and "Great Balls of Fire" for Jerry Lee Lewis, has died. He was 70. Blackwell suffered an apparent heart attack Monday night and was pronounced dead on arrival at Saint Thomas Hospital, hospital spokesman Paul Lindsey said. Blackwell wrote more than 1,000 songs, including "Return to Sender" and "All Shook Up" recorded by Presley, "Breathless" by Lewis, "Handy Man" by James Taylor and "Fever" by Peggy Lee. Ray Charles, Billy Joel, The Who and Otis Redding were among those who recorded his songs. "I wrote, went home and prayed," Blackwell said in an Associated Press interview in 1989. "It makes me feel wonderful for other people to do my songs and have them still be around." He was credited with writing songs that sold more than 185 million copies. Blackwell, born in New York City, began working as a penny-a-day floor sweeper at a theater and later as a clothes presser. While recording songs for a small company, he was asked to write songs as well. "I was thrown into it," Blackwell said. Blackwell often sang the songs himself before they were recorded, and some music historians believe his style influenced Presley, who died in 1977. Blackwell never met Presley and said in 1989 their relationship was best kept at a distance: "We had just a great thing going and I just wanted to leave it alone."

COMMENT (5/10/02): Mama Cass strikes again! Otis Blackwell has gone off to join Peggy Lee (who died early this year), Elvis Presley (who he never met), Keith Moon of The Who, Otis Redding (still sitting by the dock of the bay) and, of course, Mama Cass Elliot whose influence made this departure entirely possible.

Heaven Can Wait star, Signe Hasso, dies

09/06/2002 11:49 -- (About News24) - Los Angeles - Signe Hasso, a Swedish actress whose decades-long stage and film career included nearly two dozen Hollywood movies such as 1943's Heaven Can Wait, has died. She was 91. Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre spokesperson Leslie Porras said on Saturday that Hasso died at the hospital, but she had no other information. The Swedish news agency TT reported that Hasso died on Friday night and that fellow Swede Peter Stormare, who has appeared in Chocolat and Armageddon, was by her side. Hasso, who held dual Swedish and US citizenship, is one of a few Swedish-born performers with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was born Signe Larsson in Stockholm on August 15, 1910. At 12 she appeared as an extra in stage plays at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm and at 16 became the youngest person enrolled in drama studies there. Hasso appeared in numerous Swedish films in the late 1930s before moving to Hollywood in 1940, where she appeared in feature films, including George Cukor's A Double Life in 1947, for which lead actor Ronald Colman won the Academy Award. She played strong lead roles but never achieved the fame of fellow Swede Greta Garbo. She also did television work, including a role in the critically praised 1974 miniseries QB VII. One of her last appearances was last year in a television documentary, Greta Garbo: A Lone Star. Hasso also was a writer and lyricist. She made her debut as an author with the 1977 children's book Momo.

COMMENT (6/13/02): Yes, I know that Dee Dee Ramone is dead. However, his name does not correspond to any of the name sounds for this year. Just further proof that, because there are exceptions to the "rule," yet only a small percentage of the overall number of celebrities that we can call exceptions, that there is something to this sound system. Signe Hasso, a babe from the pristine days of old Hollywood, appears here courtesy of Mama Cass Elliot. This may bode ill seven years from now in 2009 for Signe Anderson, former female lead vocalist for Jefferson Airplane (before Grace Slick) and actress Sigourney Weaver.

Natalie Wood (d. 1981) - sounds: "Natalie," "Nat," "Lee," and "Wood"

Possible predictions (1/6/02): Natalie Cole, Natalie Imbruglia, Natalie Merchant, Natalie Portman, Donatella Versace, Cat Deeley, Cat Stevens, Matt Damon, Charlie Callas, Charlie Sheen, Julie Andrews, Julie Newmar, Leslie Nielsen, Leslie Uggams, Willie Nelson, Eileen Brennan, Lee Majors, Lee Travino, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kathie Lee Gifford, Jerry Lee Lewis, David Lee Roth, Brenda Lee, Pamela Anderson Lee, Peggy Lee, Spike Lee, John Cleese, Elijah Wood, James Wood, Tiger Woods, Joanne Woodward, Nina Blackwood, Clint Eastwood, Steve Winwood, Trisha Yearwood, Woody Allen.

Oscar winner Eileen Heckart dead at 82

January 1, 2002 -- HARTFORD, Connecticut (AP) -- Eileen Heckart, the lanky, gravel-voiced actress whose skill with comedy and drama won her an Oscar for "Butterflies Are Free," three Emmys and a special Tony for career excellence, has died. She was 82. Heckart, who had been battling cancer for three years, died Monday at her home in Norwalk, her son Mark Yankee said. "She was one of the great ladies of stage, TV and movies," he said Tuesday. "She was just as wonderful a mother, grandmother as an actress and an all-around wonderful woman." Even in her early career, Heckart played character roles. She first drew attention on Broadway in 1953 as the love-starved Rosemary Sidney in "Picnic." The following year she created the role of Mrs. Daigle in "The Bad Seed," and she repeated it in the 1956 film version, gaining an Academy nomination as supporting actress. Earlier in 1956 she had made her film debut in "Miracle in the Rain," which starred Jane Wyman and Van Johnson. That year, she also appeared in "Somebody Up There Likes Me" (Paul Newman) and "Bus Stop" (Marilyn Monroe). In 1969, she created the stage role of the domineering mother of a blind young man in "Butterflies Are Free" and repeated it in the 1972 movie, which starred Goldie Hawn and Edward Albert. Variety commented: "Miss Heckart finally gets another role that enables her to display the versatility that has been evident for a long time in her stage roles." This time she won the supporting actress Oscar.

Heckart created a memorable character on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" as Mary Richards' Aunt Flo, a high-powered, globe-trotting reporter. Mary was overawed by her aunt's achievements, and her boss, Lou Grant (Ed Asner), renewed an old love affair with Flo. In the 1979 miniseries "Backstairs at the White House," Heckart offered a fresh take on Eleanor Roosevelt, presenting her as bright, intelligent and even a bit sexy. She had experience portraying FDR's First Lady, having toured in 1976 with a one-woman show, "Eleanor." Because of her tall frame, sad-looking eyes and distinctive voice, Heckart throughout her career was often cast as eccentrics. It was all an act, she explained in a 1989 interview: "I am not one bit an eccentric. I'm always on time. I know my lines. And I've been everything but eccentric for a whole lot of years." She was awarded a special Tony in 2000 for her lifetime of theater work. "I kept telling her, stop winning awards, we'll have to build more shelves," her son said.

She was born Anna Eileen Heckart in Columbus, Ohio, in 1919. At Ohio State University she became deeply involved in dramatics, and her instructors encouraged her to pursue an acting career. At a school dance she met a business student, John Yankee, and they married after graduation. After his service in World War II, they settled in Connecticut. While she took acting jobs in New York, he worked as an insurance broker and later as an investment adviser. Besides Mark, the couple had two other sons, Philip and Luke. Yankee died in 1995 at 76 after 53 years of marriage, and she remembered him as "the nicest, kindest, sweetest man I ever met in my life." Heckart's stage work began in 1943 as understudy and assistant stage manager of the long-running "Voice of the Turtle." She made her television debut in 1947 and appeared in many live dramas in such early series as Kraft Suspense Theater and Philco Playhouse.

Her stage career blossomed with "The Bad Seed" and "Picnic," and Hollywood sought her as a reliable character actress. Among her other plays: "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs," "Our Town," "They Knew What They Wanted," "A View from the Bridge," "Barefoot in the Park," "Mother Courage" (her favorite role), and "Time of the Cuckoo." The movies included: "Hot Spell" (starring Shirley Booth and Anthony Quinn), "Heller in Pink Tights" (Sophia Loren, Quinn), "My Six Loves" (Debbie Reynolds, Cliff Robertson), "Up the Down Staircase" (Sandy Dennis), "No Way to Treat a Lady" (Rod Steiger), "Zandy's Bride" (Gene Hackman), "Heartbreak Ridge" (Clint Eastwood), "Seize the Day" (Robin Williams) and "The First Wives Club" (as Diane Keaton's mother). Besides "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," Heckart also joined the cast of such series as "Out of the Blue," "Trauma Center," "Partners in Crime" and "Murder One." She also made guest appearances in many series including "Gunsmoke" and "The Defenders." "I don't like sitcoms," she admitted in 1995. "It's instant acting; it has nothing to do with talent. They shoot everything close-up. ... It's very boring. You do television to make money so you can afford to act in the theater."

Heckart said farewell to the theater in 2000. She had been appearing in a play, "The Waverly Gallery," as an Alzheimer's victim, and she told an interviewer: "Look-- I'm 81 years old. Eighty-one! And when you're 81 you don't have the energy or the stamina you had when you were 60 or even 70. ... The energy you're asked to do a live performance and keep it sustained -- well, it makes doing TV or movies seem easy." She took a dim view of the institution that had sustained her for 57 years: "Now who can afford (theater)? And people don't want to think. ... You never used to hear them talk during a performance. Now they talk." But she admitted there was hope: "Things will turn around again. Greed is a phase."

Funeral arrangements were incomplete Tuesday.

COMMENT (1/7/02): The first golden oldie of the year. Eileen Heckart was not the "Eileen" I had in mind, but fits the profile name sound profile anyway. Quite a lengthy bio for someone I never heard of.

Oscar-winner Julia Phillips dies

Thursday, 3 January, 2002, 09:37 GMT -- (BBC News) - Julia Phillips, the first woman to win a best picture Academy Award, has died from cancer at the age of 57. One of Hollywood's most controversial figures, she produced three of the most iconic pictures of the 1970s - The Sting, Taxi Driver and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. In the 1990s she wrote a scathing attack on the Hollywood system with her memoirs You'll Never Eat Lunch In This Town Again. Ruth Vitale, co-president of Paramount Classics, told Variety: "She was as ferocious a friend as she was a foe. "She said what she meant and always said it. In this town, that's a rare asset."

Ms Phillips was born Julia Miller in New York in 1944. Her father was one of the top scientists in the US, working on the atom bomb. After marrying Michael Phillips she helped set up Bill/Phillips Productions, along with actor Tony Bill. She shot to fame aged 26 when she became the first woman to pick up a best picture Academy Award, for her work producing The Sting in 1973. Another nomination followed when she teamed up with Martin Scorsese to make Taxi Driver, starring Robert De Niro and Jodie Foster in 1976.

Success continued a year later when she worked with Stephen Spielberg on the space drama Close Encounters of the Third Kind. However, problems entered her life when she became a heavy drug user. In 1991 she transformed herself into an author with You'll Never Eat Lunch In This Town Again and her brutally honest assessment of the industry made the book a bestseller. She wrote a 1995 sequel to the book, Driving Under The Influence. A TV movie about her life is in development.

COMMENT (1/7/02): Julia Phillips just squeaks into this gallery due to the "lee" sound, although it is a short "lee" rather than a long. But then again, not too many Julias anyway.

Vidal Sassoon Daughter Catya Sassoon Dead at 33

January 04, 2002 02:32 PM ET -- LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Catya Sassoon, a top junior model during the 1980s and the eldest daughter of famed hairstylist Vidal Sassoon and actress Beverly Adams Sassoon, has died, her manager said on Friday. She was 33 and the cause of death was not immediately determined. Sassoon died in her sleep on Tuesday morning at her home in Hollywood after attending a New Year's Eve party at a friend's house, her manager, Hilly Elkins said. Los Angeles Coroner's spokesman Scott Carrier said there was no trauma to her body and no evidence of foul play. The results of an autopsy and toxicology reports are pending. Elkins said Sassoon complained of not feeling well, left the Monday night party and went home. At about 9:20 a.m. the next day, her husband, Joe Myers, tried to wake her up but she failed to respond. The former model had a history of high blood pressure and family members believe her death "seems to be associated with a heart attack," Elkins said. Although she had a history of drug and alcohol abuse in her early days as a teenage model she had long since kicked the habit, Elkins said, and she was not known to have been using drugs on New Year's Eve.

Born in New York City, Sassoon grew up in Beverly Hills and was the eldest of Vidal and Beverly Sassoon's four children. Known for being fast and wild at an early age, she pierced her nose and dyed her hair purple at age 13. The next year, at 14, she dropped out of Beverly Hills High School to become a model in New York. By age 16 she was married to the first of two husbands, Luca Scalisi, and a rising star on the modeling scene in New York, appearing on the covers of Seventeen, Bride and other magazines.

In 1990 Catya and her mother, Beverly, toured the country promoting Beverly Sassoon's Pocket Books "Fantasies" novel. The two women openly discussed how they overcame addiction problems. At that time, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times, Beverly Sassoon said that she was three years clear of an alcohol addiction and that Catya, then 22, was about to celebrate one year free from "a drug habit that was so tough there were times I felt I was going to lose her." In addition to her successful modeling career Catya Sassoon appeared in more than 20 films including "Tuff Turf" with James Spader and Robert Downey, Jr., "Bloodfist IV: Die Trying," "The Hunted," "Modern Girls," and "Hollywood Kids." She also appeared in television shows and as lead singer for the band Feline Force. In addition to Myers, she is survived by her parents, siblings, twin daughters and a son.

COMMENT (1/7/02): This is a mysterious death as far as deaths go. Catya Sassoon -- the latest in a strange string of female celeb deaths opening up the new year. Four out five have fallen under the tilted headstone of Natalie Wood.

EMF bassist, Zac Foley dies

Sunday, 6 January, 2002, 10:18 GMT -- (BBC News) - Zac Foley, bassist with hit 1990s band EMF, has died. The bassist had a "huge presence" in the band, which had three UK top ten singles in the early 1990s. They were best-known for the single Unbelievable, which hit the top of the US singles chart in July 1991, having hit number three in the UK eight months earlier. He will be remembered for being "a really funny guy" who was "always full of energy", according to Cara DeCarlo, webmaster of the EMF internet site and friend of the band. "On stage he had a huge presence, and his basslines carried a lot of the music," she told BBC News Online. "He was very focused on the music, and was looking forward to returning to America in 2002 to promote the upcoming release of the band's greatest hits. The band released a greatest hits album and played a number of comeback shows in the UK in 2001. They were preparing to release the album in the US and tour there later this year. He always had time for his fans and "could win anybody over instantly with his wit and charm", Ms DeCarlo said. The band formed in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, in 1989. After Unbelievable, the band had another hit with I Believe, which went to number six in the UK, and also joined comedians Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer for a version of I'm A Believer in 1995, which hit number three.

COMMENT (1/7/02): So what happened to Zac Foley?? This section, Natalie Wood, is living up to the mystery that was her death.

Jon Lee, Feeder drummer, dies

Wednesday, 9 January, 2002, 17:50 GMT -- (BBC News) - Jon Lee, drummer with rock band Feeder, has committed suicide. Lee, 33, was found dead in his Miami home on Monday. But singer Grant Nicholas said that despite the tragedy the band would continue, saying: "Jon would have wanted us to carry on. "I know how much the band meant to him, and Jon's parents did say to me it would mean a lot to them if we did carry on with Feeder," he told BBC Radio 1.

Originally from Newport, south Wales, Lee was a founding member of the band who had four UK top 20 singles, including Buck Rogers and Just A Day, released last month. Earlier, bandmates Grant Nicholas and Taka Hirose released a statement saying: "We shall miss him more than melody. We're utterly devastated." The band's spokesman said: "It is with the deepest regret that we must announce the tragic and premature death of Feeder drummer, Jon Lee. "Jon took his own life on Monday, January 7th, at his home in Florida. "At this dreadfully difficult time, we would ask that Jon's family and friends are afforded the utmost privacy."

Unconfirmed reports claim the drummer hanged himself.

COMMENT (1/10/02): Wow, suicide by hanging is starting to become a regular recreational sport. Wonder how many more addled-brained celebs will cozy up to the ol' asphyx this year? Never heard of Jon Lee, but he does look a bit a like an underdone version of Buddy Holly, doesn't he?

Cricket star Ben Hollioake killed in car crash

Saturday, 23 March, 2002, 12:28 GMT (BBC) - England cricketer Ben Hollioake has been killed in a car crash in Australia after driving back late at night from a family meal. The 24-year-old died instantly in the accident at the wheel of his black Porsche 924, which came off the road in the early hours of Saturday morning in Perth, Western Australia. His passenger, girlfriend Janaya Scholten, 22, is in a critical condition in hospital. No other vehicle was involved.

Hollioake's father fought back tears as he spoke of the devastation of losing his son.John Hollioake, who lives in Perth, Australia, described how his daughter Eboni watched in horror as her brother's car left the road in front of her and crashed into a pylon. He said:"It is just devastating, especially for Eboni, who saw her brother crash and could do nothing about it. "She is absolutely devastated, as we all are. "We cannot quite understand why it had to happen to such a wonderful lad."

Ben's sister Eboni and her boyfriend Luke were following his Porsche in a car behind as the family returned from a meal at a Perth restaurant. Ben's brother, Surrey cricket captain, Adam, had already left the road to go to his home and their parents John and Daria had carried on a different route. Hollioake senior said: "We had been out for a meal because Ben and Adam were returning to England. It is something we do every year and it had been a lovely evening. "We were all in convoy but then Adam turned off to go to his house and Ben turned off for his road, followed by Eboni, while we carried on. "It was horrific for Eboni to see it happen and she then phoned us all and we went to the scene. The sight was awful. "Ben's career was just taking off again and to lose him now is devastating." Police investigating the accident said they had not ruled out the possibility that speed had contributed to the accident. But John Hollioake said he doubted his son was exceeding the legal limit. Ben had lost control of the Porsche as it came off a ramp on an expressway in the south of the city.

England's cricket side, currently playing New Zealand in the second Test in Wellington, were made aware of Hollioake's death at the lunch interval. They requested that the England flag be lowered to half-mast during the lunch break and black armbands were worn by both teams' batsmen.

The 24-year-old Surrey all-rounder was born in Australia but moved to Britain from Perth in 1984. Hollioake played two Tests for England - against Australia in 1997 and Sri Lanka in 1998. He played 20 one-day internationals, scoring 309 runs and taking eight wickets. Hollioake is the second Surrey player to die in a car crash in recent years, following Graham Kersey's similar accident near Brisbane in December 1996. Ironically, that death led to Ben's brother Adam, as captain, dedicating Surrey's Benson and Hedges final success the following summer to their late wicketkeeper.

COMMENT (3/24/02): I am not a major sports enthusiast (or, should I say, I am somewhat selective about what sports I do enjoy). So I did not know of Mr Hollioake. But it is clear he will be missed by many cricket fans in the UK and abroad. Sounds appearing in his name, Ben Hollioake, are to be found here, under "Lee" (Natalie Wood) and "Ben" for "Den" in William Holden. Also, note that oak is a type of wood (from Natalie Wood).

What this is telling me, for those of you following the Madonna-Pamela Anderson prophecy, is that the Natalie Wood scenario, along with the Jayne Mansfield scenario, will indeed play a major role in 2002 as predicted. Car crashes have been increasing in frequency since November of 2001, with Billie Piper injured in a major crash, Jason Mayele killed enroute to Serie A, and most recently Posh Spice in a close call.

TLC's Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes dies in wreck

April 26, 2002 -- LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, member of hip-hop R&B group TLC, was killed in a car accident Thursday in Honduras, her record label reported early Friday. She was 30. The head-on collision on a treacherous two-lane country road occurred shortly before 6 p.m. outside La Ceiba, a town on the Atlantic coast, said Carlos Bakota, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy. Lopes, who was driving, died instantly, he said. The singer was one of eight people in the vehicle at the time of the accident. Three members of Egypt, a new band, were taken to Dantoni Hospital in La Ceiba. She would have turned 31 next month, according to her Web site.

Lopes was on vacation in the Central American country, a place she often visited, said TLC manager Bill Diggins. He received a phone call late Thursday from authorities in Honduras, reporting the accident. Diggins said seven other people were in the vehicle at the time of the accident and no one else was injured. He was told that Lopes was killed instantly. "No words can possibly express the sorrow and sadness I feel for this most devastating loss," said Antonio "L.A." Reid, president and CEO of Arista Records, who has known the group for about 10 years. "Lisa was not only a gifted and talented musical inspiration, but more importantly, she was like a daughter to me. My thoughts and prayers are with Lisa's family and friends. Her legacy will be remembered forever."

TLC formed in 1991, when Lopes was 20. The group was developed and first managed by Perri "Pebbles" Reid, an R&B star known for her hits "Girlfriend" and "Mercedes Boy" and then married to L.A. Reid. The next year, the group made its debut with the multimillion-selling "Ooooooohhh ... On the TLC Tip," which spawned the hits "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg" and "Baby-Baby-Baby." Lopes was the group's rapper; Watkins and Thomas handled the vocals. The group attracted attention for their looks and their wardrobe, which included floppy hats and Lopes' trademark, a pair of glasses with a condom in place of the left-eye lens. In 1994, the group's second album, "CrazySexyCool," became an even bigger hit, helped by the chart-toppers "Waterfalls" and "Creep." The group's songs, written by urban-music stalwarts Dallas Austin, Babyface, Jermaine Dupri and others -- along with participation from TLC -- addressed subjects including safe sex, AIDS and black-on-black crime. "CrazySexyCool" sold at least 4 million copies and became one of the best-selling albums by an all-female group.

COMMENT (4/26/02): I was familiar with TLC's music, but not the individuals who made the group up. So I did not know Lisa Lopes. To put things in context on the tragedy Richter scale, the television news gave Linda Lovelace's deadly crash zero coverage, and Lisa Lopes about 10 seconds (compared to Aaliyah who got about 10 minutes the first day rerported and several short specials).

In any event, things are getting progressively worse regarding car accidents as we move closer to the June/July period which I believe poses great danger for a major female icon (Madonna and/or Pamela Anderson).

Anne Sexton (d. 1974) - sounds: "Ann," "Sex," and "Ton"

Possible predictions (1/6/02): Anne Archer, Anne Bancroft, Ann Blyth, Anne Heche, Ann-Margret, Anne Meara, Anna Kournikova, Annie Lennox, Annie Potts, Annette Funicello, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jo Ann Pflug, Joanne Worley, Julianne Moore, LeAnn Rimes, Lesley-Anne Down, Rosanna Arquette, Suzanne Pleshette, Suzanne Somers, Suzanne Vega, Vanna White, Alex Trebeck, Rex Reed, Jennifer Aniston, Barbi Benton, Charlton Heston, Whitney Houston, Anjelica Huston, Olivia Newton-John, Billy Preston, Jean Stapleton, Maureen Stapleton, Denzel Washington.

Star Adam Ant detained in hospital

January 16, 2002

LONDON, England (CNN) -- British pop star Adam Ant has been admitted to a psychiatric ward in London under the Mental Health Act. The singer, who had a string of hits in the 1980s with his band Adam and The Ants, was taken to the Royal Free Hospital in north London by police the day after he was accused of pulling out a gun at the Prince of Wales pub in Kentish Town. The 47 year old -- real name Stuart Goddard -- was arrested on Saturday night and charged the following day with criminal damage, actual bodily harm and possession of a firearm or imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. He was bailed to appear in court at a later date. Police then detained the singer on Monday night and he was taken to the Royal Free Hospital where he was detained. Under the act, doctors can hold him for 28 days while they assess his condition. A statement issued on the singer's official Web site said: "Due to Adam's recent arrest that occurred on January 12, 2002, adam-ant.net would like to release the following official statement. "Adam Ant was admitted into hospital on the evening of Monday, January 14. In a recent (newspaper interview) Adam openly admitted his lifelong battle with manic depression. "As Adam acted as a potential danger to others this past weekend, for his own safety and well being, his close friends and family recommended that Adam be admitted to a hospital in Hampstead, London, for care. "Adam is not suicidal, however, family and friends are concerned that Adam is not receiving the care that he requires and they do not wish to see him become a potential threat to himself. Adam may be admitted for up to four weeks and his trial date set for January 28 will be postponed."

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "Police were called at 7.15pm on Monday regarding concerns for the safety of a 47-year-old man. "Police from Camden located him in the Camden Lock area and took him to the Royal Free Hospital. "He has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act." The singer, famous for his painted face and flamboyant dress sense, has had a string of hits including Ant Music, Dog Eat Dog, Stand And Deliver and Prince Charming. In recent years he moved to America where he turned his attention to acting, appearing in several films and TV shows, including "The Equaliser," "Amazing Stories" and "Tales from the Crypt." Ant had recently enjoyed renewed interest on the back of the nostalgia in the UK for the 1980s, and was due to perform as part of a tour involving ABC, China Crisis, Howard Jones, Belinda Carlisle and former Spandau Ballets.

COMMENT (1/21/02): Ahoy, maties! Adam Ant here! Yarrr, they've taken me off me buggy boat and put me in the rubber room. Yaarrr! All because me firearm was a' brandished -- all an honest cleanin' mistake it was, sirs. No harm done. I've a fancy to change me image anyways.
That's Sir Adam Ant to you, by the way, aaarrr!

Milton Berle, 'Mr. Television,' dead at 93

March 27, 2002 Posted: 7:39 PM EST (0039 GMT) -- LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Milton Berle, the acerbic, cigar-smoking vaudevillian who eagerly embraced a new medium and became "Mr. Television" in the dawn of the video age, died Wednesday, a spokesman said. He was 93. Berle died at 2:45 p.m. (5:45 p.m. EST) at his home after a lengthy illness, publicist Warren Cowan said. Berle's wife, Lorna, and several family members were at his side. Berle had been under hospice care for the past few weeks. He had been diagnosed with colon cancer last year. Berle's wife Lorna announced in April 2001 that he was suffering from colon cancer and had decided not to undergo surgery. A television star when the medium was in its infancy, Berle was credited with spurring the sale of millions of televisions to a nation that was still deciding on whether to accept the newfangled box in their homes. "There was a time ... when people didn't go out of their house on Tuesday night at eight o'clock because Milton Berle was on," entertainer Ed McMahon told CNN at Berle's 90th birthday bash in 1998. "Uncle Miltie" was the king of Tuesday nights, and store owners put up signs: "Closed tonight to watch Milton Berle." At 8 p.m., four Texaco service attendants sang the "Texaco Star Theater" theme, and then out came Berle, dressed for laughs: a caveman introduced as "the man with jokes from the Stone Age"; a man in a barrel "who had just paid his taxes." If the audience thought he looked funny in a dress, Berle was happy to oblige. Skits in drag became a trademark. Berle became such a fixture of American entertainment that he often appeared as himself in films like Woody Allen's "Broadway Danny Rose" (1984) and in "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" (1985). He was called the "Thief of Bad Gags" and joked about stealing quips -- "I laughed so hard I nearly dropped my pencil," he said of a rival comedian. He stopped at nothing for a laugh.

Comment (3/27/02): Milton Berle lived longer than most of us ever will. Still it's too bad. Also has me worried -- they say celebrities always die in threes, with Dudley Moore and Milton Berle gone on the same day, who might be next before March ends?

Alien Ant Farm band injured in Spain crash

May 22, 2002 -- NAVALMORAL DE LA MATA, Spain (AP) -- Singer Dryden Mitchell and the other three members of hard rock band Alien Ant Farm were hospitalized Wednesday after their bus collided with a truck, killing their British driver, a record company spokesman said. Mitchell was under observation for a neck injury at Campo Aranuelo hospital in the western Caceres province town of Navalmoral de la Mata, where the collision occurred, said Jose Puig of the Universal Music Group. A second driver and a bodyguard were also in hospital with injuries, he said. Guitarist Terry Corso, bassist Tye Zamora and drummer Mike Cosgrove were released following treatment of broken bones, sprains and bruises, according to Puig. "They're all OK. That's what's important," he said, declining to comment on the circumstances of the crash.

The Spanish news agency Efe said the band's vehicle, driven by a British chauffeur identified only by the initials C.H., rear-ended the truck on the approach to a mountain tunnel. The group was on its way to Lisbon, Portugal, for a concert Wednesday evening. An appearance Friday at Madrid's Festimad festival also had to be canceled because of the accident. Alien Ant Farm was formed in 1996 in Riverside, California. Last month, its latest album "Anthology" won best hard rock/heavy metal album at the California Music Awards.

COMMENT (5/23/02): This appears to be a bad time for ants, ants named Adam, and other various types of insects. Jayne Mansfield was guillotined when her car's roof was sheared off in a collision with a truck used for spraying insecticide! Is this another warning that insects and driving don't mix? Alien Ant Farm has two of the name sounds: "Lee" and "Ann."

Advice columnist Ann Landers dead at 83

June 22, 2002 -- CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- Ann Landers, the columnist whose snappy, plainspoken and timely advice helped millions of readers deal with everything from birth to death, died Saturday. She was 83. The death of Landers, whose real name was Esther Lederer, was announced by the Chicago Tribune, publisher of her column. She died less than two weeks before her July 4 birthday. The cause of her death was not immediately known. Her column first appeared in print October 16, 1955, in the Chicago Sun-Times. In 1993, she was the world's most widely syndicated columnist, appearing in more than 1,200 newspapers worldwide with 90 million readers daily. Her twin sister, Pauline, followed her into the profession as writer of the Dear Abby column. The feisty, outspoken Landers was a housewife when she won the Sun-Times contest to become the second Ann Landers after the woman who created the column died. At the end of her career, she was a with-it great-grandmother whose name often appeared on lists of the country's most influential women. "Eppie Lederer was a great columnist and a wonderful person, said John W. Madigan, chairman and CEO of Tribune Co. "She helped people with her advice, and made important contributions to society through the causes she supported." Psychology Today once gave her credit for likely having more influence on the way people work out their problems than any other person of her era. "All the column means to me is an opportunity to do good in the world," she said in a 1993 interview with that magazine. She attributed her skill to sheer instinct ...

COMMENT (6/24/02): It is rather interesting that Ann Landers looked somewhat like Anne Sexton when she was a lot younger (or an old Anne Sexton if Sexton had grown old rather than commit suicide at age 46). RED ALERT: PAMELA ANDERSON IN DANGER. In any event, my big concern here is the name blend potential. I have already mentioned the Darryl Kile - Kylie Minogue possibility. For those of you following the Madonna-Pamela Anderson Prophecy the significance of the name "Landers" should be apparent. Landers could = Anders = Anderson = Pamela Anderson. Pamela Anderson is still 34, the same age as Jayne Mansfield was when she died on June 29, 1967. Pamela turns 35 on July 1, 2002. There may be very little time left if Landers is indeed a harbinger for Anderson!

Jerry Garcia (d. 1995) - sounds: "Jerry," "Gar," "Garcia" ; Harry Chapin (d. 1981)

Possible predictions (2/4/02): Andy Garcia, Jerry Lewis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jerry Mathers, Jerry Seinfeld, Jerry Springer, Jerry Stiller, Geri Halliwell, John Agar, Garth Brooks, Beverly Garland, James Garner, Terri Garr. Additional predictions (3/19/02): Mary Chapin-Carpenter.

Additional prediction (5/20/02): A regular visitor to my site, Ross, who has been following my Madonna-Pamela Anderson Prophecy, has suggested that Deborah Harry may be in danger due to her connection with the group Blondie (and because she is blonde). I have since noted, in addition, how very significant it is that Deborah has the last name "Harry" -- from the Harry Chapin influence. It is for this reason, as well as Ross's "blondie" association, that I believe she may be in danger of dying in a car crash this spring or summer like Linda Lovelace and Lisa Lopes did, or, less likely, from a sudden stroke or heart attack this fall, despite the fact that she is only 56 years old. If there is a way I can place this on the Madonna prophecy pages I will, but the bandwidth is completely maxed out on both pages, so it may not be possible to do. But at least I will have placed the warning here.

Carrie Hamilton, daughter of Carol Burnett, dies of cancer

January 21, 2002 3:36 p.m. EST -- LOS ANGELES (The Associated Press) - Actress, writer and musician Carrie Hamilton, daughter of actress Carol Burnett, died Sunday of cancer at the age of 38. Hamilton, whose father was the late producer Joe Hamilton, died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, said Burnett's publicist, Deborah Kelman.Hamilton appeared in the television series "Fame" and had guest roles on other shows, including "Murder She Wrote," "Beverly Hills 90210" and "thirtysomething." She also starred in television movies. Hamilton spoke publicly in the '80s about her struggles with addiction and her decision to go drug-free. She starred as Maureen in the first national touring version of the musical "Rent," has feature film credits, and wrote and directed short films through the profit-sharing production company Namethkuf. She won "The Women in Film Award" at the 2001 Latino Film Festival for her short film "Lunchtime Thomas."She and her mother collaborated on a stage version of Burnett's best-selling memoir "One More Time." The resulting play, "Hollywood Arms," will have its world premiere in Chicago in April.Hamilton is survived by Burnett and by two sisters, Erin and Jody Hamilton. Private funeral services were planned.

COMMENT (3/19/02): The unfortunate Carrie Hamilton appears here due to the first name match with "Jerry" and "Harry." For some reason a number of celebrity deaths have not been openly reported through the usual channels (CNN, BBC, etc). Even this AP article showed up at an alternative news web site.

Even so, for the exception of a few celebrities such as Waylon Jennings and Howard K Smith, who did not conform to any of the name sounds posted on this page, 2002 has been a relatively quiet year as we near the end of the third month. This is troubling because every time a year is this sparse, it means a major, world-shocking tragedy is likely to occur. Both 1997 and 1999 were relatively sparse years until the deaths of Gianni Versace/Princess Diana (1997) and Dana Plato/John F Kennedy Jr (1999) occurred in summer.

This, unfortunately, may strengthen my contention that a Jayne Mansfield and/or Natalie Wood tragedy will occur this year, leaving Madonna and Pamela Anderson as the likeliest candidates. This also may support my concern that both George W Bush and Pope John Paul II are in danger of assassination this spring or summer.

Daughter of Mersey legend Gerry Marsden injured

Tuesday, 29 January, 2002, 11:33 GMT -- (BBC News) - Merseybeat legend Gerry Marsden has flown to America after his youngest daughter was injured in a hit-and-run crash. Victoria Marsden was one of two young British women struck by the car on Ocean Drive in Miami, Florida, on Sunday. Her friend, Victoria Ellis, 20, from the Wirral area of Merseyside, suffered serious head injuries in the accident. Both women were taken to South Shore Hospital, Miami Beach. Miss Marsden was released but Miss Ellis is described as being in a critical condition with major head injuries.

Mr Marsden, 59, who penned the classic hit Ferry Across The Mersey, flew to the US on Monday to be with Victoria. His manager Derek Franks said: "We know that Victoria is not critically hurt. "I am waiting for him to call and expect to release a statement later today." The two women were hit by the car as they left the News Cafe in the early hours of Sunday. Major Carlos Noreiga, of the Miami Beach Police Department, said: "On Sunday 27 at 6.12am on the 800 block of Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, an unknown-type foreign vehicle struck two female pedestrians.

"One of the victims sustained massive head trauma and the other sustained serious injuries, which were not life-threatening. "She was released from hospital after treatment, but the first victim remains in a critical condition. "Her family is due to arrive. "We are sure they will be very distressed. We will do what we can to make things as easy as possible for them." Witnesses told police the driver sped off after hitting the women. Miami Beach Police Department said the car's wing-mirror was thought to have been damaged. Major Noreiga said traffic and homicide officers were investigating the incident. He said: "Witnesses are starting to come forward at this point. "We had some physical evidence from the scene."

COMMENT (2/4/02): At last I can get to this. The rest of the web site has been requiring my attention due to the current danger of tensions escalating to all-out war from the Middle East to the Pacific. About a week or so ago, I realised I had forgotten to include Grateful Dead leader Jerry Garcia as an influnce for 2002. Now this section is prepared. It appears that Gerry Marsden of the 1960s band, Gerry and the Pacemakers, or rather his daughter and her friend, has been affected by the Jerry Garcia influence. This early in the year, I suspect there will be more from the above list before the year is out.

Comedian Barry Took dies

Sunday, 31 March, 2002 -- (BBC News) - Comedian and scriptwriter Barry Took has died aged 73. Took, who helped create classic radio comedy Round the Horne, had been suffering from cancer and died in his sleep at a nursing home in London. He was a successful TV and radio presenter, hosting Points of View and panel games including BBC Radio 4's The News Quiz. He died in the early hours of Easter Sunday, according to his youngest daughter, Elinor Holbrook. Took, also responsible for bringing the Monty Python team to the BBC, recently said: "There are people worse off than me. I've had a very long run. I'm fine really. I'm just old." He will be remembered with fondness for his sense of humour, Mrs Holbrook, 33, said. "He was taken ill in December last year. I was with him yesterday and he wasn't too good at all," she said. He died at 0550 BST, she said, remembering her father by saying: "He was always funny, he had a great sense of humour." He was described as one of the pioneers of radio comedy by people in the industry on Sunday. "He was a great comedy scriptwriter who will be indelibly linked to classic hits like Round the Horne and Take It From Here," according to Alan Yentob, director of drama, entertainment and children's programmes at the BBC.

Took's fellow comedian and scriptwriter Barry Cryer said Took would be remembered for Round the Horne. "It is one of the few really dated radio shows that doesn't date," he told BBC Radio 4's The World this Weekend. "It still makes people laugh - younger people who weren't acquainted with it first time round. It is just so surreal." Cryer also credited Took with developing new comedy acts like Monty Python.

Cardinals pitcher Darryl Kile found dead

Saturday June 22, 2002 -- CHICAGO (AP) -- St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Darryl Kile was found dead in the team hotel Saturday, a spokesperson for the Cook County Medical Examiner's office said. He was 33. The spokesperson, who declined to give her name, did not provide information about the cause of death. "Our guess, passed on to me, was that he died in his sleep," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "That's what was told to me." The Cardinals' game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field was called off. It will be made up sometime in August. Cubs president Andy MacPhail said it was commissioner Bud Selig's decision to postpone the game. La Russa said the teams would play as scheduled Sunday night, a game Kile was supposed to start. "My deepest sympathies go out to Darryl's family, his friends and the St. Louis Cardinals ballclub. All of baseball mourns his passing," Selig said in a statement.

The death was the second in the Cardinals' organization this week. Kile pitched the Cardinals intofirst place in the NL Central on Tuesday night, the same night longtime broadcaster Jack Buck died at 77 after a long illness. Kile and his wife, Flynn, have 5-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, and a son who was born last August. "Our club is just totally staggered, I mean, devastated," La Russa said, wiping away tears. "You guys know what a pro he is." Several stunned players walked out of the Cardinals' clubhouse without comment soon after the game was called without comment. "I couldn't believe it and I still don't believe it," said Cubs manager Don Baylor, who managed Kile in Colorado. "DK was a very special player. He was always the perfect teammate to all the guys who played with him."

Kile was 5-4 with a 3.72 ERA in 14 games this season ... Kile, who was 16-11 with a 3.09 ERA and threw 227 1/3 innings last year, had arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder during the offseason. He pitched a no-hitter while with Houston in 1993 against the New York Mets. He was 133-119 in 11-plus major league seasons and known for an exceptional curveball. Kile's best season was 2000, when he went 20-9 with a 3.91 ERA in his first year with St. Louis -- finishing fifth in NL Cy Young voting. He also helped St. Louis advance to the NL championship series against the Mets that season ...

COMMENT (6/24/02): It now appears that Darryl Kile died from a blocked artery. Not only is there an "air" sound in his name, but the "Darry" part of Darryl is spelled the same as "Harry" -- although not pronounced quite the same. I am concerned that a blend could result from the name Kile. Those of you who recall me doing name blends a few years ago know what I mean. This year for example Layne Staley = Layne = Lynn = Linda = Linda Lovelace. Then I wondered on my forum if Linda Lovelace might = Lovelace = Lace = Leese = Lisa. The next day Lisa Lopes died in a car crash. So the question now is will Kile = Kylie Minogue, the Australian Madonna?

Legendary actress, singer Rosemary Clooney dies

June 30, 2002 Posted: 11:39 AM EDT (1539 GMT) -- BEVERLY HILLS, California (CNN) -- Legendary singer and actress Rosemary Clooney died Saturday night from complications related to lung cancer, her spokeswoman said. Clooney, 74, was at her home in Beverly Hills surrounded by her family, including her five children, grandchildren and her husband. Services will be held in Beverly Hills and Kentucky and are pending, according to an official statement from spokeswoman Linda Dozoretz. In February, Clooney was awarded a lifetime Grammy for her career that spanned seven decades. She was unable to accept the award in person because she was still recovering from lung cancer surgery. Known for her distinctive, rich voice, Clooney's career humbly began in Cincinnati singing duets on the radio with her younger sister for $20 a week, according to the actress' Web site.

Clooney's childhood was turbulent and short-lived. She was born in Maysville, Kentucky on May 23, 1928. Along with her sister Betty and brother Nick, Clooney was shuttled between her alcoholic father and her mother who traveled constantly. Eventually, the two daughters moved to Cincinnati when Rosemary was 13. After collecting soda bottles for money to survive, the two sisters successfully auditioned for a spot on Cincinnati's WLW Radio in 1945. Clooney's first single record, "Come On-a-My House," became a big hit in 1951. It also started her career as a star and headliner. Three years later, in 1954, she co-starred in the classic movie "White Christmas" with Bing Crosby. Clooney married Jose Ferrer in 1953, and the couple had five children by 1960. Several years later, they divorced. She remarried an old friend, Hollywood dancer Dante DiPaolo in 1996.

In June 1968, Clooney had a brush with history when she was at the celebration at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles with two of her children the night her friend and presidential candidate Bobby Kennedy was killed. One of her children summed it up at the time by saying, "Mamma went nuts." After that event, her life and career began to fall apart. Rosemary spoke openly about her subsequent nervous breakdown, hospitalization, drug use and diagnosis of a drug-induced psychosis. "The whole country was having a nervous breakdown in the late 1960s," she later reflected. "I just had mine in public."

COMMENT (7/1/02): Yes, I know bassist John Entwhistle died. It is interesting to note that his name did not correspond to any of the name sounds for this year. It is sad he died, nevertheless: half of the Beatles are dead and now so are half of The Who. Makes a forty-something like myself feel rather old. Then again, half of Badfinger were already dead by 1983, so what does that mean? To those of you in your 20s and 30s, believe me, dying in your 40s or 50s is NOT NORMAL. So wallow in your time, you've got a lot more of it ahead of you than you realise.

Rosemary Clooney. A couple of very flattering pics of this singer and actress above (I had to touch up the top photo because it was cropped very poorly at the source web site). Even 74 is becoming rather young to die of natural causes for women in this day and age. The generic life expectancy for humans is now supposed to be 85 (if you don't smoke cigarettes, that is).

Roy Orbison (d. 1988) - sounds: "Roy," "Oy," "Orb," "Or," "Son," "-son"

Possible predictions (1/2/02): Roy Clark, Boy George, Joyce DeWitt, Dan Ackroyd, Peter Boyle, Oscar de la Hoya, Christopher Lloyd, Leonard Nimoy, Drew Barrymore, Ernest Borgnine, Cindy Crawford, Johnny Crawford, Michael Crawford, Rebecca DeMornay, Harrison Ford, Al Gore, Tipper Gore, Lesley Gore, Traci Lords, Gloria Loring, Demi Moore, Mary Tyler Moore, Rick Moranis, Rita Moreno, Jim Moret, Alanis Morissette, Chuck Norris, Oliver North, Tony Orlando, Super Dave Osborn, Joan Osborne, Ozzy Osbourne, Glenn Yarborough, Pia Zadora, Doris Day, Florence Henderson, George W. Bush, George Bush Sr., George Carlin, George Chakiris, George Lucas, George Takei, Susan Day George, Gloria Estefan, Loretta Swit, Lorna Luft, Morgan Fairchild, Morgan Freeman, Morris Albert, Norm Cosby, Norman Lear, Orson Bean, Tori Amos, Tori Spelling, Victoria Adams (Posh Spice), Victoria Principal, June Allyson, Loni Anderson, Lynn Anderson, Charles Bronson, Johnny Carson, Ted Danson, Richard Dawson, Angie Dickison, Magic Johnson, Kris Kristofferson, Twiggy Lawson, David Nelson, Jessica Simpson, Cicely Tyson, Craig Wasson. Additional predictions (4/25/02): Courtney Love.

Actor Dudley Moore dies at 66

March 27, 2002 -- LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- British comedian and actor Dudley Moore has died at age 66 at his home in the United States after a long illness. Moore, was best known for his comic performance as a drunk millionaire in the 1981 film "Arthur" and his role as a composer grappling with a midlife crisis in the 1979 hit "10." He died in New Jersey of pneumonia as a complication of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), his publicist said. Michelle Bega said the actor died at 11 a.m. EST (1600 GMT) on Wednesday. Funeral arrangements are pending and a memorial service is planned, she said. Progressive supranuclear palsy attacks brain cells and impairs mental and motor functions. Moore was last seen in public in Britain in November when he travelled to London to receive a honor from Queen Elizabeth II. The frail-looking star of "10" and "Arthur" remained seated in a wheelchair as he received his CBE (Commander of the British Empire) from Prince Charles. Moore's illness robbed him of his speech and rendered him virtually immobile.

Announcing his illness in 1999, he said: "I understand that one person in 100,000 suffers from the disease and I am also aware that there are 100,000 members of my union, the Screen Actors Guild, who are working every day. "I think, therefore, it is in some way considerate of me that I have taken on the disease for myself, thus protecting the remaining 99,999 members from this fate." But in a later interview for the BBC he was less casual. He said, "It's totally mysterious the way this illness attacks and eats you up, and then spits you out. "There's always this feeling of 'Why did it hit me?' and I cannot make peace with it because I know I am going to die from it. "Yes I feel angry, that's true -- to be reduced to this insignificant version of myself is overpowering."

COMMENT (3/27/02): I suppose it was only a matter of time, but it is too bad he could not have beaten this disease. It was enough of a shock when he announceed having it in 1999. Dudley Moore has two sounds in his name: "Lee" from Natalie Wood and "Or" from Roy Orbison. I have two other Moores listed above, Demi Moore and Mary Tyler Moore, but forgot to include Dudley. Still, I do not think this is a return to the "More" curse from 1999.

Adventurer Thor Heyerdahl dead at 87

April 18, 2002 -- OSLO, Norway (AP) -- Thor Heyerdahl, the Norwegian explorer who crossed the Pacific on a balsa-log raft and detailed his harrowing 101-day voyage in the book "Kon-Tiki," died Thursday night. He was 87. Heyerdahl stopped taking food, water or medication in early April after being diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. Relatives said he died in his sleep at a hospital near his family retreat at Colla Michari, Italy. Experts scoffed at Heyerdahl when he set off to cross the Pacific aboard a balsa raft in 1947, saying it would get water logged and sink within days. After 101 days and 4,900 miles, he proved them wrong by reaching Polynesia from Peru, in a bid to prove his theories of human migration.

His later expeditions included voyages aboard reed rafts, Ra, Ra II and Tigris. His wide-ranging archaeological studies were often controversial and challenged accepted views. Heyerdahl maintained a high pace of research, lectures and travel until his sudden illness. He moved to Tenerife in 1990 but kept Colla Michari as a retreat. Throughout his life, Heyerdahl continued to challenge accepted scientific beliefs, with expeditions aboard the reed boats Ra, Ra II and Tigris, as well as archaeological studies around the world. Despite his advanced years, he remained an active researcher and lecturer until his illness. His wife Jacqueline said he boarded 70 airline flights in 2001.

Heyerdahl was born Oct. 6, 1914, in the southern Norway town of Larvik. He was the son of a widely traveled banker and a mother with a scientific bent, who he remembered gave him anthropology books instead of children's books to read when he was sick in bed. The school in his hometown was renamed the Thor Heyerdahl Secondary School in 1995. Heyerdahl was rushed to Santa Conora hospital on the Italian Riviera nearly three weeks ago after becoming ill during a family gathering at Colla Michari. At his request, he was released from the hospital and brought back to Colla Michari to spend his final days surrounded by family. "He wanted to go there -- to use his words -- because it was time to hang up his oars and ride into the sunset," his oldest son said earlier. Thor Heyerdahl Jr. said his father had expressed happiness and satisfaction with his life before slipping into unconsciousness on Tuesday.

COMMENT (4/21/02): The Mighty Thor has fallen! His final expedition has begun in the land of shadows.

Porn Star Linda Lovelace (Linda Boreman) Dies After Car Accident

April 23, 2002 02:04 PM ET -- DENVER (Reuters) - Linda Boreman, who as Linda Lovelace became the porn industry's most famous star thanks to a 1972 movie that swept the nation, "Deep Throat," has died at age 53 after decades spent campaigning against pornography and trying to live down her past. Officials at the Denver Health Medical Center said she died Monday of injuries suffered in a car crash in early April when her sports utility vehicle rolled over and hit a post.

Boreman, or Lovelace as she was known, had appeared in a handful of 8mm hard-core loops when she made "Deep Throat" and the film became a runaway hit as porn for the first time went "mainstream" in an America celebrating a sexual revolution. She earned a salary of $1,250 for making the movie.

The film's title, describing a sex act, became a household word and was used during the Watergate scandal to describe the secret source for Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's articles. Lovelace's career soon collapsed as she tried to go from hard-core to soft-core porn films, including "Deep Throat II" and "Linda Lovelace for President," both box office flops.

In 1980 after several years out of the limelight, Lovelace reappeared with an autobiography called "Ordeal" in which she claimed she was a porn industry prisoner forced to perform obscene sexual acts, sometimes at gunpoint, by a sadistic and abusive husband who beat her and forced into a life of prostitution and debauchery. The book became a best seller and her cause was taken up by militant feminists and she testified against the industry before a presidential commission studying the effects of pornography. Her first husband, Chuck Traynor, who she left after becoming a big porn star, denied the charges she made against him and later married and guided the career of another major porn star, Marilyn Chambers.

Boreman moved to Denver in 1990 where she raised her two children and lived with her second husband, Larry Marchiano, until their divorce in 1996. She worked in clerical jobs when not on the lecture circuit campaigning against pornography. Boreman had a number of health problems including trouble from silicone injections, which she said gave her lumps in her breast.

COMMENT (4/23/02): Linda Lovelace appears here for two reasons: her real name is Boreman (Boreman: "Or" or "Orb" backwards) and her link to SEX. Although "Sex" is a name sound for Anne Sexton above, it is quite obviously a topic that applies well to Linda Lovelace, much better perhaps than anyone else. Indeed, I could not make up my mind under which name to place Lovelace.

It has been asked by some who are following the Madonna-Pamela Anderson Prophecy whether the car crash death of Linda Lovelace is the fulfillment of the "Jayne Mansfield scenario" that I have said may threaten the lives of either or both female icons this year. Anything is possible, but I think not. Boreman's star ceased to shine a very long time ago and her death is rather anecdotal at this point in time. I could be wrong of course. I do regard her tragic end and the film for which she is best known, Deep Throat, as yet another warning.

William Holden (d. 1981) - sounds: "William," "Bill," "Will," "Hol," "Old," "Den"

Possible predictions (1/6/02): Prince William, William Baldwin, William Peter Blatty, William Campbell, William Defoe, William Katt, William Ragsdale, William Shatner, William Windom, Will Smith, Billy Dee Williams, Cindy Williams, JoBeth Williams, Montel Williams, Robin Williams, Treat Williams, Vanessa Williams, Robbie Williams, Bruce Willis, Katie Holmes, Whoopi Goldberg, Jeff Goldblum, Goldie Hawn, Judge Reinhold, Emma Ladden.

Legendary director Billy Wilder dead at 95

March 28, 2002 -- LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Writer-director Billy Wilder, whose films' cynical worldview was often at odds with their rousing humor, died of pneumonia Wednesday night in his Beverly Hills home. He was 95. The director's health had been failing in recent months, producer George Schlatter, a longtime friend, told The Associated Press. Wilder died peacefully in his sleep about 11 p.m. PST, said Schlatter. Wilder was one of the last survivors of the so-called Golden Age of Hollywood. His remarkable career in American cinema extended from the mid-1930s to 1981 and included such classics as "Double Indemnity" (1944), "The Lost Weekend" (1945), "Sunset Blvd." (1950), "Sabrina" (1954), "Some Like It Hot" (1959) and "The Apartment" (1960). Along the way, he helped to shape the art of moviemaking for generations to come, forged the careers of many of Hollywood's greatest stars, was nominated for 21 Academy Awards and won six times. Both "The Lost Weekend" and "The Apartment" won best picture.

COMMENT (4/9/02): Here is number three, the third in the series for celebrities who died on March 27, 2002: Dudley Moore, Milton Berle, and Billy Wilder. Note too that there is also the "Lee" sound from Natalie Wood.

Warning: If you enter this page from a 'back door' you will have absolutely no idea what is going on.

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