Celebrity Deaths and Mishaps Archives 4

2002 ~ How Things Looked by Year's End

Sounds

To see the 2001 series and summary, go first to Celebrity Deaths and Mishaps Archives 1 and then visit Celebrity Deaths and Mishaps Archives 2. The summary appears on Archives 2.

2002 is a year where a car crash death and a "suspicious" death by accident, suicide, or murder is likely to occur. Either will almost certainly occur if there is a successful or unsuccessful attempt on the life of President George W. Bush, which I have predicted will occur in March/April or August. I also think I have the right names this time around.

As with 2001, in addition to listing the sounds, I will also list the name from which each sound is derived.

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.

1) Serie A star, Jason Mayele, dead in car crash - March 2, 2002
2) Mexico mourns its 'Marilyn Monroe' -- Maria Felix - April 9, 2002
3) Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley dead at 34 - April 21, 2002
have been re-located to Celebrity Deaths and Mishaps Archives 3.

Actor Jason Priestley seriously injured

Sunday August 11, 2002 1:43 PM -- SPARTA, Ky. (AP) -- Actor Jason Priestley crashed head-on into a wall at close to 180 mph during practice for a race Sunday, leaving him seriously injured. The former Beverly Hills 90210 television star was in serious condition at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington but was stable and responding, Indy Racing League medical director Henry Bock said. Priestley crashed coming out of the second turn in the final practice for the Kentucky 100, an Infiniti Pro Series race at Kentucky Speedway. The extent of his injuries was not immediately available. Bock said Priestley was undergoing tests at the hospital, where he had been taken by helicopter from the track. A Kelley Racing crewman said Priestley sustained facial injuries. "He got sideways and he corrected and then shot off the track," said former Indy 500 winner Arie Luyendyk, whose son, Arie Jr., also competes in the Infiniti series. Luyendyk witnessed the crash from the roof of the press box. "He turned right into the wall, and his first impact was basically head-on," Luyendyk said. "What I'm thinking is, that's really the one big hit that he took that might have hurt him." Luyendyk said Priestley appeared to have driven through some "oil-dry," an absorbent material that had been spread on part of the track about 10 minutes earlier to soak up oil from a leak on a car driven by Ryan Hampton.

All the drivers had been warned not to go through the oil-dry, IRL vice president Fred Nation said. "He was following me in the practice," driver Ed Carpenter said. "I just happened to look in my mirror as I exited [the turn], too. It looked like Jason stayed on the bottom and went through it. "Everybody was really scared right after the crash. Nobody knew what was going on. He's shown he's a good racer. It's sad anytime one of our competitors gets hurt." Priestley's best finish in three starts in the IRL developmental series was second at Kansas Speedway. He qualified second on Saturday behind series leader A.J. Foyt IV, who won Sunday's 100-mile race. "These cars are built to disintegrate to get all the G forces out of it," said Cory Witherill, who finished third behind Foyt and Carpenter. "Unfortunately, it does affect the driver every now and then. It's too bad it happened to Jason. He's a great guy. He brings a lot of good spirit to the series."

The 32-year-old Priestley has been racing on and off since 1991. He first raced in the California Rally Series in 1991 and the SCCA Pro Rally Series in 1992-95. He drove in the IMSA Firehawk Series and Magna Enduro Series in 1995-99, with his first victory coming at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in 1998. In 1998-99, he also drove in the Sportscar GTS1 Series. Last year, Priestley completed an alcohol counseling program he was ordered to attend when he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor DUI charge stemming from a December 1999 car crash in the Hollywood Hills. The accident totaled Priestley's Porsche and broke one of his best friend's arms ...

COMMENT (8/11/02): Like Serie A star, Jason Mayele, whose name came closest thus far to Jayne Mansfield, Jason Priestley, yet another Jason, has been seriously injured in a car crash. Mayele died; but the reports on Priestley's condition are not good. There is also a "Lee" in Priestley's name. So, it appears the theme of car crashes is continuing throughout 2002.

Being in this section again, just below Layne Staley, is ominous. The Layne Staley name blend led to the deaths of Linda Lovelace and Lisa Lopes -- all within five days of his being found dead. Both women died in car crashes. A potential name blend already may exist: Charlton Heston = Heston = Hest = Priest = Priestley. Combining Hest and Priest would logically give us "Prest" or "Pres." Billy Preston? Lisa Marie Presley?

Award-winning bandleader Ray Conniff dies at age 85

October 15, 2002 -- LOS ANGELES (AP) - Ray Conniff, the Grammy Award-winning composer and bandleader whose arrangements epitomized the Big Band sound while spawning such albums as ''S'Wonderful'' and ''Somewhere My Love,'' has died. He was 85. Mr. Conniff died Saturday at Palomar Medical Center in Escondido after falling down and hitting his head, San Diego medical examiner's investigator Angela Wagner said. He had suffered a stroke in April. Mr. Conniff recorded 52 albums that placed on Billboard's pop chart, a number surpassed only by Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and Johnny Mathis. He rendered such classics as ''Besame Mucho'' and ''New York, New York'' in a career that spanned six decades. His most memorable song may have been ''Somewhere My Love.'' The song was adapted from French composer Maurice Jarre's ''Lara's Theme'' from the film ''Dr. Zhivago.'' It rose to the top of the pop and easy-listening charts and won Mr. Conniff a Grammy in 1966. The Ray Conniff Orchestra and Singers typified the lounge-singing style of the 1950s and 1960s with a mix of wordless vocal choruses and light orchestral accompaniment.

Though he got his start as a trombone player in the Big Band era playing with Bunny Berigan, Bob Crosby and Artie Shaw, Mr. Conniff broke out as a solo artist after being hired as a house arranger with Columbia Records in 1951. He was responsible for Johnny Mathis' ''Chances Are,'' Frankie Laine's ''Moonlight Gambler,'' Johnnie Ray's ''Just Walking in the Rain'' and Guy Mitchell's ''Singing the Blues.'' He also did arrangements for Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney and Marty Robbins. It was Mr. Conniff's arrangement of ''Band of Gold'' for singer Don Cherry that hit the first high note of both men's careers. The song made No. 5 on the Top 40 ...

Run-DMC DJ, Jam Master Jay, slain in recording studio

Thursday, October 31, 2002 Posted: 2:07 PM EST (1907 GMT) - NEW YORK (CNN) -- Police Thursday were investigating the shooting death of Jam Master Jay, the DJ of the legendary rap trio Run-DMC. Jam Master Jay, 37, was shot in the head Wednesday night around 7:30 p.m. in a Queens recording studio, according to police. Another man, Urieco Rinco, 25, was shot in the leg and taken to a hospital, police said. Investigators have found two .45-caliber shell casings, but no clues to the motive. Witnesses described the shooter as a young black man in a white sweatsuit or sweatshirt, according to CNN affiliate WABC in New York. Police said two gunmen were buzzed in to the building, went up to the second-floor studio and shot Jam Master Jay once at close range, WABC reported. Fans of the group gathered in cold drizzle outside the studio Wednesday night to pay their respects. "It's like one of the Beatles died," said fan Ronald Williams. "They were the pioneers of this game as we know it."

Jam Master Jay was born January 21, 1965 as Jason Mizell in the middle-class Hollis neighborhood of Queens, New York, according to the group's Web site. He linked up with Run (Joseph Simmons) and DMC (Darryl McDaniels) -- also from Hollis -- scratching turntables for the two rappers who had just graduated from high school. A year later, in 1983, the group released their first single, "It's Like That."

Known for their loose Adidas-brand shoes, all-black outfits, and thumping beats, the trio is credited with beginning the current trend of combining rap music and rock 'n' roll in their hit remake of Aerosmith's "Walk this Way" in 1986, teaming up with the band's lead singer Steven Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry. Run-DMC was also the first rap group to be nominated for a Grammy, and the first rappers to have gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums. And unlike other rap groups, Run-DMC avoided feuds with other rappers. Run is an ordained minister, DMC overcame alcoholism, and Jam Master Jay was a married father of three children.

Any possible link between Jay's death and a rap war was dismissed by Russell Simmons, the founder of Def Jam records, Run-DMC's original label, and the brother of Joseph Simmons. "They represented everything good and positive about hip-hop," said Russell Simmons in a statement. "Before the media rushes to attribute this to East Coast - West Coast violence, they should examine Run-DMC's two decades of contributions and Jam Master Jay's personal character," he said. "This has nothing more to do with so-called East Coast-West Coast violence than the snipers in Washington did."

COMMENT (10/31/02): This is yet another major tragedy of the year, similar to that of Lisa Lopes, Ben Hollioake, and Linda Lovelace. Note that the "Jay" in Jam Master Jay places him solidly under the Jayne Mansfield listing. Also "Mass" from "Master" is echoed in Mama "Cass" Elliot. I predicted the gunning down of a major rap star on 2003 (Part Two). I thought it would not happen until September 2003, but it appears to have been ten months early. Two viewers provided some input and we together thought it might perhaps be Snoop Dogg, but I never really knew what the identity would be for certain. I suppose Snoop should still watch it anyway in 2003. Other celebs who died on Halloween: Harry Houdini.

US comedy actor Merlin Santana shot dead

Monday, 11 November, 2002, 08:28 GMT -- (BBC News) - Actor Merlin Santana, who recently starred with Eddie Murphy in film comedy Showtime, has been shot dead in Los Angeles. Santana, 26, was killed as he sat in the passenger seat of a parked car on Saturday, police have said. He was seen as a rising star, playing Hector in Showtime alongside Murphy and Robert De Niro. But he was best-known in the United States for playing a bumbling student in sitcom The Steve Harvey Show, which ran for six years until February. He also portrayed a rapper caught up in the violent east coast-west coast hip-hop feud for a VH1 movie. Santana was shot at about 0230 local time (1030 GMT) on Saturday, police said. A spokesperson said at least one person approached the car and shot Santana. The driver was not injured and flagged down police. Paramedics were called, but the actor was pronounced dead at the scene. No-one has been arrested and police said the motive was unclear. Born in New York, Santana got one of his first roles playing Stanley, an eight-year-old admirer of Rudy Huxtable in hit TV comedy The Cosby Show. He made his name in The Steve Harvey show, which was set in the 1970s and saw Santana star as Romeo, a student who played practical jokes on his music teacher. The role earned him several nominations for awards honouring black and Hispanic acting. He was also seen in sitcoms Getting By and Moesha, and drama Under One Roof with James Earl Jones.

COMMENT (11/11/02): It is remotely possible that Merlin Santana is the comedian I predicted would die suddenly in March 2003 on 2003 (Part One). If so, this was four months premature. The "Ann" sound occurs twice in the last name, and a last name "Ann" should technically fall under the Jayne Mansfield name sound. One other important note: Santana is an off-rhyme to Madonna (M. Santana = Mantana = Madonna?). The Victoria Beckham abduction plot in London along with the first US spree killings (the DC-sniper killings) since those committed by Andrew Cunanan in 1997, along with Versace-like murder of Jam Master Jay, and now comedian actor M. Santana, seems to be pointing in one direction both phonetically and circumstantially: Madonna.

Oscar-winning actor James Coburn dies at 74

Tuesday, November 19, 2002 -- BEVERLY HILLS, California (AP) -- Actor James Coburn, who took on the role of the tough guy in such films as "Our Man Flint" and "The Magnificent Seven" but whose anguished portrayal of an abusive father in "Affliction" finally earned him an Oscar, died Monday. He was 74. Coburn died of a heart attack at home while listening to music with his wife, said his manager, Hillard Elkins. Coburn won the Academy Award for best supporting actor for the 1998 film after overcoming a 10-year struggle with arthritis that left one hand crippled. Despite those earlier physical problems he had been upbeat and working regularly, Elkins said Monday night. Most recently, he appeared in the new film "The Man From Elysian Fields" and finished another called "American Gun." "And I have five or six scripts I've got to get out of my office because he can't shoot them now," said Elkins, his voice breaking.

Born in Laurel, Nebraska, on August 31, 1928, Coburn studied acting in Los Angeles and with Stella Adler in New York. He appeared on stage in New York and in such dramatic television series as "Studio One" and "General Electric Theatre" in the 1950s. He made his movie debut in "Ride Lonesome" in 1959 and gained the public's notice a year later when he played the knife-throwing Britt in "The Magnificent Seven." ... In 1963, Coburn was in the all-star cast -- including McQueen and James Garner -- of the World War II POW epic "The Great Escape." In 1966, Coburn cashed in on the James Bond mania -- and became a leading man -- with the humorous spy spoofs "Our Man Flint" and "In Like Flint." Such films as "The President's Analyst," which he also produced, and "Golden Girl" followed. In the 1980s he all but disappeared from the screen with the onset of arthritis. He said he "healed himself" with pills that had a sulfur base. His knuckles remained gnarled, but he said in a 1999 interview with The Associated Press that the pain was gone ...

Finally able to work again, he capped his career with an Oscar for a supporting role in "Affliction." He portrayed Glen Whitehouse, the abusive father to Nick Nolte's cop character. It was his only Oscar nomination, and it came after about 80 films. "I've been working and doing this work for, like, over half my life, and I finally got one right, I guess," he said in his acceptance speech. "Some of them you do for money, some of them you do for love," he added. "This is a love child."

COMMENT (11/21/02): James Coburn is dead. Coburn once said that actors "are boring when they're not working." I wonder what song he was listening to?

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. Additional predictions: (6/18/02): Shelly Winters.

1) Brazilian rock star Cassia Eller dead - December 30, 2001
2) 'Don't Be Cruel' songwriter Otis Blackwell dies at 70 - May 8, 2002
3) Heaven Can Wait star, Signe Hasso, dies - June 9, 2002
has been re-located to Celebrity Deaths and Mishaps Archives 3.

Singer Susan Chilcott catches fire at Royal Opera

Monday, 1 July, 2002, 12:17 GMT 13:17 UK -- (BBC News) - Soprano Susan Chilcott has escaped unharmed after her dress caught fire on stage at London's Royal Opera House. The singer was performing in Tchaikovsky's The Queen Of Spades when a candle set fire to the train of her dress. Members of the audience shouted at her but Chilcott carried on with her aria, unaware of the danger. A member of staff and a fire officer then ran on stage and put out the blaze with a water extinguisher.

The source of the blaze was a candle used by the character Hermann to burn a love letter. A Royal Opera House spokesman told BBC News Online: "All that happened was that the other singer did not blow the candle out. "There will be, as usual, an extensive investigation. "But at every performance there is a trained fire officer in the wings watching, which is why he could put out the fire immediately." Ms Chilcott plays Lisa in the acclaimed production, which has featured tenor Placido Domingo in previous performances. The tenor role, of the soldier Hermann, was being sung by Russian Vitali Tarachenko on Saturday. "We've spoken to Susan Chilcott and she said she thought the person coming on stage was an intruder. On reflection she finds it all quite amusing," said the spokesman.

The cast were said to have carried on with Saturday's show with barely a pause, although when the performance resumed with the line "we are safe now" there was laughter from the audience. The company said it has no plans to stop using the candles in the production. "We often have naked flames in production. "At the end of our production of Don Giovanni, when he goes into hell, there are extraordinary pyrotechnics. "But there are always rigorous procedures in place," added the Royal Opera House spokesman.

COMMENT (7/6/02): Wow, what a headline! This is the stuff movies are made of! Soprano lights up opera house as human torch. Opera star delivers fiery rendition as Lisa during illuminating performance. This is a show I would have found to be most "en-lightening," to say the least! In any event, Susan Chilcott appears here due to the "ill" sound in Jackie Wilson and William Holden and the "ott" from Mama Cass Elliot (above) -- a true singer's singer!

Zsa Zsa Gabor in coma after car accident

Thursday, November 28, 2002 2:56 PM EST (1956 GMT) -- LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor is in a coma at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to Sgt. Bruce Thomas of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's department. Thomas said Gabor, 85, was injured Wednesday night when the car she was riding in hit a light pole in West Hollywood. She was in the front passenger seat, he said. Thomas could not say what Gabor's condition was at the scene of the accident. "Apparently a light pole was knocked down and her injuries were sufficient that she was transported ... and remains hospitalized," Thomas said. The hospital had no patient listing for Gabor, hospital spokeswoman Leslie Porras told The Associated Press. Gerd Birkmann, a spokesman for Gabor's husband, Frederic von Anhalt, told the AP from Germany that Gabor had been taken by helicopter to a hospital, where she was on a respirator. Birkmann said von Anhalt told him that she fell into a coma after the accident. "It's the first time I have heard him cry," Birkmann said by telephone. Gabor's daughter, Francesca Hilton, refused to comment when contacted early Thursday by The Associated Press.

The glamorous, Hungarian-born actress, the middle of the celebrated Gabor sisters, is most famous for her eight marriages. Among her husbands were hotel millionaire Conrad Hilton and Oscar-winning actor George Sanders. Among her more prominent films: John Huston's Toulouse-Lautrec biopic, "Moulin Rouge," 1952; "The Story of Three Loves," 1953; "The Girl in the Kremlin," 1957; and Orson Welles' classic "Touch of Evil," 1958. In 1989, Gabor was sentenced to 72 hours in jail for slapping a Beverly Hills police officer. She also was ordered to perform 120 hours of community service at a women's shelter.

COMMENT (11/28/02): This one has me somewhat spooked. I was anticipating that a major female celebrity, a blonde, would die in a car accident this year -- either in June or November. However, I believed she would be young -- in her 30s or 40s -- which, in part, caused me to speculate that the person would either be Madonna or Pamela Anderson (see The Madonna Prophecy). In addition, I was looking at the day possibly being a 9 or a 29 -- most likely June 29 or November 29. How close November 28 has turned out to be. Even so, I never thought or considered a car crash tragedy involving an 85-year-old former sex symbol. Still, it would be a grave mistake, I think, to consider my prediction concerning Madonna or Pamela Anderson as being no longer relevant. There are two days left to November and another month, December, before 2002 is officially over.

Zsa Zsa Gabor is a giant among the sex symbol actresses of Hollywood's golden era, although her best period pre-dates the peak years of Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield. As can be seen, the "mAh mAH" sound from Mama Cass Elliot and the "Or" sound from Roy Orbison placed her in some type of danger this year. Orbison's influence favours an older celebrity -- but still not one as old as 85. Gabor's car crash is completely out of sync with a chain of tragedies involving famous female celebs ranging in age from 23 to 44. However, I should point out that the other famous Gabor sister, Eva Gabor, died on July 4, 1995 -- seven years ago. So there is a base 7 numerological case to be made concerning members of the same family facing pesonal dangers seven years or multiples of seven years apart (I have witnessed this phenomenon before in other situations).

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.

1) Star Adam Ant detained in hospital - January 16, 2002
2) Milton Berle, 'Mr. Television,' dead at 93 - March 27, 2002
3) Alien Ant Farm band injured in Spain crash - May 22, 2002
4) Advice columnist Ann Landers dead at 83 - June 22, 2002
have been re-located to Celebrity Deaths and Mishaps Archives 3.

Charlton Heston has symptoms consistent with Alzheimer's

August 9, 2002 -- LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Charlton Heston said Friday that his doctors have told him he is "suffering symptoms consistent with Alzheimer's disease." The actor and political activist said he is "neither giving up nor giving in" and will continue to work as long as he can. Heston has played leading roles in more than 60 movies, and is perhaps best known as the hero of the biblical films, "Ben-Hur" -- for which he won an Oscar for best actor -- and "The Ten Commandments." "For an actor, there is no greater loss than the loss of his audience," Heston said in his statement, which was videotaped Wednesday and played for reporters Friday. "I can part the Red Sea, but I can't part with you, which is why I won't exclude you from this stage in my life. "For now, I'm not changing anything. I'll insist on work when I can; the doctors will insist on rest when I must. "If you see a little less spring to my step, if your name fails to leap to my lips, you'll know why. And if I tell you a funny story for the second time, please laugh anyway."

Heston, 77, is a friend of former President Ronald Reagan, 91, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 1994, and his wife, Nancy. In a statement, Mrs. Reagan said she was "extremely sad to hear that he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. However, I applaud his going public with the information. "Our family knows all too well the cruelty of this disease and we pray that God will give the Heston family, especially Lydia, who will be the primary caregiver, the strength to face each day that lies ahead," she said. "We hope that the public will allow them the necessary privacy that they deserve at this time." Heston's spokesman said the actor will maintain a political speaking schedule and is in pre-production discussions on a movie. Heston is president of the National Rifle Association. His term ends next April and the spokesman said he intends to remain in that post ...

Heston, a classically trained actor, concluded his videotaped statement by quoting Prospero from William Shakespeare's "The Tempest": "We are such stuff As dreams are made on, and our little life Is rounded with a sleep."

COMMENT (8/11/02): Charlton Heston is named above in the list of celebs I thought might be affected by the "Ton" sound in "Sexton." "Ton" shows up twice, in fact: in Charlton and Heston. I really wanted to hold off posting this unfortunate turn of events for Mr Heston, especially since this page is occasionally irreverent where some celebs are concerned. However, today's potentially fatal, high-speed car crash involving actor Jason Priestley requires that I take care of this now.

US jazz legend Lionel Hampton dies

Saturday, 31 August, 2002, 23:25 GMT 00:25 UK - (BBC News) - American jazz icon Lionel Hampton, who helped break down colour barriers between musicians in a career which spanned six decades, has died in New York at the age of 94. Hampton, who pioneered the use of the vibraphone instrument and played with some the world's greatest jazz musicians in his band, died of heart failure at Mount Sinai Hospital. He had suffered two strokes in 1995 and had suffered ill health in the past few years. Fellow musicians paid tribute to Hampton, who played with jazz greats from Louis Armstrong to Charles Mingus and Dinah Washington and alsoperformed at the White House for US presidents such as Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. "Some guys become complacent and they feel like they got it made, but he never did," said Clark Terry, the trumpeter in his band. "He was always in there with a vision to win."

Jazz historian Phil Schaap said his death left a great hole in the music world. "With Hampton's death, we've drawn closer to losing part of the origins of the early jazz era," he said ... Hampton did not have a birth certificate but commonly dated his birthday as being April 20, 1908, when he is thought to have been born in Louisville, Kentucky ...

The Benny Goodman quartet broke new ground by performing on stage as a multi-racial quartet at a time when blacks and whites jammed or recorded, but rarely performed together. "He shattered the walls of racism with Benny Goodman," politician Charles Rangel, who had been friends with Hampton since the 1960s, told Reuters news agency. From the 1950s, he formed his own group and found lasting success, playing for successive Republican presidents as a long-time Republican supporter, and becoming a United Nations "ambassador of music" in 1985 ...

Stereolab singer, Mary Hansen, killed in cycling accident

Wednesday, 11 December, 2002, 17:42 GMT - (BBC News) - Stereolab vocalist Mary Hansen has died in a cycling accident in London, aged 36. The band's spokesman, Mick Houghton, said the accident happened on Monday as Hansen was cycling through central London. "We believe a vehicle, possibly a truck, backed into her, but I really don't know much more than that at the moment," he said. In a statement, the band's other members expressed their sadness at the news of her death. "The suddenness of her death has shocked the band," it said. "Mary was a special person. Our thoughts are with her family and friends who will miss her greatly."

Hansen, an Australian, had been a vocalist and guitar player with Stereolab since 1992. The band was formed in 1990 by Tim Gane and Laetitia Sadier after the pair met at a concert in Paris. Combining an inclination for melodic 60s pop with an art-rock aesthetic, Stereolab were one of the most influential alternative bands of the 90s. Fans have been posting their memories of Hansen on the band's website. One fan recalled the first time he saw Stereolab in concert. "Mary really stood out. She seemed warm and welcoming," he said. "Oh my God," says another fan. "Time to keep the good memories in mind. Her backings were great, her guitar playing tremendous, and she was so cool. Rest in peace honey." Hansen's body will be flown back to Australia, where a funeral is due to be held in her hometown of Maryborough, near Brisbane, next week.

COMMENT (12/12/02): How can someone so "well-loved" by her fans and peers not have one decent photograph of her on the web? I cropped this one from a group photo, reworked Mary's image and surroundings, and gave her a bit of colour. Mary Hansen has both the "Ann" sound from Ann Sexton and "Son" from Roy Orbison. One related note: Madonna has taken to cycling in the last month or so (perhaps to avoid being killed in a car crash). It appears that bicycles can be just as dangerous as cars. Those of you following the Madonna-Pamela Anderson prediction can appreciate my point.

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.

1) Oscar winner Eileen Heckart dead at 82 - January 1, 2002
2) Oscar-winner Julia Phillips dies - January 3, 2002
3) Vidal Sassoon Daughter Catya Sassoon Dead at 33 - January 4, 2002
4) EMF bassist, Zac Foley dies - January 6, 2002
5) Jon Lee, Feeder drummer, dies - January 9, 2002
6) Cricket star Ben Hollioake killed in car crash - March 23, 2002
7) TLC's Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes dies in wreck - April 26, 2002
have been re-located to Celebrity Deaths and Mishaps Archives 3.

Clint Eastwood's daughter and former girlfriend escape fire

December 26, 2001 -- NORTH VANCOUVER, Canada (AP) -- Clint Eastwood's 8-year-old daughter and his former girlfriend escaped a Christmas morning house fire. Francesca Eastwood, who crawled out her bedroom window onto the garage roof of the burning home and jumped into the arms of a neighbor, was not serious injured. Her mother, actress Frances Fisher, in Vancouver to film a TV series, was treated at Vancouver General Hospital for burns to her hands. Constable Christy Veenstra of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police called Eastwood on Tuesday to tell him what had happened. His reaction was "like any father would be who gets a call on Christmas Day about a fire," said Veenstra. "Shock. Very somber. Asked how they were doing. His immediate reaction was to get to his daughter." Fisher appeared in Eastwood's Oscar-winning western Unforgiven and as Rose's mother in the movie Titanic. The cause of the fire wasn't immediately known, but there was significant damage, said North Vancouver assistant fire chief
Steve Atkinson. "They're very, very fortunate to
have escaped alive," Atkinson said.

COMMENT (1/7/02): A terribly frightening mishap which could have been a double tragedy. Fortunately not. Clint Eastwood was named above, demonstrating, as with Mama Cass, how strong the Natalie Wood influence must be to have influenced events in late December of last year..

For more on this near-tragedy, see the Fire Tragedy page.

Singer Peggy Lee dead of heart attack at 81

January 22, 2002 Posted: 4:16 AM EST (0916 GMT) -- LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Peggy Lee, the singer-composer whose smoky, insinuating voice in such songs as "Is That All There Is?" and "Fever" made her a jazz and pop legend, died Monday. She was 81. Lee died from a heart attack at her Bel Air home, said her daughter, Nicki Lee Foster. Lee repeatedly battled injury and ill health, including heart trouble, in order to maintain a career that brought her a Grammy, an Oscar nomination and sold-out houses worldwide. During more than 50 years in show business, which began during a troubled childhood and endured through four broken marriages, she recorded hit songs with the Benny Goodman band, wrote songs for a Disney movie and starred on Broadway in a short-lived autobiographical show, "Peg." Her vocal flexibility and cool, breathy voice brought sultry distinction to big band showstoppers, pop ballads and soulful laments. She was considered in the same league as Billie Holiday, Mildred Bailey, Ella Fitzgerald and Bessie Smith.

Her hits touched generations of listeners. Lee's more notable recordings included "Why Don't You Do Right?," "I'm a Woman," "Lover," "Pass Me By," "Where or When," "The Way You Look Tonight," "I'm Gonna Go Fishin"' and "Big Spender." The hit "Is That All There Is?" won her a Grammy for best contemporary female vocal performance in 1969. Jazz critic Leonard Feather once remarked, "If you don't feel a thrill when Peggy Lee sings, you're dead, Jack." Whitney Balliett, longtime jazz critic for The New Yorker, wrote: "Many singers confuse shouting with emotion. Peggy Lee sends her feelings down the quiet center of her notes. ... She does not carry a tune; she elegantly follows it." And critic John Seagraves wrote: "Peggy Lee can do more for a song by a mere rolling of her eyes or with a quick, crooked smile than most pop singers can with all the vocal diction training possible and years of dramatic tutelage."

COMMENT (1/22/02): The entire bio was unimaginably long. But how eerie that I listed her only 16 days ago. Peggy Lee did a few songs I really liked, and I suppose this is as good an epitaph as any:

Is that all there is?
Is that all there is?
If that's all there is, my firiend,
then let's keep dancing,
let's break out the booze and have us a ball,
if that's all there is...

Pamela Anderson says she has hepatitis C

March 20, 2002 -- (MSNBC) - In a surprise announcement Wednesday, Pamela Anderson said she was suffering from hepatitis C, and she blames the infection on ex-husband Tommy Lee. Anderson says she contracted the disease, which can cause severe liver damage, after sharing a tattoo needle with the former Mötley Crüe drummer. "It is true I have hepatitis C and have undergone outpatient treatment at UCLA Medical Center," she says in a statement. "I contracted hepatitis C while sharing a tattoo needle with my ex-husband Tommy Lee."

In happier times, the couple famously celebrated their union in body art, including, in lieu of wedding bands, "ring" tattoos of each other's name. (After their acrimonious split in 1998, Pamela had hers changed to "Mommy.") Anderson also has a barbed wire tattoo (she starred in the film Barb Wire) on her left bicep. Anderson, the former Playboy and Baywatch pinup who currently stars on the syndicated series V.I.P., says she didn't know about Lee's infection until she was diagnosed by a doctor. "A mutual doctor confirmed this at the time. Tommy has the disease and never disclosed it to me during our marriage," she said. Anderson, 34, and Lee, 39, are still battling over custody of their two young sons. The actress, who now dates Kid Rock, says her announcement was prompted by Lee, who allegedly leaked the information. "In a pathetic attempt to discredit me [in the custody fight], he has decided to go public with this very private information." There was no immediate comment from the Lee camp.

Hepatitis C affects about 3.9 million Americans. It is spread by blood-to-blood contact, usually by sharing intravenous needles or through unprotected sex. Although much less common, hepatitis C can, as apparently is the case with Anderson, be spread through dirty piercing and tattooing tools. The disease causes swelling in the liver, which keeps the organ from performing its basic function of cleansing the blood, and can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure. Between 8,000 and 10,000 people in America die each year due to complications from hepatitis C. Doctors currently try to combat the disease by boosting the immune system--as opposed to attacking the virus -- but the treatments aren't always successful.

COMMENT (3/20/02): Pamela Anderson, still called Pamela Lee and Pamela Anderson Lee by some, although less so this year, is named in the list above. She does not appear here merely by happenstance. After Madonna, I have predicted that Pamela Anderson is the second likeliest female celebrity to meet with a fatal tragedy this year. Her run of bad luck since last year may be signaling that trouble is just around the corner, unless the hepatitis C is the thing she was in danger of. For more on Pamela's special place in base 7 prediction, read the Madonna and Pamela Anderson Prophecy.

Pamela Anderson to undergo hepatitis treatment

Wednesday, 24 July, 2002, 10:31 GMT 11:31 UK -- (BBC News) - Former Baywatch actress Pamela Anderson is to take a year out of the limelight to undergo potentially debilitating treatment for hepatitis C. The star is planning to take a powerful combination of injections to treat the virus she says she caught from sharing a tattoo needle with her ex-husband, former Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee. Hepatitis C in certain cases can be fatal because of the effect it has on the liver, sometimes leading to liver cancer or cirrhosis. Anderson compared the treatment to chemotherapy because it can cause hair loss, mood swings, depression and low blood count. "I want to do it for my kids, because I don't want to die, basically," she told the Larry King Live show. She said a recent scan had shown her liver was still relatively healthy. Earlier in the year Anderson, 35, announced she was engaged to hellraising music star Kid Rock. But she admitted that the relationship was not all smooth sailing.

"I could say right now we're in the trenches. We're just working on things... we love each other very much but it's a difficult life, a difficult life," she said. "And I want what's best for my kids. And he has a son." But she was less restrained when talking about her former husband. Lee has denied he has hepatitis C and that Anderson caught it when sharing a needle with him but she says he is in "denial". The pair, who were married twice, are locked in a fierce custody battle over their two children, Brandon, six, and Dylan, four. Anderson said that Lee was unable to look after their children and that they were not interested in being with him. "They've never had a relationship with their father since they were born," she said. The actress said her failed relationship with Lee had left her emotionally scarred. "I need to resolve a lot of issues... I think, before I can really move on and have another serious commitment," she added.

Actress Katy Jurado dies at 78

July 5, 2002 Posted: 6:10 PM EDT (2210 GMT -- MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AP) -- Katy Jurado, the Mexican actress who played a sultry wildcat in some of the top American films of the 1950s and gained an Academy Award nomination, died Friday at the age of 78. Jurado died at her home in Cuernavaca, 35 miles south of the capital, according to Francisco Corona, spokesman for the National Actors Association. She had suffered from lung and heart ailments. Most famous in the United States for her role as Gary Cooper's former mistress in 1952's "High Noon," she was nominated for a supporting-actress Oscar for her role opposite Spencer Tracy in the 1954 western "Broken Lance." She was divorced from actor Ernest Borgnine, who once called her "beautiful, but a tiger." While that phrase defined her most famous film roles, she played a variety of characters in movies such as "Under the Volcano," "The Children of Sanchez" and "Barabbas." She acted alongside some of the most famous male stars: John Wayne, Marlon Brando, Clark Gable, Burt Lancaster and Elvis Presley.

In her home country -- where she continued acting in movies until 1998 -- she was more remembered for her role in the 1957 Mexican melodrama "Nosotros Los Pobres," or "We the Poor," featuring the country's most famous male heartthrob, Pedro Infante. She won an Ariel, Mexico's highest acting award, for her role in Spanish director Luis Bunuel's 1952 film "El Bruto." "She planted the Mexican flag in the U.S. film industry, and made her country proud," said Mauricio Hernandez, an actors' association official. Born Maria Cristina Jurado Garcia on Jan. 16, 1924, in the western city of Guadalajara, she is survived by a daughter. Her remains were transferred to a funeral home in Mexico City. Burial plans were not immediately announced.

COMMENT (7/6/02): Katy Jurado: apparently, very CAT-TY, indeed. "The eyes, Miguel -- they never lie."

Actress Patty Duke hospitalized with concussion

September 7, 2002 - COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (AP) -- Actress Patty Duke was hospitalized after suffering a concussion and skull fracture early in the week when she tried to apply fly spray to a horse in her barn. Duke, 55, who lives in northern Idaho with her husband, Michael Pearce, was listed in fair condition at the Kootenai Medical Center's Intensive Care Unit. "The prognosis is excellent," Pearce said. Sheriff's deputies quoted Pearce as saying that he left the barn while Duke was about to apply the spray to a 2-year-old filly in one of the stalls, heard a thump and his wife cry out. When he got back inside the barn, Pearce told deputies he saw Duke on the floor of the stall. The horse was "excited and nervous and startled but not attacking," Pearce was quoted as saying. Duke won a best-supporting actress Oscar in 1963 for "The Miracle Worker."

COMMENT (9/8/02): One can see the "Nat" reason for the Patty Duke mishap: Natty Duke or Patalie Duke suggests that we are now closing in on the Natalie Wood influence as autumn nears.

Actress Katrin Cartlidge dies

Monday, 9 September, 2002, 09:45 GMT 10:45 UK - (BBC News) - UK actress Katrin Cartlidge, who starred in several of Mike Leigh's films and was one of the first stars of TV soap Brookside, has died. Cartlidge, 41, began her career playing Lucy Collins in Brookside, for six years from 1982. She went on to star in films including From Hell, with Johnny Depp, Oscar-winning No Man's Land and Mike Leigh's Career Girls. Her agent said she died over the weekend, but did not disclose any details of the circumstances. One report said she died of complications arising from pneumonia and septicaemia. Cartlidge was described as "one of the most fearless and passionately committed performers" to have emerged from Britain in recent years. "She worked with enormous humour and an intensity extraordinary because it was so light, positive and considerate of others," actor Simon McBurney wrote in The Guardian. She recently starred as Katerina Ivanovna in an acclaimed BBC Two adaptation of Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment. On the big screen, she was seen alongside Depp and Heather Graham in the Jack the Ripper thriller From Hell. Her role as a journalist during the Bosnian war helped No Man's Land win the best foreign film Oscar in 2002. Before that, she had become known as one of director Mike Leigh's favourite actresses, appearing in his films Naked, Career Girls and Topsy Turvy. She also starred with Emily Watson in 1996's acclaimed drama Breaking the Waves.

Ali G escapes hotel suicide bullet

Tuesday, 31 December, 2002, 12:30 GMT - UK comedian Sacha Baron Cohen narrowly escaped injury when a bullet flew through his Israeli hotel bedroom, it has emerged. Cohen, best known for his role of spoof black rapper, Ali G, was in bed when the bullet passed through the wall from the next door bedroom. Israeli police later found the bodies of two men in the adjacent room who had committed suicide. Cohen is in Israel on a private visit and has not spoken to the press about the incident.

Cohen only realised something untoward had happened when he got up on Monday in Tel Aviv's David Intercontinental hotel and noticed a hole in the wall and another in his bedroom window. He then contacted hotel security, who broke down the neighbouring bedroom door and discovered the bodies of two men. Police say the dead men were cousins. One was a soldier and they had used his rifle to shoot themselves. They had checked into the hotel on Sunday evening, paying $680 in advance.

They had written notes to their families asking for forgiveness. It is not clear why they took their own lives. Israeli press reports suggest it was because of problems with their girlfriends. Cohen told the hotel management he thought he had heard a shot during the night, but he went back to sleep.

Cohen has become one of Britain's best known comedians for his role as Ali G. Decked out in garish clothing and heavy gold jewellery, he parodies British black street culture. He also fooled politicians and other prominent public figures into taking part in what they thought were genuine interviews where he asked them bizarre and ludicrous questions. Critics have accused Cohen, a white Jew, of racism.

COMMENT (1/1/03): So, the year ends as it began -- with a "Lee" -- Ali G. According to CNN, Ali apparently heard the bullet shoot through his wall, thought he was imagining things, and went back to bed. There'll be an analysis of 2002 -- a year of surprises and close calls -- later on. New name sounds for 2003 are posted above.

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.

1) Carrie Hamilton, daughter of Carol Burnett, dies of cancer - January 21, 2002
2) Daughter of Mersey legend Gerry Marsden injured - January 29, 2002
3) Comedian Barry Took dies - March 31, 2002
4) Cardinals pitcher Darryl Kile found dead - June 22, 2002
5) Legendary actress, singer Rosemary Clooney dies - June 30, 2002
have been re-located to Celebrity Deaths and Mishaps Archives 3.

Singer Barry White undergoing dialysis, awaits kidney

Thursday, September 26, 2002 - LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- Soul singer Barry White, battling kidney failure brought on by years of high blood pressure, is undergoing dialysis and is hoping to receive a kidney transplant, his record label said Wednesday. At the request of White's family, no details about his condition were disclosed, and it was not revealed whether he was hospitalized or living at home while receiving treatment on an out-patient basis. "Doctors confirm that Barry White has a history of hypertension (high blood pressure), which has led to a decline of kidney function," according to a statement from Island Def Jam Music Group. "He has started a course of maintenance dialysis therapy. Once stabilized, he will be a candidate for a kidney transplant." A spokeswoman at the label said White had suffered kidney failure. The hefty 58-year-old performer, known for his rich bass vocals and musical love-maestro persona, has provided "the mood" for countless candlelight dinners and late-night trysts with such ballads as "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe," and "You're the First, the Last, My Everything." He won the first two Grammys of his 40-year career 2 1/2 years ago for the album "Staying Power."

Teri Garr reveals she has multiple sclerosis

Wednesday, October 9, 2002 - NEW YORK (CNN) -- Actress Teri Garr, best known for her eccentric brand of comedy in several films, revealed Tuesday she has multiple sclerosis. "I do go on with my life," Garr told CNN's "Larry King Live." "The good news now is that there's a lot of good medicines out there and options for people." The actress, who got her start as a dancer in several Elvis Presley films, said she's had symptoms for the past 19 years but it took a long time to get a firm diagnosis. "I think everybody is scared and frightened when they hear something like that, and that's because there's not a lot of information out there about it," said Garr, 52. She said she walks with a slight limp and has been fitted with a leg brace, and also takes medication to control her symptoms. Garr said she has been in denial about the MS but is not depressed. "I don't think negatively about any of the stuff," she said. Garr has had roles in this year's "Searching for Debra Winger" and last year's "Ghost World." She received an Oscar nomination for her role as Sandy in 1981's "Tootsie" with Dustin Hoffman. The actress takes injections of interferon three times a week and is a paid ambassador for MS-Lifelines, a program for people with multiple sclerosis that is partly funded by a pharmaceutical company. Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that causes symptoms ranging from numbness and poor coordination to blindness and paralysis. It affects about 2.5 million people worldwide, most of them women.

COMMENT (10/10/02): Teri Garr is named above in the list of celebs I thought might be affected by the "Arry" and "Gar" sounds in "Jerry Garcia." Unlike some of the people listed who are calculated in or who simply conform to the name sounds, Ms Garr was included because I had a sense she was and has been in some sort of undefinable trouble. Likewise, I had a feeling that Peggy Lee would die this year and Jack Lemmon last year from age-related medical problems, probably heart attacks or strokes. It is sad to see she has a condition like MS and surprising to find out for how long. Apparently even as long ago as when she appeared in Martin Scorcese's masterpiece, After Hours (1985), she had the illness. I hope she has many more productive years ahead of her and that her treatment will help keep the MS in check.

Actor Richard Harris dies

Friday, 25 October, 2002, 21:49 GMT 22:49 UK -- (BBC News) - Celebrated actor Richard Harris has died following a fight against cancer, his family have confirmed. The Irish screen veteran, 72, had been undergoing chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease, after falling ill two months ago. His death was announced by sons Damian, Jarid and Jamie who said their "beloved father" had passed away peacefully at University College Hospital, London, at 1900 BST on Friday. Harris, already a renowned actor, became known to a new generation of film fans through his role as Professor Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - the first movie based on JK Rowling's tales of the boy wizard. He had just finished work on the second Harry Potter movie, Chamber of Secrets, when he became ill this summer. Harris had expected to be discharged in time to work on the third Potter film, The Prisoner of Azkaban.

Film director Michael Winner said: "The lights have dimmed a lot with his passing. "He was my neighbour for ten years, and he was the most wonderful, warm character." Chat show host Michael Parkinson - who interviewed Harris three times - said: "He was an extraordinary man, a great storyteller, very intelligent." Hodgkin's disease - a form of cancer that affects the lymph glands - was diagnosed when Harris went into hospital with a severe chest infection in August. Only a few weeks ago his agent, Sharon Thomas, told BBC News Online he was "responding well to treatment".

Harris built his reputation on his commanding performances in films such as A Man Called Horse and This Sporting Life. He was twice nominated for Oscars for This Sporting Life and The Field and was also recently nominated for a British Independent Film award for his performance as the leader of a Liverpool crime syndicate in My Kingdom. However, he was renowned for his hellraiser lifestyle and heavy drinking. He admitted his wayward nature almost lost him the role of Harry Potter's wise old wizard headmaster. He and the rest of the cast were asked to sign up for a seven-movie deal - the number of books JK Rowling has always said she intends to write. "The thought of doing seven films was intimidating," he said at the time. "I'm rebellious by nature and felt it could be rather difficult to handle."

COMMENT (10/25/02): This is a sad day indeed. The last several years have seemed an end of an Age. Richard Harris is associated with the "Harr" sound and spelling in "Harry" (from Harry Chapin). Still fondly recall his performance of "McArthur's Park" -- although I never quite understood the lyrics. Here are lyrics we will never forget, from Richard Harris's role in the musical, Camelot:

The rain may never fall till after sundown
By eight the morning fog must disappear
In short, there's simply not a more congenial spot
For happy ever-aftering than here in Camelot ...

'Lost in Space' villain Jonathan Harris dies at 87

Monday, November 4, 2002 -- LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Jonathan Harris, the flamboyantly fussy actor who portrayed the dastardly, cowardly antagonist Dr. Zachary Smith on the 1960's sci-fi show "Lost in Space," has died. He was 87. Harris died Sunday from a blood clot in his heart while receiving therapy at an Encino-area hospital for a chronic back problem, family spokesman Kevin J. Burns said Monday. Born Jonathan Charasuchin in the Bronx to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents, Harris adopted the stage persona of a classically trained British actor with his grandiloquent accent, crisp enunciation and professorial manner. When people would ask him if he was from England, Harris would confess: "'Oh no, my dear, just affected,"' said Burns, a longtime friend and director of the 1998 documentary "Lost in Space Forever." Harris also worked with Pixar Animation Studios in recent years, supplying the voice of Manny the preying-mantis magician in "A Bug's Life" and the elderly doll repairman in "Toy Story 2." "Lost in Space," which ran on CBS from 1965 to 1968, was a sci-fi takeoff on the "Swiss Family Robinson" story in which the castaway clan was trapped amid the uncharted fathoms of space instead of on a deserted island. Harris' character, Dr. Smith, was a saboteur who caused the Robinson family's ship, Jupiter II, to fly off course -- but he also found himself trapped with them in the craft.

COMMENT (11/9/02): Jonathan Harris (above left) looks genuinely "Lost in Space" as news of his death is reported by the Associated Press. It appears "young Will" and the others will have to remain behind on their desolate space rock as Dr Smith has been called away on assignment in another part of the galaxy known as the "Twilight Zone."

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.

1) Actor Dudley Moore dies at 66 - March 27, 2002
2) Adventurer Thor Heyerdahl dead at 87 - April 18, 2002
3) Porn Star Linda Lovelace (Linda Boreman) Dies After Car Accident - April 23, 2002
have been re-located to Celebrity Deaths and Mishaps Archives 3.

Knife-Wielding Man Threatens Drew Barrymore

September 4, 2002 - (Star Magazine) - CHARLIE'S ANGELS star Drew Barrymore was shocked after cops told her a knife-waving man threatened to stab her to death! "When Drew heard that the guy said he wanted to kill her, she totally freaked," says a source. Adds an insider: "She kept asking her pals: 'How did he know where to find me?' "The sick death threats were made Aug. 13 after James Hufstetler, dressed all in black, entered the lobby of the posh Beverly Hills Hotel on Sunset Boulevard, say sources. Insiders say he calmly strolled to the front desk and said: "I'm here for Drew Barrymore." When he was told that the actress wasn't in the hotel that day, he suddenly went berserk, adds another insider. "He hauled out this huge hunting knife – the blade had to be over six inches long – and started waving it around and screaming: 'I'm here to kill Drew Barrymore and all the Jews.' He was one scary guy."

Within seconds, at least four members of hotel security swarmed the lobby next to the Polo Lounge, where Drew often meets friends, and pounced on the alleged stalker. "None of the security guys had guns, so they just launched themselves at him," says the source. "It was like a fight scene in an action movie. "Eventually, the guards managed to subdue the guy, holding him on the ground until cops arrived." Hufstetler, 45, who is homeless, was booked on two charges of assault with a deadly weapon and vandalism. He was arraigned in Beverly Hills court Aug. 15. The judge adjourned the proceedings until Sept. 19 so the man could be given a mental competency evaluation.

Drew's publicist, Jennifer Allen, says that she never heard of the hotel incident or of Drew being threatened with death. But the threats are doubly disturbing to Drew since they come just three months after her brother John, 47, was almost beaten to death during a botched robbery at his Mountain View, Calif., home. Now the star, 27, who has been living alone in a $4 million mansion in the Hollywood Hills since her split from her second husband, comedian Tom Green, is taking more precautions. "She is beefing up her security," says a source. "The hotel incident made her realize just how vulnerable she could be."

COMMENT (9/7/02): Drew Barrymore is named in the list above. There are two name sounds: "Barry" from Jerry Garcia and Harry Chapin and "Or" from Roy Orbison (she is also another "More" -- the second this year since the death of comic actor Dudley Moore).

Drew Barrymore is the second major US actress in the last seven years to be nearly attacked by a knife-wielding stalker -- the last was Madonna in May 1995. Barrymore also nearly succumbed early last year to the Fire Tragedy prediction originally projected for April 2000.

Singer Gordon Lightfoot hospitalized

September 8, 2002 - HAMILTON, Ontario (CNN) -- Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot is being treated for an undisclosed illness at an Ontario hospital. Lightfoot was flown to McMaster University Medical Centre in Hamilton about 1:30 a.m. Sunday, hospital spokesman Jeff Vallentin said. He would not disclose the singer's condition or any of the circumstances surrounding his illness, saying the family has asked that no information be released.

The 63-year-old singer canceled a Saturday night appearance in his hometown of Orillia, north of Toronto. Lightfoot was admitted Saturday evening to Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital in Orillia before being transferred to McMaster, hospital spokeswoman Sharon Burkhart said. Lightfoot hit the U.S. pop charts in 1970 with the song "If You Could Read My Mind." His 1976 ballad about the sinking of a Great Lakes cargo ship, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," reached No. 2 on the Billboard charts. He has won 17 Juno awards, the Canadian music industry's top honor.

COMMENT (9/8/02): Whatever is wrong, one can only wish this folk legend a speedy recovery. I have always been a fan of Gordon Lightfoot's music.

Argentine actress, singer Lolita Torres dies

September 16, 2002 -- BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) -- Lolita Torres, a singer and one of the top actresses of Argentina's golden era of cinema, died of complications from a lung infection. She was 72. She had been in hospital since August, after the rheumatoid fever she had suffered for a decade grew worse. She died Saturday. Hundreds of family, friends and admirers attended her funeral Sunday at the Pantheon of Actors cemetery in the outskirts of Buenos Aires. Torres, born Beatriz Mariana Torres, began singing at age 11, performing Spanish folk songs in a leading Buenos Aires theater. She went on to record hits that include "Te lo juro yo" (I swear it to you) and "Gitano Jesus" (Gypsy Jesus). But Torres was best known for her film career. Since 1944, she has acted in 17 films alongside some of Latin America's best known actors. Her acting career took her to Mexico, the former Soviet Union, Spain and Colombia before she retired in 1972. In August she was named a "special citizen" by the city of Buenos Aires. Former Argentine President Carlos Menem was one of many who paid tribute to Torres after she died, calling her "one of the greatest of all time." Torres was survived by husband Julio Cascia and five children, including Latin pop singer Diego Torres.

COMMENT (9/24/02): The potential for war with Iraq and other issues have eclipsed the concerns of this page. Anyway, not much has happened, celebrity-wise, this month. Lolita Torres appears due to the "Or" sound from Roy Orbison.

TV star Johnny Carson has emphysema

Friday, 20 September, 2002, 14:20 GMT 15:20 UK - (BBC News) - American TV star Johnny Carson is said to be "in great shape" despite having been diagnosed with the respiratory disease emphysema. A spokesman for the legendary former host of the Tonight Show, denied US tabloid reports that Carson was in a serious condition and had become a virtual recluse. Jeff Sotzing, who runs the Carson Entertainment video production company, said the comedian had just finished a game of tennis when he heard about the story in the National Enquirer. "He does have emphysema but he's dealing with it the best he can and it's not causing him any major problems," Mr Sotzing said. Mr Sotzing added that Carson had played tennis at lease twice last week. He did not give any further details of the TV star's condition.

Carson retired from NBC's entertainment programme the Tonight Show in 1992 after 30 years as one of the most popular TV personalities in the US. For many of those years, Carson smoked while the programme was on air. Emphysema is often associated with the effects of smoking. The condition's most obvious symptom is shortness of breath. It is incurable but its progression can be slowed if caught early. Carson has kept a pretty low public profile since leaving the Tonight Show. He underwent a quadruple heart bypass three years ago. In an interview with Esquire magazine earlier this year, Carson said he was content to be out of the public eye, living in Malibu with his wife Alexis.

COMMENT (2/25/02): Johnny Carson is named above in the list of celebs I thought might be affected by the "Son" sound in "Orbison." "Car" shows up also, from Bob Marley.

Anyway, one of Carson's personas, the Great Karnak, after placing his hands upon the card with the secret question, answers, "Belushi, or a place made famous for the commode." But the question is really for next year.

Popular Latin singer Thalia's sisters, actress Laura Zapata and author Ernestina Sodi, kidnapped
Wednesday, September 25, 2002 5:48 PM EDT (2148 GMT) -- MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- The family of Thalia, an internationally known Latin singer and actress, is holding talks with a gang that kidnapped her two sisters, Mexican government officials said Wednesday. Thalia Sodi, a widely popular performer in Latin America, is the wife of Tommy Mottola, the Sony music chief. Sodi's sisters are Laura Zapata, a well-known TV and stage actress, and Ernestina Sodi, an author. The women were leaving a theater in the San Rafael neighborhood of Mexico City early Sunday when they were snatched by kidnappers. It is thought that the kidnappers have contacted the family with ransom demands. Mexican authorities said they can't get involved unless a complaint is filed on the matter, but the family doesn't want to involve police, thinking that to do so could endanger the women's lives.

COMMENT (9/25/02): Lots of name sounds here. Thalia has the "Lee" sound from "Natalie" and "Selena." Laura Zapata, one of the kidnapped sisters, has the "Or" sound from "Orbison." Ernestina Sodi has the "Ina" sound from "Selena."

I was concerned that another Mexican tragedy like Selena's might happen again this year, although it is too early to say this kidnapping will turn out badly. I have also been concerned that the "abduction" and "abduction and murder" trend, thus far limited to teenage girls, and the serial slayings in Louisiana, might work together to claim a female celebrity in the US. It appears it has happened in Mexico instead.

Arrests over Victoria Beckham kidnap plot

Saturday, 2 November, 2002, 21:15 GMT -- (BBC News) - Four men and one woman have been arrested in connection with an alleged conspiracy to kidnap Victoria Beckham and seek a £5m ransom. The five were arrested in two separate raids on Saturday morning by officers from Scotland Yard's Serious and Organised Crime Command unit, known as SO7. The five are being questioned about conspiracy to kidnap and theft, following an operation based on information passed on by the News of the World newspaper. The five, who are understood to come from Romania and Albania, are currently being held in custody at unnamed police stations all over London.

Victoria Beckham - married to Manchester United and England footballer David Beckham - is one of the best known celebrities in Britain. The News of the World said a team of undercover reporters, led by their investigations editor Mazher Mahmood, had infiltrated a gang of art thieves and discovered they were also planning to kidnap Mrs Beckham. The paper said the gang hoped to hold the former Spice Girl to ransom for up to £5m.

Managing editor Stuart Kuttner told BBC News 24 his reporters had become extremely close to the gang. "Our people were invited in as fully participating members - so much so that a News of the World man was recruited by the gang as a potential getaway driver." He said the gang would have been happy to kidnap the couple's two young sons, three-year-old Brooklyn and baby Romeo, as well. "The plan was to kidnap Victoria Beckham, to take with her either or both the children if perchance they were with her... to secrete them in a safe house and to demand a ransom of £5m."

Deputy editor Andy Coulson said the plans were fairly well formed. "They knew where they were going to carry out the kidnap, they knew how, they knew when. "They planned to snatch her as she left her home, from her car, and if the children were with her at the time, the children would be snatched too." David Beckham's father Ted told Sky News: "David's first thoughts will be for Victoria but also for the safety of his two boys - especially the newborn baby. "I think that there are some pretty sick people in this world. I'm just so relieved nothing terrible has happened."

COMMENT (10/3/02): This plot -- "conspiracy" -- against Victoria Beckam in London, heightens my concern that something dreadful may still be being planned against superstar Madonna. Nostradamus writes of a conspiracy against "Modena" in Quatrain 6.73 and according to my own projections, November is a most dangerous month for such a scenario. See The Madonna Prophecy.

Jackie Wilson (d. 1967) - sounds: "Jackie," "Jack," "Wil," "Son"

Possible predictions (1/6/02): Jackie Chan, Jackie Cooper, Jackie Mason, Jackson Browne, Dr. Jack Kevorkian, Jack Nicholson, Jack Nicklaus, Jack Paar, Jack Palance, Janet Jackson, Kate Jackson, La Toya Jackson, Michael Jackson, Reggie Jackson, Samuel L. Jackson.

Pop Star Michael Jackson Floored by Hysterical Fans

June 14, 2002 02:38 PM -- EXETER, England (Reuters) - Michael Jackson was knocked to the ground by screaming fans on Friday as he sparked the kind of pop hysteria rarely seen in Britain since the Beatles' heyday in the Sixties. The U.S. pop star's admirers went wild at London's Paddington railway station. Jackson, jostled and pushed in the melee, was lucky to escape injury. "It was just horrifying. He was knocked to the ground," said spoon-bending psychic Uri Geller. The Israeli mind-reader had invited the singer on a fund-raising charity trip to the southwest English city of Exeter, where Geller is co-chairman of the local soccer club.

"I honestly thought we wouldn't make it and we would end up in hospital," Geller told Reuters Television after battling to get aboard the "Jackson Express" train. "I have been around for 35 years. I have met Elvis Presley, Elton John, John Lennon, all the Beatles. I have never seen anything like this and I hope I will never see it again. Michael was crushed," Geller said. U.S. magician David Blaine, who joined the trip to Exeter, was equally astonished by the fervor of Jackson's diehard fans, who came to Britain from around the globe to catch a glimpse of their idol. "It's amazing," Blaine said. "It is like the reaction to John Lennon and the Beatles in a 'Hard Day's Night'." At the London station, fans who had come from Norway, France, the United States, the Netherlands and Nigeria, had to fight to board the train -- despite paying 100 pounds ($148) for a "country away day" with the self-styled King of Pop.

COMMENT (6/19/02): Michael Jackson is named in the list above. Frankly I wa a bit surprised by this display of over-zealous fandom and that it reached such an historical pitch. Michael Jackson has done little to deserve such attention or publicity in many years. But, you see, it was his time to get mobbed (or something), but he escaped injury ...

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
has been re-located to Celebrity Deaths and Mishaps Archives 3.

Baseball Hall of Famer, Ted Williams, dead at 83

Friday July 05, 2002 7:28 PM -- CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. (AP) -- Ted Williams, Beantown's ever cranky but much beloved "Splendid Splinter" and baseball's last .400 hitter, died Friday. The Boston Red Sox treasure, who made good on his goal to be known as the greatest hitter of all time, was 83. The Hall of Famer was pronounced dead of cardiac arrest at 8:49 a.m. at Citrus Memorial Hospital in Inverness, spokeswoman Rebecca Martin said. He had suffered a series of strokes and congestive heart failure in recent years. With a powerful left-handed swing, Williams was destined for Cooperstown. Williams had 145 RBIs as a Red Sox rookie in 1939 and closed out his career -- fittingly -- by hitting a home run at Fenway Park in his final major league at-bat in 1960. Williams was a two-time MVP who twice won the Triple Crown. He hit .344 lifetime with 521 home runs -- despite twice interrupting his career to serve as a Marine Corps pilot in World War II and the Korean War. "Ted was like John Wayne," Hall of Famer Joe Morgan said. "He was a man's man." Williams' greatest achievement came in 1941 when he batted .406, getting six hits in a doubleheader on the final day of the season. As word of his death spread, baseball paused to remember one of its true heroes. Groundskeepers at Fenway Park shaved his No. 9 into the left-field spot where he used play. The American flag in center field was lowered to half-staff in Boston and across the major leagues. At the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., a wreath was placed around his plaque and a flower arrangement was put around his statue. "With the passing of Ted Williams, America has lost a baseball legend," said President Bush, a former baseball owner. "Whether serving the country in the armed forces or excelling on the baseball diamond, Ted Williams demonstrated unique talent and love of country."

COMMENT (7/6/02): I had a feeling someone actually with the name "William" would make an earthquake with his death. It appears Ted Williams may be the first, but perhaps not the last for 2002. The entire obituary at AP was huge -- enough to fill a quarter of this page.

Summary

UPDATE (1/10/03): So, this is how things appeared on the main Celebrity Deaths and Mishaps page as the year 2002 came to a close.

Sounds extracted from the name Natalie Wood (1981) produced the largest number of deaths and mishaps.

There was an 80% chance that a famous female actress or singer, especially a blonde, would die in a manner reminiscent of Jayne Mansfield, Anne Sexton, Natalie Wood, or Linda Sobek: in a violent car crash, car-related death, or from asphyxiation of some sort (suicide, accident, homicide, or suspicious circumstances). There was a much smaller chance -- roughly 20%, that a male celebrity would also die in a car crash, a victim of the Harry Chapin scenario.

As I feared, the car crash reigned supreme in 2002, just as I accurately predicted the plane crash would do in 2001, killing and injuring more celebrities than possibly any other year in memory. The first to die was Jason Mayele, a Serie A forward from the Democratic Republic of Congo enroute to Chievo in March. Three of the most famous car crash fatalities occurred in April and May, not far from the June vector I projected: singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes of TLC, former porn star Linda Lovelace (Linda Boreman), and cricket star Ben Hollioake. In August, actor Jason Priestley was nearly killed in a car crash. None of these were blonde or sandy haired; however, near the end of November, the other period I considered to be of greatest danger, Zsa Zsa Gabor, a once-famous blonde now in her mid-80s, was seriously injured in a car accident and placed temporarily in a coma. At this date she is still recovering. Also, in December, blonde Stereolab singer Mary Hansen died when she was struck by a truck whilst driving her bicycle in London.

As for death by asphyxiation, actress Teresa Graves, who starred in the TV comedy variety "Laugh In" in the late 1960s and appeared in a number of films and played undercover cop Christy Love in "Get Christy Love!" in the 1970s, died in October from smoke inhalation during a fire in her home. Her death came almost to the day 28 years after poet Anne Sexton committed suicide by inhaling carbon monoxide from a running car in her closed garage. Graves' name was not, however, presaged by any of the name sounds nor listed as a possible candidate.

Regarding suspicious deaths, suicides, and homicides, there were a large number of these, one definitely caused by asphyxiation. ALL were anticipated by the name sounds, although not listed as potential candidates. These included: Brazilian rock star Cassia Eller ("external intoxication"), model Catya Sassoon (suspicious), EMF bassist Zac Foley (suspicious), Feeder drummer Jon Lee (hanging) -- all in JANUARY alone! Alice In Chains singer Layne Staley was found dead in April (suicide, drug overdose). St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Darryl Kile was found dead in June (suspicious). Actress Katrin Cartlidge was found dead in September (suspicious). VERY SUSPICIOUS!!!

Run-DMC DJ, Jam Master Jay was shot to death on October 30 (homicide). It is possible that he may be the rap star I predicted would die in September 2003, only his death occurred prematurely. It is also possible that he fell victim to the Bob Marley influence, although Marley died of cancer. Comic actor Merlin Santana was shot to death a few weeks later (homicide). It is possible he is the comedian I predicted would die in March 2003, only his death occurred prematurely.

If the suspicious deaths were suicides (and they usually are), the likely cause was either drug overdose, carbon monoxide poisoning, or hanging, but there is no way to know for certain.

The Jayne Mansfield scenario was fulfilled by three female celebrities and nearly claimed the life a fourth.

The Harry Chapin scenario was fulfilled by two male sports celebrities and nearly claimed the life of a male actor.

The Natalie Wood scenario was fulfilled by one female celebrity, although the cause was smoke inhalation (similar to the Anne Sexton scenario). We have no way of knowing if Sassoon or Cartlidge might have fulfilled the Anne Sexton scenario. It is appears that the one male, Jon Lee, fell to Sexton's aggressive suicidal influence.

The Selena and Mama Cass scenarios did not play out (not that we know of anyway in the case of Mama Cass).

Unfortunately and tragically, the Linda Sobek scenario (murder by strangulation), a name sound I failed to post but did discuss on my The Madonna-Pamela Anderson Prophecy (Part Two) page, DID repeat and many times; however, none of the victims were models or celebs but, rather, were young female residents of the state of Louisiana (4) and two abducted girls. Another abducted girl remains missing.

The Madonna-Pamela Anderson Prophecy, largely fueled by speculation regarding the Jayne Mansfield and Natalie Wood scenarios, utterly failed to come to pass. There is still no question in my mind that Princess Diana was to 1997 what Marilyn Monroe was to 1962 and that Bill Clinton in 1998 and, ultimately, John F Kennedy Jr in 1999, suffered from the President John F Kennedy influence of 1963. Clinton survived after numerous close calls and an impeachment, but JFK Jr did not.

Therefore, my theory that a major female celebrity, like Jayne Mansfield in late June 1967, would die violently in June 2002 was sound. There was also no question that the most famous blondes in 2002 close to Mansfield's age were Madonna and Pamela Anderson. Britney Spear was the only other, but she was too young to be affected I felt.

Yet, what occurred instead, was that a not-so-terribly-famous female singer for the R&B group TLC, Lisa Lopes, and a once-famous (or infamous) 1970s female porn star, Deep Throat's Linda Lovelace, both died in mid-April from injuries sustained in a car crash. Lisa Lopes was no Aaliyah, let alone a good substitute for the memory of Jayne Mansfield. The one thing Lovelace had in common with Mansfield was SEX, but hers was hardcore. Zsa Zsa Gabor, an 85-year-old celebrity who was a major star a very long time ago, came close to being killed in a car wreck on November 28, one day removed from the date Natalie Wood's body was discovered drowned in 1981. A few weeks later, the reasonably obscure Mary Hansen was struck dead by a truck whilst bicycling.

Oddly, but for the best, pop icon Madonna, who appeared to fit the profile rather well, did not meet with an unhappy end. An unhappily reviewed play, Up For Grabs, and a very unhappily received film, Swept Away, did appear to spell doom for her career, however. But, like the title of the reasonably successful James Bond theme song she sings, it appears that Madonna has survived to "Die Another Day."

As for Pamela Anderson, who most resembled Jayne Mansfield, she would disclose in March that she had contracted the potentially deadly hepatitis C and would begin chemotherapy in December. Her future remains far from certain.

About 90% of all the deaths and mishaps that really mattered in 2002 belonged to celebrities with names that sounded like those listed below. The sheer number of fatal and near-fatal car crashes shocked me considerably, even if I didn't know most of those who were killed, save for Linda Lovelace. The Zsa Zsa Gabor crash I found extremely unnerving due to her great fame and the almost precise timing of the event. I was very concerned about the date November 29. As the month passed, and the date approached, I got very nervous that someone, maybe not necessarily Madonna or Pamela Anderson, but some famous female was going to die in a car crash. The shock came on November 28 with Zsa Zsa Gabor.

The year 2002 was certainly not free of controversy regarding mishap. Drew Barrymore was stalked by a man who wielded a large knife in the hotel she was staying in and screamed aloud that he was there to take her life. Latin singer Thalia's sisters, actress Laura Zapata and author Ernestina Sodi, were kidnapped and then released, one at a time, weeks later. Scotland Yard uncovered a plot to abduct former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham and hold her for ransom. Michael Jackson was mobbed and knocked to the ground. 1980s new wave legend Adam Ant went berserk, brandishing a pistol in public, and was committed to a mental hospital. And, in one of the year's truly strangest mishaps, singer Susan Chilcott caught fire at the Royal Opera, her dress nearly engulfed in raging flames, but continued singing unaware of what was going on. The dress was extinguished before any harm could come to the oblivious Ms Chilcott.

Was this system useful or, if not, potentially useful? I believe so, but it requires a great deal of study to be of any real good to anyone. After studying the names of Layne Staley and Linda Lovelace following their deaths in April, I concluded that a "Lisa" was next to be in danger of dying in a car crash. I arrived at this conclusion from the "Lace" in "Lovelace". I even posted this on my Prophetic Messenger Service Forum the night before Lisa Lopes was killed. This stunned at least a few people on the board, as well as myself, after the fatal Lopes crash was reported.

This information might have been very useful to anyone who knew Lisa Lopes. Of course, although I had the first name right, I did not know the all-so-critical last name.

Had I presented Linda Sobek for name sounds on this page, I might have listed Linda Lovelace as a potential candidate, but it is unlikely I would have actually suspected that she would die in a car crash.

In the final analysis, 2002 was indeed a year where death by car crash or suspicious deaths by accident, suicide, or murder did occur a number of times over rather than only once.

And what of the new year: 2003?

It is possible that much of what I have foreseen for 2003 has already occurred: the shooting death murder of a major rap star, the sudden death of a comedian, and the death of an actor or actors, director, and possibly crew on the set of a film (this already has happened in Russia). Then again, maybe these are only precursors.

Also, there is danger of a suicide or overdose by a has-been actress, the beating death of a cult film male actor, and an especially heinous murder of an aspiring or new actress because 2003 is on line with the infamous Black Dahlia murder, the near-fatal stabbling of actress Theresa Saldana, and the murders of actresses Rebecca Schaefer, Barbara Colby, and Dominique Dunne.

Last year, instead of the famous, the obscure and once-famous succumbed to the influences predicted. Is it possible that in 2003, rather than the aspiring, the new, the cult-famous, and the once-famous, it will be major celebrities who will be in danger instead?

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

Return to Celebrity Deaths and Mishaps: Name, Sound, and Letter Systems

Celebrity Deaths and Mishaps Archives 3