The Telegraph’s obituaries are legendary. In addition to the usual subjects - politicians, civil servants, industrialists, economists, military people (particularly those with decorations), the clergy, filmstars, sportsmen, etc - the obituarists seem to have a peculiar penchant for obscure jazz musicians and circus performers.
They always use a euphemism when describing homosexuals who may not have been obvious: “He/she was unmarried”.
Today’s (13/8/05) subjects are:
Wing Commander Peter Cundy - aged 88: “[RAF] Pilot who specialised in attacking U-boats and was the first to drop a Hedgehog bomb from the air”;
Matthew McGory - aged 32: “Seven-foot actor who was regularly cast as a giant in Hollywood films and possessed the world’s largest feet”;
Brian Keenan - aged 50: “Innovative financier who made his name in the Eurobond market and later pioneered the use of derivatives”.
Am I the only one who collects them?
Thank you! I remember reading that years ago, and had been trying to find it online ever since, but couldn’t remember enough to search for it.
I love a good obit.
Paul you may like this one Smokey Smith, Canada’s last Victoria Cross Winner. Sounds like a hell of a guy.
I’ve been thinking that we need to have a Notable Obit’s thread. Cause sometimes the Dead Pool doesn’t satisfy.
Heh, I’m likely to expire unmarried. Let 'em speculate.
Mason’s obit could have been about an extremely drunken British editor for Agence France Presse (in Paris, natch) that I knew some years ago, right down to the tattered coat and habit of getting pissed in a smelly basement dive (near the Palais Royal). Not quite as angry, though.
Obitpage.com looks promising in the area of morbid reading.