# The Celebrity Death Pool 2004 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** death-pool\ **Created:** [December 1, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359 "2003-12-01T22:29:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/161 "2003-12-17T12:06:48Z")
D’oh! Stuffed up my own link! Just [Click Here](http://www.the-becketts.net/deathpool) ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/162 "2003-12-17T21:45:25Z")
**Harlow** , no, this game has nothing to do with [CelebrityDeathPool.com](http://CelebrityDeathPool.com) – never heard of 'em. **cazzle** – Wow! Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![thumbupmybum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@thumbupmybum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thumbupmybum)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/163 "2003-12-17T23:36:51Z")
Woah! I want off the Saddam Hussein bandwagon too. Could I please replace him with… Hulk Hogan. May I be terribly wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/164 "2003-12-18T02:24:41Z")
Oh flippin’ 'eck. This is why I stay far away from math. 1. Lady Bird Johnson _writes on blackboard_ 7 **8** 9, 7 **8** 9, 7 **8** 9, 7 **8** 9… The master list proceedeth. I’m on page 2 of the thread now. I’ll work on it more tonight. **cazzle** , I want to shake your hand. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/165 "2003-12-18T02:25:26Z")
Oh flippin’ 'eck. This is why I stay far away from math. 1. Lady Bird Johnson _writes on blackboard_ 7 **8** 9, 7 **8** 9, 7 **8** 9, 7 **8** 9… **cazzle** , I want to shake your hand. And kick you simultaneously. I was almost done with my master list! ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/166 "2003-12-18T02:42:11Z")
I’ve uploaded the master Excel spreadsheet to the same site. [Click Here](http://www.the-becketts.net/deathpool/deadpool.xls) to download it. My Norton is up to date, so I don’t anticipate any virus problems with it, although you might still like to do your own scan of it before opening it. I wish I’d started this list when I first saw the thread. It would have been quicker to update it as it went along. Still, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. I hope there are no errors, but if each person double checks their own entry, then we’ll know for sure. My mind tends to wander at times… ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/167 "2003-12-18T05:52:27Z")
Cool, **cazzle**! **SpazCat** , if you’re still going to keep tabs till the of the month, I’ll take the torch from **cazzle** and post the final picks on my web site. Just drop me a line to the email addy in my profile. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/168 "2003-12-18T14:47:36Z")
I’ll keep working on my master list, but it definitely won’t be ready until the end of the month (accursed work!) It’s probably a good idea to have more than one list going in case something happens to the first one (_coughWinterofOurMissedContentcough_). ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2003, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/169 "2003-12-20T18:18:01Z")
I’ve changed my mind yet again. The final revision of my list follows (unless someone kicks off in the next two weeks, void where prohibited, check local listings for times): 1. Pope John Paul II (b. May 18, 1920) 2. Ronald Reagan (b. Feb. 6, 1911) 3. Keith Richards (b. Dec. 18, 1943) 4. Lee Iacocca (b. Oct. 15, 1924) 5. Stephen Hawking (b. Jan 8, 1942) 6. John Goodman (b. Jun. 20, 1952) 7. John Glenn (b. Jul. 18, 1921) 8. Lilian Jackson Braun (b. 1916) 9. Rodney Dangerfield (b. Nov. 22, 1921) 10. Billy Graham (b. Nov. 7, 1918) 11. Dick Van Dyke (b. Dec. 13, 1925) 12. Christopher Reeve (b. Sept. 25, 1952) 13. Jesse Helms (b. 1921) ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/170 "2003-12-22T23:00:52Z")
Nine days left to get your picks in, folks… ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/171 "2003-12-23T00:32:42Z")
1. Magic Johnson (How long has he had HIV?) 2. Bruce Edwards (Caddy for golfer Tom Watson, ALS victim) 3. Tommy Lee (on a highway to hell) 4. Eddie Murphy (No SNL deaths lately) 5. Billy Carter (Billy Beer had to take years of his life) 6. Walter Cronkite (lost David Brinkley this year) 7. Ronald Reagon 8. Pope John Paul II 9. Former First Lady Betty Ford 10. Edward Asner 11. Johnny Knoxville 12. Margaret Thatcher 13. Ringo Starr ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/172 "2003-12-23T01:39:19Z")
\*_notfrommensa_ according to [deadoraliveinfo.com](http://deadoraliveinfo.com), Billy Carter died of cancer 9/25/1988. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/173 "2003-12-23T01:41:10Z")
That should be **notfrommensa**. widdershins, not from the land of previewing coding. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/174 "2003-12-23T02:34:17Z")
I’ve updated the webpage and the spreadsheet. I didn’t add Billy Carter to the Most Popular Picks page because I assume that **notfrommensa** will probably want to pick again. I’d just like to ask **a35362** what will happen if **gobear** doesn’t nominate which two of his choices he wants dropped before 1 Jan? ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2003, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/175 "2003-12-23T02:42:10Z")
For all those wondering, the Top 20 currently looks like this: ```auto Pope John Paul II 61 Ronald Reagan 52 Michael Jackson 26 Kirk Douglas 15 Richard Pryor 15 Charleton Heston 14 Saddam Hussein 14 Walter Cronkite 14 Gerald Ford 12 Marlon Brando 12 Bob Barker 10 Keith Richards 10 Lady Bird Johnson 10 Osama bin Laden 10 Jerry Lewis 9 Rodney Dangerfield 9 Yassir Arafat 9 Dick Cheney 8 Margaret Thatcher 8 ``` ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/176 "2003-12-24T00:17:55Z")
according to [deadoraliveinfo.com](http://deadoraliveinfo.com), Billy Carter died of cancer 9/25/1988. I knew that Billy Beer would kill ya… Instead of Billy, please give me Byron Nelson-golfer. Alternates…in case they croak in the next few days… Kareem Abdul Jabbar Howard Dean Colin Powell ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/177 "2003-12-24T01:02:53Z")
Thanks **notfrommensa**. I have updated the spreadsheet and the webpage. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/178 "2003-12-24T03:13:19Z")
After considering many names, I’ve finally settled on these 13: [Joey Bishop](http://www.geocities.com/sherrylfox/joeyb.htm) – As the linked page proclaims, the comedian and Rat Pack member is _Still HERE!!_ [Olivia De Havilland](http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Theater/4554/dehavilland.html) – Actress known for playing Melanie in _Gone With the Wind_. [Art Donovan](http://www.allstaragency.com/cgi-bin/speaker2001.asp?ID=223) – Former Baltimore Colts lineman now making a living by recounting his football exploits for “adult audiences”. [Frank Drake](http://www.activemind.com/Mysterious/Topics/SETI/biography_drake.html) – Scientist who developed the Drake Equation in an attempt to predict the likelihood of extraterrestrial life. [Bob Feller](http://www.cmgww.com/baseball/feller/biography.htm) – Star pitcher for Cleveland Indians from 1930’s to 1950’s. Also a World War II veteran. [Joan Fontaine](http://www.movieactors.com/winw/w41.htm) – Actress and estranged sister of Olivia De Havilland. **Eve** , you’re hereby on notice to have your **Cafe Society** memorial posts prepared. [Uta Hagen](http://www.wic.org/bio/hagen.htm) – Thespian who’s also gained fame as a teacher of acting, both at the Herbert Berghof Studio and through her books. [Betty Hill](http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20031220/TAKEN20/TPScience/) – Claims to have been abducted by a UFO. [Alan King](http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/PersonDetail/personid-5682) – Comedian I remember from his “Final Warning” TV specials of 20 or so years ago. [Stanley Kunitz](http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/books/92884_kunitz26.shtml) – Yes, I realize I won’t score many points with this poet born in 1905 and apparently still alive. [Willie Nelson](http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Shores/5498/page5.html) – Legendary singer and guitarist. [Oral Roberts](http://www.orm.cc/bio_or.html) – God will finally call this minister and university founder home. [Chuck Yeager](http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/yea0bio-1) – Pilot who was the first human to break the sound barrier when he flew the X-1. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/179 "2003-12-24T03:28:48Z")
**a35362** Just continue with my list from last year…if you need an alternate, use Michael Jackson. Thanks, t/k & Happy Holidays 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359/180 "2003-12-24T04:57:02Z")
Slam dunk 1. Pope John Paul II A very bad year for politicians 2. Ronald Reagan 3. Gerald Ford 4. Margaret Thatcher 5. Jim Callaghan (ex-British PM) 6. Ted Heath (ex-British PM) 7. Michael Foot (ex leader of British Labour Party) Scientists immortal in name only 8. Francis Crick 9. James Watson Livin’ too large 10. George Best (N. Irish/Man. Utd. football player) 11. Richard Pryor 12. Darryl Strawberry 13. Luciano Pavarotti [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2004/216359.md?page=10)