Harold Stone, who played the father of David Birney’s character in the Bridget Loves Bernie sitcom, has died at the age of 92. Stone’s film career included appearances in The Harder They Fall, Spartacus. and The Greatest Story Ever Told.
Well I guess celebrities die in three’s as they say. Harold J Stone, Link Wray and now Pamela Duncan.
Sure she might have appeared in “Attack Of The Crab Monsters”, but she was the star of a much underappreciated film - “the Undead”.
She’s finally gone to SLEEEEEEEEEEEEP! 
Chris Whitley has checked out.
George died a short time ago.
Pat Morita died.
Wax on, wax off.
Wait! I think I had him! Could I be saved from virginity so close to the end? (runs off to check)
No longer a virgin. But that sucks 
I loved Pat Morita…
Looks like it was a unique pick for me, too… Wow.
What if we had a rule for next year saying that for someone to qualify as a celebrity their death must be reported by at least one of the following news sources? This would end any challenges when someone croaks.
CNN
BBC
MSNBC
CBS
CBC
ABC (Australia)
ABC (USA)
These are all non-local news outfits that report news from around the world. None of them run paid obits. None require subscriptions. If we had this rule in place in 2005 few, if any, of the celebs people scored with would have been disqualified.
If your person doesn’t get mentioned by any of these sources you would have to wonder.
There isn’t any way to know when making a list whether a person’s death will be reported by any of those outlets. Sure, plenty of them are likely to report it, but you can’t know for sure. Have we really had many challenges over this anyway?
I agree, but think we could shorten the list - do we really need all those American channels? I would be happy with just CNN.
And to resurrect an issue discussed previously that may be contentious given that it would invalidate one of the Captain’s picks (Ivan Noble), I think someone should not be regarded as a celebrity purely because their upcoming death is newsworthy. For example, Craig Alden, should he die, will be reported on the BBC site, but this does not make him a celebrity. Terri Schiavo would be another example.
So the argument here is really over what constitutes a celebrity? I really don’t see a problem with the way we’ve done things all along. Terry Schiavo ended up being famous, and fame and celebrity are virtually synonymous, aren’t they? I’m a little baffled that there’s any controversy.
Oh, I don’t think the rules should change at all. Half the fun is seeing who other people consider “celebrities.” (The other half is seeing the “Why don’t they die already?” celebrities.)
I agree about the dubious nature of the celebrity “status” on some people’s lists. For example, some time ago a Doper (I forget which one) chose a golfer’s caddy for one of their picks. The caddy did die that year and maybe the “Doper” chose that person due to his ailment - ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease).
If that’s the case should we check the health status of anyone remotely connected to a celebrity?
I’ll admit I picked Magic Johnson for his much-publicized health problem - but it’s not as if I were choosing Mary Lou Retton’s accountant or Russell Crowe’s orthodontist.
Then again, I have zero points this year, so maybe I’m just a sore loser.
Heck, I think I’ll write up a Top Ten List for MPSIMS concerning the advantages of a zero death pool score. Geez I hope someone on my list doesn’t die and ruin the whole thing for me.
By the way, no one has mentioned that Keith Andes has passed away.
Put me in as another who thinks the rules should stay just the way they are now, no changes. This whole game will fall apart if we try to define “celebrity” too closely.
I think that If they use questionable celebrities, they’ll have to forefit all of their prize money. That should be the only punishment.
Well, the other punishment may be the respect and admiration of your fellow dopers. While I knew of an obscure Tasmanian minister who had been diagnosed with cancer, I decided not to run with him because he would have only a limited news reach. On the other hand, Nurse Carmen would only be newsworthy in the Twin Cities metro area. But I had alterior motives that most dopers could recognize for picking her. So I guess each person has to make their rules. One of my rules this year will be that I will pick noone who’s name begins with “minister of” or “terminal patient”. All others are wide open.
I know I already have a couple on my list for next year that will make CNN only if it is a slow newsday. As was my list this year.
does anyone know if that tasmanian due kicked it?
That must have been Bruce Edwards, Tom Watson’s caddy.
I don’t follow golf and I know his name. I consider that “celebrity.”
What exactly are the rules defining ‘celebrity’?
I have someone picked for my list for 2006’s game, but he’s not internationally famous. His death will definitely make local news, and the national news, to some extent. He’s sort of famous, but not world-wide, ‘everyone knows who he is’ kind of famous.
Stan Berenstain, the writer/cartoonist most famous for the hundreds of “Berenstain Bears” books he co-wrote with wife Jan, has died at the age of 82. (linked site requires free registration)