# The Celebrity Death Pool 2008 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** death-pool\ **Created:** [December 1, 2007, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439 "2007-12-01T11:46:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 68
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1342 "2008-12-25T23:42:37Z")
[Eartha Kitt, 81](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7799852.stm) ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2008, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1343 "2008-12-26T04:53:56Z")
> [@drewbert](#): > > [Eartha Kitt, 81](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7799852.stm) ☹ Points for: **Swampbear cbawlmer Tazmanian Devil fisha** ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2008, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1344 "2008-12-26T04:56:46Z")
> [@Sternvogel](#): > > [Harold Pinter](http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1103ap_eu_britain_obit_pinter.html?source=mypi), the British dramatist who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2005, has died at the age of 78. On a personal note, I appeared in [_Applicant_ and _Dialogue For Three_](http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsP/pinter-harold.html) during a festival of one-act plays when I was in college. Points for: **Paul in Saudi vraskin Sean Factotum** (who originally had him as an alternate) ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2008, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1345 "2008-12-26T09:02:20Z")
From the article: > [@](#): > > spoke four languages and sang in seven) This I never knew. Goodnight, Eartha and thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1346 "2008-12-26T18:58:07Z")
[Robert Mulligan](http://hnn.us/roundup/entries/58818.html), who directed the film _To Kill a Mockingbird_ and won an Emmy for directing a 1959 television production of _The Moon and Sixpence_, has died at the age of 83. Robert was the older brother of the late actor Richard Mulligan, who appeared as Burt Campbell on _Soap_. ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2008, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1347 "2008-12-26T23:40:13Z")
I really and truly feel bad about the 19 points Eartha Kitt earned me. ☹ I love her. IMO, she was the best Catwoman and _Santa Baby_ is one of my all time favorite songs. Still… I have more than doubled my total point scores for the past two years. Woohoo! 😃 ETA: Revised List Fidel Castro Dick Van Dyke Imelda Marcos Willie Mays Wilford Brimley Elizabeth Taylor Ruth Wetheimer Charles Manson Yoko Ono Walter Cronkite Mickey Rooney Billy Graham Dick Clark Alternates: Muhammad Ali Bob Newhart ETA Again… Whoops… wrong place ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1348 "2008-12-27T01:29:39Z")
She was a good Catwoman, no dispute, but Julie Newmar was the definitive Catwoman, the one Lee Merriweather tried to copy ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1349 "2008-12-27T03:15:08Z")
I think it was when Newmar was Catwoman that she had B&R suspended above a pit of hungry tigers. Robin looked up at her and exclaimed “Catwoman, you are NOT a nice person!” ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1350 "2008-12-28T20:50:20Z")
[Actress Ann Savage dies.](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gxvozRyIHqwHOLLvMUi-i5zXU0kgD95BTTQ00) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1351 "2008-12-29T14:52:40Z")
Manof LaMacha writer [Dale Wassermen](http://www.radionetherlands.nl/news/international/6113018/Man-of-La-Mancha-writer-dead) dead at 94 ---
**Author:** ![Seeker\_of\_Truth\_and\_Beauty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Seeker\_of\_Truth\_and\_Beauty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seeker_of_Truth_and_Beauty)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1352 "2008-12-30T01:59:31Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Manof LaMacha writer [Dale Wassermen](http://www.radionetherlands.nl/news/international/6113018/Man-of-La-Mancha-writer-dead) dead at 94 He also wrote the stage version of _One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest._ ---
**Author:** ![Seeker\_of\_Truth\_and\_Beauty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Seeker\_of\_Truth\_and\_Beauty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seeker_of_Truth_and_Beauty)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1353 "2009-01-01T05:13:41Z")
[Bernie Hamilton](http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-hamilton1-2009jan01,0,7951858.story), best known as Capt. Dobey in _Starsky & Hutch_, has died. He was also in such notable films as [_Scream, Blacula, Scream_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070656/). ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1354 "2009-01-01T05:37:18Z")
Will 2008’s result thread be a separate thread? I really think, with the Game Room, it should be. It makes it easier to locate and navigate. ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1355 "2009-01-01T17:59:40Z")
Unless you follow the game via subscription to the thread. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1356 "2009-01-02T03:49:21Z")
I know the suspense must be killing you as you all wonder who has won. I have the results ready but will allow a little longer in case of slow-breaking news of a year-end demise. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1357 "2009-01-02T03:58:19Z")
[Donald Westlake, 75, died sometime Wednesday night.](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/02/books/02westlake.html?_r=2&hp) ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1358 "2009-01-02T19:05:53Z")
And here are the results. In December, we lost: Eartha Kitt 25-Dec 81 Harold Pinter 24-Dec 78 Van Johnson 12-Dec 95 Bettie Page 11-Dec 85 The final positions were: ```auto Name Points Number 1 Rachm Qoch 344 8 2 Captain Lance Murdoch 308 7 3 qwest 183 5 4 MadTheSwine 153 4 5 amarone 145 4 6 WVmom 124 3 7 Sublight 123 3 8 The Vorlon 104 3 9 NurseCarmen 93 3 10 Quartz 90 2 11 Squonk 78 2 12= CowPatty 77 2 12= Long Time First Time 77 2 12= VunderBob 77 2 15 Shirley Ujest 75 2 16 kunilou 66 3 17 bowler girl 63 2 18 42fish 53 1 19 Sean Factotum 52 2 20 cbawlmer 49 2 21= Boyo Jim 47 1 21= Earthman 47 1 21= gonzomax 47 1 21= malkavia 47 2 25 Monstera deliciosa 46 2 26= Loach 38 1 26= Paul in Saudi 38 2 28 vraskin 33 2 29 Fear Itself 32 1 30= 8675309 30 1 30= Anne Elk 30 1 30= Carm6773 30 1 30= Freddy the Pig 30 1 30= GIGObuster 30 1 30= Hostile Dialect 30 1 30= imthjckaz 30 1 30= IrreverentTone 30 1 30= Lsura 30 1 39 snowblindfrog 29 1 40= Grits and Hard Toast 27 1 40= Hockey Monkey 27 1 42 Tuckerfan 25 1 43= anyrose 24 2 43= SpazCat 24 2 45= Dinah Steeler 23 2 45= vivalostwages 23 2 47= Dung Beetle 21 1 47= Electrical Storm 21 1 47= Ritter 21 1 50 5 time champ 20 1 51= fisha 19 1 51= swampbear 19 1 51= Tazmanian Devil 19 1 54= Andrew 21 18 1 54= Mikeargo 18 1 56= a35362 17 1 56= Sattua 17 1 56= Shamozzle 17 1 56= Wargamer 17 1 56= Yllaria 17 1 61= An Arky 16 1 61= Baker 16 1 61= bannerrefugee 16 1 61= BJMoose 16 3 61= DeVena 16 1 61= Dolores Reborn 16 1 61= drm 16 1 61= Justin Credible 16 1 61= Nutty Bunny 16 1 61= racer72 16 1 61= Tristan 16 1 61= VenusProbe 16 1 73 twickster 15 1 74= BiblioCat 14 1 74= Caffeine.addict 14 1 74= Christopher 14 1 74= Ellef 14 1 74= Jeep's Phoenix 14 1 74= PsychoNoddy 14 1 80 Only Mostly Dead 12 1 81 appleciders 10 1 82 mobo85 9 1 83= amarinth 0 0 83= Annie-Xmas 0 0 83= Avarie537 0 0 83= BACI 0 0 83= BellRungBookShut-CandleSnu 0 0 83= BobLibDem 0 0 83= Borborygmi 0 0 83= carnivorousplant 0 0 83= Cazzle 0 0 83= Cluricaun 0 0 83= Darth Sensitive 0 0 83= Desert Nomad 0 0 83= DfrntBreign 0 0 83= Diomedes 0 0 83= drewbert 0 0 83= dwc1970 0 0 83= EddyTeddyFreddy 0 0 83= EJsGirl 0 0 83= El Perro Fumando 0 0 83= Eleanor of Aquitaine 0 0 83= Enfant Terrible 0 0 83= ErinPuff 0 0 83= Etherman 0 0 83= FarmerChick 0 0 83= Ferd Burfel 0 0 83= Fiveroptic 0 0 83= GuanoLad 0 0 83= Hal Briston 0 0 83= Happy Lendervedder 0 0 83= HeyHomie 0 0 83= Intelligently Designed 0 0 83= JohnnieEnigma 0 0 83= Juliefoolie 0 0 83= Kat 0 0 83= katie1341 0 0 83= Key Lime Guy 0 0 83= Kid_A 0 0 83= Kilvert's Pagan 0 0 83= Kuizelemartz 0 0 83= labtrash 0 0 83= ladybug 0 0 83= Little Nemo 0 0 83= Lok 0 0 83= Mahaloth 0 0 83= Mona Lott 0 0 83= Ms Macphisto 0 0 83= MsWhatsit 0 0 83= Mullinator 0 0 83= OneCentStamp 0 0 83= Paladud 0 0 83= pbbth 0 0 83= percussion 0 0 83= phungi 0 0 83= Qwisp 0 0 83= Ragiel 0 0 83= Randy Seltzer 0 0 83= Rico 0 0 83= Rilchiam 0 0 83= Rodd Hill 0 0 83= Santos L Halper 0 0 83= Secret Volcano Lair 0 0 83= Shoshana 0 0 83= Sine Nomine 0 0 83= Sir Dirx 0 0 83= Southpaw 0 0 83= Spiff 0 0 83= SpoilerVirgin/psychobunny 0 0 83= SSG Schwartz 0 0 83= Sternvogel 0 0 83= tarragon918 0 0 83= Tikki 0 0 83= Tripler 0 0 83= Wallet 0 0 83= WF Tomba 0 0 83= Wile E 0 0 83= wolf_meister 0 0 83= yellowval 0 0 83= zamboniracer 0 0 83= zoog 0 0 ``` So congratulations to **Rachm Qoch** for what I think is the fourth year in a row. Additional awards: Opening Kickoff - Rachm Qoch, for Yo-sam Choi Quantity not Quality - Rachm Qoch, for 8 deceased Inside Track With the Grim Reaper (redefined so it is given to the person with the most unique picks) - Rachm Qoch, for Yo-sam Choi and Sherrill Headrick - BJMoose, for Studs Terkel and Van Johnson Final Hours - Swampbear, cbawlmer, Tazmanian Devil and fisha, for Eartha Kitt Strangely enough, the 2006 - 2009 rules do not mention a “Robbing the Cradle” award, although it was given in 2006. If we had such an award, RQ wins for the 35-year old Yo-sam Choi. 45 out of 805 celebrities died, representing 5.6% of the total and 6.4% of the votes. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1359 "2009-01-02T19:19:55Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > 45 out of 805 celebrities died, representing 5.6% of the total and 6.4% of the votes. Anyone know the statistics for insurance policy survivors? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1360 "2009-01-02T19:36:44Z")
Man, I started off so strong, scoring with Suzanne Pleshette just 19 days into the year. And then, 347 days of nothing. ☹ But still, just by getting on the board, I finished in the upper half of the distribution. And I survived to play another year, which should count for something in a Death Pool. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439/1361 "2009-01-02T19:49:56Z")
Huh, I think this is the first year I scored a goose egg. Ah well, here’s to 2009 and many, er… deaths? That doesn’t sound right… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439.md?page=67) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2008/428439.md?page=69)