# The Celebrity Death Pool 2009 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** death-pool\ **Created:** [December 1, 2008, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262 "2008-12-01T23:40:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 43
**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:** [April 20, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/841 "2009-04-20T19:19:03Z")
> [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](#): > > Stephen Hawking hospitalized, [reported very ill](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090420/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_hawking_5). GAH! I hoped to scoop that Immortal Numero Uno could be circling the drain…but NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO… And I don’t have Hawkins anyways. I gave up years ago that he would ever die. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2009, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/842 "2009-04-20T22:13:38Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > Anyone got Steven Hawking? 13 people (and it’s Stephen). ---
**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:** [April 21, 2009, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/843 "2009-04-21T00:30:56Z")
Australian cardboard mogul with a double bummer of a name, [Dick Pratt](http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/804074/tributes-flow-for-gravely-ill-pratt), is gravely ill and not expected to live. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/844 "2009-04-21T03:48:09Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > Anyone got Steven Hawking? I do, too. Damn. I don’t want those points. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/845 "2009-04-21T03:55:10Z")
I had Hawking last year but this year? Noooo, I had to go and change my list strategy. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/846 "2009-04-21T05:18:36Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Apparently [Jody McCrea](http://www.jodymccrea.com/) has died. He’s probably best known for playing “the goofy guy” in the 1960s beach movies, alternatively called “Bonehead,” Deadhead," and “Big Lunk.” Have not been able to find an official obit, though. > **[Jody McCrea dies at 74; actor was featured in 1960s 'Beach Party' movies](https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-jody-mccrea17-2009apr17-story.html)** > > He was the son of actors Joel McCrea and Frances Dee. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/847 "2009-04-21T08:35:18Z")
[J.G. Ballard](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8007331.stm) the author best known for \*Empire of the Sun \*and _Crash_ (the one fimed by David Cronenberg) has died at 78. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/848 "2009-04-21T11:44:34Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > [J.G. Ballard](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8007331.stm) the author best known for \*Empire of the Sun \*and _Crash_ (the one fimed by David Cronenberg) has died at 78. _[Pssst](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11054068&postcount=837)!_ ---
**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:** [April 21, 2009, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/849 "2009-04-21T13:24:01Z")
> [@Cazzle](#): > > Australian cardboard mogul with a double bummer of a name, [Dick Pratt](http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/804074/tributes-flow-for-gravely-ill-pratt), is gravely ill and not expected to live. Peter O’Toole has a double phallic name, just in case you were needing a Double Phallic Name to throw out there. Dick Pratt…heh. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/850 "2009-04-21T13:54:31Z")
Oh for Christ’s sake- I heard about Hawking yesterday, thought “Woo Hoo! Losing my cherry!” But then I think he was my end-of-the-year alternate… :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/851 "2009-04-21T14:08:57Z")
[Felix “Doc” Blanchard](http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-doc-blanchard20-2009apr20,0,3054987.story), who had been the oldest living Heisman Trophy winner, has died at the age of 84. Blanchard, a running back known as Army’s “Mr. Inside”, teamed with Glenn “Mr. Outside” Davis to help the U.S. Military Academy win national titles in 1944 and '45. Blanchard won the Heisman, emblematic of college football’s best player, in the latter season. [James D. Houston](http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-james-houston18-2009apr18,0,2803256.story), who collaborated with his wife Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston on the book _Farewell to Manzanar_, passed away at the age of 75. The account of Jeanne’s experiences as a World War Ii-era resident of an internment camp for U.S. residents of Japanese ancestry became both a made-for-TV movie and a staple of school reading lists. In another work, _Snow Mountain Passage_, Houston tackled the Donner Party expedition of 1846-47 that became notorious for cannibalism. He was inspired to do so after learning that Patty Reed, one of the participants in that journey of emigrants from Illinois to California, had died in the house in which the Houstons were then living. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2009, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/852 "2009-04-22T14:15:59Z")
[James Maddox](http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-john-maddox22-2009apr22,0,5786799.story), editor of the journal Nature has died. He played a major role in the refutation of many types of pseudo-science. ---
**Author:** ![MarkF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@MarkF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarkF)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/853 "2009-04-25T09:48:06Z")
[Ken Annakin, Director](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/ken-annakin-film-director-whose-50-films-included-the-longest-day-and-the-battle-of-the-bulge-1674023.html), [Jack Cardiff, Cinematographer](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/jack-cardiff-oscarwinning-cinematographer-celebrated-for-his-work-with-powell-and-pressburger-1673383.html), [Snooks Eaglin,](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/snooks-eaglin-new-orleans-guitarist-and-singer-known-as-the-human-jukebox-1672586.html) & [Willie King](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obits-in-brief-willie-king-1672080.html), Dodgy week for Cinema and Blues… ---
**Author:** ![Andrew\_21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@Andrew\_21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andrew_21)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/854 "2009-04-25T19:53:46Z")
[Bea Arthur](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090425/ap_on_en_tv/us_obit_arthur;_ylt=AvSM72ObYK4Dtw4Gtd1ylNys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTJndmtzam43BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwNDI1L3VzX29iaXRfYXJ0aHVyBGNwb3MDOQRwb3MDMTYEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDZ29sZGVuZ2lybHNz) has died. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/855 "2009-04-25T20:15:35Z")
> [@Andrew\_21](#): > > [Bea Arthur](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090425/ap_on_en_tv/us_obit_arthur;_ylt=AvSM72ObYK4Dtw4Gtd1ylNys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTJndmtzam43BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwNDI1L3VzX29iaXRfYXJ0aHVyBGNwb3MDOQRwb3MDMTYEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDZ29sZGVuZ2lybHNz) has died. ☹ ☹ ☹ ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/856 "2009-04-25T20:48:02Z")
> [@Andrew\_21](#): > > [Bea Arthur](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090425/ap_on_en_tv/us_obit_arthur;_ylt=AvSM72ObYK4Dtw4Gtd1ylNys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTJndmtzam43BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwNDI1L3VzX29iaXRfYXJ0aHVyBGNwb3MDOQRwb3MDMTYEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDZ29sZGVuZ2lybHNz) has died. Surprisingly, nobody had her. ---
**Author:** ![critter42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@critter42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/critter42)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2009, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/857 "2009-04-25T21:46:50Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > Surprisingly, nobody had her. I don’t know about anyone else, but I guess since she played “older women” MY ENTIRE LIFE, her actual age never really registered with me for some reason, which is at least partially why I never thought about her when composing my list… 86 - wow. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveroptic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiveroptic/32/8257_2.png) [@Fiveroptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveroptic)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/858 "2009-04-26T00:39:00Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > Surprisingly, nobody had her. I did. Last year. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/859 "2009-04-26T02:04:07Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > Surprisingly, nobody had her. That is surprising. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262/860 "2009-04-26T02:48:26Z")
> [@Fiveroptic](#): > > I did. > > Last year. You and three others. And four people had her the year before. But nobody did this year. Maybe just 14 points is not worth trying for. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262.md?page=42) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2009/475262.md?page=44)