The RIP Famous Person Thread

[harrybarracuda]

Phillip Knightley, journalist who helped expose Kim Philby as Soviet spy, dies at 87
By Matt Schudel December 10 at 8:01 PM



Phillip Knightley, an Australian-born journalist who helped reveal that British spy Kim Philby was a double agent of the Soviet Union and who later interviewed Philby in Moscow, and who wrote compelling books about journalism and the history of spycraft, died Wednesday in London. He was 87.

His death was first reported by the London Times. The cause was cancer.

Mr. Knightley had a colorful past that included sojourns in Fiji and India before he settled in London in the 1960s as an investigative reporter with the Sunday Times. In 1968, he was instrumental in exposing Philby’s duplicity, which became Britain’s most infamous spy scandal of the 20th century.

In his book “The Master Spy,” Mr. Knightley called Philby “the most remarkable spy in the history of espionage.”

Philby, who was one of the highest-ranking officers in the British intelligence service, had secretly been a Soviet mole since the 1930s, along with several other communist-inspired upper-class students from Cambridge University.

In 1988, after 20 years of persistent letter writing, Mr. Knightley became the only Western journalist to interview Philby in Moscow, where he had lived since the 1960s. Philby missed certain creature comforts of British life, including books, tobacco pipes and London Times crossword puzzles, but he remained committed to his communist ideals and was unrepentant about the harm he had done to his country.

“I have always operated at two levels, a personal level and a political one,’’ he explained to Mr. Knightley. “When the two have come in conflict, I have had to put politics first. This conflict can be very painful. I don’t like deceiving people, especially friends, and contrary to what others think, I feel very badly about it. But then decent soldiers feel badly about the necessity of killing in wartime.”

In addition to helping unmask Philby and the Cambridge spy ring, Mr. Knightley had several other major scoops. He led a 1972 investigation that revealed the damaging effects of thalidomide, a drug intended to ease the morning sickness of expectant mothers in the 1950s and 1960s, but that caused alarming deformities in thousands of babies. Later, he showed that one of Britain’s richest families, the Vesteys, had structured their businesses to avoid paying income taxes.

As an author, Mr. Knightley published about a dozen books, including a history of Australia, a chronicle of 20th-century espionage, an autobiography and a study of the role of journalists during wartime, “The First Casualty.” (The title refers to a 1917 comment by U.S. Sen. Hiram Johnson (R-Calif.): “The first casualty when war comes is truth.”)

Mr. Knightley’s book, first published in 1975 and now considered a classic, casts a skeptical eye on war coverage since the Crimean War in the 19th century. Journalists and government propaganda machines, he argued, have both been guilty of mythmaking and deception.

“I wanted to challenge journalists to examine their own role in the promotion of war,” he wrote in the introduction to the 2004 edition of the book, “and urge them to consider the burden they bear — every time they write a story they have an unmeasurable but definite responsibility for what happens next.”

He praised journalists who broke free of their military minders while also cautioning against insensitivity and the excesses brought about by modern technology.

“The most intrusive medium in Vietnam was television, and, as the war went on, the hunger of editors for combat footage increased,” he wrote. He described one incident in which a cameraman hovered over a wounded Vietnamese soldier. The final thing the soldier saw before he died was “the zoom lens of a . . . sound camera capturing his last moments of life.”

Phillip George Knightley was born Jan. 23, 1929, in Sydney. His father was a sign painter.

Mr. Knightley began his newspaper career in 1946 and had a peripatetic youth. He sold coconut oil in Fiji, worked as a telephone linesman in New Zealand, sold vacuum cleaners door to door in Sydney and worked as a gardener in Melbourne.

But he always returned to journalism, and he first moved to London in 1954 as a correspondent for Australian newspapers. Later, he sold vending machines and set out on a round-the-world sailing voyage from London. He made it as far as Cornwall before turning back.

For a time, Mr. Knightley ran a successful Viennese-style restaurant in London that featured a yodeler. He became a wine connoisseur and, from his experience as a restaurateur, offered this advice to diners: Never order cooked oysters because they’re likely to be spoiled.

During the early 1960s, he lived in Mumbai, where he was the managing editor of a magazine — only to discover years later that it was a front for the CIA.

In 2010, Mr. Knightley put up bail money for his fellow Australian, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. His 25,000 pounds were forfeited when Assange sought sanctuary at the Ecuadoran Embassy in London.

In his 1997 autobiography, “A Hack’s Progress,” Mr. Knightley described his misadventures as a journalist, including a visit to the Punjab territory of India to interview Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, known as the “Muslim Gandhi.”

“I sat, notebook poised,” he wrote, “while he had a nap. Then he woke up, looked at me and said to his major-domo, ‘Who is this guy?,’ turned over and went back to sleep.”

Survivors include his wife of 52 years, the former Yvonne Fernandes of London; three children; and four grandchildren.

In addition to his interviews with Philby, Mr. Knightley spent so much time with spies that many people suspected he may have been one himself. He published a well-received book, “The Second Oldest Profession: Spies and Spying in the Twentieth Century,” in which he suggested that many spy agencies had been ineffectual at understanding the world’s problems.

Still, he was impressed by the skill and tactics of some of the people he met in the field. He described one meeting with a U.S. spy in “A Hack’s Progress,” saying he introduced himself as “George Knight.”

After an hour in which Mr. Knightley could elicit little information, the American politely escorted him to a taxi and told the driver, “Take Mr. Phillip George Knightley back to The Sunday Times.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...=.324fb7c444be

[hallelujah]

AA Gill.

Three weeks after revealing he had cancer in a restaurant review for the Sunday Times.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/20...w-sunday-times

[Sumbitch]

^^ nice one, Harry. Green owed.

[harrybarracuda]

^^ nice one, Harry. Green owed.

This sounded interesting, so I found a second hand copy on Amazon for eight bucks. Hopefully get here in time for my Xmas trip, as I only really get a chance to read on planes.

As an author, Mr. Knightley published about a dozen books, including a history of Australia, a chronicle of 20th-century espionage, an autobiography and a study of the role of journalists during wartime, “The First Casualty.” (The title refers to a 1917 comment by U.S. Sen. Hiram Johnson (R-Calif.): “The first casualty when war comes is truth.”)

Mr. Knightley’s book, first published in 1975 and now considered a classic, casts a skeptical eye on war coverage since the Crimean War in the 19th century. Journalists and government propaganda machines, he argued, have both been guilty of mythmaking and deception.

[Troy]

Weatherman Ian McCaskill dies, aged 78


Former BBC weather forecaster Ian McCaskill has died aged 78, his daughter has confirmed.
Kirsty McCaskill said her father had been living with dementia for the past five years and passed away on Saturday.

She described him as a "lovely man" who brought "sunshine to people's lives".
McCaskill, who retired in 1998, was recognised for his Scottish accent and known during his career for his exuberance and enthusiasm for anticyclones, warm fronts and isobars.
He became the most imitated BBC TV weather forecaster during his 20 years presenting weather for the corporation and even had his own Spitting Image puppet.

In a statement on behalf of his family, Ms McCaskill said: "Ian was a truly lovely man who loved his family unconditionally and brought lots of sunshine to people's lives with his friendly smile, kindness and sharp wit.

"He is survived by his wife Pat, whom he adored, two daughters, Vicky and Kirsty, two step-sons, Tim and Matthew, and nine grandchildren. He will be deeply missed."
Liz Howell, head of BBC weather, said McCaskill was "one of the most popular BBC weather presenters".

She added: "He served the British public and the corporation with distinction for 20 years. Our sincerest condolences go out to his family at this time."

The Met Office said he was a "much loved colleague and will be sadly missed".
BBC weather presenter Carol Kirkwood, who worked with McCaskill, said he was a "kind and very gentle man".
"He was a funny man as well and exuberant, enthusiastic in his delivery and passion and love for the weather," she said.
She said how he found his Spitting Image character "really funny" and he would laugh about it because "it was quite true to character in some ways".
Former BBC weather presenter Peter Gibbs recalled how McCaskill had arrived at work late on a cold day as his car would not start.
Gibbs said: "He actually went on air and his introduction was 'I now know what Vorsprung durch Technik means. It means your car won't start', with a real twinkle in his eye.
"Someone very high up from a well-known German car manufacturer was on the phone within minutes of him coming off air and the car was fixed very quickly.
"I don't think we'd get away with that these days."
Image caption BBC weather forecaster Ian McCaskill Former BBC weather forecaster Liam Dutton paid tribute to him on Twitter, saying: "Sad news about Ian McCaskill - a BBC weatherman I grew up watching. He was a lovely guy with a good sense of humour."
Weather presenter Paul Hudson, who co-wrote the book Frozen In Time with McCaskill, wrote: "Really sorry to hear Ian McCaskill has passed away. We had great fun writing our book Frozen In Time. A warm, funny, generous and kind man."
Impressionist and comedian Rory Bremner said he was a "lovely man" who was "pretty much part of the cast of our C4 show". He added: "So many Geoff Atkinson sketches."
McCaskill was born in Glasgow and educated at Queen's Park School, Glasgow and Glasgow University, where he studied science.
National Service took him into the RAF and in 1959, he joined the Meteorological Corps as an airman meteorologist.
He left the RAF in 1961 to join the Met Office and was posted to Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Malta as well as the Manchester Weather Centre.
He transferred to the London Weather Centre in 1978 and became a member of the BBC's forecasting team.


Another ones of life's anchors passes by. Always thought he was a "Good Egg".

Good and enjoyable Innings R.I.P.

[kmart]

^Aw,.. Used like Ian McCaskill doing the weather. Eccentric personality. RIP.

[charleyboy]

Walter Swinburn died today aged 55, rode Shergar to win the Derby by 10 lengths aged only 19.



http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/horse-...inburn-9445302

[UrbanMan]

Former BBC weather forecaster Ian McCaskill has died aged 78, his daughter has confirmed. Kirsty McCaskill said her father had been living with dementia for the past five years and passed away on Saturday.

She described him as a "lovely man" who brought "sunshine to people's lives".

Did he enjoy bad puns as much as his daughter does?

[snakeeyes]

^Aw,.. Used like Ian McCaskill doing the weather. Eccentric personality. RIP.

[snakeeyes]

Walter Swinburn wins derby on shergar , great jockey and fantastic horse

[harrybarracuda]

Alan Thicke, TV Dad Of “Growing Pains,” Dies At 69
Thicke was taken to a hospital Tuesday after suffering a heart attack.

Originally posted on Dec. 14, 2016, at 5:09 a.m.
Updated on Dec. 14, 2016, at 6:08 a.m.



Actor Alan Thicke, the dad of TV’s Growing Pains, died Tuesday of a heart attack in Los Angeles. He was 69.
Thicke collapsed while playing hockey and was taken to a hospital, where he later died, TMZ first reported. His death was later confirmed by the publicist for Thicke’s son, singer Robin Thicke.
The actor was the quintessential sitcom dad in the ’80s series, where he played Dr. Jason Seaver for 167 episodes. He often appeared in other dad-like roles after Growing Pains ended in 1992, most recently showing up in Fuller House, the Netflix reboot of Full House.
The Ontario native is survived by his wife Tanya Callau and three sons: Brennan Thicke, Carter Thicke, and Robin Thicke. Starting in 2014, he starred with his wife and youngest son in Unusually Thicke, a Canadian reality show/sitcom hybrid.

Thicke began his career in entertainment as a writer, then became a TV host and actor. He was also a composer of TV theme songs, including those of The Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes.
He wrote two books on parenting and often offer his perspective on fatherhood, based his Growing Pains character, his own family, and humor.
His death was mourned by fellow TV actors and celebrities who worked with him in various capacities over the years.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/claudiakoer...nn2#.crQpjEyyG

[harrybarracuda]

[CENTER]Walter Swinburn wins derby on shergar , great jockey and fantastic horse

https://teakdoor.com/the-sports-room/...-thread-4.html

[UrbanMan]

Seems he was a breast man.

[Digby Fantona]

Walter Swinburn died today aged 55, rode Shergar to win the Derby by 10 lengths aged only 19.

Shergar was only 3 when he won the Derby. Sonny Somers was 18 when he won a race and was the oldest horse to win a race.

The Teen Army - The horse comes first

[SKkin]

The Ontario native is survived by his wife Tanya Callau and three sons: Brennan Thicke, Carter Thicke, and Robin Thicke.

I wasn't aware that this was his son...until now.

[UrbanMan]

^ Safe to say he died not being proud of that particular pic.

[SKkin]

Safe to say he died not being proud of that particular pic.

Probably made Miley's dad wish he was dead...

[snakeeyes]

[CENTER]Walter Swinburn wins derby on shergar , great jockey and fantastic horse

https://teakdoor.com/the-sports-room/...-thread-4.html

My Lord in my defence I was just replying to the post which is 3 posts above my original post and if this offended you I ask you for your forgiveness as it is nearly Christmas , btw are you the New Sheriff of this thread , just saying ,

[BaitongBoy]

^ How's the baht doin'?...

[Sumbitch]

^ very good against the USD today:

1 Thai Baht equals
0.028 US Dollar

[harrybarracuda]

[CENTER]Walter Swinburn wins derby on shergar , great jockey and fantastic horse

https://teakdoor.com/the-sports-room/...-thread-4.html

My Lord in my defence I was just replying to the post which is 3 posts above my original post and if this offended you I ask you for your forgiveness as it is nearly Christmas , btw are you the New Sheriff of this thread , just saying ,

Blame Cujo. He kept whinging about people he doesn't know being posted in this thread, and so I opened a Sporting Heroes thread which you may not have known about.

Terrible about Walter, that's no age at all.

[harrybarracuda]

Bernard Fox, ‘Bewitched’ and ‘Titanic’ Actor Dies at 89
The veteran actor from Wales is best known as Dr. Bombay on “Bewitched,” and the naive, bumbling Colonel Crittendon on “Hogan’s Heroes”
Debbie Emery | December 14, 2016 @ 5:24 PM



Welsh character actor Bernard Fox died of heart failure at the Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys, California, on Wednesday. He was 89.

Fox was best known for playing Dr. Bombay on the cult 1960s comedy “Bewitched,” and as the naive, bumbling Colonel Crittendon on “Hogan’s Heroes” along side Bob Crane.

He also appeared in the 1997 disaster epic “Titantic” as Col. Archibald Gracie, and as Captain Winston Havlock in “The Mummy.”

Born in Port Talbot, Glamorgan, Wales, to stage-actor parents, Fox was a fifth-generation performer. His uncle was Wilfred Lawson, who starred in George Bernard Shaw’s “Pygmalion.”

Fox began in the theater at age 14, and after a break from the stage to serve in the Royal Navy during World War II, earned more than 100 TV and film credits from 1956 to 2004.

Other notable TV roles included “The Andy Griffith Show,” “I Dream of Jeannie,” “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “M*A*S*H,” “Colombo,” “Sherlock & Me,” “Dharma and Greg” and “Pee-wee’s Playhouse.”

Fox is survived by his daughter Amanda and his wife Jacqueline.

Bernard Fox, 'Bewitched' and 'Titanic' Actor Dies at 89

[harrybarracuda]

Vietnam veteran and Nobel Peace nominee who helped end horrific My Lai massacre dies of cancer aged 67

• Lawrence Manley Colburn was a helicopter gunner in the Vietnam War
• He and Hugh Thompson saw the Mai Lai massacre from the air
• They landed and persuaded the soldiers of the Charlie Company to stop shooting unarmed civilians
• Thompson and Colburn were nominated for the Nobel Peace prize in 2001 for their heroic actions and received the Soldier's Medal
• Initially, the pair, along with a third soldier, crew chief Glenn Andreotta, were considered traitors for reporting the massacre and testifying against those involved

Lawrence Manley Colburn, a helicopter gunner in the Vietnam War who helped end the slaughter of hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese villagers by US troops at My Lai, has died. He was 67.
Lisa Colburn, speaking with The Associated Press on Thursday evening, said her husband of 31 years was diagnosed with cancer in late September and died Tuesday. He passed away at home in Canton, Georgia, according to his obituary.
He is survived by his son, Connor, and three sisters.
'It was very quick,' she said by phone from her home near Atlanta. 'He was a very peaceful man who had a great desire for there to be a peaceful world.'


She also called him 'a compassionate person who was a hero in many people's eyes'.
Colburn was the last surviving member of a US Army crew that ended the My Lai massacre of March 16, 1968.
According to accounts, pilot Hugh Thompson landed the helicopter between unarmed villagers and American troops and ordered Colburn and crew chief Glenn Andreotta to cover him.

Thompson then persuaded members of Charlie Company to stop shooting. The company's soldiers had begun shooting that day even though they hadn't come under attack, authorities later said.
According to accounts, the shooting quickly escalated into an orgy of killing that claimed as many as 504 civilians - most of whom were women, children and the elderly.
The Charlie Company had suffered 40 casualties in three months due to landmines and booby traps and had recently lost a popular sergeant.
Anger and fear permeated the group when they landed in the hamlets and began systematically wiping out the unarmed locals, including women and children.

When the slaughter became public knowledge in 1969 it prompted global outrage and helped turn the tide of public opinion against the war.
In an initial Facebook post, Lisa Colburn confirmed the death of her husband and wrote: 'As most of you know, Larry has been very ill for a while but his suffering ended today, 12/13/16/.' She added: 'Your friendship meant a lot to him.'

She added that she and their son, Connor, 'appreciate your love and support during this difficult time.'
Trent Angers, the biographer for Thompson, who wrote 'The Forgotten Hero of My Lai: The Hugh Thompson Story,' said Colburn played an indispensable role in stopping the massacre at My Lai.

'He stood up, shoulder to shoulder with Hugh and Glenn, to oppose and stand down against those who were committing crimes against humanity. Without his assistance, Hugh might not have done what he did,' Angers said.
Colburn and Thompson were nominated for the Nobel Peace prize in 2001 for their actions and received the Soldier's Medal, the highest US military award for bravery not involving conflict with the enemy.

Initially, the three were shunned and considered traitors for reporting the massacre.
Thompson, who lived in Lafayette, Louisiana, died in 2006. Andreotta was killed in the Vietnam War three weeks after My Lai.
A memorial service for Colburn is planned Saturday, January 7, at the Darby Funeral Home in Canton, Georgia, the funeral home said on its website.

Vietnam vet Lawrence Colburn who helped end horrific My Lai massacre dies at 67 | Daily Mail Online

[harrybarracuda]

Michael Nicholson, veteran TV war correspondent dies aged 79



Veteran war correspondent Michael Nicholson, who reported on armed conflicts in a career spanning more than 50 years, has died.

The 79-year-old former ITN presenter died on 11 December while on a cruise with his wife Diana, ITV news announced.

He covered conflicts including the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus and the Gulf War after joining the network in 1964. The newsman was also known for smuggling a nine-year-old orphan out of war-torn Sarajevo and bringing her back to the UK where he adopted her.

Former News At Ten anchor Sir Trevor McDonald said: “Michael Nicholson was almost without doubt the finest television journalist of his generation.”

ITV news presenter Alastair Stewart said he was “deeply saddened” and the BBC’s Nick Robinson remembered him as a “giant of TV news”.

ITN chief executive John Hardie tweeted: “We mourn the passing of ITN legend Michael Nicholson. From Saigon to Sarajevo he devoted his life to shining a light on the darkest stories.”

Nicholson came across orphaned Natasha Mihaljcic while he reported on children being trapped by shelling in the besieged Bosnian capital in 1992. He wrote a book about the events and it inspired the 1997 film Welcome To Sarajevo, which was directed by Michael Winterbottom.

In a statement to ITV news, his family said: “He was a highly accomplished correspondent, much admired by his peers across the world. His passing has devastated us all but he will be forever remembered through his enormous love for life and substantial professional legacy.”


https://www.theguardian.com/media/20...t-dies-aged-79

[Maanaam]

Vietnam veteran and Nobel Peace nominee who helped end horrific My Lai massacre dies of cancer aged 67

• Lawrence Manley Colburn was a helicopter gunner in the Vietnam War
• He and Hugh Thompson saw the Mai Lai massacre from the air
• They landed and persuaded the soldiers of the Charlie Company to stop shooting unarmed civilians
• Thompson and Colburn were nominated for the Nobel Peace prize in 2001 for their heroic actions and received the Soldier's Medal
• Initially, the pair, along with a third soldier, crew chief Glenn Andreotta, were considered traitors for reporting the massacre and testifying against those involved

Lawrence Manley Colburn, a helicopter gunner in the Vietnam War who helped end the slaughter of hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese villagers by US troops at My Lai, has died. He was 67.
Lisa Colburn, speaking with The Associated Press on Thursday evening, said her husband of 31 years was diagnosed with cancer in late September and died Tuesday. He passed away at home in Canton, Georgia, according to his obituary.
He is survived by his son, Connor, and three sisters.
'It was very quick,' she said by phone from her home near Atlanta. 'He was a very peaceful man who had a great desire for there to be a peaceful world.'


She also called him 'a compassionate person who was a hero in many people's eyes'.
Colburn was the last surviving member of a US Army crew that ended the My Lai massacre of March 16, 1968.
According to accounts, pilot Hugh Thompson landed the helicopter between unarmed villagers and American troops and ordered Colburn and crew chief Glenn Andreotta to cover him.

Thompson then persuaded members of Charlie Company to stop shooting. The company's soldiers had begun shooting that day even though they hadn't come under attack, authorities later said.
According to accounts, the shooting quickly escalated into an orgy of killing that claimed as many as 504 civilians - most of whom were women, children and the elderly.
The Charlie Company had suffered 40 casualties in three months due to landmines and booby traps and had recently lost a popular sergeant.
Anger and fear permeated the group when they landed in the hamlets and began systematically wiping out the unarmed locals, including women and children.

When the slaughter became public knowledge in 1969 it prompted global outrage and helped turn the tide of public opinion against the war.
In an initial Facebook post, Lisa Colburn confirmed the death of her husband and wrote: 'As most of you know, Larry has been very ill for a while but his suffering ended today, 12/13/16/.' She added: 'Your friendship meant a lot to him.'

She added that she and their son, Connor, 'appreciate your love and support during this difficult time.'
Trent Angers, the biographer for Thompson, who wrote 'The Forgotten Hero of My Lai: The Hugh Thompson Story,' said Colburn played an indispensable role in stopping the massacre at My Lai.

'He stood up, shoulder to shoulder with Hugh and Glenn, to oppose and stand down against those who were committing crimes against humanity. Without his assistance, Hugh might not have done what he did,' Angers said.
Colburn and Thompson were nominated for the Nobel Peace prize in 2001 for their actions and received the Soldier's Medal, the highest US military award for bravery not involving conflict with the enemy.

Initially, the three were shunned and considered traitors for reporting the massacre.
Thompson, who lived in Lafayette, Louisiana, died in 2006. Andreotta was killed in the Vietnam War three weeks after My Lai.
A memorial service for Colburn is planned Saturday, January 7, at the Darby Funeral Home in Canton, Georgia, the funeral home said on its website.

Vietnam vet Lawrence Colburn who helped end horrific My Lai massacre dies at 67 | Daily Mail Online

FFS. This guy's death eclipses any actor, singer, or 3rd rate politician's.
RIP, Mr Hero.