The RIP Famous Person Thread

[Boon Mee]

Precursors to the Sheena Easton method of music...

[chitown]

The Monkees - the original MTV!

[Mr Lick]

Star Wars artist Ralph McQuarrie dies aged 82

McQuarrie's conceptual designs for Stormtroopers were shown at the Star Wars: The Magic of the Myth exhibition

Ralph McQuarrie, the artist who helped George Lucas bring Stars Wars to the big screen, has died aged 82.

The conceptual designer created the look of characters including Darth Vader, Chewbacca and R2-D2 and C-3PO.

He also worked on the original Battlestar Galactica TV series and Steven Spielberg films E.T. and Cocoon, for which he won an Oscar.

A tribute on his website said: "We'll miss you Ralph. You will forever be the brightest star in our galaxy."

Born in Gary, Indiana, McQuarrie began his career as a technical illustrator for aeroplane manufacturer Boeing and designing film posters.

He also animated US TV network CBS's coverage of Nasa's Apollo space programme.

In 1975, he was hired by Lucas to design some of the characters and scenes for his "space opera" Star Wars.

As well as designing some of the sets including the desert planet Tatooine, McQuarrie also did the conceptual drawings for many characters.

His rewards included an uncredited role in the sequel The Empire Strikes Back, as General Pharl McQuarrie, and his own action figure.

In a statement, Lucas said: "His genial contribution, in the form of unequalled production paintings, propelled and inspired all of the cast and crew of the original Star Wars trilogy.

"When words could not convey my ideas, I could always point to one of Ralph's fabulous illustrations and say, 'do it like this'."

McQuarrie also designed the alien spaceships in Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T.

In 1985, he was presented with an Academy Award for Visual Effects for the film Cocoon - about the residents of an old people's home given a new lease of life by visiting aliens.

The statement on his website praised "an especially kind, sensitive, deep, modest, funny and fascinating gentleman.

[Mr Lick]

Tributes paid to Lord St John of Fawsley

Norman St John-Stevas with his then Conservative Party leader Margaret Thatcher at the state opening of Parliament in March 1979

The former Conservative cabinet minister Lord St John of Fawsley has died at the age of 82.

As Norman St John-Stevas, he served in the government of Edward Heath as minister for education and the arts and was a member of Margaret Thatcher's first cabinet as Leader of the Commons.

He was sacked by Lady Thatcher in 1981, joining the House of Lords in 1987.

Lord St John made a lasting mark on the House of Commons by creating the select committee system.

He opposed aspects of Mrs Thatcher's monetarist economic policies and left as Lady Thatcher culled "wets" who were not seen to be "one of us".

[Tom Sawyer]

Isn't (or wasn't) his name pronounced Lord SIN-JIN of Fawsley - or something of typically similar weak-chinned pretence?

[Thetyim]

^
Ahhh...... thanks for that. I remember him now

[Mr Lick]

Ozone pioneer Rowland dies at 84

He was known simply as Sherry

The death has been announced of Sherwood Rowland - the US chemistry professor who first suspected that the Earth's protective ozone layer was being depleted by man-made chemicals.

Prof Rowland published a paper on the dangers of the then-popular chlorofluorocarbons - CFCs - in 1974.

His ideas were derided at the time by other scientists and especially the chemical industry.

But 20 years later, Sherwood Rowland won a Nobel Prize for his work.

[peterpan]

Doobie Brothers drummer dies




LONG-TIME DRUMMER: Michael Hossack

Longtime Doobie Brothers drummer Michael Hossack, whose work is heard on the hits Listen To The Music and China Grove, died of cancer at age 65, his manager said.
Hossack died on Monday at his home in Dubois, Wyoming, manager Bruce Cohn said in a statement
Hossack played with the group from 1971 to 1973 and rejoined in 1987. He stopped performing with the band two years ago while struggling with his health,
"Mike has always been a part of my musical life and the life of the Doobie Brothers," said band co-founder Tom Johnston. "He was an incredible musician."
Hossack, who grew up in New Jersey, played in various drum and bugle corps as a youngster. He said the experience prepared him for playing in a two-drummer group such as the Doobie Brothers.
Cohn quoted him as saying: "'People always ask me of it's hard to play with another drummer. I tell them that after playing along with up to 12 other drummers at once in the drum corps, this is a snap!"
After leaving the Doobie Brothers in 1973, Hossack played with two other bands - Bonaroo and DFK - and was a partner at a Southern California recording studio.
Hossack served in the Navy during the Vietnam War

[Mr Lick]

Wales legend Mervyn Davies dies after losing fight against cancer




Former Wales captain Mervyn Davies has died following a battle with cancer. He was 65.

Known universally as 'Merv the Swerve' the number eight led Wales to the 1976 Five Nations Grand Slam.

He won a total of 38 caps for Wales and went on two victorious British and Irish Lions tours in 1971 and 1974.

Davies, who died on Thursday, had his rugby career cut short in 1976. He suffered a brain haemorrhage playing for Swansea in a Welsh Cup semi-final.

Davies joined London Welsh in 1968 after moving to the city as a primary school teacher, later joining Swansea. He won his first Wales cap against Scotland just six games after making his debut for the Exiles in 1969, going on to play 38 consecutive times.

He won two Grand Slams with Wales and three Triple Crowns. He went on the Lions tours to New Zealand in 1971 and to South Africa in 1974, playing in eight Tests.

Davies was handed the captaincy of Wales in 1975 and skippered the side to the Five Nations Championship in the same year, and the Grand Slam the following season.

In his 46 international appearances for Wales and the Lions he only ended on the losing side nine times.

He was widely tipped to captain the 1977 Lions squad but his glittering career was ended at just 29 by the brain haemorrhage.

Davies admitted he was lucky that there was life-saving equipment, and doctors, on hand at the Arms Park.

"If it had happened anywhere else," he said. "I would have died.

Davies with JPR Williams at his 2001 induction to the IRB Hall of Fame </SPAN>


"If I'd been playing on some obscure golf course that would have been it."

It took him months to recover from his operation and his retirement took its toll.

"From competing against New Zealand one minute to not being able to beat my one-year-old son at tiddlywinks was a hard battle to come to terms with," he said during the BBC documentary "The Mervyn Davies Story" in 2006.

At 6ft 3in, Davies sometimes appeared ungainly on the field, but that belied his strength in the maul.

He also had an uncanny sense of anticipation, allowing him to get to the breakdown first - and his height made him useful in the line-out.

In a poll of Welsh rugby fans in 2002, Davies was voted both greatest Welsh captain and greatest Welsh number eight.

In 2001 he was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame.

[TizMe]

Margaret Whitlam AO, the wife of former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and a revered Australian public figure, has died aged 92.
Tributes were flowing in today for Mrs Whitlam, who died this morning at St Vincent’s Private Hospital, where she had been getting treatment after a fall at home in Sydney last month.


Read more: Margaret Whitlam dies, aged 92

Old Gough is still going though, aged 95.

[palexxxx]

Big Jimmy Stynes, Melbourne legend.

'I loved the nature of our friendship. It wasn't demanding. It wasn't complicated. It was strong and loyal and comforting.'

23/4/1966 - 20/3/2012

[blue]

it is just me ?
after the monkies guy
I have not heard of any of the others

[palexxxx]

^that's alright, they've probably never heard of you too.

[blue]

I'd love to do something memorable
but famous ?
no thanks

[Mr Lick]

Two-time world darts champion Jocky Wilson died on Saturday night, Fife police have confirmed.

Wilson, 62, turned professional in 1979 and rose to fame after he claimed the 1982 and 1989 World Championships.

"Farewell John Thomas (Jocky) Wilson. We had some great times together will never forget you and your toothless grin!" - Bobby George


A Fife police spokesperson told the BBC: "The death is non-suspicious and due to a medical matter."

The Kirkcaldy-native had recently been suffering with the lung disorder chronic pulmonary obstructive disease.

Fife emergency services were called to his home in the town at 2100 GMT but he was deceased at the scene when an ambulance arrived.

Wilson's career saw him challenge Englishman Eric Bristow and John Lowe for the sport's major honours before his retirement in 1995.

His first victory in the World Championship came in 1982 when he beat Lowe 5-3 in the final.

Seven years later, he beat his other great rival Bristow 6-4, in a match where the "Crafty Cockney" had recovered from 5-0 down to find himself at 5-4 and 2-2 in the tenth set.

[harrybarracuda]

Ah fuck, nae more Jocky at the Oche!

[Cujo]

FAMOUS persons.
^^
Never heard of him.

[harrybarracuda]

FAMOUS persons.
^^
Never heard of him.

I've never heard of half the people in this thread, but they're famous somewhere.

Don't be such a fucking misery guts.

[Thetyim]

Never heard of him.

Jocky Wilson

[Bogon]

Jockey Wilson was immortalised on the popular TV programme "Top of the Pops"

The band Dexys Midnite Runners were playing their hit "Jackie Wilson Said" and instead of a projection of the jazz legend Jackie Wilson appearing on a giant screen behind the band, a picture of the fat hairy dart throwing Scot emerged instead.
Looks like someone mixed up Jackies and Jockys.

Have a butchers if you don't believe me...

[kmart]

^^ "Jocky Wilson Said"

RIP Jocky Wilson.

He ushered in a new era of athleticism, self-discipline and class into the world of darts.

[English Noodles]

Jocky Wilson has died at the age of 62.

The title of Scotland's oldest man now passes to 54 year old Hamish Weir of Perth.

[Bogon]

^ I will raise a bottle of Buckfast in his honour.

[Mr Lick]

Bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs dies at 88

Bluegrass legend and banjo pioneer Earl Scruggs, who helped profoundly change country music with Bill Monroe in the 1940s and later with guitarist Lester Flatt, has died. He was 88.

[Thetyim]