The RIP Famous Person Thread

[misskit]

Iconic 80s Rocker Dead at 71 After Cancer Battle

Scorpions bassist Francis Buchholz has died at the age of 71 after a private battle with cancer, his family said. Also known for his work with Michael Schenker’s Temple of Rock, the German passed away on Thursday, with his wife Hella announcing his death on Friday on social media. His first release with Scorpion, “Fly to the Rainbow,” came in 1974, and he worked on all of their output until he stepped away from the band in 1992, TMZ reports. “It is with overwhelming sadness and heavy hearts we share the news that our beloved Francis passed away yesterday after a private battle with cancer,” the statement said. “He departed this world peacefully, surrounded by love.” It added, “Our hearts are shattered. Throughout his fight with cancer, we stayed by his side, facing every challenge as a family—exactly the way he taught us.” They thanked fans for their “unwavering loyalty and love” throughout his journey. “You gave him the world, and he gave you his music in return,” they continued. “Though the strings have gone silent, his soul remains in every note he played and in every life he touched.”

Iconic 80s Rocker Dead at 71 After Cancer Battle

[misskit]

(Disclaimer. I’ve always hated the Scorpions.)

[NamPikToot]

RIP Sly Dunbar, some cracking beats laid down with him and Robbie Shakespear

[misskit]

Schitt's Creek star Catherine O'Hara dead at 71

Emmy-winning actress Catherine O'Hara, who starred in Schitt's Creek and Home Alone, has died at the age of 71, her management agency said Friday (Jan 30).


The Canadian-born performer also starred in Beetlejuice and recently Apple TV's Hollywood satire show The Studio.


A person who answered the phone at her manager Marc Gurvitz's office confirmed the actress's death to AFP, but did not give any further details.


O'Hara was born in Toronto in 1954, where she joined the legendary comedy theatre Second City, alongside Eugene Levy, with whom she would collaborate throughout her career, including on the smash TV series Schitt's Creek.


Her break into movies came in 1980 with Double Negative - also alongside Levy, and John Candy.


In 1988, she played Winona Ryder's stepmother in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice. She would later marry the film's production designer Bo Welch. The couple had two sons, Matthew and Luke.

But it was in 1990 that she became widely known to a global audience, as the mother of Macaulay Culkin's Kevin in Home Alone.


"It's a perfect movie, isn't it?" she told People in 2024.


"You want to be part of something good, and that's how you go," she said.


She would reprise the role in the film's sequel - Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, which featured a cameo from Donald Trump, decades before he would become US president.


In 1993 she collaborated again with Burton on The Nightmare before Christmas.

But she is perhaps best known by modern audiences for her role in Schitt's Creek, created by Eugene Levy's son, Dan Levy.


"I used to mostly get people named Kevin who'd come up to me and ask me to yell 'Kevin!' in their faces," O'Hara told People, in reference to her famous line in Home Alone.


"Now it's mostly about (her character) Moira and Schitt's Creek. I've never gotten this kind of attention in my life. It's crazy."


The role brought her an Emmy for best lead actress in 2020. She was also awarded a Golden Globe and a SAG Award.


As news of her death percolated through Hollywood on Friday, fellow performers were quick to react.


"Mama. I thought we had time," Culkin wrote on Instagram, alongside a picture of the pair of them in "Home Alone."


"I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you but I had so much more to say. I love you."

Schitt's Creek star Catherine O'Hara dead at 71 - CNA

[harrybarracuda]

Singer LaMonte McLemore, a founding member of vocal group The 5th Dimension, whose smooth pop and soul sounds with a touch of psychedelia brought them big hits in the 1960s and ´70s, has died. He was 90.
McLemore died Tuesday at his home in Las Vegas surrounded by family, his representative Jeremy Westby said in a statement. He died of natural causes after having a stroke.
The 5th Dimension had broad crossover success and won six Grammy Awards including record of the year twice, for 1967´s "Up, Up and Away" and 1969´s "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In." Both were also top 10 pop hits, with the latter, a mashup of songs from the musical "Hair," spending six weeks at No. 1.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-15529355/LaMonte-McLemore-singer-founding-member-5th-Dimension-dies-90.html

[misskit]

‘Harold and Maude’ Star Dies at 77

Bud Cort, the star of cult favorite Harold and Maude, died at 77 in Connecticut after a prolonged illness. His friend, television producer Dorian Hannaway, reported his death. Cort was first discovered by director Robert Altman in 1970, who cast the young actor in a small role in M*A*S*H before giving him the leading role in the film Brewster McCloud. Cort achieved acclaim through his titular role in Harold and Maude, earning him BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations. In the 1971 black comedy, Cort played a 20-year-old preoccupied with death whose whole world changes when he falls in love with the 79-year-old Maude, played by Ruth Gordon. The film was not initially a box office success, but it became a cult favorite over time. Cort was born Walter Edward Cox, but went by the stage name Bud to avoid confusion with comedy actor Wally Cox. In his career, Cort starred in numerous films, including She Dances Alone, Electric Dreams, and Dogma, and voiced roles in DC’s Superman: The Animated Series and The Little Prince.

‘Harold and Maude’ Star Dies at 77

[Happy As Larry]

James Van Der Beek, star of Dawson’s Creek, dies aged 48

Actor who also starred in Varsity Blues and Rules of Attraction revealed in 2024 he had been diagnosed with cancer
James Van Der Beek, the actor best known for playing the lead in hit 90s teen drama Dawson’s Creek, has died.

James Van Der Beek, star of Dawson’s Creek, dies aged 48 | Television | The Guardian

[harrybarracuda]

Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall dead at 95



Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning actor best known for “The Godfather,“ “Apocalypse Now” and many other tough-guy roles over an acclaimed screen career that spanned six decades, has died. He was 95.
Duvall died “peacefully” at his home in Middleburg, Virginia on Sunday, according to a statement sent by his public relations agency on behalf of his wife, Luciana.
Duvall memorably played the Corleone family consigliere, or key adviser, in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather,” earning his first of his seven Academy Award nominations for the 1972 film before reprising the role two years later in “The Godfather Part II.” Duvall noticeably skipped a long-delayed second sequel, “The Godfather Part III,” due to a pay dispute.

Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall dead at 95 | CNN

[beachbound]

^I love the smell of napalm, in the morning!

RIP, Mr. Duvall. 95 is a hell of a run.

[misskit]

Actors don’t get any better than Robert Duvall. Sad to see him go.

[NamPikToot]

Jesse Jacksons carked it, boy was he great over 110m

[harrybarracuda]

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, leader of Civil Rights Movement for decades, dies at 84



CHICAGO (AP) — The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, a protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and two-time presidential candidate who led the Civil Rights Movement for decades after the revered leader's assassination, died Tuesday. He was 84.

As a young organizer in Chicago, Jackson was called to meet with King at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, shortly before King was killed, and he publicly positioned himself thereafter as King's successor.

Santita Jackson confirmed that her father, who had a rare neurological disorder, died at home in Chicago, surrounded by family.

Jackson led a lifetime of crusades in the United States and abroad, advocating for the poor and underrepresented on issues, including voting rights, job opportunities, education and health care. He scored diplomatic victories with world leaders, and through his Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, he channeled cries for Black pride and self-determination into corporate boardrooms, pressuring executives to make America a more open and equitable society.

And when he declared, "I am Somebody," in a poem he often repeated, he sought to reach people of all colors. "I may be poor, but I am Somebody; I may be young; but I am Somebody; I may be on welfare, but I am Somebody," Jackson intoned.

It was a message he took literally and personally, having risen from obscurity in the segregated South to become America's best-known civil rights activist since King.

"Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world," the Jackson family said in a statement posted online. "We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family."

Fellow civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton said his mentor "was not simply a civil rights leader; he was a movement unto himself."

"He taught me that protest must have purpose, that faith must have feet, and that justice is not seasonal, it is daily work," Sharpton wrote in a statement, adding that Jackson taught "trying is as important as triumph. That you do not wait for the dream to come true; you work to make it real."

Despite profound health challenges in his final years, including the disorder that affected his ability to move and speak, Jackson continued protesting against racial injustice into the era of Black Lives Matter. In 2024, he appeared at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and at a City Council meeting to show support for a resolution backing a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

"Even if we win," he told marchers in Minneapolis before the officer whose knee kept George Floyd from breathing was convicted of murder, "it's relief, not victory. They're still killing our people. Stop the violence, save the children. Keep hope alive."

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, leader of Civil Rights Movement for decades, dies at 84 | PBS News

[cyrille]

Donald Trump, in a post on his Truth Social social media platform, called Jackson “a good man” and a “friend”, also noting he had provided office space in New York for Jackson’s Rainbow Push Coalition.

Trump’s post, as is often the case, quickly turned political, and about himself. The president attacked the “scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left” who, he said, “falsely and consistently” called him a racist, and sought recognition for “funding Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which Jesse loved”.

Trump also took a swing at a familiar political foe, Barack Obama, whom, he claimed falsely, Jackson “could not stand”.

Obama, Trump and Biden lead tributes to Jesse Jackson: ‘one of America’s greatest patriots’ | Jesse Jackson | The Guardian

[harrybarracuda]

No doubt Steven Cheung wrote that shit, the orange blob wouldn't have known any of that.

[Happy As Larry]

Robert Carradine, Revenge of the Nerds and Lizzie McGuire actor, dies aged 71

The actor killed himself, his family said in a statement that aimed to raise awareness of ‘his nearly two-decade battle with bipolar disorder’

Robert Carradine, a member of the famed acting family who was known for his roles in Revenge of the Nerds and Lizzie McGuire, has died aged 71.

Carradine killed himself after years of living with bipolar disorder, his family said in a statement which they said they hoped would raise awareness.

“It is with profound sadness that we must share that our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and brother Robert Carradine has passed away,” the Carradine family said in a statement to Deadline on Monday.
“In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon on light to everyone around him. We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby’s valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with bipolar disorder. We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness. At this time we ask for the privacy to grieve this unfathomable loss. With gratitude for your understanding and compassion.”
His older brother Keith Carradine, also an actor, told Deadline the family wanted the world to know about his brother’s mental illness.

“We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it,” he told Deadline. “I want to celebrate him for his struggle with it, and celebrate his beautiful soul. He was profoundly gifted, and we will miss him every day. We will take solace in how funny he could be, how wise and utterly accepting and tolerant he was. That’s who my baby brother was.”

In 2009 Carradine’s older half-brother David died aged 72 from asphyxiation in a hotel room in Thailand. Carradine later said his mental illness was triggered by the death of his brother, and he was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Born in 1954, Carradine was the youngest son of actor John Carradine. He had two older half-brothers, David and Bruce, from his father’s first marriage, and two older brothers, Keith and Christopher; all but Christopher went into acting in some capacity.

Carradine made his film debut alongside John Wayne in The Cowboys in 1972, followed in quick succession by a part in the Oscar-winning film Coming Home and a small role in Martin Scorsese’s 1973 film Mean Streets, in which he shot his brother David.
In 1980 he appeared in The Long Riders with David and Keith as the Younger brothers, a real outlaw family; meanwhile, Randy and Dennis Quaid played the Miller brothers, Stacy and James Keach played Frank and Jesse James, and Christopher and Nicholas Guest appeared as the Ford brothers.

Carradine’s biggest hit was the 1984 comedy Revenge of the Nerds, in which he played the lead Lewis Skolnick. Carradine spent time undercover at the University of Arizona convincing real students he was an actual nerd. He returned for three sequels in 1987, 1992 and 1994.

Later in his life, Carradine became well known to a new generation as Lizzie McGuire’s father Sam, appearing alongside Hilary Duff in 65 episodes of the much-loved children’s show between 2001 and 2004.
Carradine had a daughter, the actor Ever Carradine, with Susan Snyder. He later married Edith Mani and they had two children, Marika and Ian, before divorcing in 2015 after 25 years of marriage. During the divorce proceedings in 2017, Mani alleged Carradine had attempted to kill them both in a car crash in Colorado in 2015, with Carradine admitting he was in a “psychotic state” at the time.

Robert Carradine, Revenge of the Nerds and Lizzie McGuire actor, dies aged 71 | Film | The Guardian

[harrybarracuda]

'The Wire' actor Bobby J. Brown dies in tragic barn fire accident at age 62



"The Wire" star Bobby J. Brown has died, Fox News Digital can confirm. He was 62.
Brown's talent agent, Dr. Albert Bramante, shared a statement following his client's sudden passing.
"Bobby J. Brown was a uniquely talented actor and a man of great character. From his deep roots as a Golden Gloves champion to his impactful performances on screen, Bobby brought an unmistakable authenticity to everything he did," the statement began.


"He was a dedicated professional and a true joy to represent. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time," Bramante's statement concluded.
A press release obtained by Fox News Digital stated that firefighters reported a barn fire with entrapment just after 10 PM on Feb. 26.
"Firefighters arrived to find a 50-by-100-foot barn nearly fully engulfed in fire. Family members on scene confirmed that one individual was still inside the structure. After the fire was brought under control, firefighters located a deceased male victim within the barn," the St. Mary's County press release stated.


The press release stated that the individual was attempting to jump-start a vehicle in the barn. St. Mary's County stated that the victim contacted his wife, requesting a fire extinguisher, but by the time she came outside, the fire had engulfed the barn.
The victim's wife suffered burns to her hands and was transferred to the hospital. The press release did not list Brown by name.
According to TMZ, Brown died on Tuesday in Maryland after being caught in a barn fire. Brown's daughter told the outlet that her father died from smoke inhalation.

Bobby J. Brown, '''The Wire''' actor, dies at 62 in Maryland barn fire | Fox News

[misskit]

Neil Sedaka, Legendary Singer-Songwriter Behind ‘Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,’ ‘Bad Blood’ and ‘Love Will Keep Us Together,’ Dies at 86

Neil Sedaka, legendary singer-songwriter behind hits like “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,” “Bad Blood,” “Laughter in the Rain” and “Calendar Girl,” has died, a rep confirms to Variety. He was 86.


“Our family is devastated by the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Neil Sedaka,” a statement from the family reads. “A true rock and roll legend, an inspiration to millions, but most importantly, at least to those of us who were lucky enough to know him, an incredible human being who will be deeply missed.”

A Brooklyn native and a veteran of the legendary “Brill Building” hit factory of the early ’60s, Sedaka scored three No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and nine in the Top 10, primarily during his peak years in the early 1960s and a mid-’70s comeback assisted by Elton John (who performed with him on the 1975 No. 1 “Bad Blood”).

Sedaka also wrote many songs that were hits for other artists, most notably Connie Francis’ 1958 hit “Stupid Cupid” and, 17 years later, the Captain and Tennille’s breakthrough chart-topper “Love Will Keep Us Together.” He continued to tour and record for many years after his commercial peak.


Over the course of his six-decade-plus career, Sedaka was nominated for five Grammy awards (including one at the second-ever edition of the show in 1959). In 1983, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and in 1978 received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

MORE Neil Sedaka, Singer-Songwriter, of 'Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,' Dies

[misskit]

[Happy As Larry]

Country Joe McDonald, anti-war singer who electrified Woodstock, dies at 84

Country Joe McDonald, the singer-songwriter whose Vietnam War protest song became a signature anthem of the 1960s counterculture, has died at 84.

McDonald died on Saturday in Berkeley, Calif., according to a statement released by a publicist. His health had recently declined due to Parkinson's disease.

Born in 1942, in Washington, D.C., he grew up in El Monte, Calif., outside Los Angeles, according to a biography on his website. As a young man he served in the U.S. Navy before turning to writing and music during the early 1960s, eventually becoming involved in the political and cultural ferment of the Bay

In 1965 he helped form the band Country Joe and the Fish in Berkeley. The group became part of the emerging San Francisco psychedelic music scene, blending folk traditions with electric rock and pointed political commentary.
The band's best-known song, "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag," captured the growing anti-war sentiment of the Vietnam era. With its ragtime-influenced rhythm and sharply satirical lyrics about war and political leadership, the song quickly became associated with protests against the conflict.

McDonald delivered the song to some half a million people at the 1969 Woodstock festival in upstate New York. Performing solo, he led the crowd in a form of call-and-response before launching into the anti-war anthem, turning the performance into one of the defining scenes of the festival.

Country Joe and the Fish released several recordings during the late 1960s and toured widely, becoming closely identified with that era's West Coast rock and protest movements.
McDonald later continued performing and recording as a solo artist, recording numerous albums across a career that spanned more than half a century. His work drew variously from folk, rock and blues traditions and often reflected his long-standing interest in political and social issues.

Although he became widely known for his opposition to the Vietnam War, McDonald frequently emphasized respect for those who served in the U.S. military. After his own service in the Navy, he remained engaged with veterans' issues and occasionally performed at events connected to veterans and their experiences, according to his website biography.

Country Joe McDonald, anti-war singer who electrified Woodstock, dies at 84 : NPR

[Happy As Larry]

[harrybarracuda]

Alexander Butterfield, who revealed Nixon Watergate tapes, dies aged 99



Alexander Butterfield, the former White House aide who revealed the existence of damaging recordings related to the break-in at the Watergate hotel in Washington DC, died aged 99 on Monday, according to his wife.

During questioning by a Senate committee in 1973, Butterfield made the bombshell disclosure that then-President Richard Nixon had a recording system in the Oval Office.

The revelation ultimately provided proof of Nixon's role in the Watergate scandal, which led to the only resignation of a US president in history.

Butterfield was chief of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at the time, and had previously served as White House deputy chief of staff.

His death was confirmed to US media on Monday by his wife, Kim.

Watergate was one of the most notorious political scandals in US history. It centred around the cover-up of a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in 1972. Five men with links to the White House attempted to bug the offices of Nixon's Democratic opponent.

Butterfield, an Air Force veteran, was responsible for White House security and had overseen the installation of an audio recording system in the White House under Nixon's orders.

During testimony before a US Senate committee, Butterfield was asked by Republican Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee if he was aware of any listening devices in the president's Oval Office.

"I was aware of listening devices, yes, sir," Butterfield said at the time.

"Everything was taped," Butterfield told investigators while under oath, adding, "as long as the president was in attendance".

The tapes brought to light by Butterfield revealed what the president knew about the Watergate break-in and his role in covering it up.

A year-long legal battle over access to the tapes ended in 1974, when the US Supreme Court ordered Nixon to hand them over. Less than a month later, facing impeachment by the US House of Representatives, he resigned from office.

Thousands of hours of the audio recordings were eventually made public and are now controlled by the US National Archives.

"I just thought, 'When they hear those tapes...' I mean, I knew what was on these tapes... they're dynamite," Butterfield told the Nixon Library, according to the Associated Press (AP) news agency.

"I guess I didn't foresee that the president might be put out of office or impeached, but I thought it would be a perilous few years for him. I guess I couldn't conceive of (Nixon) being forced out of office. It had never happened before."

Butterfield's death was also confirmed to AP by John Dean, another former Nixon aide, who said Butterfield "had the heavy responsibility of revealing something he was sworn to secrecy on... He stood up and told the truth".

Butterfield resigned from the FAA in 1975 and later worked in the private business sector in California.


Alexander Butterfield, who revealed Nixon Watergate tapes, dies

[misskit]

Legendary Motörhead Guitarist Dies at 64

Heavy metal guitarist Phil Campbell—best known for his long run with Motörhead—has died at 64, according to a statement from his family. Loved ones announced the rocker’s death in a heartfelt Facebook tribute, remembering him as a “devoted husband, a wonderful father, and a proud and loving grandfather.” Campbell spent more than a decade shredding for Motörhead, joining the legendary metal group during one of its most influential eras alongside frontman Lemmy Kilmister. After Motörhead disbanded in 2015, Campbell formed a new band with his three sons and continued touring. The “Bastard Sons” group even returned to his hometown of Pontypridd in 2025, where they played a sold-out show at the Muni Arts Centre. Family members said the guitarist—affectionately known as “Bampi”—left behind a powerful legacy in both music and family. “His legacy, music and the memories he created with so many will live on forever,” the tribute read.

Legendary Motorhead Guitarist Dies at 64

[david44]

Len Deighton born in a workhouse and author of the Ipcress File RIP

• 17 March 2026, 09:32 GMT
  

Updated 3 hours ago



The British author, Len Deighton, who was best known for his spy novels, has died at the age of 97.
Perhaps his most famous work, 1962's The Ipcress File was turned into a Bafta-winning film starring Michael Caine, and was re-made as an ITV series starring Peaky Blinders actor Joe Cole four years ago.
The story involved Cold War brainwashing and the development and testing of atomic weapons. Unlike James Bond, however, Deighton's secret agents were ordinary working-class people, often frustrated by the incompetence of their own side.
Deighton also authored a number of historical books about the Second World War and, as a cookery writer, helped to introduce French cuisine to the UK.




A keen illustrator, he was also responsible for more than 200 book covers, including the first UK edition of Jack Kerouac's On The Road.
His death was confirmed to the BBC by his literary agent.
No cause of death was given.





Image source,Getty Images
Image caption,Len Deighton photographed in 1966, a year after he had written The IPCRESS file




Leonard Cyril Deighton was born in Marylebone, London on 18 February 1929. He came into the world in the sick bay for a workhouse, as the local hospital was full.
His parents worked for a wealthy family, his mother as a cook and his father as a chauffeur.
In 1940, he saw his mother's client - Anna Wolkoff - dragged off by the British Security Services and accused of being a wartime Nazi spy.
"It was a major factor in my decision to write a spy story at my first attempt at fiction," the author later recalled.
He hated school and his exasperated father told him that he would stop punishing him for bad reports if he applied himself to reading.
The young Len still played truant but took himself down to the local library where he would often read all day.
"A terrible kind of sedentary childhood I had, when I think about it," he said.
He did his National Service in the RAF - where he learned spy skills including photography, flying and scuba-diving - before working for brief periods as a railway clerk and an air steward.




Food cartoonist


After a spell as a press photographer, he studied at the Royal College of Art and began a successful career as a book illustrator.
A lover of good food, he wrote and illustrated a cartoon cookery strip for the Daily Express, which transferred to The Observer in 1962.
These strips were later collected in the Len Deighton Action Cookbook which, together with a companion book, Ou Est le Garlic (Where is the Garlic), was aimed at London's young singles, living away from home for the first time.





Image source,Michael Ochs Archive via Getty Images
Image caption,Deighton took a keen interest in the filming of The Ipcress File. In this photo, Deighton is giving Michael Caine a lesson in cooking omlettes




It was while he was on holiday that he started a story about a secret agent which would eventually become The IPCRESS File, although he had no thought at the time of publication.
However, the first Bond film, Dr No, had just been released, awakening interest in the spy genre and a literary agent sold Deighton's story to a publisher.
"It might have sunk without a ripple," Deighton later recalled, "but it did very well, because the critics used me as a blunt instrument to beat Ian Fleming over the head."




A working class hero


Shortly afterwards the Bond film producer, Harry Saltzman, bought the film rights to the IPCRESS File and Deighton was suddenly famous.
The hero was never named in the book, but the character was christened Harry Palmer for the film and played by Michael Caine.
The character was the complete antithesis to Bond.
007's exotic locations were replaced by the grey and grubby backstreets of 1960s London for The Ipcress File (for some reason, the film-makers did not like Deighton's capital letters).
And - unlike Bond - Harry Palmer was working class. This was a decision influenced by the board of an advertising agency on which Deighton had once served, where everyone else went to Eton.





Image source,Getty Images
Image caption,Michael Caine playing Len Deighton's Harry Palmer in Funeral in Berlin




Palmer found himself spending time trying to get his expenses cleared through an incompetent bureaucracy, rather than romancing a beautiful girl on a sandy beach.
But Deighton insisted the his character was no anti-hero and he was not going to pepper his books with violence, as Fleming had done.
"When I started writing I had rules," he said. "One was that violence must not solve the problem, and I cannot have the hero overcome violence with a counterweight of violence."
Deighton took a keen interest in the filming and was often on set, where he and Caine became great friends.
In the scene where Michael Caine is making omelettes in the kitchen, it is Deighton's hands which break the two eggs simultaneously as the actor was unable to get the hang of it.




Literary success


The character appeared in four further books, Horse Under Water, Funeral in Berlin, Billion Dollar Brain and An Expensive Place to Die.
Funeral in Berlin - which stayed on the New York Times best seller list for six months - and Billion Dollar Brain were also filmed for the big screen, again with Michael Caine in the leading role.
An Expensive Place to Die was serialised in Playboy, for whom Deighton had become a travel writer.
His success made him part of an exciting arts scene in the 1960s and his cookery skills often saw him hosting dinner parties for celebrities.
In 1969, he co-produced and wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of the satirical musical, Oh! What a Lovely War.





Image source,Getty Images
Image caption,Len Deighton and Richard Attenborough photographed during filming for Oh! What A Lovely War




He persuaded actor Richard Attenborough to make his directorial debut on the film.
But an attempt - over a curry at Deighton's house - to persuade Paul McCartney into taking a lead role came to nothing.
Ultimately, he was unhappy with the way the film turned out and insisted his name was removed from the credits, something he later described as a childish decision.
He did, however, endear himself to the film crew when he successfully hot-wired a number of cars parked in a street that needed to be cleared for filming.
In 1969, Deighton wrote Bomber, the story of an RAF raid over Germany, which is often hailed as one of the great anti-war novels.




Jaded and cynical


Deighton tells the story through the eyes of the protagonists on both sides including the RAF bomber crews, the German fighter pilots and the townspeople caught up in the raid.
The book, published just a quarter of a century after the events that inspired it, caused consternation because of the way it highlighted the suffering of German civilians.
Kingsley Amis listed it as one of the 99 greatest novels since 1939, and the BBC later broadcast a real-time dramatisation of the story on Radio 4 to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of World War Two.





Image source,Getty Images
Image caption,Len Deighton and his second wife, Ysabele, photographed in 1984




Deighton went onto write more books based on the 20th century's most deadly conflict.
In 1977, he published Fighter - a non-fictional account of the Battle of Britain, which Hitler's former armaments minister, Albert Speer, described as "excellent".
A year later, SS-GB envisaged what might have happened if Germany had won the Battle of Britain - beating Robert Harris to the concept of an alternative history novel by 20 years.
In the 1980s, Deighton published Berlin Game, featuring a new character, Bernard Samson.
Like the character in his earlier spy novels, there is little glamour in the life of the jaded and cynical Samson, who has a healthy disregard for his bosses.
The novel was the first of three Samson trilogies that Deighton produced between 1983 and 1996.
Granada Television produced a lavish 12-part adaptation of the first trilogy, entitled Game, Set and Match. But it was poorly received and Deighton did not permit it to be shown again.




A mug's game


After completing Faith, Hope and Charity in 1996, Deighton decided to take a year off, but he never resumed his literary career.
In a 2006 interview with BBC Radio 4, he told Patrick Humphries that he had come to the conclusion that writing was "a mug's game" and he didn't miss it.
Instead, he moved to Ireland with his second wife, Ysabele, and their two sons. They later divided their time between homes in Portugal and Guernsey, with Deighton confirming his retirement in 2016.
His spy novels slipped from the public consciousness in those years, in contrast to Fleming's James Bond, which benefited from the marketing juggernaut of a continuing film franchise.






Image caption,Len Deighton's SS-GB imagined what would have happened if Germany had won WWII




However, there was a revival of interest when, in 2017, the BBC screened a dramatisation of SS-GB, nearly 40 years after the publication of the novel on which it was based.
And, in 2022, The IPCRESS file - the book that started it all - was remade for ITV, starring Joe Cole, Lucy Boynton and Tom Hollander.
Deighton rarely gave interviews and never considered himself a natural writer.
"The best thing about writing books, he said on the BBC's Desert Island Discs programme, "is being at a party and telling some pretty girl you write books.
"The worst thing is sitting at a typewriter and actually writing the book."
But, from time to time, he said, being an author has its advantages.
"When you make a book," he once said, "it's like making a hand grenade. It's a dull process but when you throw it the person at the other end gets the effect."

[Edmond]

87 years ago wasn't 1939 AD.

It was 1 BC.


Before Chuck.

[harrybarracuda]

One can only hope Chuck's demise is the American version of the ravens leaving the Tower of London.