A final farewell
MARION McMULLEN looks at some of the famous names who have passed away in 2018
BELOVED comedy entertainer Sir Ken Dodd married his wife, Lady Anne, two days before he died. The 90-yearold performer, famous for his marathon stand-up shows, his tickling sticks and Diddy Men, died in March at the home where he was born in the Liverpool suburb of Knotty Ash.
The much-loved star’s performing career spanned seven decades and in the 1960s he entered the Guinness Book of Records for the longest joke-telling session ever – 1,500 jokes in three-and-a-half hours.
The world also mourned the passing of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, in 2018.
Former American president Bill Clinton called her “the voice of a generation, maybe the voice of a century”.
The 76-year-old singer, famous for songs including Respect, A Natural Woman and I Say A Little Prayer, died in August. Her memorial service was attended by celebrities and dignitaries including Smokey Robinson, Whoopi Goldberg and Stevie Wonder.
The soul legend sold more than 75 million records during a music career that lasted six decades.
The year began with the deaths in January of Dolores O’Riordan, the Limerick-born singer of The Cranberries, at the age of 46, and 80-year-old Blunderwoman comedy star Bella Emberg who was a regular on Russ Abbot’s TV show.
TV actor Peter Wyngarde, star of the series Jason King, also died at the age of 90 and British-born Frasier star John Mahoney, who played dad Martin Crane, passed away at the age of 77.
Kelsey Grammer, who played his on-screen son in the long-runnng American comedy, said simply: “He was my father. I loved him.”
Vicar Of Dibley and Notting Hill comedy actress Emma Chambers died at the age of 53 in February from natural causes and March saw us saying goodbye to 76-year-old world-renowned scientist Professor Stephen Hawking, who was heralded as one of the smartest minds to grace the world.
Sir Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile in under four minutes, also died in March at the age of 88, as did 80-year-old comedian and Bullseye host Jim Bowen.
Bill Maynard, best known for playing Greengrass in
Heartbeat, died at the age of 89 shortly after breaking his hip in a fall off his mobility scooter.
April saw Verne Troyer, best known for playing Mini-Me in the Austin Powers films and one of the shortest men in the world, dead at the age of 49. The same month saw the death of 62-year-old Supermarket Sweep and National Lottery presenter Dale Winton.
Superman actress Margot Kidder, who played Lois Lane opposite Christopher Reeve, died in May at the age of 69 and the following month, nightclub owner Peter Stringfellow passed away at the age of 77 after a battle with cancer.
EastEnders star Leslie Grantham – who found TV fame playing “Dirty” Den Watts in the BBC soap – died from cancer the same month at the age of 71.
Bay City Rollers bass guitarist Alan Longmuir died at the age of 70 in July and Barry Chuckle, one half of the Chuckle Brothers, passed away in August at the age of 73 after a year of illness.
His comedy partner Paul said: “I’ve not just lost my brother, I’ve lost my theatrical partner of many, many years and my very best friend.”
Burt Reynolds, who was known for films such as Deliverance, Smokey And The Bandit and Boogie Nights, died at the age of 82 in September.
During the 1970s, he was one of the biggest box office draws in the world, but turned down the role of James Bond in 1970 saying an American could not play 007.
Chas Hodges, of music duo Chas and Dave, died aged 74, the same month as did much-loved comedy writer and It’ll Be Alright On The Night presenter Denis Norden, who passed away at the age of 96 after spending “many weeks” at the Royal Free Hospital in north London.
Carry On stalwart Fenella Fielding passed away at the ago of 90 after suffering a stroke two weeks earlier. Clockwise from left: Ken Dodd, Burt Reynolds, Roger Bannister, after becoming the first man to run the mile in under four minutes, and the Chuckle Brothers with Barry, front, and Paul, behind She received an OBE earlier in the year in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to drama and charity.
BBC presenter Rachael Bland also died in September at the age of 40 after a two-year battle with breast cancer.
Her husband Steve wrote on Twitter: “Our beautiful, courageous Rachael died peacefully this morning surrounded by her close family. We are crushed but she would want me to thank everyone who took an interest in her story or sent messages of support.”
Rainbow children’s programme presenter Geoffrey Hayes died in October from pneumonia at the age of 76. He appeared alongside puppets Zippy, George and Bungle in more than 1,000 episodes of the ITV show from 1974 until 1992 and said the secret to Rainbow’s popularity was that it was full of “magic, innocence and imagination”.
French singer Charles Aznavour sold more than 180 million records and enjoyed international success. He died at the age of 94 shortly before a planned tour of France and Switzerland.
Laverne & Shirley actress and the director of hits like Awakenings and A League of Their Own, Penny Marshall died aged 75 this month. And this year we also lost comic book legend Stan Lee who died at the age of 95. The Marvel Comics co-creator was responsible for super heroes like Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four and The Incredible Hulk. Hugh Jackman, who played Wolverine in the Marvel film franchise, said simply: “We’ve lost a creative genius.”