BORN ON THIS DAY

Joan Aiken (1924-2004). The Sussexborn author of 92 novels, including The Wolves Of Willoughby Chase (which was turned into a film starring Stephanie Beacham and Mel Smith) and The Whispering Mountain, completed her first full-length novel at just 16. She also worked for the BBC during the war and at an advertising agency (writing jingles for products including Dairylea cheese). DICK YORK (1928-1992). The American actor played Darrin Stephens, husband of nose-twitching witch Samantha in Sixties hit TV sitcom Bewitched. Because of a debilitating back injury, the scripts for some of his later episodes were written around his being in bed for the entire episode. The pain led to a crippling addiction to painkillers and the eventual loss of his career.