Fred Dellar 1931 - 2021
Liz Beardsworth remembers Empire’s crossword legend, a master of music journalism as well as cryptic clues
AS REGULAR READERS will know, ordinarily if you turn to this page of the mag, you’ll find Empire’s much-loved crossword. However, this issue we have paused the puzzle in tribute to its legendary compiler, Fred Dellar, who passed away on 15 May at the venerable age of 89.
Initially working in a factory, Fred was best known as a music journalist. Secretary of the Frank Sinatra Appreciation Society in the ’60s — and an attendee at Sinatra’s only UK recording sessions — he started freelancing for the NME in 1972, soon dazzling staffers and readers alike with his exhaustive knowledge of all things rock.
He went on to write for a range of music mags, from Smash Hits to Empire’s sister magazine, MOJO. But Fred was also a voracious film-watcher and crossword-setter, joining Team Empire and providing delight to thousands of readers with clues which combined the arcane with the witty, the obscure with the playful, all delivered with a knowledge of cinema to test even the canniest cinephiles.
But Fred was so much more than an expert puzzler and a font of knowledge to eclipse Wikipedia. One of the kindest and most gentle people you could ever meet, in the early days of his time with Empire, a highlight would be when he popped his head round the door to say hello on his way to a day’s work at MOJO. Always smiling and the most humble of men — as well as Sinatra he knew a myriad stars of rock, not that you’d know from him; no clanging name-drops from Fred — he encompassed those most old-school of values: respect, decency, amity. It felt like his heart was open to everyone. And, like a favourite granddad, he just always cheered you up.
All of which made the news of his passing so moving for all of us here at Empire. On a personal note, although I hadn’t seen Fred for many years after he spent more and more time at home in Northampton, I looked forward to our email conversations about films, music (recent topics included Kathryn Bigelow’s Detroit and jazz singer/pianist Liane Carroll) and the good old days working for the NME in Carnaby Street. In the last few months I was aware that Fred was in ill health, but he never lost his good spirits, not once complained, and always delivered another of his excellent crosswords on the dot.
We’re so very sad to see you go, Fred. We won’t ever forget you, and we’ll miss you.
In memoriam (1,1,1).
THE CROSSWORD WILL RETURN IN THE NEXT ISSUE