[Red Moon]

TOPIC RULES

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[Red Moon]

According to press reports this morning coming out the United States the autopsy of Anna Nicole Smith will be carried out later today to determine the cause of death. The results of the autopsy would probably be announced quickly if her death was from natural causes however any definitive results could take weeks.

[bonnie43uk]

Just been reported on Sky news .. The actor Ian Richardson has died.
Had the leading role in the BBC series House of cards.

RIP.

[GiRTh]

Matty.....Daddy!!!!

Quality programme quality actor. Sad Day.

[Red Moon]

A sad day for British Theatre. He will be missed by many.

Actor Ian Richardson dead at 72

Actor Ian Richardson, best remembered as the Machiavellian chief whip Francis Urquhart in landmark BBC drama House Of Cards, died today at the age of 72.

Richardson died in his sleep at his London home in the early hours of this morning.

His death came as a shock as he had not been ill and was due to begin filming his next role in TV show Midsomer Murders next week, his agent said.

His TV performances included the mole Bill Haydon in John Le Carre spy thriller Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Sir Godber Evans in Porterhouse Blue and Sherlock Holmes in The Hound Of The Baskervilles.

But his most defining role was as the Machiavellian Tory politician Francis Urquhart in the BBC's House Of Cards in 1990, based on the novel by Michael Dobbs. His character's famous one-liner - "You may very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment" - passed into political parlance.

The performance won him a best actor Bafta in 1991. He reprised the role in To Play The King (1993) and The Final Cut (1995), with Uruquhart scheming his way into the role of Prime Minister.

Richardson based the character on Richard III, the last role he played for the RSC.

In 2005, he said: "I have done 15 years of Shakespeare but without doubt Francis Urquhart has been the best opportunity for my reputation. The only trouble is getting rid of it. So many people seem to think that I am like him.

"I'm grateful for the part as it put me on the map. I was just an actor on television before House Of Cards came along but Francis has been rather difficult to escape from."

Michael Dobbs, author of House of Cards, said: "I am desperately sad. He is a man I admired immensely. He changed my life. He made a dream of mine a reality. And he did it in a way which transfixed millions of viewers.

"House of Cards was Ian Richardson. He made the character and brought the whole series to life.

"Even John Major's leadership campaign in 1990 came to a halt at 9pm on a Sunday night so that the whole campaign team could sit down and see what was happening.

"Urquhart was a wicked character but Richardson portrayed him in such a way that everybody loved it. In anybody else's hands, that role could have fallen flat on his face.

"I owe him a huge debt."

Richardson was last seen on TV at Christmas as the narrator - the Voice Of Death -in Sky One's Hogfather, which starred Sir David Jason.

The actor was awarded the CBE in the Queen's 1989 New Year's Honours. He is survived by his wife, Maroussia, and two sons.

Source: The Daily Telegraph

[Sticks]

How the BBC reported this

I remembered him from the Micheal Dobbs trilogy in which he was excellent as Francis Urquhart. He was a founding member of the Royal Shakespere company

We shall not see his likes again

[Sticks]

Sorry if this infracts the rules of this thread, but if like me you are interested in the lives of the greats, BBC Radio Four has a programme called Last Word which has a number of these obituaries every Friday at 4PM and the programme remains available on their website for a week

Website for the programme

[tinkerbell]

Its so sad! the news were all over the newspaper today!!

[Chrizzle]

Anna Nicole Smith

Just saw some stuff on C4 news. She went through some really pretty stages where she looked healthy and happy, and its such a sad, shcoking death.

[~Kizwiz~]

It such sad news about her. I'm afraid to say that my first thought is that her death was an overdose. She struggled with addiction and lost her son recently. Such a turbulent life... RIP Vicki Lynn Hogan

[Chrizzle]

Went on hr website yesterday and it was all up and running now it just says 1967-2007. Its tragic.

[Red Moon]

Originally posted by Sticks
Sorry if this infracts the rules of this thread, but if like me you are interested in the lives of the greats, BBC Radio Four has a programme called Last Word which has a number of these obituaries every Friday at 4PM and the programme remains available on their website for a week

Website for the programme

I think it fits in perfectly Sticks

Thank you fro the information

[bonnie43uk]

Originally posted by Chrizzle
Went on hr website yesterday and it was all up and running now it just says 1967-2007. Its tragic.

they just showed her very last interview that she did last week , my god, she seemed as if she was on anther planet .. totally zonked out on heavy medication. If someone wrote a story about her life it would seem unbelievably far fetched.

this story will run and run!!!

[zachary]

I am so sad to hear this news. My friend told me last night at the pub and I was so shocked...I feel so sad when someone dies even if I don't know them.

All the best to her currently fatherless daughter.

[Ruth*Star]

What a shame that anna has passed away. poor Daniel-Lynn, only 5 months old and lost her mother already, i hope the babys okay and i hope she rests in peace

[Red Moon]

Model's death remains a mystery

An initial autopsy has failed to find the cause of former top model Anna Nicole Smith's death.

But medical examiner Joseph Perper said he had not ruled out an overdose as a cause, and was waiting for the results of chemical analysis.

Ms Smith, 39, who fought a long battle for the estate of her late oil tycoon husband, died on Thursday.

Attention is now focusing on a battle between three men over the paternity of her five-month-old daughter Dannielynn.

'Medical puzzle'

Seminole Police Chief Charlie Tiger told journalists that there was "no evidence" to suggest that Ms Smith's death was the result of a crime.

But he said the investigation would remain open until Dr Perper, the Broward County medical examiner, completed his investigation.

Dr Perper said that could take from three to five weeks.

"It is a medical puzzle which we have to resolve to get a comprehensive picture of what happened," he said.

He said DNA samples had been taken from the fomer Playboy model.

"In every case in America, the examiner's office takes samples," he said.

Custody battle

Ms Smith died only five months after the birth of her daughter.

Three men are now claiming to be the father of the child, who is potentially heir to a multi-million-dollar fortune.

Ms Smith married Texas oil billionaire J Howard Marshall II in 1994, not long after being named Playboy's Playmate of the Year. She was 26 and he was 89.

He died 14 months later, setting the stage for a battle over his estate that pitted Ms Smith against Marshall's son.

The case has not yet been resolved, even though Marshall's son died last year.

Ms Smith's own son Daniel died in September, leaving her daughter as her only surviving offspring.

Both Ms Smith's lawyer and partner, Howard K Stern, and her ex-boyfriend Larry Birkhead say they are the father of the baby.

Ms Smith said Mr Stern was the father, but Mr Birkhead was demanding DNA testing even before Ms Smith died.

The husband of Zsa Zsa Gabor, Prince Frederick von Anhalt, also says he may be the father.

A judge has ordered that Ms Smith's body be preserved until a paternity hearing later this month.

Source: BBC News

[lily.]

It's tragic. So young, and she leaves a baby behind as well.

She might have lived a jaded life, but it's still tragic when a young woman dies.

[Sophii3x]

I saw on Teletext Entertainment news that three men are fighting over the baby. They are all claining to be the father

[GiRTh]

So young and such a tragic life.

[Red Moon]

TOPIC RULES

When entering a post a post on this topic it is important to follow the following posting rules.

1. Do not use the quick reply option at the bottom of the page. Use the new reply button which is just above the quick reply option and on the right hand side of the page.

2. Always enter the name of the person you are posting about in the subject box so other people know who you are talking about. Without a name in the subject box your post might be deleted if the moderators cannot decide who you are talking about.

3. Remember this is a topic for people that have died. Please be respectful and considerate when posting and avoid swearing at all costs. You never know if one of the dead persons relatives could be reading the topic.

[Sticks]

As reported on the BBC News site

The writer and broadcaster Benedict Kiely has died, aged 87, the Arts Council of Ireland has announced.

Born in County Tyrone, he spent most of his working life in Dublin, where he passed away on Friday.

He wrote more than a dozen novels, including Land Without Stars (1946) and Nothing Happens in Carmincross (1985).

[Ruth*Star]

R.I.P To Him.

[Sticks]

From BBC Sport on-line

Former Welsh Rugby Union secretary Bill Clement has died at the age of 91.

Ex-Llanelli captain Clement made six appearances for Wales between 1937-8 and toured with the Lions in South Africa in 1938, playing six matches.

He was WRU secretary 1956-81, and will be remembered with treasurer Ken Harris for helping to oversee the rebuilding of the old Cardiff Arms Park.

[bonnie43uk]

Originally posted by Sticks
From BBC Sport on-line

Bill Clement .. No Way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! .. i am numb!! ... what a devestating loss to the world of Rugby. i hope they cancel all 6 nations fixtures this weekend in his memory.

[Z]

Anna Nicole Smith

I'm wondering, but would people here not agree she was maybe trying to uhh.. emulate (?!) Marilyn Monroe?

Just seems odd to me that she listed Marilyn as one of her idols...