Golden Gone, Just Like the Lead

We have a tie up top ladies and gents, and we have Estelle Getty to thank. The Golden Girl passed away at the age of 84 after battling dementia. Getty played Sophia on the sit-com featuring four females filling time in Florida. Her role was originally smaller, but evolved during the show's 7-year run because the audience liked the character. Her tongue was sharp, often delivering cutting insults to Rue McClanahan, Betty White, or Bea Arthur (all good mid-season pickup candidates, as they are all older).

As a result of this passing, Mark and Beth are in a dead heat (so to speak) on the top of the death pool heap.

Sadly, We Have a New Leader

I didn't want to include this one on my list. No, not Andy Griffith or even the likable Angela Lansbury ... I just checked over on CNN.com and the lead story is news that Harvey Korman passed away at the age of 81. Some will remember him for his stint on The Carol Burnett Show from 1967 through 1978, during which he won 4 Emmy Awards. He teamed with Tim Conway for some of the absolute funniest moments in television history.

Others will remember him for his roles in Mel Brooks' High Anxiety, History of the World Part I, and possibly his most memorable role (at least to me) as Hedley Lamarr in Blazing Saddles. Korman was hands down one of the most talented "funny men" in Hollywood and the world is a bit dimmer having lost him.

Korman passed due to complications from an abdominal aortic aneurysm, which Val says is rather painful. His death came four months after the original aneurysm. As has been said to many great comedians before Korman, good night funnyman.

This puts me in first place ...

Sydney Pollack: The Reaper Scores

Award-winning director Sydney Pollack passed away over the weekend, succumbing to cancer at the age of 73. Pollack was probably best known as the director of Tootsie (1983) and The Firm (1993). Pollack earned widespread acclaim, and an Oscar nomination, for his existential Depression melodrama They Shoot Horses, Don't They (1969), featuring Fonda's searing performance as a self-immolating contestant in a dance marathon. He won producing and directing Oscars for his handsome, attenuated adaptation of Isak Dinesen's Out of Africa (1985). This untimely death racks up 27 points for yours truly, pulling close to Gaston Moon.

We Have Another Score

I felt kind of bad, but my initial reaction was to celebrate ... Charlton Heston has passed away and we have another score. Of course, Heston was on two rosters, the reaper's and Beth's (who must have an in with the real reaper). So, Moon keeps her 30-point lead, but the reaper himself has moved into second place ... could we have a race shaping up?

Heston was a mainstay of epic movies, playing Moses, El Cid, Michaelangelo, and Ben-Hur (which earned him the Best Actor Oscar). The 84-year-old actor passed away last night with his wife at his side. Heaven has claimed another star.

William F. Buckley, It's Your Turn

William F. Buckley passed away today, reportedly sitting at his desk; he was 82 years old. The conservative commentator and founder of The National Review was honored by President Bush and Senator John McCain today. Buckley suffered from emphysema, but his death was still considered a surprise by friends and family. According to his obit on CNN, Buckley published 50 books, visited every continent, and was a very good harpsichord player. Lurch would have been proud ... maybe they are playing the harpsichord together now.

It's Been A While

I know that we will not see our winner score just 30 points, but the fact that there have been no major celebrity deaths on our lists ... I guess we can only watch in amazement as the grim reaper sets about doing his job.

Our First Score goes to Beth

Thirty points, that is the lead that Beth has built, as Suzanne Pleshette has passed away. Pleshette played the raspy-voiced wife of Bob Newhart in The Bob Newhart Show. She may best be remembered for her part in the finale of Newhart, where the titular character awoke and basically noted that the entire series was the "weirdest dream." Pleshette underwent chemotherapy for lung cancer back in 2006, and her official cause of death has been listed as respiratory failure. Congratulations Beth for taking 30 points with the passing of Suzanne Pleshette.

To the Big Bowling Alley in the Sky

I'm like Sam the butcher, bringing Alice the meat . . .

-Shake Your Rump; Beastie Boys from Paul's Boutique

So, how sick am I? When I saw the story on CNN that a member of the Brady Bunch cast had moved on to the great 70's bi-level with an astroturf backyard in the sky my immediate thought was, dammit, it better not have been Ann B. Davis (Alice) . . . she was the final cut from my team! Well, it wasn't Alice, but it was someone near and dear to her heart . . . Allan Melvin passed away at the age of 84; succumbing to cancer after a long battle. Although Melvin spent just three years on The Brady Bunch, he firmly entrenched his spot in pop culture thanks to his loveable goofiness and sense of humor.

The Ballad of Brad Renfro

Poor Brad, we hardly knew ye'. Your life was short and, unfortunately, so was your list of accomplishments. I just can't help but wonder what could have been if Andrea had tried to turn you to the life of the straight and narrow so many years ago on the waters of Lake Cumberland. Brad, your light burned (somewhat) bright, and it flamed out well before its time. You had so much potential, like 75 points in the death pool. Alas, no one had you in their entry on the '08 Bucket List . . . damned fate!

Let the games begin

There are more teams that will be joining, I have given special dispensation to a few people who are interested. The cost is $10 per team, so get that money in ASAP. Feel free to make comments, when someone passes (like Sir Edmund Hillary), I will post a eulogy and let you all know if anyone had him. Of course, you will want to monitor the life status of your own team as well.

Cheers!