Dead Pool May Update

Celebrity deaths were thin on the ground in May, although there were a few lost souls for whom their work is more famous than their name.

On the 5th Irv Robbins, co-founder of the Baskin-Robbins ice cream chain, passed away at the age of 90. His partner Burt "Butch" Baskin had died in 1967 aged 54.

On the 8th Murray Jarvik, co-inventor of the nicotine patch passed away. Irony requires that he died of emphysema or something.

But no, it was congenital heart failure. So no comedy gold there then.

On the 10th Jessica Jacobs, the 17-year-old star of The Saddle Club was tragically killed when she was hit by a train.

On the 15th we farewelled artist Will Elder, a long-time contributor to Mad Magazine and creator of one of the best self-portraits I've ever seen:


On the 24th comedian Dick Martin, star of iconic comedy show Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In died at the age of 86.

Also on the 24th young British actor Rob Knox, who will appear as Marcus Belby in the forthcoming Harry Potter and Half-Blood Prince, was killed in a street brawl in London.

The 25th saw the death of J.R. Simplot, founder of the company that provides more than half of the potatoes for McDonald's French Fries. He died at the age of 99 an incredibly rich bastard.

Finally, on the 26th we lost actor and director Sydney Pollack at the age of 73. Pollack was the director of classic films Tootsie and Out of Africa. And he was great in Eyes Wide Shut. Remember that? 'Course you do.

And that's it for May. No points yet for our entrants, but we continue to hope.