it pours.

First Kathy Staff. Now Peter Falk. No, he’s not dead but the poor man is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Peter Falk is best known for his role as Columbo …. the scruffy looking detective. He drove a battered Peugeot 403 convertible.

Falk’s daughter Catherine (a real life private detective) has applied to the Los Angeles County Superior Court for a conservatorship – a type of legal guardianship of her father to protect him from being deceived into transferring his property and for his own health and safety.

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Another stalwart of ‘Last of the Summer Wine‘ has died. Kathy Staff who played the infamous Nora Batty died on Saturday the 13th at the age of 80.

She played the character from the very first episode in 1973 until her last appearance in August.

The loss of Bill Owen (Compo) in 1999 was a big blow to the programme. To me, his chasing of Nora, and her chasing of him with a broom, brush, mop or whatever was at hand was the heart of the programme.

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Hamlet (as recited by moi)

Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow
of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy: he hath
borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how
abhorred in my imagination it is! my gorge rims at
it. Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know
not how oft. Where be your gibes now? your
gambols? your songs? your flashes of merriment,
that were wont to set the table on a roar? Not one
now, to mock your own grinning? quite chap-fallen?
Now get you to my lady’s chamber, and tell her, let
her paint an inch thick, to this favour she must
come; make her laugh at that.

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OK …. great legs!

(Behind the scenes of the new Littlewoods Direct TV ad launching their new winter collection)

(March 22, 1923 – September 22, 2007)

Marcel Mangel, better known by his stage name Marcel Marceau was a world renowned mime artist and he is credited with reviving the art of mime after World War II.

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Maureen O’Hara was 88 years old on the 17^th of August.

A famous actress, she divides her time between Glengarriff in Co. Cork, St. Croix in the Virgin Islands and Beverley Hills, California.

Maureen was born in Ranelagh, Ireland, on August 17, 1920, as Maureen FitzSimons, the second oldest child of Charles and Marguerita FitzSimons. She was accepted for drama classes at the prestigious Abbey Theatre School at the age of 14. She excelled at the school and her big break came when she attended a screen test at Elstree Studios. It didn’t go well but Charles Laughton saw it and offered Maureen a 7-year contract with their company.

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Wendy Richard of ‘Eastenders’ and ‘Are You Being Served‘ fame has told the world that she is dying of cancer.

She as written her will, planned her funeral and is planning to marry her long term boy friend.

I’m truly sorry to hear of her illness. She was a great actress and I’ve had many a laugh from watching ‘Are You Being Served’.

Thanks for the laughs Wendy. My thoughts are with you.