He was the man who always knew how to make us laugh, whether he was doing a turn on the telly or writing in the pages of this magazine. So it was with such deep sadness that this March 15, we had to say a tearful farewell to the much-loved actor and comic, Roy Hudd, who was also our treasured columnist of 23 years and a special friend.
After his passing, we received a huge postbag of letters from readers wanting to share how much they, like us, had loved Roy and to tell us how his funny little anecdotes and brilliant take on the world in every issue of Yours had always brightened up their days.
A hard worker with a sunny side up attitude to life, he shared some of the same spirit as another icon we lost this year in**** Dame Vera Lynn. Over an astonishing 103 years, Vera’s songs and her unwavering smile guided the country through some of its darkest hours with her messages of reunion, peace and hope.
She will of course be best remembered as the Forces Sweetheart for her role in the Second World War. But it was also testament to what an incredible woman she was that even in the last few days before her passing on June 18, she was still at the forefront of our minds as her words “we’ll meet again” became an uplifting motto, used even by the Queen, in the midst of the first coronavirus lockdown.
Another person that always raised our spirits was comedian, singer and TV host Des O’Connor who we lost on November 14. Well-known for hosting his own chat show, as well as Take Your Pick and Countdown, he also had a beautiful singing voice, not that his great mates Morecambe and Wise ever let him know that as they spent so many well-loved sketches teasing him about his talents. A famously positive, life-loving man, it was no wonder his death provoked heartfelt reactions from all across the showbusiness world.
Hollywood legends
From the small screen to the silver screen, Golden Hollywood lost several of its greats this year includingDame Olivia de Havilland. Making it to the grand old age of 104, her best-known role was of course playing the virtuous Melanie opposite Vivien Leigh’s wayward Scarlett in the epic Gone with the Wind in 1940 although she continued to act right into the late Eighties.
Olivia’s tempestuous relations with her sister Joan Fontaine remains one of Hollywood’s most talked-about feuds and a quarrel they reportedly both took to their deaths. Meanwhile, Kirk Douglas was another Hollywood legend who died this February at the age of 103. With a staggering 92 acting credits to his name, he will no doubt be best remembered in our mind’s eye in that dramatic cross scene in the 1960 movie Spartacus which he executive produced and played the title role in.
Farewell Mr (and Mrs) Bond
The world of James Bond also said some sad farewells this year.**** Sean Connery was the Scottish working-class boy who became one of the best 007s to ever grace the screen, making the part totally his own and defining the Bond legacy to come, so it was a great shame when we heard of his death on October 31. Dame Diana Rigg, who played the only woman to ever become Mrs James Bond in the 1969 film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service sadly lost her fight with cancer this September 10. Aside from her appearance in Bond, we will, of course, best remember her clad in her leather catsuit playing the go-getting female spy Emma Peel in the TV series The Avengers.
Of course, the character of Emma Peel was created for the show after the departure of Cathy Gale, played by Honor Blackman, who also sadly passed away in April this year. With a career spanning eight decades, she too lit up the screen in Bond as Pussy Galore, the glamorous villain in Goldfinger, a role she landed thanks to her proficiency in martial arts.
Thank you for the music
In the world of music, we lost a rock ‘n’ roll pioneer in the form of Little Richard who died on May 9. His hits including Good Golly Miss Molly and Tutti Frutti revolutionised music and gave us some of the grooviest songs to dance away to. Known for his flamboyant outfits and excitable performances, The Beatles, Elton John and Elvis Presley all credited him as an influence in their music careers. Another prolific hit-maker was Kenny Rogers who died on March 20. Helping make country music more mainstream with his comforting husky voice, he gave us lovely songs such as The Gambler, Lucille and Islands in the Stream which he sang with his good friend Dolly Parton.
And not forgetting…
The comedian Bobby Ball; actor, radio and TV host Nicholas Parsons; Bob the Streetcat; As Time Goes By actor Geoffrey Palmer; Watchdog presenter Lynn Faulds Wood, The Goodies actor Tim Brooke-Taylor; actor and panel-show comedian John Sessions and Monty Python’s Terry Jones.