Graham Cracked

Graham Stark, who served as Peter Sellers’ best man at 4 different weddings, has died of a stroke at the age of 91. His friendship with Sellers led to him appearing, in various roles, in more Pink Panther movies than any actor other than Herbert Lom and Burt Kwouk. Serving in the RAF during World War II, Stark’s color blindness kept him grounded, so he entertained troops as part of the Gang Shows, which led to post-war appearances in a variety of comedy series, including Benny Hill, before scoring his own BBC sketch series, The Graham Stark Show, in 1964. He took a rare serious role in Alfie, taking in a woman and child scorned by Michael Caine’s titular arse. Notable roles on this side of the pond included a cameo as a butler in the video for Adam Ant’s Goody Two Shoes and the blind guy in Superman III.

No Longer Being Served

Frank Thornton, the sane center about which the lunacy of Grace Brothers revolved, has died at the age of 92. Best remembered as Captain Peacock in Are You Being Served?, Thornton was the stiff upper lip type, straight out of Central Casting, the ideal foil for British comedians like Benny Hill and Spike Milligan. With Thornton’s death, only Nicholas Smith, the unfortunate looking Mr. Rumbold, is left from the principal cast of Are You Being Served?.

House of Commons, House of Horrors

'Cause I'm the Dead Man, Yeaaaaaah, I'm the Dead Maaaaaaaan
(Props to Mark)

Or
So, I guess the Deathman was the other inevitablity.
(Kudos to Craig)
Hope Edward Heath remembered to declare the pennies on his eyes as the former Prime Minister has died a week after celebrating his 89th birthday. The son of a turd farmer, Heath broke the tradition of blueblood heads of the Conservative Party when he became party leader in 1965. His role in creating England’s tax structure earned him a mention by name in The Beatles’ “The Taxman.” The Conservatives came to power in 1970 promising to reverse the 25-year long post-WWII decline that had led to spiraling prices and more than 1 million unemployed, but Heath was undone when he miscalculated the power of the coal unions. Heath called for an election, demanding to find out “Who governs Britain?” The answer: Labor Party head Harold Wilson. Heath’s lasting legacy was bringing the UK into the European Union, overcoming years of domestic and external resistance. Having led the Tories to defeat three times, Heath was unseated as party leader by Maggie Thatcher in 1975, beginning “the longest sulk in history.” Heath was one of Thatcher’s biggest critics, and refused an appointment to be ambassador to the United States. Heath also ignored Thatcher’s demand that he abort a trip to negotiate for the release of British subjects held in Iraq at the start of the Gulf War. Heath paid his own way and returned with more than 100 Britons. In 1992, Heath became Sir Edward, a member of the country's most prestigious order of chivalry, the Knights of the Garter; when he retired in 2001, having served more than 50 years in the House of Commons, he was the Father of the House, further proof that the English seem to make up governmental titles as they go along.

Countdown and out

Or

Eight letters, DECEASED

(More credit to Craig)

Or

Ferret Man Dies

(Self memorialized)

Richard Whiteley, the host of one of the U.K.'s best game shows, has died following heart surgery at the age of 61. Whiteley was the U.K.’s version of Pat Sajak, a host of a simple word game who was extremely popular with very old people for more than 20 years. Countdown’s fan’s included the Queen and George Clooney and a man who had one of the show’s signature songs played during his cremation. Whiteley was also the local news anchor in Yorkshire for more than 20 years, known for collection of more than 500 jackets and nearly 200 garish ties, constant puns and the blooper seen worldwide of him being bitten on camera by a ferret. His was the first face seen on Britain’s Channel 4, and his was reportedly the most seen face in British television history.

(Borrowed liberally and without permission from game show aficionado Mike)