Paul Daniels dead; magician dies weeks after brain tumour diagnosis aged 77

[LeftishBrit]

The magician Paul Daniels has died today aged 77, his publicist has said, just a few weeks after it was announced he had been diagnosed with a brain tumour.

The TV star and entertainer left hospital 10 days ago in order to spend his final days at home with his family, his son Martin Daniels said at the time.

Britain's most famous magician, Daniels rose to international fame through his long-running BBC programme The Paul Daniels Magic Show, which ran from 1979 to 1994. He famously married his long-time assistant, Debbie McGee, in 1988.


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/paul-daniels-dead-magician-dies-of-brain-cancer-aged-77-a6936071.html

[non sociopath skin]

1. Not a man I ever warmed to, I'm afraid, not least because of his simplistic right-wing beliefs ...

... but may he sleep well, nevertheless.

The Skin

[T_i_B]

2. The right wingery didn't bother me so much.

But he was good at what he did.

[LeftishBrit]

4. Not mad on his views either...

but he was very good at what he did. Also I have a strong sense of solidarity with anyone who fights the terrible enemy known as a brain tumour, as one of my best friends died of the same thing, and a family member suffered long-term disability from one that was termed 'benign' by the standards of such things.

[Denzil_DC]

3. Mrs. Denzil_DC and I were dirt-poor when we got married.

In fact, were quite short of dirt. Our honeymoon was spent camping on the shores of Loch Ness at Drumnadrochit. There's a reasonable shingle beach there a little away from the village, so we tucked ourselves in behind some trees away from the road, where we'd found an angler's hidey-hole in the bank, complete with kettle etc.

We could only afford a half of drink an evening, so we'd spin that out in the lounge bar, taking advantage of the facilities to have a discreet wash 'n brush up.

We were sat at a table one night, and there was a gaggle at the next table enjoying themselves quite uproariously. They were gathered around Paul Daniels, who was spending a few days there and just putting on an impromptu show for anyone around. We weren't fans, and it was as if the telly had followed us on honeymoon - quite surreal, really.

From what his wife's said (I actually have quite a bit of time for her as she seems a good sort) since his death, this was typical of the guy - he just loved putting on a show wherever he was. Might have gotten a bit wearing if you lived with him, I guess.