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| Joybubbles set the tone | Joybubbles set the tone |
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| BEEN AND GONE By Helen Morgan-Wynne BBC News Profiles Unit Our regular column covering the passing of significant - but lesser-reported - characters of the past month. | BEEN AND GONE By Helen Morgan-Wynne BBC News Profiles Unit Our regular column covering the passing of significant - but lesser-reported - characters of the past month. |
| Ms Helmsley left £6m to her dog | Ms Helmsley left £6m to her dog |
| • The property tycoon Leona Helmsley was immensely rich - but certainly won't be remembered for her generosity. As New York's "Queen of Mean", she had a reputation for greed and the high handed treatment of employees. She famously told one servant that "only the little people pay taxes" and, having fiddled the books on a grand scale, she was ordered to spend 18 months in jail. In her will, she left £6m to her dog Trouble, while two of her grandchildren got nothing. | • The property tycoon Leona Helmsley was immensely rich - but certainly won't be remembered for her generosity. As New York's "Queen of Mean", she had a reputation for greed and the high handed treatment of employees. She famously told one servant that "only the little people pay taxes" and, having fiddled the books on a grand scale, she was ordered to spend 18 months in jail. In her will, she left £6m to her dog Trouble, while two of her grandchildren got nothing. |
| • Dr Jim MacKeith also dedicated his life to helping others, but in a rather different way - putting right some of the most notorious miscarriages of justice of recent times. As a forensic psychiatrist, he became concerned about the confession evidence used in many high profile criminal cases. Teaming up with an Icelandic psychologist, he produced a way of measuring the suggestibility of defendants. Their groundbreaking work was recognised worldwide and contributed to the decision to free the Guildford Four and the Birmingham Six. | • Dr Jim MacKeith also dedicated his life to helping others, but in a rather different way - putting right some of the most notorious miscarriages of justice of recent times. As a forensic psychiatrist, he became concerned about the confession evidence used in many high profile criminal cases. Teaming up with an Icelandic psychologist, he produced a way of measuring the suggestibility of defendants. Their groundbreaking work was recognised worldwide and contributed to the decision to free the Guildford Four and the Birmingham Six. |
| • Crime certainly paid for John Gardner, who wrote more than 50 books including 14 Bond novels. He had a varied early life, joining the Royal Marines in the last days of the war and briefly serving as priest, before becoming a theatre critic. His first attempt at a serious thriller was said to be a disaster, but he eventually found success by turning his hero, Boysie Oakes, into a character designed as a counter-point to James Bond. When the Fleming family asked him to revive the 007 brand, he was flattered but always said he wanted to be remembered for his own literary creations. | • Crime certainly paid for John Gardner, who wrote more than 50 books including 14 Bond novels. He had a varied early life, joining the Royal Marines in the last days of the war and briefly serving as priest, before becoming a theatre critic. His first attempt at a serious thriller was said to be a disaster, but he eventually found success by turning his hero, Boysie Oakes, into a character designed as a counter-point to James Bond. When the Fleming family asked him to revive the 007 brand, he was flattered but always said he wanted to be remembered for his own literary creations. |
| • Vice Admiral Sir Ian McGeoch made his name with the sort of exploits Bond would have much admired. As a British submarine commander during World War II he sank numerous German and Italian ships in the Mediterranean, winning several awards for his bravery and daring. In early 1943 his submarine was hit by an enemy destroyer. He lost the sight in one eye and became a POW in Italy. He made numerous escape attempts before walking 400 miles to Switzerland. From there he walked to France and, with the help of the Resistance, skied across the Pyrenees to Spain, where he got a boat home. | • Vice Admiral Sir Ian McGeoch made his name with the sort of exploits Bond would have much admired. As a British submarine commander during World War II he sank numerous German and Italian ships in the Mediterranean, winning several awards for his bravery and daring. In early 1943 his submarine was hit by an enemy destroyer. He lost the sight in one eye and became a POW in Italy. He made numerous escape attempts before walking 400 miles to Switzerland. From there he walked to France and, with the help of the Resistance, skied across the Pyrenees to Spain, where he got a boat home. |
| • Although the American make-up artist William J Tuttle never worked on a Bond movie, he did contribute to the success of many other films. During the 50s and 60s he was head of make-up at MGM, working on some of the most famous faces of the day, including Marlon Brando, Kirk Douglas and Sophia Loren. Although in 1965 there was no official category for make-up, he was awarded an Oscar for his work on "The Seven Faces of Dr Lao". In it he transformed Tony Randall into a series of different characters, including a Chinese man, a sea serpent and an abominable snowman. | • Although the American make-up artist William J Tuttle never worked on a Bond movie, he did contribute to the success of many other films. During the 50s and 60s he was head of make-up at MGM, working on some of the most famous faces of the day, including Marlon Brando, Kirk Douglas and Sophia Loren. Although in 1965 there was no official category for make-up, he was awarded an Oscar for his work on "The Seven Faces of Dr Lao". In it he transformed Tony Randall into a series of different characters, including a Chinese man, a sea serpent and an abominable snowman. |
| Astor gave away vast sums of money | Astor gave away vast sums of money |
| • Brooke Astor life might be said to be the stuff that movies are made of. As the wife of Vincent Astor, the American heir to a huge fortune made in the 19th Century, she enjoyed a privileged life of high fashion and parties. But she once said "money is like manure and should be spread around". True to her word she gave away nearly a £100million and visited many of the housing projects and charitable organisations she helped. | • Brooke Astor life might be said to be the stuff that movies are made of. As the wife of Vincent Astor, the American heir to a huge fortune made in the 19th Century, she enjoyed a privileged life of high fashion and parties. But she once said "money is like manure and should be spread around". True to her word she gave away nearly a £100million and visited many of the housing projects and charitable organisations she helped. |
| • Joe Engressia's unusual life also reads like a movie. Blind from birth, he discovered as a child that he could whistle at perfect pitch. He used the skill to make free long distance calls in an age when access to the telephone network was based on a series of tones. He was prosecuted in 1971 and abandoned his activities - which are seen as an early form of computer hacking. In his 30s, he changed his name to Joybubbles and surrounded himself with toys, claiming he wanted to remain five years old forever. | • Joe Engressia's unusual life also reads like a movie. Blind from birth, he discovered as a child that he could whistle at perfect pitch. He used the skill to make free long distance calls in an age when access to the telephone network was based on a series of tones. He was prosecuted in 1971 and abandoned his activities - which are seen as an early form of computer hacking. In his 30s, he changed his name to Joybubbles and surrounded himself with toys, claiming he wanted to remain five years old forever. |
| Among others who died in August were: the Italian film director Michelangelo Antonioni; the music promoter href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/6941105.stm">Anthony H Wilson; the countryman and TV presenter Phil Drabble; the actor Mike Reid and the former Conservative MP Lord Biffen. |