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Peter Firmin, the famed co-creator of Bagpuss, Basil Brush and the Clangers, has died aged 89.
Firmin helped create various popular children’s TV shows, helping bring to life Noggin the Nog and Ivor the Engine, working primarily with longtime collaborator Oliver Postgate.
He passed away at home surrounded by friends and family. Clangers production company Coolabi confirmed the death in a statement that said “During a career spanning over six decades Peter worked with great skill in a remarkably wide variety of creative disciplines as a fine artist, craftsman and author.
”Of all his work he will probably be most fondly remembered for the characters he co-created and made.“
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Arthur Mitchell Trailblazer of ballet who ran circles around racism in America died on 19 September, aged 84. He braved racist taunts for doing what he loved best – dancing – but once his talent was embraced by the great George Balanchine he was unstoppable
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Isabel Quigly Translator of Italian, Spanish and French literature died on 14 September, aged 91. An outstanding Cambridge scholar, she got a job at Penguin and went on to become a Booker judge and film critic for the Spectator
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Mac Miller Rapper who Trump called 'next Eminem' before he made his feelings known about the president died on 7 September, aged 26. Trump was denounced by the Black Lives Matter supporter as an ‘egomaniacal, attention-thirsty, psychopathic, power-hungry delusional waste of skin and bones’
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Inge Borkh The opera singer who became a star of the stage in postwar Germany as Elektra and Salome died on 26 August, aged 97. With a powerful voice and commanding stage presence, she triumphed in portraying any number of tempestuous operatic heroines
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures John McCain The war hero Republican whose last stand was against his party's own president died on 25 August, aged 81 Mr McCain was a principled conservative in the Senate, and once survived five years as a war prisoner.
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Kofi Annan Former UN secretary general and Nobel Peace Prize laureate died on 18 August, aged 80. The Ghanaian national was the first and only black African to be appointed as the world’s top diplomat, a tenure that saw him mediate in some of the biggest crises of the 21st century
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Aretha Franklin Queen of Soul who won 18 Grammys and sold 75 million records died on 16 August, aged 76. Regarded by many as the greatest singer of all time, Aretha Franklin bestrode 1960s and 70s R&B and sang at three presidents’ inaugurations
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Atal Bihari Vajpayee Former prime minister of India who fuelled the nuclear arms race in south Asia died on 16 August, aged 93. Elected to the office three times, Atal Bihari Vajpayee transformed India’s economy and held together a fragile coalition of disparate political parties during his tenure
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Ellie Soutter Team GB snowboarder, Ellie Soutter, died on 25 July, aged 18. She secured Team GB’s only medal at the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Turkey in 2017. She was was one of the country’s best up-and-coming snowboarders, competing in both snowboard cross and freeride
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Oksana Shachko The cofounder of feminist protest group Femen who put her body on the line for women’s rights died on 23 July, aged 31. Regularly arrested and twice kidnapped, Oksana Shachko quickly drew worldwide attention for challenging all forms of patriarchy under the slogan ‘I came, I stripped, I won’
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Alene B Duerk Trailblazer who became the US Navy’s first female rear admiral died on 21 July, aged 98. She said checking released WWII PoWs for ‘lice and diseases and taking requests for ice cream, scrambled eggs and ham’ was ‘probably the most exciting experience of my whole career’
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Philip Roth US novelist, Philip Roth, hailed as the greatest of his generation died on 22 May, aged 85. He became a literary star in the 1960s and continued to win awards and praise well into his later years with new, evocative works
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Ray Wilson England World Cup winner, Ray Wilson, died on 15 May, aged 83. A study in nimble poise and calm concentration, Wilson exuded style and efficiency, and although he shunned the limelight off the field, on it his voice could be heard constantly
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Tom Wolfe Audacious and inventive journalist and author, Tom Wolfe, who satirised the American pursuit of prestige died on 14 May, aged 88. His writing detailed the finer points of behaviour, trends, fashion and the pursuit of prestige that shaped the American social orderTom Wolfe signs copies of his novel 'Bonfire of the Vanities' in 1988
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Margot Kidder Actor, Margot Kidder, who played Lois Lane opposite Christopher Reeve in Superman films died on 13 May, aged 69. She spoke out against the First Gulf War and campaigned for abortion rights but both her political activism and her acting career took a backseat to her struggles with mental health
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Tessa Jowell Former Labour cabinet minister, Tessa Jowell, who helped to secure 2012 London Olympics died on 12 May, aged 70. In a political career spanning more than four decades and as a minister in three Blair administrations, Jowell was a trailblazer for women in politics. Diagnosed with a glioblastoma in May 2017, a rare, high-grade tumour and malignant cancer that can spread quickly to other parts of the brain and spine, it came without warning and with none of the symptoms. Stoic, Jowell displayed passion, determination and a sense of mission, which had been the hallmark of her political career, in a bid to change the way cancer was dealt with
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Verne Troyer The actor died on 21 April, aged 49. Widely known for his role as Mini-Me in Austin Powers, Troyer also appeared in the Harry Potter series
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Avicii The musician, whose real name is Tim Bergling, died on 20 April, aged 28. A pioneer of EDM, and one of the most successful DJs in the industry, the musician found crossover pop success with his 2011 track ‘Le7els’, which sampled Etta James, going platinum in the US and becoming a number one single internationally
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Barbara Bush Barbara Bush, the matriarch of most powerful US first family in recent times died on 17 April, aged 92
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Winnie Mandela The ANC activist died on 14 April, aged 81. Winnie fought tirelessly against apartheid in South Africa, becoming a figurehead for the movement while her husband Nelson was in prison
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Ray Wilkins International footballer, Ray Wilkins, who was handed the Chelsea captaincy at 18 died on 4 April, aged 61. Blessed with an adhesive touch and a calm temperament, Ray Wilkins went on to win the double with the Blues as assistant coach and was hailed as a gentlemen of the game
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Marielle Franco The politician was brutally murdered in downtown Rio de Janeiro on 14 March, in what officials have concluded was a targeted political assassination. A black LGBT+ woman in a country notoriously dominated by racism, sexism and traditional religious dogma, she was raised in one of Rio’s largest, poorest and most violent slums, the Maré complex
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Ken Dodd The comedy legend died aged 90, on 11 March. Sir Ken, famous for his epic stand-up shows which could go on for hours at a time, as well as his Diddy Men and tickling stick, died just days after leaving hospital
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Hubert de Givenchy The founder of the eponymous French fashion house died aged 91, on 10 March. In an impressive career that spanned more than five decades, Givenchy was renowned for dressing the likes of Jackie Kennedy, the Duchess of Windsor and Audrey Hepburn, his long-time muse
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Davide Astori The footballer died after a cardiac arrest aged 31 on 4 March. He was captain of Fiorentina, and an Italian international with 14 appearances for the national side
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Roger Bannister Athlete who broke four-minute mile, Roger Bannister, died on 3 March, aged 88. Sir Roger gave up running to pursue long and distinguished medical career
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Sridevi Bollywood superstar, Sridevi, who starred in 300 films and was hailed as ‘India’s Meryl Streep’ died on 24 February, aged 54. She started off as a child star of Tamil-language cinema and then got her big break in Bollywood where she established herself as a low-key legend
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Emma Chambers The British actress, best known for her roles in ‘The Vicar of Dibley’ and ‘Notting Hill’, died aged 53, on 21 February. A statement from her agency said: ‘Emma created a wealth of characters and an immense body of work. She brought laughter and joy to many, and will be greatly missed.’
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures John Mahoney The actor, famous for his role in long-running TV show ‘Frasier’, died at the age of 77, on 4 February. The British-born star was on the show for 11 seasons spanning from 1993 through to 2004 and his character, Martin Crane, is a fan favourite
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Mark E Smith The lead singer and the main artist behind The Fall, died aged 60, on 24 January. Famous for his acerbic wit, Smith was the ever present member in the band, going through over sixty members in the group's fourty year duration
Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Hugh Masekela The legendary South African jazz trumpeter and anti-apartheid activist died on 23 January at the age of 78 after suffering from cancer. Masekela, branded the ‘father of South African jazz’, died in Johannesburg after what his family described as a ‘protracted and courageous battle with prostate cancer’
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Jimmy Armfield The Blackpool legend and former England captain passed away, aged 82, on 22 January. The right-back played 627 matches for the Lancashire club between 1954 and 1971, and captained England 15 times in 43 appearances. He would later go on to manage Bolton Wanderers and Leeds United, before working as a pundit for the BBC for thirty years
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Ursula Le Guin The celebrated science fiction and fantasy author died at the age of 88, on 22 January. Among the author’s best-known works are the 1969 science fiction novel ‘Left Hand of Darkness’, which explores themes of gender by featuring characters with no fixed sex, and the 1968 coming-of-age story ‘A Wizard of Earthsea’
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Dolores O’Riordan The singer died on 15 January, aged 46. Born into a staunchly Catholic family, O’Riordan was 17 when she responded to a press advert for a female vocalist to join The Cranberry Saw Us, comprising brothers Noel and Mike Hogan and Fergal Lawler, in 1989. Soon after she became lead singer, they became The Cranberries and cut a three-track EP on an independent label
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Notable deaths in 2018 – in pictures Cyrille Regis The former England footballer died from a heart attack aged 59, on 14 January. The ex-footballer, who scored 112 goals in 297 appearances for West Bromwich Albion, also turned out for Coventry City and Aston Villa in the top flight, as well as playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Wycombe Wanderers and Chester City in the later years of his career before retiring in 1996. Regis was a pioneer for black footballers in Britain
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Firmin’s recent work includes the £5 million, BAFTA-winning return of the Clangers which saw Michael Palin serving as narrator in Postgate’s place.
Tributes to the puppeteer have been posted on social media, Shadow Culture Secretary Tom Watson writing: “Peter Firmin took millions and millions of children on magical journeys, filled with glorious laughter and exquisitely joyful characters... What a wonderful legacy he leaves behind.”
Former children’s entertainer Floella Benjamin, of Play School and Play Away fame, said she has ”fond memories” of working with Ferman, while others also remembered his work online.
Firmin’s most popular creation with Postgate was Bagpuss, which was voted the most popular BBC children’s programme ever made in 1999. Firmin was later honoured with a Bafta Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.
Firmin leaves behind wife Joan, six daughters, eleven grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren.
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