The Game's first, great drug pick was made in 1970 by J. Buffalo on Janis Joplin and went directly to the "Creme de la Creme" page. Gamester predictions of other behavior-induced passings include those of John Belushi and River Phoenix, plus those that follow here...

January 5, 1971 - Sonny Liston (7) - J. Basal

Once the toughest man on the planet, with a baleful gaze that could strike fear into most hearts, former heavyweight champion Sonny Liston, 38, was found dead at home in Las Vegas of "lung congestion." Some suggested it was drugs and/or bad company that did him in. Corner man J. Basal was there for a seven-point solo in the Game's first official year.

October 4, 1974 - Anne Sexton (6) - e. mcgrath

"My favorite early hit will always be Anne Sexton," e. mcgrath notes. "I saw her read at St. Lawrence University in the late sixties. She was a tall woman with lots of dark, dead hair. She wore leopard-printed caftan and read her poetry accompanied by a small musical combo. She made art out of stuff that most women didn't even talk about. It was also obvious that Anne was not a happy camper and hence a good candidate for the list." And she was. After a day of discreet good-byes, Anne Sexton slipped into a fur coat, poured a fresh glass of vodka, went to the garage, closed the doors behind her, climbed into her red '67 Cougar, started the engine and turned on the radio. "No one who knew Anne Sexton well was surprised by her suicide," wrote one biographer, "but it was shocking all the same." Even more shocking to gamesters, e. mcgrath was not done. Before 1974 was over, she would score a second suicide solo, this one of the well-mannered Amy Vanderbilt in December.

January 11, 1982 - Paul Lynde (5) - Danse Macabre, Ghostwriter

Actor Paul Lynde once said, "Gay people killed Judy Garland, but they're not going to kill me." At the same time, he always traveled with a male hair dresser, one of whom had plunged from a hotel window to his death under mysterious circumstances. Sensing the contradictory under-currents in Lynde's life, Danse Macabre and Ghostwriter were there for the score when Lynde died of an overdose of a muscle-relaxant popular in the culture he had publicly disparaged.

April 25, 1984 - David Kennedy (8) - Montressor

A son of Bobby Kennedy, David took up heroin a few years after he witnessed his father's assassination as a 13-year-old while watching TV alone in his hotel room. A combination of Demerol, Mellaril and cocaine eventually killed him in another hotel room, this one in Palm Beach. One of the most famous junkies of his generation, he caught the eye of gamester Montressor, who scored the eight-point solo. Amazingly, Montressor would solo again on a Kennedy, with a seven-point stunner on John F. Kennedy Jr., dying in a plane crash in 1999.

December 28, 1986 - Terry Dolan (7) - Tojours la Morte, The Obit Writers

The Obit Writers were a distinguished panel of Washington newsmen, one of whom continues to play today as Lincoln's Brain. In 1985, while preparing for their debut season, they heard rumors that a prominent conservative was ill with AIDS. They speculated it might be Terry Dolan and added him to their 1986 (rookie) list. When the news of Dolan's demise broke in the final days of 1986, it found them at Wolensky's Bar & Grill on Pennsylvania Avenue, where they toasted the hit, the deceased and their dramatic surge to the Rookie of the Year title with Dewar's and water ("very inspirational"), and then turned their attention to filling a sudden hole in their 1987 list.

June 27, 1987 - Althea Flynt (7) - Deus ex Machina

Althea Flynt was the wife of Hustler publisher Larry Flynt, and a major personality and power in her own right. In the words of Deus ex Machina, "She put herself in harm's way in every sense -- drugs, sex and all the seedy stuff that goes with it. Insiders in L.A. (isn't that everyone there?) told me she was sick." How did Deus react to the news? "I wanted to know if it was a solo. I knew she would die, but I didn't know who else knew." No one, and therein lies the secret of soloing.

November 19, 1988 - Christina Onassis (7) - Ghostwriter

The wealthy heiress to the Onassis shipping fortune, Christina Onassis could never find the right husband, the right home or the right weight. While visiting friends in Argentina, she died of a heart attack. Ghostwriter, who had followed her erratic behavior from afar, made the call.

December 18, 1997 - Chris Farley (7)

Actor Chris Farley loved too much of everything, and it finally did him in. On hand when the lovable big man died of a drug overdose were Blunt Instrument, Daisy Pusher, Ebola, 40 Whacks, Ms. O'Ree, Pappy's Angels, Pari Nirvana, Rig R. Mortis, Roadkill, Skulls Away and Yule Iggy.

May 2, 1999 - Oliver Reed (4) - Passing Fancy

On Malta filming "The Gladiator," actor Oliver Reed went with friends to The Pub on Archbishop Street in Valletta. He had 10 pints of ale before sailors from the HMS Cumberland arrived, prompting him to switch to rum. After 12 shots, the sailors left, unable to keep up, and Reed turned to whiskey. He then felt ill; an ambulance was called, but he died in transit of a heart attack. It was an apt end for the man who once arrived at Galway airport lying drunk on the baggage conveyor; who at a hotel in Madrid stripped during dinner and jumped into a huge tank of goldfish; who invited 36 rugby players to his home where they drank 60 gallons of beer, 32 bottles of Scotch, 17 bottles of gin and four crates of wine before Reed led them on a nude morning run through the Surrey countryside; who had a penchant for flashing a tattoo of an eagle's talon or talons (reports differ), that graced his penis; who in 1991 appeared on the "After Dark" TV show where he fell out of his seat, tried to kiss feminist Kate Millet, announced "Right, I'm off to have a slash," and ended the program by saying, "Look, I'll put my plonker on the table if you don't give me a plate of mushy peas." Reed starred in 53 films and noted that he was an actor, "not a priest above reproach." Only Passing Fancy saw that Reed's lifestyle was not conducive to longevity, and a right lovely tribute her hit was.

May 8, 1999 - Dana Plato (7) - Clean Underwear, Doom Patrol

Dana Plato played Kimberly Drummond on TV's "Diff'rent Strokes" from 1978 to 1984. As with many child stars, her adulthood was troubled. She died of an overdose of Valium and Loritab while visiting the parents of her fiance for Mother's Day. Because of the size of the overdose, her death was ruled a suicide. She had been on many lists over the years, but only Clean Underwear and Doom Patrol held on to score seven each.

August 4, 2000 - Leslie Glass (7) - Ghostwriter

A boxing scorecard girl and dancer who parleyed her ringside exposure into Penthouse Pet of the Month honors in February 1992, Leslie Glass graduated from Penthouse videos into adult films, appearing in such classics as Fantasy Lane, Vagablonde and Vampire Vixens from Venus. But she was not without scruple, performing only with her husband, Ricky O., and founding the "Pets 4 Pets" animal rescue charity with the money she earned. Ghostwriter alone was there for the seven-point hit when Glass died much too young.

April 19, 2002 - Layne Staley (7)

Found at home, his heroin works at his side, dead for at least two weeks, Layne Staley went out as he carried on. The lead singer and guitarist for Alice in Chains was seven points for Boneyard Dog, Death Warmed Over, El Duce's Revenge and Mr. Bastard, and five for Of Corpse, who put Staley in his Wild Card spot to underscore the certainty of his demise.

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