Malcolm Xerxes (1965-2005)

[BigHairyKev]

It is with a heavy heart that I pass on this news from Gary Davidson...

---

"It is with tremendous sadness that I inform everyone Malcolm has passed away.

The details are slow in coming but what we know is that he died on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 sometime in the afternoon.

Police are still attempting to contact family members so if anyone knows how to contact Malcolm's relatives, either in Ontario, Canada or in Manchester, England please have them contact Peel Regional Police in Mississauga Ontario, or the Toronto Police Services directly; or through their local authorities.

I promise that as things calm down and we absorb this devasting news that more information will be posted here, but I felt it important to let everyone know what we could.

Those who have been advised already are grieving each in their own way at the loss of this very special man. I hope each of you find solace in your memories of encounters with him, in person and through these channels. We at Titan shall miss him terribly.

Take care everyone. I am sorry to be the bearer of this sad news.

Gary Davidson"

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My thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues and fans.

[Zolly]

That's terrible news. Watching his great performance as a zombie in "Resident Evil 2" will have a surreal quality now. Even the thought is unnerving me. He seemed like a great guy, and I for one will miss his posts.

In my thoughts.

[XIXOR (SWG-UK)]

First thought I had when I found out was "Fudgedaboutit", which I think is a strange kind of homage in a way. He was a very active Member, and an Honorary Member too. Now, a sorely missed Member.

Hey MX, "Be Seeing You"

[BigHairyKev]

I think the funniest comment he ever made was when reading some suprise info he wrote...

"Spews Coca-Cola^TM through nostrils onto VDU!"

Great guy - greatly missed

[daxmaryrussel]

Oh no! That's terrible. I enjoyed his posts and have read most of them, he was such a prolific poster, which is great!

It seems unreal, he was here only a couple of days ago. I've always wondered about his picture tag and the TM part and now I cannot ask him in person.

I didn't know him outside this message board but my thoughts go out to his family and friends.

dax (devasted)
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[Wendy (SWG-UK)]

NOOOOOO !
*cries*

[Gideon (SWG-UK)]

Malcolm Xerxes and I didn't always agree, but we discussed things with mutual respect. The Boards will be somewhat lacking without his unique input.

Sorry to see you go MX

[BigHairyKev]

daxmaryrussel said:

Oh no! That's terrible. I enjoyed his posts and have read most of them, he was such a prolific poster, which is great!

It seems unreal, he was here only a couple of days ago. I've always wondered about his picture tag and the TM part and now I cannot ask him in person.

I didn't know him outside this message board but my thoughts go out to his family and friends.

dax (devasted)
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His avatar was an album cover of his which if memory serves was "From the Court of the Crimson King" - he was an actor AND musician and we had many a private chat about music production and equipment

[Susieg]

I returned from work this evening to this sad news.

Malcolm was a valued member and will be greatly missed.

His family are in our thoughts at this time and I am sure Malcolm will always be here in spirit.


Susieg
Can of Coca-Cola near the VDU in honour of MX

[BigHairyKev]

susieg said:

I returned from work this evening to this sad news.

Malcolm was a valued member and will be greatly missed.

His family are in our thoughts at this time and I am sure Malcolm will always be here in spirit.


Susieg
Can of Coca-Cola near the VDU in honour of MX

The Coca-Cola beside the VDU is a nice touch - especially as I know you hate Cola.

The tributes so far have been very warm to the memory of MX - I'm sure he would have enjoyed reading them - but we'll never see his posts again - now that's a crying shame

[X-Wing]

Sad sad news. I sit here shocked. HE WAS ONLY 40! What a waste.

[ShaunReid]

This comes as a very big shock!

Chatted to him a few times and enjoyed it a lot.

Found out recently that he was a big Kate Bush fan and when I listen to her new album I will think of him.

[daxmaryrussel]

silverhawk said:

daxmaryrussel said:

I've always wondered about his picture tag and the TM part and now I cannot ask him in person.

His avatar was from the album cover of King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King. As for the TMs, I'll let Malcolm explain that himself...

It’s something I got into the habit of doing when I began reading AMERICAN FLAGG!™ by MR. HOWARD CHAYKIN, back in 1982. It was a running gag throughout the series that satirised commercialism & copyright law.

I knew he'd explained it somewhere. Went back about 14 months on the Starhyke YG archive and found it.

Thanks Silverhawk for sifting through all those posts. It was nice to hear his own words...

dax

[BigHairyKev]

From Gary Davidson...

"We're now able to confirm a MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR MALCOLM.

The service will be at 2pm (14:00) this Saturday, September 24, 2005 at TRINITY ANGLICAN CHURCH in Port Credit, (south Mississauga) very near the corner of Lakeshore and Highway 10 (Hurontario).

Anyone who wishes to pay their respects or be among those mourning Malcolm is welcome to join us.

Some of Malcolm's friends have been working to close off his estate, liquidate his assets and then get the money to his adoptive parents in Manchester. We understand they are not in the best health and it is our hope to make their load a little lighter at this time.

If you can make it I look forward to meeting some of you there.

Take care of each other,

Gary Davidson,
Producer, TITAN-RAINBOW Media Productions"

[daxmaryrussel]

Got this from my B5 friend "Sheridan"
www.jmsnews.com/Forums/showthread.php?s=4dbdebf94af4c160887459c57c511d4e&p=19913#post19913

At first I didn't want to publish on the board since I think the circumstances surrounding his demise has been throughly explored - but after discussing it with BKH decided to do it since "it does clear up a few lose ends in a respectful way".

Sept 20

"Dear Friends

After reading the latest string of posts on the forum about the circumstances of Malcolm's death, I feel I have to make comment and clarify a few points.

Firstly, I can confirm that it's true that Malcolm took his own life on Tuesday 13th September. It's also true that on the day before he shot his ex-girlfriend twice, once in the face and once in the chest. As far as we know she is still alive, although remains on the critical list in hospital. She has two children.

I cannot speculate as to what was going through Malcolm's mind to make him do such an unspeakable act, but we do know that he was reaching out to many of his family and friends for help prior to these events occurring. I cannot make any excuses or offer any reasons for Malcolm's actions, except to speculate that there must have been something very heinous in his life to make him commit this brutal act.

Malcolm Xerxes was always a very friendly and positive man, he showed no signs that his personal life or mental state was in such turmoil. We auditioned him for a role on Starhyke and thought we knew him well. He was one of our most vocal supporters and had an endless supply of enthusiasm for Starhyke and all Sci-Fi, including the pilot series he stared in, Finnegan's Squad.

Let's all try to remember Malcolm affectionately for the life he lived and not for the way he died or the circumstances surrounding his death.

We've lost two very close friends and vocal supporters of the series in the past few weeks. Both Michael Sheard and Malcolm Xerxes will be remembered in our hearts and minds. We send our love to whichever star they now reside upon.

Michael Sheard 1940 - 2005
Malcolm Xerxes 1965 - 2005

If members wish to submit posts about Malcolm, please make them positive. Lets remember him as we knew him on the forum and not speculate on the events surrounding his untimely death.

Regards to all

Jonathan G. Brown
Starhyke Producer"

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[BigHairyKev]

Thanks for forwarding this Dax - I know we were discussing it at the Black Horse on Saturday - but it's still a surreal time for me.

[Valen]

I only spoke to him in passing a few times but am taken aback at this news.

I hope he's at peace now.

My thoughts are with the his ex partner and hope she fully recovers.

D

[ladytass2001]

As a member who talked with MX on many many boards I am missing him and trying not to cry as I post this....He was one of the best people I had ever had an opportunity to talk with, he was funny and flirty and serious and always a gentleman..........always so malcolm......you could sit and just imagine what he was typing next to you as a friend........MX We miss you and we love you and you will Blessed forever in our hearts

Good bye our friend
~~Tass~~

[hellsbells]

It is always sad when someone passes away at a young age and although I had not had much interaction with Mr Xerxes he has a flair with words and seemed to be interested in a vast number of subjects

I think we also have to remember we only knew the persona via the internet. Most on here did not know the man himself, as I did not.

I have read a post on his own site which may show how we can see only the side one wishes to portray on the web and not the real person behind the keyboard. Yes let us remember the loss of a life which brought debate and laughter on this and many other boards, but also remember the two young lives who's lives will forever be effected far more than we will ever be able to imagine. Two girls are wondering if they will have a mother, and if she does come through this she will never see their faces again.
I have read also on this and other boards that we should only post positively regarding Mr Xerxes or not comment at all. I do not subscribe to the adage "dont speak ill of the dead" ones actions in life show the person we are and death does not wipe this away,good or bad this is what we are.
Her is the post I have read which is from someone who knew the living breathing person who was Malcolm Xerxes


Re: The latest news about MALCOLM XERXES™
« Reply #5 on Sept 23, 2005, 10:55pm »

I have joined your forum in response to all the postings about Malcom Xerxes's suicide. I do not have anything substantive to add to this sad chain of events, except to say that I was a long-time aquaintance of Malcolm's from the theatre here in Toronto. I really had no idea of the vast network of friends and colleagues he had established thru the net, though I knew he was a multi-faceted person. However, to those of us who knew him in his everyday life, I am sad to report that it is not really a surprise that events have unfolded as they have. Malcolm, I believe, had a fine mind and loving heart buried beneath a huge amount of anger and an almost pathological inability to establish real, breathing relationships with people, though he tried. My sense was that he had a truly troubled and bizarre childhood, and it warped his caring, intelligent nature badly. As a mutual friend commented to me last week, Malcolm was perhaps the only person he knew who appeared completely fictitious in person but completely real on stage. A fitting epitaph, perhaps. At any rate -- RIP, Malcolm: I hope you're happier in the next world then you were able to be in this one. My sincerest hopes for a sustainable recovery for his victim, who I understand is now blind, at the very least. My best hopes for her two children and the rest of her family.

And to Kelly J. Campeau -- please get a grip: movies and tv are media: the internet is mediated: -- life is sometimes slow and messy and more real than your dreams. That being said - I mourn with you.


Helen

[BigHairyKev]

hellsbells said:

...a life which brought debate and laughter on this and many other boards...

I know excatly what you mean - his contributions to this particular Forum were always very much welcomed and appreciated - he always seemed to present his online persona in a specific way - tailored as a facet.

My personal thoughts are with his ex-girlfriend and her children - I really feel for them and what they're going through right now.

Four lives destroyed forever