Died On This Date - January 23

Carson, Johnny
b. October 23, 1925 d. January 23, 2005
Entertainer/Television Host/Comedian. Born in Corning, Iowa, he moved with his family to nearby Norfolk, Nebraska when he was eight years old. At age 14, Carson began his act as the magician "The Great Carsoni" for the local Rotary Club in his hometown. He served in the Navy for two years as an Ensign during World War II. He was a radio/drama major at the University of Nebraska. He hosted his first radio program, "The Squirrel's Nest", at WOW in Omaha.

Dali, Salvador
b. May 11, 1904 d. January 23, 1989
Surrealist artist. His full name is Salvador Felipe Jacinto Dali i Domenech. He was born in Figueras, a small town near the French border. In 1917 he started to visit the School of Art and in 1925 he attended the San Fernando Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid. That same year he held his exhibition in Barcelona. He became internationally known when three of his paintings were shown in the Carnegie International Exhibition in Pittsburgh in 1928.

Keeshan, Bob 'Captain Kangaroo'
b. June 27, 1927 d. January 23, 2004
Actor, Comedian, Entertainer, Television Producer. He is best remembered for his long running children's show as "Captain Kangaroo," which was named after his character's trademark red coat, which had large pockets (like a Kangaroo's) containing many interesting objects that he would display on the show. The "Captain Kangaroo Show" won six Emmy Awards and three Peabody Awards. He was also elected to the Clown Hall of Fame.

Hobart, Harrison Carroll
b. January 31, 1815 d. January 23, 1902
Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. He was successful lawyer and former Wisconsin State Senator at the start of the Civil War, when he enlisted and was commissioned a Captain in the 4th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry in April 1861. In 1862, he was appointed Lieutenant Colonel in command of the newly formed 21st Wisconsin Regiment. He commanded the 21st Wisconsin in actions in Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee and was captured at Chickamauga and taken to Libby prison in Richmond, Virginia..

Collins, Allen Larkin
b. July 19, 1952 d. January 23, 1990
Musician. He was a guitarist and founding member of the Southern rock band "Lynyrd Skynyrd". He co-wrote with singer Ronnie Van Zant the band's most famous song "Freebird".

Dorsey, Thomas 'Georgia Tom'
b. July 1, 1899 d. January 23, 1993
African-American composer and arranger, the acknowledged "father of gospel music." Thomas Andrew Dorsey remains arguably the most influential figure ever to impact the genre. A versatile composer whose material shifted easily from energetic hard gospel to hymns. Dorsey penned many of the best known and familiar songs in gospel, among them "Precious Lord," "Peace In The Valley," "I Don't Know Why," "Search Me Lord," "Old Ship Of Zion," and "The Lord Will Make A Way."

Carter, Nell
b. September 13, 1948 d. January 23, 2003
Singer, Actress. She started out as a cabaret performer and later won a Tony Award in the musical revue "Aint Misbehavin'. She's continued a successful career in the theater, including a revival of "Annie," in which she won awards such as the Outer Circle Critics Award, the Obie, and the Drama Desk Award. Her TV career included recurring roles on the soap opera "Ryan's Hope" and the prime-time series "The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo" as police sergeant Hildy Jones.

Williams, Paul Revere
b. February 18, 1894 d. January 23, 1980
Architect. In a career that spanned almost 60 years, he designed over 3000 projects. The "architect to the stars" created homes for celebrities such as Anthony Quinn, Bert Lahr, Danny Thomas, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Frank Sinatra, and Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. He also designed, either completely or in part, the following buildings in Los Angeles: the Shrine Auditorium, Hollywood YMCA, Sunset Plaza Apartments, a unit of L.A. General Hospital, and the L.A. County Court House.

Robeson, Paul Bustill
b. April 9, 1898 d. January 23, 1976
Social Reformer, Singer, Athlete, and Actor. Considered one of the great American “Renaissance men” and the son of an escaped slave, he was the 1919 valedictorian of Rutgers University, where he also won fifteen varsity letters in football, baseball, basketball, and track & field. He graduated from Columbia Law School in 1923, but soon left his practice to pursue a career in the performing arts.

Ory, Edward 'Kid'
b. December 25, 1886 d. January 23, 1973
Father of Dixieland Jazz.