Died On This Date - Feb. 1

Keaton, Buster
b. October 4, 1895 d. February 1, 1966
Legendary motion picture comic actor, writer, producer, and director of the 1910s thru 1960s. Born on October 4, 1895, in Piqua, Kansas, as Joseph Francis Keaton. The oldest son of Joseph and Myra Keaton, who were stage comedians. Buster joined his family's act at a very young age. It soon developed into a very rough stage act, with Buster's dad hitting him with brooms and other objects on the stage.

Lunalilo, William Charles
b. December 11, 1830 d. February 1, 1874 (circa)
Hawaiian King. Reigned as King of Hawaii from January 1873 to February 1874. Royal prince was elected king by the Hawaii legislature after King Kamehameha V died with no heir.

Shelley, Mary
b. August 30, 1797 d. February 1, 1851
Author. Born in London, the second daughter of feminist and writer Mary Wollstonecraft and political journalist William Godwin. Her mother died shortly after Mary's birth from a hemorrhage sustained either during deliver or by the actions of the midwife. Unusual for girls at the time, Mary received an excellent education. She published her first poem at the age of ten. A political radical and free-thinker like her father, Percy Bysshe Shelley and his first wife Harriet often visited Godwin's.

Thompson, Joseph Henry
b. September 26, 1871 d. February 1, 1928
World War I Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He was a Colonel in the United States Army. He was awarded the Medal of Honor as a Major in the 110th Infantry, 28th Division for action on October 1, 1918 near Apremont, France. His citation in part reads "Later in the action, when the advance of his assaulting companies was held up by fire from a hostile machine-gun nest and all but one of the six assaulting tanks were disabled, Maj. Thompson, with great gallantry and coolness, rushed.

Husband, Rick D.
b. July 12, 1957 d. February 1, 2003
United States Astronaut. A 45 years old Amarillo, Texas native, and a Colonel in the United States Air Force, he had been selected as an astronaunt in 1994, and served as Flight Commander on the Space Shuttle Columbia. On February 1, 2003 NASA lost all communication and radar contact with the shuttle just minutes before a 9:16AM scheduled landing time. A short time later it was confirmed that the Columbia had exploded over eastern Texas, and that there were no survivors.

O'Rourke, Heather Michele
b. December 27, 1975 d. February 1, 1988
Child actress, she is best remembered for her roles of Carol Anne Freeling in the three "Poltergeist" movies (1982, 1986, and 1988). Born in San Diego, California, she was discovered in 1980 by director Steven Spielberg, while eating lunch with her mother in the MGM Studio Commissary. Spielberg was looking for a six-year-old to play the part of Carol Anne in his upcoming movie, "Poltergeist" and hired her after an interview and a "scream test."

Steindam, Russell Albert
b. August 27, 1946 d. February 1, 1970
Vietnam Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a First Lieutenant, US Army, Troop B, 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 25th Infantry, Division. On February 1, 1970, First Lieutenant Steindam led members of his platoon on a night ambush operation at Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam. When the enemy was detected, his platoon's position was subjected to intense automatic weapons fire and rocket-propelled grenades.

Ramon, Ilan
b. June 20, 1954 d. February 1, 2003
Israeli Astronaut. A Colonel in the Isreali Air Force, he was the first Israeli in fly in Outer Space. Before becoming an astronaut he had served in the Yom Kippur War in 1982. He was a Payload Specialist on the Space Shuttle Columbia. On February 1, 2003 NASA lost all communication and radar contact with the shuttle just minutes before a 9:16AM scheduled landing time. A short time later it was confirmed that the Columbia had exploded over eastern Texas, and that there were no survivors.

Brown, David M.
b. April 16, 1956 d. February 1, 2003
United States Astronaut. He was a Mission Specialist on the Space Shuttle "Columbia". On February 1, 2003 NASA lost all communication and radar contact with the shuttle just minutes before a 9:16AM scheduled landing time. A short time later it was confirmed that the Columbia had exploded over eastern Texas, and that there were no survivors.

McCool, William C.
b. September 23, 1961 d. February 1, 2003
United States Astronaut. Served as pilot of the Space Shuttle Columbia. On February 1, 2003, NASA lost all communication and radar contact with the shuttle just minutes before a 9:16AM scheduled landing time. A short time later it was confirmed that the Columbia had broken apart over eastern Texas, and that there were no survivors.

Anderson, Michael
b. December 25, 1959 d. February 1, 2003
United States Astronaut. 43 years old, and a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force, he was chosen as an astronaut in 1994. He was a Payload Commander on the Space Shuttle Columbia. On February 1, 2003 NASA lost all communication and radar contact with the shuttle just minutes before a 9:16AM scheduled landing time. A short time later it was confirmed that the Columbia had exploded over eastern Texas, and that there were no survivors.

Armstrong, Edwin Howard
b. December 18, 1890 d. February 1, 1954
Scientist, Inventor. He invented FM radio, super regeneration and superheterodyne. He gave patents to the US government at no charge.

Cruikshank, George
b. September 27, 1791 d. February 1, 1878
Artist, designer, caricaturist, engraver, painter and teetotaler. He was a celebrated book illustrator and was, for a time, associated with Charles Dickens, later becoming an illustrator for other authors of the time, showing great humour and character-delineation.

Thomas, Charles
b. April 13, 1797 d. February 1, 1878
Civil War Union Brevet Major General. Served as both Assistant Quartermaster General and as Acting Quartermaster General on the Union Army in the Civil War.

Power, John Vincent
b. November 20, 1918 d. February 1, 1944
World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He was killed in action. He served as a First Lieutenant, Platoon Leader, in the United States Marine Corps in the 4th Marine Division. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for action on February 1, 1944 at Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. His citation in part reads "Severely wounded in the stomach while setting a demolition charge on a Japanese pillbox, 1st Lt. Power was steadfast in his determination to remain in action.

Hopper, Hedda
b. May 2, 1890 d. February 1, 1966
Actress, Journalist. Despite a 23 year career that encompassed over 120 motion picture appearances and chorus girl roles on Broadway to motion pictures, she is best remembered for her newspaper column and radio show that focused exclusively on Hollywood gossip, a subject she was able to tell more about to her audience due to her Hollywood insider status. Born Elda Furry in Holidaysburg, Pennsylvania, she left school to act on Broadway.

Vernon, John
b. February 24, 1932 d. February 1, 2005
Actor. He appeared often playing villains in films such as John Boorman's "Point Blank" (1967), Alfred Hitchcock's "Topaz" (1969), Don Siegel's "Dirty Harry" (1971), Clint Eastwood's "The Outlaw Josey Wales" (1976), and "National Lampoon's Animal House." He starred in the 1966-68 TV series "Wojeck," where played a heroic Canadian coroner named'Dr. Steve Wojeck.' He also is remembered as the voice of 'Big Brother' in the film "1984."