Died On This Date: Mar 17

Hayes, Helen
b. October 10, 1900 d. March 17, 1993
Legendary Actress. She was known as the Fist Lady of American Theater. She starting acting at the age of 5 when her mother, Essie, an aspiring actress herself, had her try out for a part. By age 8 she was in her first Broadway play as 'Prince Charles' in "The Royal Family" after being given her big break by Lew Fields. She was in theater off and on until she was diagnosed as being allergic to backstage dust in 1971 and retired from the stage, but not from films and TV.

Cassini, Oleg
b. April 11, 1913 d. March 17, 2006
Fashion Designer. Famous for the outfits he designed for First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. A Hollywood costume designer, who was married to actress Gene Tierney for ten years, and dated Grace Kelly. Oleg Cassini was born Oleg Loiewski in Paris, France, of Russian parents in 1913.

Lantz, Gracie
b. November 7, 1903 d. March 17, 1992Actress. She was the voice of cartoon character "Woody Woodpecker," which was created by her husband, Walter Lantz.

Mustafa, Domenico
b. April 16, 1829 d. March 17, 1912
Opera Singer, Composer. He was a soprano (and a castrato) at the Capella Sistina, and he was particularly admired for his performances of Handelian music. He was also a composer - among his works were the famous "Miserere" and "Tus es Petrus secundum magnum". Admitted to the Capella Sistina in Rome as a chorister in 1848, he soon became famous for his singing, intelligence and gifts as a composer. In 1855 he made his debut as a composer in "Miserere" for six voices, with high acclaim.

Allen, Fred
b. May 31, 1894 d. March 17, 1956
Radio Entertainer, Actor. Born John Florence Sullivan on May 31, 1894, Fred Allen began his career in vaudeville before becoming one of radio's most original and admired comedians. Allen began his radio career on October 23, 1932, starring on The Linit Bath Club Revue. By 1934, Allen was starring on Town Hall Tonight, a one-hour show which featured Allen examining current events and interviewing unusual guests.

Devore, Edward Allen
b. June 15, 1947 d. March 17, 1968
Viet Nam Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Served in the United States Army during the War in Viet Nam as a Specialist Fourth Class in Company B, 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. He was awarded the CMOH for his bravery near Saigon, in the Republic of Vietnam on March 17, 1968. His citation reads "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c.

King, Charles
b. October 12, 1844 d. March 17, 1933
United States Army Officer, Historian, Author. He was from a distinguished family which included his great grandfather Rufus King, a signer of the United States Constitution, grandfather Charles King, president of Columbia College (now university), and father Rufus King, a graduate of the United States Military Academy and a Union Major General during the Civil War. Charles King himself graduated from the Military Academy in 1866. He served as a Lieutenant in the 5th United States. Cavalry.

Candini, Milo
b. August 3, 1917 d. March 17, 1998
Major League Baseball Player. The pitcher spent eight years in the big leagues with the Washington Senators (1943 to 1944 and 1946 to 1949) and the Philadelphia Phillies (1950 to 1951). He was in the New York Yankees' system, but they traded him with second baseman Gerry Priddy on Jan. 29, 1943 to the Senators for pitcher Bill Zuber and cash. The right-hander won his seven decisions in 1943, when he had an 11-7 record with a 2.49 earned run average.

Oates, Lawrence
b. March 17, 1880 d. March 17, 1912
English Explorer. He served with his regiment in Ireland, then in Egypt, where he became captain, and later in India. Oates volunteered to join the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913 (leader Robert Falcon Scott), and was placed in charge of the nineteen ponies. Setting out from Hut Point in November 1911, the Polar and support parties reached the foot of the Beardmore Glacier in December, 1911. Here the remaining ponies were shot and the dog teams sent back.

Mitchell, Alexander H.
b. November 13, 1840 d. March 17, 1913
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He was serving as a First Lieutenant in Company A, 105th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry at Spotsylvania, Virginia, on May 12, 1864 when he earned his Medal. His citation reads: Capture of flag of 18th North Carolina Infantry (C.S.A.), in a personal encounter with the color bearer. His Medal was awarded March 27, 1890. He later rose to the rank of Captain.

Reynolds, Malvina
b. August 23, 1900 d. March 17, 1978
Singer, songwriter. She and her brother grew up playing the violin. She married high-school sweetheart William "Bud" Reynolds in 1934. During the Depression she was a social worker and wrote columns for the "People's World." When the United States entered World War II she worked on an assembly line at a bomb factory. Following her father's death, she and Bud inherited a tailor shop in Long Beach, California, where she would meet folk singers and songwriters such as Pete Seeger.

Harnden, Henry
b. March 4, 1823 d. March 17, 1900
Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. Became lieutenant colonel of the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry. In May 1865 he led one of the parties pursuing fleeing Confederate President Jefferson Davis, being in on the capture May 10, 1865 near Irwinsville, Ga. He was brevetted brigadier general March 13, 1865.

Lenoire, Rosetta
b. August 8, 1911 d. March 17, 2002
Television and movie actress. Born Rosetta Olive Barton. Goddaughter of famed Tap dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. She was in the landmark all-black version of "Macbeth," directed by Orson Welles in the 1930s. Former president Bill Clinton presented Lenoire with the National Medal of the Arts in 1999. Appeared in the movies "Moscow on the Hudson" (1984), "Brewster's Millions" (1985), and the TV series "Family Matters" (1989 to 1997), in which she played the role of Estelle 'Mother' Winslow.

Doppler, Christian Andreas
b. November 29, 1803 d. March 17, 1853
Scientist. A physicist and mathematician, he developed the theory of the Doppler Effect, that sound waves from a moving source would be compressed or expanded, or that the frequency would change.

Gautt, Prentice
b. February 8, 1938 d. March 17, 2005
Professional Football Player. Gautt was an outstanding running back at the University of Oklahoma where he had accepted the challenge of becoming the first African-American to play for the "Sooners". During his collegiate career, he earned two-time All-Big Eight and Academic All-American honors. Gautt had been an All-State running back at Oklahoma City's Douglass High School and had played in Oklahoma's first integrated football game his senior year.

Meyer, Ray
b. December 18, 1913 d. March 17, 2006
Sports Figure. Legendary basketball coach of DePaul University, he was born in Chicago and graduated from Notre Dame in 1938 where he was a two-time basketball team captain. Was the head basketball coach for DePaul from 1942 to 1984. His career included 37 winning seasons of which 12 seasons had 20 wins or more and he took his teams to 21 post-season appearances. Led DePaul to the NCAA Final Four playoffs in 1985. His 724 career victories and 354 losses place him in the top 20 coaches of NCAA.