Died On This Date: Mar 23

Lorre (Loewenstein), Peter (Laszlo)
b. June 26, 1904 d. March 23, 1964
Beloved character actor, whose style and accent made him popular with his fans. Born Laszlo Loewenstein in Rosenberg, Austria-Hungary (now Ruzomberok, Slovakia), his parents were Alois and Elvira Lorre. He was educated in Vienna, but at age 17, he ran away from home, working as a bank clerk in Vienna, and then making his acting debut in Zurich, Switzerland. He was a virtual unknown for seven years, playing bit parts in numerous films in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, until 1931.

Heath, Leon 'Mule Train'
b. October 27, 1928 d. March 23, 2007
Professional Football Player. Born Herman Leon Heath, he was a fullback for three seasons (1951 to 1953) in the National Football League with the Washington Redskins. His best year was in 1952 when he rushed for 388 yards in 90 attempts with 2 touchdowns and had 23 receptions for 146 yards with 1 touchdown. During his college years at the University of Oklahoma, Heath was named All-American and helped lead the Sooners to a national championship title in 1950.

Mariucci, John
b. May 18, 1916 d. March 23, 1987Father of US Hockey and member of the US Hockey Hall of Fame.

Doss, Desmond T.
b. February 7, 1919 d. March 23, 2006
World War II Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, and grew up in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, whose tenets forbid bearing arms. When he was called to the draft, he declined a religious exemption that would have allowed him to continue working in a shipyard. He served in the Army with the designation of conscientious objector, but he detested that phrase. He preferred "conscientious cooperator." However, he still refused to learn to shoot a rifle.

Hawthorne, Harris Smith
b. February 29, 1832 d. March 23, 1911
Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a Sergeant in the Union Army in Company F, 121st New York Infantry. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for action on April 6, 1865 at Deatonsville (Sailor's Creek), Virginia. His citation reads "Capture of Confederate Maj. Gen. George Washington Custis Lee."

Ray, Charles W.
b. August 6, 1872 d. March 23, 1959Medal of Honor recipient. Rank and Organization: Sergeant, Company 1, 22d U.S. Infantry. Place and Date: Near San Isidro, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 19 October 1899. Entered Service At: St. Louis, Mo. Birth: Pensacola Yancey County, N.C. Date of Issue: 18 April 1902. Citation: Most distinguished gallantry in action. Captured a bridge with the detachment he commanded and held it against a superior force of the enemy, thereby enabling an army to come up and cross.

Bleak, David Bruce
b. February 27, 1932 d. March 23, 2006
Korean War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served in the United States Army during the Korean War in the Medical Company of the 223rd Infantry Regiment, 40th Infantry Division. He was awarded the CMOH for his bravery in the vicinity of Minari-gol, Korea, on June 14, 1852. His citation reads "Sgt. Bleak, a member of the medical company, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and indomitable courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy.

Piestewa, Lori
b. December 14, 1981 d. March 23, 2003
Military Figure. Lori Ann Piestewa was a Native American Hopi Indian from Tuba City Arizona. Her Hopi name was Kocha-Hon-Mana, or White Bear Girl. She was A 22 year old divorced single parent of two small children. Brandon, a 4 year old boy and Carla, a 3 year old girl. There isn't many job options on the reservation where the unemployment rate runs at least 20%. Lori was living with her parents. She hated taking things for free, even from her family.

Entwistle, James
b. July 8, 1837 d. March 23, 1910
He served as chief engineer of the U.S. Navy Asiatic fleet under Admiral Dewey. He was one of the heroes of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War. During the US Civil War, one of his main assignments was the blockade of Mobile.

Maynard, Ken
b. July 21, 1895 d. March 23, 1973
Innovative Pioneer Cowboy Actor. His career began in 1923 during the silent movie era. With his white cowboy hat, fancy shirt and a pair of six-shooters, he appeared in over 90 films. Ken Maynard was one of the first singing cowboys with Columbia Records and the first to make a star (Tarzan) from the horse he rode on the screen.

Masina, Giulietta
b. February 22, 1921 d. March 23, 1994
Italian motion-picture actress. Born Giulia Anna Masina, she made her screen debut in "Without Pity" (1948). Over the following years, she played many memorable roles in such films as: "Behind Closed Shutters," "Variety Lights," the Oscar-winning "La Strada" with Anthony Quinn, and the widely acclaimed "Nights of Cabiria," which again won an Oscar and brought her the award for Best Female.Actress.

Burnett, Paul
b. July 28, 1943 d. March 23, 2001
Musician. A native of Richmond, Virginia, he was born Jesse Paul Burnett Jr. Along with Nathaniel Ruff, Earl Christian, Tom Eldridge, and Ray Smith, he founded the vocal group The Jarmels in 1959. Known for their pop and rhythm and blues mixed sound (with a mix of the Drifters style), the group's first single was, "Little Lonely One." This was followed by "A Little Bit Of Soap", which became a number 12 single in 1961, and "Come On Girl" in 1963.

Lewis, Roy 'Pop'
b. September 22, 1905 d. March 23, 2004
The patriarch of the famous "First Family of Bluegrass Gospel Music," pop Lewis led the Lewis Family from relative obscurity in their north Georgia hometown groups in Southern Gospel. Beginning in the early 1950s, Pop began promoting his talented sons and daughters traveling and singing with them at gospel and bluegrass concerts across the nation. Versatile stage performers, the Lewises chose to sing and play an all-gospel repertoire of songs.

Walker, Cindy
b. July 20, 1918 d. March 23, 2006
Songwriter. She challenging the traditions of country music, and became a successful songwriter at a time when female songwriters were rare and not taken seriously. She was able to influence the industry while writing songs at her Texas home when most other successful songwriters lived in Nashville, Tennessee. A native of Mart, Texas she began writing songs at the age of twelve. In 1940, while visiting Los Angeles, California, she arranged an impromptu audition with Bing Crosby's brother, Larry.

Magid, Elizabeth MacKethan
d. March 23, 2004
Military Figure, Author. She flew planes for the U.S. military during World War II and wrote the poem "Celestial Flight" which honors female pilots. She was one of 1,074 women who became pilots in the Women Airforce Service Pilots. Elizabeth wrote "Celestial Flight" in memory of her best friend, fellow pilot Marie Mitchell Robinson, who died in a crash of a B-25 bomber in 1944. After the war ended, she was a freelance writer for such magazines as Family Circle and Boys' Life.