The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-09
L. M. CralOford;s Career
Opened With Leasing
OF Topeka City Park
Fortytwo Years in the Theatrical Game Entities Veteran
Topeka Magnate a Rest, He Belieyes-He
Raises KarakuI Sheep AS Side Line.

ard III" Little Corinne, then a child
of fourteen, in Cinderella" Rices
"Evangeline," with Harry Hunter the
original Lone Fisherman and
Hearne's Hearts of Oak"
Then there was beautiful Leo Hud-
son, with her handsome black horse,
in 'Mazeppa" and "Diek Turpin.'
There is a sad story connected with
Miss Hudson's visit to Topeka during
the season at the tabernacle. Shortly
after her appearance here her horse
| sustained an injury while being un-
loaded from his car, which necessitated
that he be killed. Persons who knew
the actress declare that she died of
| a broken heart because of the loss of
her pet.
In the meanwhile, the work of re-
| building a new opera house on the site
of the one which had burned down,
was going forward, and the new
building was completed in the fall of
| 1881. Crawford brought innumerable
| theatrical attractions to Topeka, in
| the next few years and staged them
! there.
About that time, the Grand Theater
was constructed by stock company.
In later years Crawford bought this
management of Arthur Kane, and
closed it, giving the shows at his own
btheater.
The original theater burned down
again. and Crawford re-opened the
Grand, which he has managed ever
since that time. On the site of the
twice-burned playhouse on Kansas
avenue, he built the Commerce build
ing
: Theater Interests in Four States.
! His interests have multiplied and
extended. At the present time he is
| interested in theaters in four states,
but forty-two years of the game have
ola HI nj
| he is getting loose from the coils of
| business as rapidly as he can.
Two of L. NJ. Crawford's sons have
inherited the theatrical bent from
their father. Roy Crawford is an Off
Ger of a tremendous theatrical syndi-
| cate with headquarters in New York
| City.
Chester Crawford didn't enter the
theatrical business exactly. He skid
| ded in on roller skates. When the
craze for roller skating struck this
country some years ago he built and
managed a string of roller skating
Kinks AS fast as he recovered his
| investment in a rink, with q proper
profit, he sold 1t and started another
somewhere else.
The United states wasn't extensive
enough for his activities, so he intro
duced roller skating to Europe. He
built and started Kinks in London,
| Paris, Berlin and numerous other
European cities.
L. M. Crawford is wise not only in
the amusement business. Some years
ago an exploring party from the far
east broughHback to this country some
of the sacred sheep of the interior of
Persia--Karakul sheep. Crawford
| bought them, and on his ranch down
near Cottonwood Falls is raising
them at profit, for their skins. after
crossing them with American breeds.
He has the only source in the United
States of genuine Persian lamb fur,
and is finding his investment in that
direction very profitable.
Forty-two years of ups and downs
and strenuousness of theatrical pro-
motion have not left L. M. Crawford
an old man, by any means. Physical
| ly and mentally he is quite fit for
many more years of it. But II think
I've earned a rest" he says.