Notable Members
Actor Jack Carson starred Arsenic and Old Lace. One of Cecile Daylight Lodge’s most notable members is Jack Carson, a Canadian actor. Bro:. Jack was the first of five candidates to receive the Entered Apprentice degree at Cecile Daylight Lodge #305 in Independence, MO in 1936. He was taught the proficiency while the other four candidates were being initiated. By his request, he then returned his
Theodore Childress “Chill” Wills was a colorful character actor of American Westerns. Named “Chill” as an ironic comment on his birth date being the hottest day of 1902. A musician from his youth, he performed from the age of 12 with tent shows, in vaudeville, and with stock companies. While performing in vaudeville in Kansas City, he married ballet dancer Betty Chappelle, with whom he had two chi
Doie “Tex” Owens was most famous for penning the song “Cattle Call”, made popular by Eddie Arnold. He wrote this song in the Pickwick Hotel in KC during a heavy snow storm. Feeling sorry for all of the cattle out in the weather. He also appeared in the movie “Red River” with John Wayne.
He was quite an established radio personality in Kansas City, MO. In 1932, he had his own radio show on KMBC for
Bro. Harry Otto Craswell (Mr. Otto the Magician) a magician and a juggler, who actually got his start by running off to join the circus at age 13. He became a member of the Magicians Hall of Fame, at one time was one of the top 4 magicians in the World. He performed in the Folly and Empress theaters in Kansas City. He operated the Court House Hotel from the 1930s until 1959. He became a member of
One of the founding members was Bro. Russell Ransdall, who helped invent the talking pictures while working for a subsiduary of Bell Telephone Co.
Bro. Clarence Wheeler who wrote the Woody Woodpecker Song and all of the music for the Woody Woodpecker cartoons. He was the only charter member of Cecile Daylight Lodge #305 that did not remain a member of the lodge until his death. He transferred his membership to Silver Trowel Lodge #415 in Hollywood, CA.
Bro. Ben Adams was the lodge organist for many years. He wrote the music for the “Lord’s Prayer”. He refused to go into the advancing line of the lodge, opting instead to be the organist. His daughter only allowed music written by him to be played at his funeral. Bro. Ben became a member of Cecile Daylight Lodge #305 in 1942.
Bro. Don Gil Torres was the Director of the Kansas City Philharmonic Orchestra. When he was installed as Master of the lodge in 1954, he wrote all of the music for the installation and had the Kansas City Philharmonic Orchestra perform it, as most members of the orchestra were also members of the lodge as well. Bro. Don became a member of Cecile Daylight Lodge #305 in 1944.