On April 4th, 1940, Lawrence hosted the premier showing of ‘The Dark Command’, a western film based on a novel by William Riley Burnett. Starring John Wayne, Walter Pidgeon, Claire Trevor, and Roy Rogers, the film depicts William Quantrill’s raid on Lawrence, Kansas, during the Civil War. The movie cast and crew stayed at The Eldridge Hotel for the premier, showcasing the hotel’s history of hosting celebrities.
