Originator of Codger Bowl: Colfax native John Crawford, actor, writer dies at age 90

Word was received at the Gazette Wednesday morning that John Crawford, Colfax native who went on to achieve fame as a film and television actor, died Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010, in California after a short illness.

Mr. Crawford was 90 at his time of death and had made his home at Newbury Park, Calif., during his retirement years.

Born Sept. 13, 1920, in Colfax, Crawford was raised by his grandmother during the Depression and was known by classmates as Cleve Richardson.

He went on to careers in writing and film, with several major roles in Hollywood films. He was later featured in several television productions. He was probably best known for his long-standing role as the sheriff in “The Waltons” television series.

Crawford maintained contact with his classmates and many friends here over the years and attended several class reunions. He was the originator of the 1988 Codger Bowl game which brought huge crowds and national media coverage to Colfax. The game featured a rematch of Colfax and St. John teams who faced off in 1938.

He followed up the golden year football reunion game with promotion of the Codger Pole and development of the Codger Pole Park in Colfax. Members of the Codgers and their families contributed to development of the park which was dedicated in September of 1991.

The city also named John Crawford Boulevard in his honor.

Crawford left Colfax after high school to attend drama school at the University of Washington where he appeared in a series of campus productions. He also took a job at Boeing, and later moved to Los Angeles where he worked for Lockheed Martin during World War II and began his film career.

He had screen tests at major studios and was cast in his first film, the RKO production of “The Thoroughbreds”, at the age of 23.

Mr.Crawford was a relative of Yakima Canutt, who was raised at Penawawa, became a nationally known rodeo competitor and wound up in Hollywood as a stunt rider and later an action director for westerns and other film dramas.

As part of a writing career, Crawford wrote a biography of Canutt and helped develop the former museum in Colfax for the bronc rider.

Obituary information was not available to the Gazette at press time.