Ted Lewis, born Theodore Leopold Friedman in Circleville in 1890 to a prominent business family, became one of the outstanding American showmen of the twentieth century. Drawn to the stage at an early age, he began performing in cabarets, vaudeville shows, and nightclubs throughout Ohio at age 17, moved to New York in 1915, and opened his own cabaret in 1918. With his animated stage persona, his clarinet, and his trademark cane and battered top hat, he gained wide popularity with jazz age audiences, and his “Me and My Shadow” act reflected his fame during the 1920s, when he was the highest-paid entertainer in the business. His career lasted more than six decades, stretching from vaudeville to television, and he died in New York in 1971. As Circleville’s most famous native son, he remained closely tied to his hometown, having performed in the first Pumpkin Show in 1903 and continuing to promote the festival throughout his career. He returned often, gave a successful benefit show there in 1952, and with his wife Adah Becker Lewis bought and donated the land for Ted Lewis Park while also supporting Berger Hospital. The Ted Lewis Museum, dedicated in 1977, stands in the only remaining building from Circleville’s original circle and preserves important collections related to his life, career, and early twentieth century American music. Ted and Adah Lewis are buried at Circleville’s Forest Cemetery.