Karl St. John Hoblitzelle
(October 22, 1879 - March 8, 1967)
A young Missourian, Karl Hoblitzelle in 1904 helped produce the St. Louis World's Fair, where he gained respect for vaudeville. In 1905 he founded Interstate Amusement Company and opened theatres in Dallas, Fort Worth, Waco, and San Antonio. Soon he had theatres from Texas to Alabama. The Majestic Theatre was his headquarters for many years. About 1920 he began showing motion pictures. A pioneer in wiring for sound and in air-conditioning his theatres, he set national trends as an exhibitor.
Prominent in planning the 1936 Centennial of Texas Independence, he also headed the 1945-46 celebration of a Century of Texas Statehood. Later he organized a foundation for promoting knowledge of Texas history. In 1942 he and his wife, Esther (Thomas), chartered a philanthropic foundation and channeled funds to schools, hospitals, agriculture, and other endeavors.
Seeking to improve entertainment, he collected widely on topics as diverse as circus, cinema, opera and puppetry. In 1956 he gave his archives to the University of Texas at Austin as the nucleus for the Hoblitzelle Theatre Arts Library. The Medal of Good Merit was awarded to him by Pope Pius XII for his works in education and charity.
Erected 1979 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 6740.)
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Location. 32° 46.948′ N, 96° 47.694′ W. Marker is in Dallas, Texas, in Dallas County. It is in the Dallas Downtown Historic District. Marker is on Elm Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1925 Elm Street, Dallas TX 75201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Majestic Theatre (here, next to this marker); Hilton Hotel (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Dallas Morning News (about 600 feet away); A. H. Belo Corporation (about 600 feet away); Neiman-Marcus (approx. 0.2 miles away); Busch-Kirby Building (approx. ¼ mile away); Dallas Scottish Rite Temple (approx. 0.3 miles away); Lynching in America / The Lynching of Allen Brooks (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dallas.
More about this marker. This marker is on the far right of the Majestic Theatre's facade, at the very edge of the building.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 25, 2019, by QuesterMark of Fort Worth, Texas. This page has been viewed 280 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on June 25, 2019, by QuesterMark of Fort Worth, Texas. 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 6, 2020, by Kayla Harper of Dallas, Texas. 5. submitted on June 25, 2019, by QuesterMark of Fort Worth, Texas. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
