Majestic Theatre

Opened in 1921, this opulent Renaissance Revival theater hosted legendary performers including Harry Houdini and Bob Hope. The 1,700-seat venue is the last remaining theater of five downtown movie palaces that once lined Elm Street. After decades of decline, it was restored and reopened in 1983.

The Majestic Theatre opened its doors on April 11, 1921, on the ominously named Elm Street in downtown Dallas. Originally home to vaudeville performers including Bob Hope, Harry Houdini, Mae West, and Jack Benny, the theater transitioned to screening films in 1922. Now nearing a century in age, it has accumulated a reputation as one of Dallas's most haunted venues.

The most infamous ghost is that of former owner Karl Hoblitzelle. After building the theatre in the early 1920s, Hoblitzelle lived out his days in luxury, amassing a fortune of $17 million by his death in 1967. He apparently has no intention of leaving his beloved theater.

Maintenance man Fernando Ramirez claims to have seen the ghost several times. Security guard Jonas Griffin reports inexplicable happenings, particularly strange elevator activity. One former employee shared that every night he locked the door in his office leading to the theater, yet each morning it would be wide open with a strange chill in the air. His manager explained it was simply Karl's doing—he preferred that door for checking on the theatre.

Over the years, Karl's mischievous ghost has been blamed for weird smells, countless missing items, and a light hanging above the balcony that illuminates on its own. Staff believe that whenever this light turns on, Karl wishes that particular seat reserved for him at the next show—a request that is always obliged.

A former stagehand also haunts the theater's lower levels. His spectral footsteps echo through the building, accompanied by unsettling phenomena like unexplained breathing and flickering lights.

Visitors have witnessed backdrops moving unaided by human hands and a man appearing in balcony seats who vanishes when anyone approaches. Phone lines light up though no one is calling. The presence of those who devoted their lives to the Majestic seemingly extends beyond death itself.