He was born in Osceola in 1913. While he was a baby, his father died and he and his mother moved to Memphis. Almost from the start it was obvious he was destined to be an entrepreneur. He began when he was 6 years old by selling subscriptions to The Saturday Evening Post. At age 14, he was hit by a car while making deliveries on his bicycle and was told he would never walk again. After one year he regained the use of his legs.
During the Depression he dropped out of school to work full time. He borrowed money to buy a small popcorn machine and sold popcorn in a movie theater. He was so successful the owner bought him out. By borrowing more money he was able to buy a Wurlitzer jukebox franchise. That eventually led to his purchase of several movie theaters and then real estate. By 1950 he was a millionaire.
In 1951, while on a road trip with his wife and five children, he found that motels were overpriced and unattractive. He knew he could do better. Within eight years he had opened more than 100 motels, and by 1975, he and his partner owned the largest motel operation in the world, Holiday Inn.
Who was this Arkansan who became known as "The Father of the Modern Hotel"?
See NOTABLE ARKANSANS--ANSWER
Style on 10/20/2019