Harold Koplar
1915–1985 (age 70)
Businessman/Media Executive
Biography
Harold Koplar forged his career by blending hospitality and imagination, building the Chase Park Plaza Hotel and then expanding into radio and television at a time when St. Louis was hungry for new voices. His interest in media led to the creation of KPLR Channel 11, which became a home for local talent, news, and the cultural pulse of the region.
He invested in civic life with the same boldness he used for business, championing the arts, education, and causes that lifted neighborhoods as much as they lifted ratings, and he is laid to rest at New Mount Sinai Cemetery.