Kansas City’s Old Film Row

A film row is a collection of film studio offices which are located next to each other. Film rows functioned as motion picture industry sales hubs and fulfillment centers. Film rows also played host to meetings and events.

From the 1920’s and on through the 1970’s, Hollywood used film rows to produce and distribute content.

Kansas City’s Old Film Row was located in what is today Crossroads Arts District – 17 buildings within a four block radius. Most of those buildings are still there.

Columbia Pictures and Paramount had offices between Central and Wyandotte on 18th Street.

Where 17th Street intersects with Wyandotte, Warner Brothers and Universal Studios were across the street from one another. 1700 Wyandotte had been Universal Studios’ Midwest storage and distribution center.

United Artists had an office on the corner of Central and 18th Street.

Walt Disney Company was located on 18th Street…just off Wyandotte.

Disney evolved out of Laugh-O-Gram Studio. Laugh-O-Gram started out in the McConahay Building – 1127 East 31st Street.

The MGM building – built in 1930 – was at 220 West 18th Street.

National Screen Service – 18th Street and Baltimore – was one of the largest distributors of movie posters, accessories and print ads.

Screenland Café – Wyandotte and 18th Street – had two screening rooms as well as two theatre circuits. Those two theatre circuits would evolve into AMC Theaters.

AMC was founded in 1920 in KC by Maurice, Edward and Barney Dubinsky. The Durbinsky’s would go on to change their name. From Dubinsky to Durwood.

Prior to AMC, the Durwood’s had Durwood Theatres. Durwood Theatres started out on Baltimore Street. In Old Film Row.