Our History

Legacy of Leadership and Innovation
For more than 85 years, we have worked to provide the best possible out-of-home entertainment experience to generations of people. The entertainment experience has changed significantly since the early 1900s, but our passion for guest satisfaction remains the number one priority. In fact, the passion we have for our guests’ experiences led us to develop most of the major innovations in the exhibition industry that guests enjoy today.

We pioneered innovations such as stadium seating, LoveSeat^®-style seating, cupholder armrests, automated ticketing and even the multiplex and megaplex concepts in North America. With our tradition of innovation, and a culture that focuses on providing the best possible out-of-home entertainment experience, we have become one of the world’s largest and most successful movie exhibition and out-of-home entertainment companies.

How it all Began
We trace our roots to Edward Durwood, who opened the Durwood Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1920. Edward’s son, Stanley H. Durwood, joined his family’s small but growing chain of Midwestern movie houses and drive-in theatres in 1945. He became president of Durwood Theatres in 1960 and continued experimenting with the concept of a multiple-screen theatre.

After trying several reconfigurations of existing spaces in the 1950s — amounting to 13 screens and 10,000 seats spread among several downtown Kansas City theatres — Durwood created the first-ever mall multiplex in 1963. Three years later, he introduced the world’s first four-screen theatre, followed by the first six-screen theatre in 1969. By then, we had expanded beyond our Kansas City home into Arizona, California, Nebraska and Texas.

In 1968, with 68 screens, we incorporated as American Multi-Cinema, Inc., in honor of our signature facility, the multiplex. Over the next 30 years, we would continue to introduce many industry “firsts,” revolutionizing the entertainment experience.

A New Era

Over the years, we have continued to grow through new builds and acquisitions. Some of the theatre chains that have become part of the AMC family include:

• General Cinemas Companies Inc. – In March 2002, we added 621 screens to our circuit with the acquisition of General Cinemas in key markets across the United States.
• Gulf States Theatres – In 2002, we also acquired Gulf States and successfully integrated its 68 screens in the greater New Orleans area.
• MegaStar Theatres – We acquired MegaStar in late 2003, adding top-quality assets to its Atlanta and Minneapolis-St. Paul markets.
• Loews Cineplex Entertainment Corporation — On January 26, 2006, AMC Entertainment Inc. and Loews Cineplex Entertainment Corporation merged their businesses, bringing together two of the oldest and most respected names in the theatrical exhibition business. The combined company has more than 185 years of operating history and a long tradition of industry leadership and innovation. Both companies share a passion for providing their guests with the best possible out-of-home entertainment experience. Through the merger, approximately 178 theatres and 2,059 screens joined the AMC family in complementary markets throughout the United States.

True to Our Roots
Although we are a company that spans the globe, our headquarters remain in our hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, where we were founded in 1920.