Stanley Durwood

Stanley H. Durwood (August 5, 1920 – July 14, 1999) was a businessman and philanthropist born in Kansas City to Edward D. and Celia T. Durwood. He is known for building the first multiplex movie theater in the 1960s.

Biography Durwood attended Harvard University, and served as a navigator in the Army Air Forces in World War II, He had an uncanny ability to remember the birthday of nearly everyone he met, and did one-handed push ups into his 70s. He was awarded the 1989 Salah M. Hassanein Humanitarian Award and the Vision Fund of America's 1989 Man of the Year Award. He died at age 78 on July 14, 1999.

Durwood's daughter Elissa married actor Charles Grodin. According to Elissa, her parents were nonobservant Jews, but they did observe Jewish holidays with observant relatives who were members of The Temple, Congregation B'nai Jehudah. Stanley started working with the brothers officially by 1945. In 2016, AMC became the largest movie theater chain in the world.

Involvement in Kansas City Community Durwood grew up in Kansas City, where he graduated from Pembroke-Country Day School. His company "invested in Power & Light with no assurance of a return."

He was a member of the Pembroke Hill Alumni Association and the Harvard Radcliffe Club of Kansas City. UMKC's Stanley H. Durwood soccer stadium was named in his honor, as was the film vault at the Kansas City Central Library.

The Kansas City Council, recognizing Durwood, Kansas City entrepreneur and legend of the theatrical exhibition industry, declared July 23, 1999 as "Stan Durwood Day" in Kansas City.