Private company

RKO Pictures

American film and distribution company

RKO Pictures, commonly known as simply RKO, is an American film, television and stage production company owned by Concord Originals, a division of BMG. In its original incarnation, as RKO Radio Pictures, Inc., it was one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheum theater chain and Joseph P. Kennedy's Film Booking Offices of America studio were brought together under the control of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) in October 1928.2 From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 16, 2026.

Overview

Oct 23, 1928Founded1
  • Industrymotion picture, video and television programme production activities1
  • HeadquartersManhattan1
  • Websitewww.rko.com
  • Legal formjoint-stock company1

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The story

Founded by David Sarnoff and Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. on Oct 23, 1928.1

Leadership

Who has led RKO Pictures, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Acquisitions

  1. Succeeded Film Booking Offices of America1
  2. Succeeded Keith-Albee-Orpheum1

Former names

  • RKO/Pavilion1989 to 19911
  • RKO Pictures Inc.1978 to 19891
  • RKO Productions, Inc.1929 to 19301

Timeline

  1. 1991Renamed Name changed to RKO Pictures LLC.1
  2. 1989Renamed Name changed to RKO/Pavilion1
  3. 1978Renamed Name changed to RKO Pictures Inc.1
  4. Mar 7, 1959Dissolved Dissolved1
  5. 1930Renamed Name changed to RKO Productions, Inc.1
  6. Oct 23, 1928Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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