History Creator / RKOPictures

!List of films released by RKO:

!List of Films released by RKO:

During the 30s, RKO produced the highly popular and iconic Creator/FredAstaire-Creator/GingerRogers musicals, as well as many Creator/CaryGrant films. It was in many respects the studio that built ScrewballComedy, films such as ''Stage Door'' and especially ''Film/BringingUpBaby''. One reason why RKO was the smallest of the Big 5 film companies is the fact that RKO never cultivated the stable of contracted actors, writers and directors that the other major studios did. This however made RKO reorient itself by focusing on production design and studio facilities. Van Nest Polglase, RKO's highly regarded design department worked there for a decade and under him, RKO became perhaps the most sophisticated studio in terms of technicians and special effects artists. As historian James Naremore notes, "[RKO's] most distinctive pictures contained a strong element of fantasy—not so much the fantasy of horror, which during the thirties was the province of Universal, but the fantasy of the marvelous and adventurous." Indeed, historian Robert Carringer has noted that while ''Film/CitizenKane'' is definitely the prototypical "auteur's film", it was highly unlikely that it could be made at any other studio than at RKO. The decentralized nature of the company made it possible for them to give Orson Welles his legendary contract, the sophisticated production facilities (especially its optical printer which was way more advanced than at any other studio) helped create the film's distinct visual look. The sophistication of its special effects is also on display in the series of horror films by producer Creator/ValLewton, released at the time as BMovie but today recognized for being among the best films of the 40s.

* ''Film/{{Roberta}}

During the 30s, RKO produced the highly popular and iconic Creator/FredAstaire-Ginger Rogers musicals, as well as many Creator/CaryGrant films. It was in many respects the studio that built ScrewballComedy, films such as ''Stage Door'' and especially ''Film/BringingUpBaby''. One reason why RKO was the smallest of the Big 5 film companies is the fact that RKO never cultivated the stable of contracted actors, writers and directors that the other major studios did. This however made RKO reorient itself by focusing on production design and studio facilities. Van Nest Polglase, RKO's highly regarded design department worked there for a decade and under him, RKO became perhaps the most sophisticated studio in terms of technicians and special effects artists. As historian James Naremore notes, "[RKO's] most distinctive pictures contained a strong element of fantasy—not so much the fantasy of horror, which during the thirties was the province of Universal, but the fantasy of the marvelous and adventurous." Indeed, historian Robert Carringer has noted that while ''Film/CitizenKane'' is definitely the prototypical "auteur's film", it was highly unlikely that it could be made at any other studio than at RKO. The decentralized nature of the company made it possible for them to give Orson Welles his legendary contract, the sophisticated production facilities (especially its optical printer which was way more advanced than at any other studio) helped create the film's distinct visual look. The sophistication of its special effects is also on display in the series of horror films by producer Creator/ValLewton, released at the time as BMovie but today recognized for being among the best films of the 40s.

* All Creator/{{Disney}} releases from 1936 to 1954 (excluding ''Victory Through Air Power'', which was released through United Artists)

Despite some successes, RKO hadn't really wowed anyone in its first few years, but the induction of David O. Selznick as Head of Production in 1931 heralded a number of well-received hits, most notably ''Film/KingKong''. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to help RKO escape its tepid early years, which combined with TheGreatDepression led to the company being placed in receivership from 1933 until 1940, with Selznick bailing amid rising tension with newly-instated RKO head Merlin Aylesworth. ''King Kong'' co-director Merian C. Cooper took his place, and eventually, RKO had settled as the smallest of the Big 5 film companies of the studio system.

* ''Film/KingKong''

The final straw came in 1956, when RKO unleashed ''The Conqueror'', which managed to become one of the year's highest grossing pictures and still failed to bring back its bloated budget, and even today is seen as a joke for its [[WTHCastingAgency asinine casting of]] Creator/JohnWayne as GenghisKhan, poor script, and possibly causing the cancer related deaths of its cast, including Wayne. General Tire put down RKO in 1957, its last movies being released by other studios; Creator/ColumbiaPictures released its final film, ''Verboten!'' in 1959.

Despite some successes, RKO hadn't really wowed anyone in its first few years, but the induction of David O. Selznick as Head of Production in 1931 heralded a number of well-received hits, most notably ''Film/KingKong''. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to help RKO escape its tepid early years, which combined with TheGreatDepression led to the company being placed in receivership from 1933 until 1940, with Selznick bailing amid rising tension with newly-instated RKO head Merlin Aylesworth. ''King Kong'' co-director Merian C. Cooper took his place, and eventually, RKO had settled as the smallest of the Big 5 film companies of the studio system.

In an effort to save costs, RKO distributed numerous [[BMovie B-Movies]], far more than the other major studios. This resulted in limited creative boundaries but also allowed RKO to turn a bigger profit, considerably more than most of their bigger-budget material.

Besides this, RKO is especially well-known as the original theatrical distributor for Creator/{{Disney}}'s works, buying the rights in 1935 to replace the output of Creator/VanBeurenStudios. Through Disney, RKO released ''Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'', the first American-produced animated film as well as the first filmed in color, and the highest grossing film until the release of ''Film/GoneWithTheWind''. Also distributed by RKO were the works of Selznick and Samuel Goldwyn.