List of films set in Kansas

Kansas Saloon Smashers (1901) Original poster for The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Kansas, in the geographic center of the United States, has a rich history connected with the American Old West and with the American Civil War ("Bleeding Kansas"), including the history of the notorious guerrilla commander William Quantrill. The following is a partial chronological list of major motion pictures set in Kansas.[1][2]

Three of the listed films have won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Film title  | Release year  | Notes/subject matter  | National Film Registry

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Kansas Saloon Smashers | 1901 | silent film: based on Carrie Nation |
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz | 1910 | silent film: earliest surviving film version of Oz |
A Modern Musketeer | 1917 | Silent film |
Naughty, Naughty! | 1918 | Silent film |
Wild Bill Hickok | 1923 | Silent film |
Tumbleweeds | 1925 | Silent film |
Wizard of Oz | 1925 | Silent film: features Oliver Hardy as Tin Man |
Free and Easy | 1930 |  |
The Big Trail | 1930 |  | Y
Cimarron | 1931 | Academy Award for Best Picture |
Movie Crazy | 1932 |  |
Silver Dollar | 1932 | starring Edward G. Robinson |
The Plainsman | 1936 |  |
Pick a Star | 1937 |  |
The Texans | 1938 | story of the Chisholm Trail |
Jesse James | 1939 |  |
Dodge City | 1939 | stars Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland |
Union Pacific | 1939 |  |
The Wizard of Oz | 1939 |  | Y
Dark Command | 1940 |  |
The Return of Frank James | 1940 |  |
Santa Fe Trail | 1940 | features Ronald Reagan as Custer |
Sheriff of Tombstone | 1941 |  |
Heaven Can Wait | 1943 | stars Gene Tierney, Don Ameche |
The Kansan | 1943 |  |
The Woman of the Town | 1943 |  |
Abilene Town | 1946 |  |
The Harvey Girls | 1946 |  |
Trail Street | 1947 |  |
The Walls of Jericho | 1948 |  |
Red River | 1948 |  | Y
Kansas Raiders | 1950 |  |
Winchester '73 | 1950 |  | Y
The Cimarron Kid | 1952 |  |
Kansas Pacific | 1953 |  |
The Stranger Wore a Gun | 1953 |  |
Masterson of Kansas | 1954 |  |
Picnic | 1955 |  |
Seven Angry Men | 1955 | based on abolitionist John Brown |
Wichita | 1955 |  |
The Rainmaker | 1956 |  |
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral | 1957 |  |
The Jayhawkers! | 1959 |  |
Splendor in the Grass | 1961 | Oscar for best writing for William Inge |
Cheyenne Autumn | 1964 |  |
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken | 1966 | Don Knotts comedy |
Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter | 1966 |  |
The Plainsman | 1966 |  |
Gunfight in Abilene | 1967 | Bobby Darin stars in non-singing role |
In Cold Blood | 1967 |  | Y
Angel in My Pocket | 1969 |  |
The Gypsy Moths | 1969 |  |
The Learning Tree | 1969 |  | Y
Prime Cut | 1972 |  |
Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies | 1973 |  |
Paper Moon | 1973 |  |
Journey Back to Oz | 1974 | animated film |
A Boy and His Dog | 1975 | set in post-apocalyptic Topeka, stars Don Johnson |
The Great Waldo Pepper | 1975 |  |
King Kung Fu | 1976 |  |
Superman | 1978 | set in fictional Smallville | Y
Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff | 1979 |  |
The Attic | 1980 |  |
Americana | 1983 |  |
The Day After | 1983 | originally aired on television |
Superman III | 1983 |  |
Return to Oz | 1985 |  |
Critters | 1986 |  |
Planes, Trains and Automobiles | 1987 |  |
Kansas | 1988 |  |
Dances with Wolves | 1990 | Academy Award for Best Picture | Y
Sarah, Plain and Tall | 1991 | originally aired on television |
Unforgiven | 1992 | Academy Award for Best Picture | Y
Leap of Faith | 1992 |  |
Dennis the Menace | 1993 | based on cartoon set in Wichita |
Wyatt Earp | 1994 |  |
Truman | 1995 |  |
Mars Attacks! | 1996 | Partially set in fictional Perkinsville |
The Big Kahuna | 1999 |  |
Ninth Street | 1999 |  |
Ride with the Devil | 1999 |  |
Hedwig and the Angry Inch | 2001 |  |
Nurse Betty | 2003 |  |
Rolling Kansas | 2003 |  |
Mysterious Skin | 2004 |  |
Capote | 2005 | story of writing In Cold Blood |
Firecracker | 2005 |  |
The Muppets' Wizard of Oz | 2005 | television film |
The Ice Harvest | 2005 |  |
Infamous | 2006 |  |
The Lookout | 2007 |  |
New York City Serenade | 2007 |  |
Amelia | 2009 | biopic of Amelia Earhart |
Hannah's Law | 2012 | television film |
Looper | 2012 |  |
Oz the Great and Powerful | 2013 |  |
Man of Steel | 2013 | partially set in fictional Smallville |
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | 2016 | partially set in fictional Smallville |
American Honey | 2016 |  |
Justice League | 2017 | partially set in fictional Smallville |
All Creatures Here Below | 2018 | partially set in De Soto |
Brightburn | 2019 | Set in fictional Brightburn |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Kansas in the Movies". Washburn University: Center for Kansas Studies. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
2. ^ "Cool Things - Western Movies Set in Kansas". Kansas State Historical Society. Retrieved July 7, 2014.

This film-related list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (October 2021)

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