Former AMC Theaters COO William B. Doeren dies at 76

William B. Doeren, a former entertainment executive with AMC Entertainment, General Cinema Theatres, MGM and Kodak, died March 8 from multiple dementias, including FTD, Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. He is 76 years old.

Doeren’s career in the film industry has spanned over 40 years. He has advanced the modern movie experience as COO of AMC, President and CEO of General Cinema, and Managing Director of MGM Theaters in Europe.

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Some of his most notable innovations include advance ticket and credit card sales, AMC’s “Movie Watcher” and General Cinema’s “Credits” programming, and the first dine-in theater in the United States in 1998 in partnership with General Cinema’s Yorktown “Premium Cinema” . While at Kodak, he also contributed to the digitization of the film industry.

Doeren was born on September 11, 1946 in Camp LeJuan, North Carolina, after which his family settled in Kansas City, Missouri. Doeren earned an MBA from Memphis State University and served four years in the US Navy. After retiring, Doeren moved back to Kansas City and began working at AMC as a theater manager. He then rose through the ranks, eventually becoming divisional vice president at AMC in Los Angeles, which made him corporate executive vice president and chief operating officer in Kansas City.

Doeren is survived by his wife Ellie. His brother, Roger Durham; his son and daughter-in-law David and Sara Doeren; his daughter and son-in-law Sara and Mark Hambidge; his beloved six grandchildren, Jacob, Luke, Connor, Abby, Charlie and Maddy; and his nephew, Burke Doeren.

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