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Die-hard "Star Wars" fans celebrate the fourth day of May this weekend, while the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures highlights action figures from the famous movies. For one super-fan, it's a chance to show off the 5,000-square-foot private museum of memorabilia next to his Northland home.

By day, local “Star Wars” collector Duncan Jenkins works as a molecular biologist. But in his free time, he scours the internet looking for new items to add to his personal intergalactic museum.

And Jenkins doesn’t keep his encyclopedic hoard of "Star Wars" memorabilia in a galaxy far, far away — it’s in a 5,000-square-foot building next to his Northland home.

“Over a hundred different countries are represented, and just every category you can imagine, from art to clothing to household goods to posters and store displays, food, collectibles,” he says. “Just the things that you would think nobody would even save all the way up to the action figures that everybody remembers.”

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Jenkins was 10 when "Star Wars" hit the movie screens in 1977. He saw it for the first time with his uncle and cousin the first summer it came out.

Glenwood Theater, now demolished, was at the time an old-school movie palace in Overland Park, Kansas, that was one of 32 theaters in the U.S. that screened the film on opening weekend. No one knew it would become a colossal hit, grossing $410 million worldwide during its initial run.

Soon afterwards, Jenkins collected his first item in what would become a burgeoning collection: A trading card of Darth Vader’s spaceship, a TIE fighter.

“It's a trading card from Wonder Bread,” Jenkins says. “It still has my initials where I wrote on it so it wouldn't get lost when I took it to school.”

Now Jenkins has the whole set of 16 cards, all in mint condition. Each card was once tucked into a specially-marked loaf of Wonder Bread.

Since then, Jenkins’ collection has grown into the 2nd-most complete in the world, he says. (And since the museum is private, Jenkins requested KCUR not reveal its location.)

“I don't have an exact number, but I'm somewhere between 150,000 and 200,000 different items that I've been collecting since the beginning,” Jenkins says.

He admits what started as a hobby slowly became an obsession. To help organize the growing collection, Jenkins and his wife, Anne, built their museum in 2008. At the time, they were out of room in their original house, and the two wanted to find a way to display the collection.

“There were entire rooms that were just storage of 'Star Wars,' so it was a lot of stuff in boxes and no room to walk,” Jenkins says.

Many of his friends doubted they could fill the new space.

“Of course, we filled it very quickly and have gone on beyond,” Jenkins says. “It just was fun to start putting things together and having that come to life was very exciting.”

All three levels of Jenkins' museum are covered floor to ceiling with memorabilia. Jenkins calls it “The Sithsonian.”

“The Smithsonian is multiple, multiple museums and covers the gamut of everything that's out there,” Jenkins says. “As a completist, I'm interested in everything that is out there for ‘Star Wars.’”

“Star Wars” was the first film to successfully license toys to consumers on a large scale. According to the Guinness World Records, the largest collection of "Star Wars" memorabilia is Rancho Obi-Wan, a nonprofit museum in Petaluma, California, that’s open to the public.

An interstellar wedding gift

Jenkins’ most cherished item is an IG-88 assassin droid turned bounty hunter, introduced in “The Empire Strikes Back.” The 15-inch-tall action figure, still in the original box, was a wedding gift from his mother and his wife.

“It was an item that he had been looking for for years and didn't think he would ever find, so it was really special to surprise him,” his wife, Anne Jenkins, says. “We had a friend who was also a 'Star Wars' collector and I heard through the grapevine that he owned this action figure.”

“I put out some feelers to see if he would be interested in parting with it, and persuaded him that it was going to a good home,” she says.

Among super fans, Jenkins has found fame as an expert of all things Jedi-related. He gives presentations at conventions and he’s co-authored four books on "Star Wars" collectibles. In Kansas City, Jenkins will be a featured lecturer during “The Nostalgia Awakens: Retro Kenner Star Wars Action Figure Toys” exhibit, which opens May 2 at the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures.

Fans from as far away as Australia and Korea have come to see his collection of X-wing starfighters, Millennium Falcons and Death Stars.

Jenkins has an entire vintage section of action figures in their original packaging set around three walls, organized chronologically and alphabetically by country — starting with toys from Australia and ending with Ewoks cartoon figures, a Saturday morning series from 1985.

The museum looks much like a vintage toy store but nothing is for sale, which occasionally confuses younger visitors.

“We had an open house and a family was getting ready to leave,” Jenkins says. “They asked their little kid if he was ready to go and he said he hadn't decided what to buy.”

The parents had to explain it was a museum, he says, not a store.

“He was very disappointed,” Jenkins remembers.

The saga of collecting continues

Jenkins is always on the hunt for the items he’s missed along the way.

“It's a lot of searching,” he says. “I'm searching through eBay, I'm searching through Facebook and I'm searching through different, other collecting groups.”

One item he covets is the so-called “Holy Grail” of action figures — the 1979 Kenner Boba Fett, which broke auction records last August, selling for $1.34 million.

The bounty hunter figure featured a plastic rocket launcher that would fire missiles from its backpack. When a similar toy from the “Battlestar Galactica” franchise caused a child to choke and die, the Boba Fett toy was quickly taken off shelves.

As for Jenkins’ success acquiring such an enviable collection, he stays humble.

“When ‘Star Wars’ first came out, everybody was collecting everything because there just wasn't as much,” he explains, “but as it became just this overwhelming behemoth of stuff, people began to focus.”

“I'm just the only one that stuck with it, and I guess I was crazy enough to keep at it,” he says, admitting nostalgia is a big part of his motivation for collecting. “Sometimes I'll get a piece and it just instantly takes me back to being 10 years old and just having that awe of the movie again.”

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Arts & Life movies filmNational Museum of Toys and MiniaturesArts & CulturemovieVisual artsFilmKansas City Missouri (KCMO)Audio Featurepop cultureNorthland

Julie Denesha

As KCUR’s arts reporter, I use words, sounds and images to take readers on a journey behind the scenes and into the creative process. I want to introduce listeners to the local creators who enrich our thriving arts communities. I hope to strengthen the Kansas City scene and encourage a deeper appreciation for the arts. Contact me at [email protected].

New Theatre Restaurant | Overland Park, KSOverland Park, KS

DESCRIPTION

Notice: Audition Call Type: EPA

AUDITION DATEFriday, May 16, 202510:00 AM - 6:00 PM (C)Lunch 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

APPOINTMENTSTo schedule an audition appointment, please contact Todd Lanker at: (913) 233-8181 or [email protected], M-F 9:30-5:30.

CONTRACTDinner Theatre$776.70 weekly minimum

SEEKINGEquity actors for roles in New Theatre & Restaurant's 2025-26 Season (See breakdown).All roles will be understudied.All Equity stage managerial positions have been filled.

PREPARATIONPlease prepare a 1-minute monologue and 16-bars of music (Accompanist Provided). Also,bring your headshot and resume stapled together.

LOCATIONNew Theatre Restaurant Production Office1116 W 25th StKansas City, MO 64108Lot parking on West side of building.

PERSONNELExpected to attend:Joe R. Fox III - Vice President of ProductionTodd Lanker - Associate ProducerDaniel Doss - Music Director/AccompanistSee breakdown for production specific personnel.

OTHER DATESSee breakdown for production specific dates.

OTHERwww.newtheatre.com

An Equity Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this audition.

Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination.

Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in apolicy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities,and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to attend every audition.

Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions.BREAKDOWN

New Theatre & Restaurant 2025-26 Season

ALONE TOGETHER

1st Rehearsal - 8/18/25New Theatre & Restaurant 2025-26 Season - Kansas City, MO EPA Page 1 of 3Opening - 9/10/25Closing - 11/16/25

SEEKING:

George Butler: THIS ROLE HAS BEEN CAST

Helene Butler

Michael Butler

Elliott Butler

Keith Butler

Janie Johnson

NOBODY'S PERFECTWritten by Simon Williams1st Rehearsal - 10/27/25Opening - 11/19/25Closing - 2/1/26

SEEKING:

Leonard Loftus: THIS ROLE HAS BEEN CAST

Harriet Copeland

Gus

Dee Dee

CACTUS FLOWERWritten by Abe Burrows1st Rehearsal - 3/30/26Opening - 4/23/26Closing - 6/28/26

SEEKING:

Stephanie Dickinson: THIS ROLE HAS BEEN CAST

Dr. Julian Winston

Toni Simmons

Igor Sullivan

Harvey Greenfield

Mrs. Dixon Durant

Senor Arturo Sanchez

Boticelli's Springtime

LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL1st Rehearsal - 6/8/26Opening - 7/2/26Closing - 9/6/26

SEEKING:

Elle Woods

Emmett Forrest

Paulette

Professor Callahan

Warner Huntington III

Vivienne Kensington

Brooke Wyndam

Ensemble

SALARY

Dinner Theatre $776.70 weekly minimum

UNION

AEA

The Kansas City Chiefs' No. 1 running back has been a key asset to their offense. However, Isaiah Pacheco has plenty to prove in a contract year.

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The Kansas City Chiefs are starting their offseason preparation for the 2025 NFL campaign. After failing to complete a Super Bowl three-peat when they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles last February, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are on a mission to reclaim their position atop the league.

The Chiefs still have a major advantage over most other teams because they have Mahomes running the show from under center. A future Pro Football Hall of Famer, Mahomes will once again be in charge of leading Kansas City on the field after throwing for 3,928 yards and 26 touchdowns in 16 games in the regular season in the 2024 campaign.

Who are Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 1 opponent in 2025?

One thing that’s missing at the moment for the Chiefs is a complete 2025 schedule. However, there have been leaks that their Week 1 opponent will be the Los Angeles Chargers in a neutral site — in Brazil – on Sept. 5 according to sources, per Eric Fisher of Front Office Sports.

That information has triggered lots of reactions from football fans online.

Per Front Office Sports: the Chargers Week 1 opponent in Brazil will be the Kansas City Chiefs. pic.twitter.com/6TXkKN8Y09

— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) May 10, 2025

“I mean the good news is you likely have a healthy team against KC, usually not the case. Being in Brazil adds some chaos, good for underdogs. Seems like this is better for Chargers than KC.”

“Giving up a home game against the Chiefs? Thats crazy”

“Divisional game in Brazil seems weird right?”

“People will complain and say it should be at home and ignore the fact we haven’t beat the Chiefs at home in 12 [expletive]years”

“Why give a marquee matchup to a foreign audience? Who asked for this.”

NFL SCHEDULE LEAK

Chiefs vs Chargers – Week 1 FNF (Brazil) pic.twitter.com/kVyM7zcAj4

— NFL Nerd (@NerdingonNFL) May 10, 2025

“Divisional game in another country is always bold. LA fans lose a really good home game.”

“Ofc it’s not a home game for the Chiefs lol”

“These overseas games should never be between divisional opponents.”

For what it’s worth, the Chiefs defeated the Chargers in both meetings in 2024 with a combined winning margin of just nine points.

For More NFL and College Football News & Updates:

Follow me on X (formerly Twitter) at @Rexwell14. Also, do not forget to regularly check out the latest Gridiron Heroics content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in the world of NFL and college football in terms of transactions, analysis, game previews, free agency, recruitment, transfers, and more, just click here!

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) - Hundreds of alleged child sex offenders, including 2 from Kansas and 4 from Missouri, were arrested over the course of just over a month.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas announced on Wednesday, May 7, that Operation Restore Justice, an effort to find, track and arrest child sex offenders over 55 days, yielded the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 offenders nationwide.

“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims - especially child victims - and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

In the Districts of Kansas and Western Missouri, law enforcement officials said charges included attempted production, distribution and possession of child pornography, sexual exploitation and attempt to transfer obscene material to a minor:

“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach, and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”

ALSO READ: Kansas City woman pleads guilty to COVID fraud, treasury check thefts

The Federal Bureau of Investigation noted that others arrested around the country are believed to have committed crimes that include the production, distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors and child sex trafficking.

For example, in Minneapolis, law enforcement officials said a State Trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for the alleged production of child pornography while wearing his uniform. In Virginia, an illegal immigrant from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former officer is alleged to have trafficked minor victims.

“Keeping our children safe is a priority, and sexual predators are mistaken if they think the cloak of the Internet’s Dark Web places them beyond the detection and reach of the U.S. Department of Justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard. “Here in the District of Kansas, partnerships of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies work in tandem to investigate child sexual abuse cases using such resources such as cybertips and undercover operations. Officers forward substantiated allegations to federal prosecutors who are specially trained in litigating charges of possession, production, and distribution of child exploitation sexual abuse materials.”

READ MORE: Charges filed against man accused of pleasuring himself in front of child

In many cases, investigators noted that parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a huge part in bringing offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested around 8 hours after a victim came forward and disclosed allegations to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at school.

For more information about Operation Restore Justice, click HERE.

READ ON: Arrest made after weapon pointed at children at Kansas City daycare

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