John Vinci photos of Richard Nickel salvaging terra cotta ornament from tower of Adler and Sullivan Schiller’s Theater (1892) during its demolition in 1961. The buff-colored ornament was executed by the Northwestern Terra Cotta Company, Chicago, Illinois. Courtesy of John Vinci Collection and Bldg. 51 Archive, courtesy Urban Remains.
“3 years ago, during restoration construction at the Tampa Theatre, we made this short (with an in-side joke build into the script, to promote Christmas-in-the Park Movies from the historic Tampa Theatre. We never dreamed the house would be darkened by a pandemic.”
Opened in April 1949 with “Life Of Riley” starring William Bendix & Rosemary DeCamp, and “Fighting Fools” starring the Bowery Boys.
Image added indicates Rosemary DeCamp was in person at the grand opening.
Locals indicate it later became a club or business called Sparkles before or after Market Street Music Hall, and is today Exit5 Auto Group.
It was once closed down for showing “Deep Throat”.
September 29, 2020, Courtesy Lost Iowa: Inside Ottawa: Featuring pictures (added to gallery) of Ottawa’s old Elmdale Theatre, which closed in 1994 and became a church. Shared by Richard Vernon who writes: “Soon to be lost! The old Elmdale theatre built in 1947, is currently Cornerstone House of Refuge Church. It has been sold and the congregation will be leaving in two years from what I was told. I was there servicing their Hammond organ and the Pastor graciously allowed me to take some pictures of the place before I left. What’s amazing is the side scrim and seats are all original and in situ. Also, notice the camera window for the left theatre. As a side note, they split the theatre into two in 1981. I remember going here in the mid ‘70’s as a kid. Rest assured, the future owner will not be preserving the building. 🙁”
Address was 413 Bank Street, as subsequent print ad links will show.
Full history courtesy The Ottawa Jewish Archives:
The Rialto Theater, 1931-1979 – 413 Bank St
“The New Rialto Theater Opens Tonight! – An attractive and cozy little theater, a home for the talking pictures, is the Rialto, which opens to the public tonight with "Silence”, a Paramount Picture. Modern to the last degree, tastefully decorated and perfectly ventilated it will quickly command a wide and loyal following.“
So says the opening paragraph to a lengthy article in the December 30, 1931 edition of the Ottawa Citizen which discusses in detail the soft lighting, the rich draperies, the plush seats and even the "unusually spacious” projection room of the new theater on Bank St.
The first theater on that spot was The Clarey which opened in 1914. After that came The Fern in 1919. In 1931 Abraham Levinson and J. Polowin turned it into the Rialto, and it was a beautiful and very upscale theater. They ran it with pride and hard work before passing on the reigns on to Abraham’s son Martin Levinson in 1936. As with many of the old venues though, it fell on troubled times as the decades went by and the building began to show wear.
Eventually by the 1970’s the neighbourhood gave it the nickname of the “The Rat Hole” due to, well, an unfortunate infestation, and it was known as quite the grindhouse theater.
In 1979 the Rialto was closed after 48 years, but officially reopened the next year as The Phoenix, owned by Cineplex. The Phoenix lasted until June of 1991 before it too was closed and the building was demolished.
Despite its later reputation, the Rialto is remembered with great fondness by those who wanted a cheap night out with a good gore flick.
Today, 314 Bank St. is a parking lot in between Staples and The Book Bazaar at Bank and Frank St.
Originally built and opened as H-H Theater in 1917 by Arch Hurley & Gene Hawkins. Also featured live vaudeville type shows. Renamed Princess in 1921 when Hurley took over sole ownership. Full history in 2015 pdf below, and 1919 film and stage show print ads as H-H Theater added to gallery.
John Vinci photos of Richard Nickel salvaging terra cotta ornament from tower of Adler and Sullivan Schiller’s Theater (1892) during its demolition in 1961. The buff-colored ornament was executed by the Northwestern Terra Cotta Company, Chicago, Illinois. Courtesy of John Vinci Collection and Bldg. 51 Archive, courtesy Urban Remains.
Via my friend Ross who portrayed Santa.
“3 years ago, during restoration construction at the Tampa Theatre, we made this short (with an in-side joke build into the script, to promote Christmas-in-the Park Movies from the historic Tampa Theatre. We never dreamed the house would be darkened by a pandemic.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW19lSbjZug&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR1Q6Erb1RI3cQYxeL4oBTJsH1bGr2Eq2QJ-2iwEhow1Du45yK4K4X-ZANw
Apparently the original source of the photo. Great Facebook page too.
https://www.facebook.com/V.K.Gausel/photos/a.411891376874094/411872370209328/?type=3
Opened in April 1949 with “Life Of Riley” starring William Bendix & Rosemary DeCamp, and “Fighting Fools” starring the Bowery Boys. Image added indicates Rosemary DeCamp was in person at the grand opening.
October 19, 2020 behind the scenes video tour of Des Plaines Theater by Ron Onesti. It appears that the comments were turned off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6tWh_6SGhI&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0-ZWfPDOsihImJQyCUIs9boIb8h1oTU1n7jSj4kbmijNuI9AWnthcMNYQ
“Bugsy Malone” had it’s U.S. premiere at the Baronet on September 15, 1976. Print ad added to gallery.
Address is 49 N. Washington. Official website and Facebook page links below.
https://startheatrewv.com/?fbclid=IwAR0fYf2eIvGpmkpKlpy0EO8hkXUxGucly5OVFGcFXgCBnadnJGjCI3scjOs
https://www.facebook.com/StarTheatreWV/?ref=page_internal
1956 photo courtesy Doug Helms.
Locals indicate it later became a club or business called Sparkles before or after Market Street Music Hall, and is today Exit5 Auto Group. It was once closed down for showing “Deep Throat”.
A 2013 video found by Tim O'Neill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SetJ4B-Z8X0&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR14zmIodyKYoxf4ieQ8xS0QXv7ex_XF72P1EHvPWXtiwJQOEDmP4i-JI7w
October 11, 1969, S.D.S. March through Loop, 105 Arrested.
5 images added including current view.
Clarey Theatre and Fern Theatre need to be added to previous names prior to Rialto. Address was 413 Bank Street, per 12/29/31 newspaper link above.
1937 photo, colorized by Patty Allison at Imbued with Hues.
“Deep Throat” promotional ambulance, August 1980 photo added courtesy Gerard Legrand.
Link about “Hypno-Vista”:
https://www.grindhousedatabase.com/index.php/Hypno-Vista?fbclid=IwAR0eNDFqF2cy_eQXqosaiZFtR0Nkbc0dG8iHJoMQR7q9vzFJOPB9sUjDefY
Photo credit Library & Archives Canada PA-118957.
September 29, 2020, Courtesy Lost Iowa: Inside Ottawa: Featuring pictures (added to gallery) of Ottawa’s old Elmdale Theatre, which closed in 1994 and became a church. Shared by Richard Vernon who writes: “Soon to be lost! The old Elmdale theatre built in 1947, is currently Cornerstone House of Refuge Church. It has been sold and the congregation will be leaving in two years from what I was told. I was there servicing their Hammond organ and the Pastor graciously allowed me to take some pictures of the place before I left. What’s amazing is the side scrim and seats are all original and in situ. Also, notice the camera window for the left theatre. As a side note, they split the theatre into two in 1981. I remember going here in the mid ‘70’s as a kid. Rest assured, the future owner will not be preserving the building. 🙁”
Link with Now & Then comparisons.
http://www.pastottawa.com/tag/rialto-theatre/453/?fbclid=IwAR130kWIxp47um4u5VcOuIMFzwx_3Z8rO8GjSzLqPDpjAMiNCbhyuqFAaYk
Grand opening print ad.
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19311229&id=8_MuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tNsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6198%2C577379&fbclid=IwAR3hw_bFIUfPIyjqdYS_Rbw2sibp3RBiJD250kl_QpJdbB6JJ13Roj_s4i0
Address was 413 Bank Street, as subsequent print ad links will show. Full history courtesy The Ottawa Jewish Archives:
The Rialto Theater, 1931-1979 – 413 Bank St “The New Rialto Theater Opens Tonight! – An attractive and cozy little theater, a home for the talking pictures, is the Rialto, which opens to the public tonight with "Silence”, a Paramount Picture. Modern to the last degree, tastefully decorated and perfectly ventilated it will quickly command a wide and loyal following.“ So says the opening paragraph to a lengthy article in the December 30, 1931 edition of the Ottawa Citizen which discusses in detail the soft lighting, the rich draperies, the plush seats and even the "unusually spacious” projection room of the new theater on Bank St. The first theater on that spot was The Clarey which opened in 1914. After that came The Fern in 1919. In 1931 Abraham Levinson and J. Polowin turned it into the Rialto, and it was a beautiful and very upscale theater. They ran it with pride and hard work before passing on the reigns on to Abraham’s son Martin Levinson in 1936. As with many of the old venues though, it fell on troubled times as the decades went by and the building began to show wear. Eventually by the 1970’s the neighbourhood gave it the nickname of the “The Rat Hole” due to, well, an unfortunate infestation, and it was known as quite the grindhouse theater. In 1979 the Rialto was closed after 48 years, but officially reopened the next year as The Phoenix, owned by Cineplex. The Phoenix lasted until June of 1991 before it too was closed and the building was demolished. Despite its later reputation, the Rialto is remembered with great fondness by those who wanted a cheap night out with a good gore flick. Today, 314 Bank St. is a parking lot in between Staples and The Book Bazaar at Bank and Frank St.
Do you have a source for these photos? The resolution may be better when viewed on the website they are from.
Originally built and opened as H-H Theater in 1917 by Arch Hurley & Gene Hawkins. Also featured live vaudeville type shows. Renamed Princess in 1921 when Hurley took over sole ownership. Full history in 2015 pdf below, and 1919 film and stage show print ads as H-H Theater added to gallery.
https://www.tucumcarimainstreet.org/resources/Documents/pricess%20article%20original.pdf
Update: Zeus of Hollywood photo via Flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/zeusofhollywood/3375169558/in/photostream/
Full width 8/31/66-9/22/66 photo credit Zeus Of Hollywood via Flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/zeusofhollywood/3375169478?fbclid=IwAR3Uf9dwCjyg0kxhLk7zdJ9gOVXVWjIPPxAMLnziTE_qTYP1kFfxQI5H9Dc