Rialto Theatre

The Rialto seated around 1200 people. The Rialto was one of two theatres serving South Pasadena, the other one was the Ritz theatre (700 seats). Fox West Coast theatre s ran the Rialto for many years before Mann theatres ran it and sold it. The Rialto had a organ at one time but Mann sold it also.

The architect of the Rialto theatre was L. A. Smith.

The Rialto has run into problems on its way to divvying itself up, so for the time being you can still go sit in the balcony, with its wonderfully creaky old wooden steps.

The opening sequence of "Scream 2" was also shot here.

They currently play one [independent] film at a time for about 3-4 weeks, then they start showing another. They recently played Lost In Translation there, and every month they show The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

This theatre is a bit run down, but seems to be doing very well. I went to see a midnight showing of "Donnie Darko" (my favorite movie) and there must have been over 400 people there. It was great so see so many people enjoying the movie and, of course, the Rialto itself. I was disapointed to find the balcony closed, but at least it hasn't been chopped up yet.

Don't expect the Rialto to be cut up any time soon. The original multiplex plan included sealing the balcony and putting two theaters up there. Then they planned on putting a projection booth on the theaters main floor.

The problem is the projection throw.

Because of the way the balcony is positioned a movie projected from the back of the theater's 1st floor would be cut in half by the underside of the balcony. You'd have to lose almost 9 or 10 rows in the back of the main auditorium to put in a projection booth where this wouldn't be an issue.

I worked at the Rialto for 19 years and she's a wonderful old house filled with a lot of great memories.

This is a great old theater. I had the priviledge to go throught the entire place recently, to investigate the possible hauntings there. She is a theater in slow decline, but still in good shape.

I grew up going to the Rialto, she is a wonderfull old theater, and I hope they don't slice her up. There was a great theater in Pasadena that they did this too, and it was a shame.
I have a few stories of the Rialto, Movies, a Seance, Many memories!

Mc

The opening description of the RIALTO in So. Pasadena uses the word 'decadence' to describe it, but that is unfortunate since that word cannot have a positive connotation as one would see if he looked up the dictionary definition of the word. Some have thought that it was a term meaning 'camp' as in 'campy' or even 'obsolete' but that is not the case, and unless one wishes to denigrate a theater, the word 'decadent' has no place in theatre descriptions.

As of July 23. 2004:
The Rialto is in danger now to some degree. It is listed in the "Framework for Downtown Development" in the City of South Pasadena. Its future use may change.

On Page 11 of their special report from the Community Redevelopment Commission (CRC) Feb 18 2004. They state:
"7. The Rialto Theater is a key building in terms of its historic design and function and its potential to be an anchor and catalyst for future activity. The building is thought by some to be an opportunity for a public facility, incorporating the theater and using it as community space. Some feel that the CRA will need to reestablish eminent domain in order to facilitate the more appropriate reuse of certain properties. In any case, the exterior and the marquee should be renovated and refurbished. Others feel strongly that it should be completely refurbished and remain a theater, whether one screen or reconfigured to several small screens. Customers desire a better sound system, more comfortable seats, and more diverse and more extensive programming"

The Community Redevelopment Commission will now be meeting to discuss their redevelopment vision. If you are interested in preserving it as a theater you need to let the City Council and Community Redevelopment Commission know how you feel. Tell them what you'd like done with the theater. Do you want to maintain the use of the property as a historically intact theater (inside and out) remaining a single screen functioning theater? Or do you want it to become a public facility, incorporating the theater and using it as community space? Or do you want to see it reconfigured to several small screens? Currently it shows independent films. Mayor Ten was in favor of seeing more mainstream films shown there. Please let your opinion be known.

Please send email comments to:
The City Council persons and Community Redevelopment Commission. You can do this by e-mailing Sally Kilby - City Clerk, at skilby@ci.south-pasadena.ca.us or you may write to the City Council, c/o
Sally Kilby, at City Hall, 1414 Mission Street, South Pasadena, CA 91030.

We must assure that the Council persons and Community Redevelopment Commission understand that there is support for the continued existence of this unique theater.

Or Phone the Message Center:
(626) 403-7218
(Voice Mail for Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem and Councilmembers)

Community Redevelopment Commission
7:00 p.m. meetings
        2nd Wednesday of each month
        City council Chambers • 1424 Mission Street
South Pasadena CA, 91030
Moi

Other Rialto trivia: It's the theater in 'Kentucky Fried Movie' directed by John Landis and I believe it's the movie theater in "Nightmare on Elmstreet 4: The Dream Master" directed by Renny Harlin. I also directed a short film in the Rialto's auditorium. One thing I learned from shooting in the Rialto, it's hard to get a bad shot in the place - it's majestic and stunning from just about every angle.

After attending the July 22, 2004 Community Redevelopment Commission (CRC) meeting here in South Pasadena, I became concerned about the fate of our Rialto theater. I wrote the July 23 2004 notice above. I'm hoping to find people through this site who love old theaters enough to write an email to the South Pasadena City Council asking them to restore/preserve this unique theater which currently remains intact. My hope is that there is support for the continued existence of this unique theater as an historically intact theater (inside and out).

Currently the Rialto shows independent films. Our Mayor, Ten, expressed an interest in seeing more mainstream films shown there. In the (CRC) "framework" plans it was even suggested that the theater could be divided up. Perhaps we need to suggest to the CRC and South Pasadena City Council persons that the redevelopment plans for the business district of South Pasadena should include the construction of a separate, new theater to accommodate multiple mainstream film releases. This would possibly remove pressure from the Rialto and allow it to continue to be used as a special single screen venue or theatrical stage.

Please take a few minutes and help protect this part of our heritage from being divided into a multiplex.

Please read the July 23 2004 notice above and send your email comments to skilby@ci.south-pasadena.ca.us

Moi

When I worked (briefly) at Landmark, I was told that it was nearly impossible to break up the screen into several smaller screens (i.e. along the lines of the Mission / Metro 4 in Santa Barbara or the AMC Avco in Westwood) because of the projector throw.

I really hope they don't divide up the Rialto, and that South Pasadena recognizes the importance of preserving her, just as they want to preserve their entire town from the 710 freeway. There are plenty of places to see mainstream movies.

The Rialto has a lot of great historical memorabilia in their lobby, and is fun to visit. The gargoyle is indeed unique. Beware that the Rialto is not heated - I froze seeing a movie there in the winter. The balcony, while fun and home to thickly padded old chairs, has horrendous sound.

Currently, they are showing cult movies Saturdays at midnight, which makes sense as this was one of the Rocky Horror spots. They seem to run their art house movies forever. I remember Life is Beautiful playing there for what seemed like 6 months.

The Rialto needs a faithful restoration, continuation as single screen, and no change in programming!

Does anybody remember a No Smoking Trailer with Bart the Fire Marshall next to his red firetruck? It lasted 90 seconds and played regularly at the Rialto and Nuart before features in the early 1980s. It also ran during the Filmex Film Festival. It was my very first film school project.

Of course I remember "Bart"!! I worked as projectionist at the Rialto from '81 to'84. I also remember the notorious "John Waters" no-smoking trailer. Hilarious! About working there....God, ALL THOSE STAIRS!! We were a revival house at the time (4-5 different double features a week) and lugging those heavy cans up from the lobby is indelibly burned into my memory. We had also snipped 10 or 15 different 20th Century-Fox logos off other films, and ran them all before "Rocky Horror". And a REALLY early Devo music video...

Does anyone know if the Wurlitzer theater pipe organ is still in the Rialto? It was a small two manual 10 rank organ but it was wonderful.

When operated by Mann Theatres, the Rialto suffered a fire on the stage in the early 1970's? I belive this destroyed the organ console and in 1972 the organ pipes were removed from the chanbers. I am told that the reason why the plasterwork on the organ grilles either side of the proscenium opening was damaged (and remains so today) is because the pipes were literally just thrown out through the holes onto the front orchestra stalls floor before final removal. I can't vouch authenticity in this story, it is just what I was told.

The organ was a Wurlitzer 2 Manual/10 Rank opened by Ray Metcalf in 1925. It became a popular instrument in the 1960's when concerts and recordings were made on it by George Wright.

I first went to the Rialto Theater in 1992 to see the Director's Cut of "Blade Runner." After that I went a few more times during that period but did not go again until recently, almost a decade later, to see "A Very Long Engagement." In the intervening years it does look like much was done to the theater. This is a mixed blessing. The theater is really a great old theater and it is good serious alterations have not been performed. However the theater needs a massive renovation. It has prospect of being one of the grandest theaters in operation if a renovation were to be performed.

This is a strange request, but does anyone (especially people who worked in The Rialto) know if the building is actually haunted? I have to find and scout 'haunted' locations (a tough job for a sceptic!) for a UK documentary production company and would love them to use the Rialto as it would create interest and pay a modest location fee...

I don't KNOW if the Rialto is haunted or not. I never heard
any specific "lore" or anything. But I've been there all alone
at 3 in the morning, and have had some pretty freaky feelings.
But why not? An empty, somewhat decaying movie palace in the dead
of night? I'm surprised Stephen King hasn't set one of his novels
in such a place.

mattepntr: Ditto your thoughts! We have a neglected and decaying old movie theatre here in Charlotte that I'm sure has a ghost(s) or a soul. Though I can't say I've ever been in a theatre at 3 in the morning, I would imagine that one could easily have "some pretty freaky feelings". If Mr. King is listening or reading, he might write his next novel in and around a movie theatre plot as you suggest! I'm sure the general thought is that old abandoned theatres are probably haunted.

The Rialto is indeed haunted.
Some friends and I did an impromptu seance many years ago on the stage one night, Way after closing. A friend who worked there let us in and participated. This wan an unique experience, and I have not been in the theater since.

Mc: Please write about the seance at the Rialto as I'm sure it would be an experience few CT members could say they have experienced!

I'd like to hear about it too. When did it take place?

Hello All,

I'm currently working on a local program highlighting the history of the Rialto in part to provide enthusiasm and education for the changes that will occur at the Rialto over the next several years. As Moii indicates, it will be important for residents to educate themselves and communicate with the city on this one. If you have stories, comments, suggestions....or want to know more about the event, and perhaps want to be involved, please e-mail me: sheckum@yahoo.com I would love to incorporate personal stories into this program, so do please contact me. Event is April 23, 2005, so contact soon.
Thanks

Does anybody remember a No Smoking Trailer with Bart the Fire Marshall next to his red firetruck? It lasted 90 seconds and played regularly at the Rialto and Nuart before features in the early 1980s. It also ran during the Filmex Film Festival. It was my very first film school project.
posted by DAVEBE

I went to the Rialto in the 1960s (especially recall the then-new release of Hayley Mills in "THE PARENT TRAP"). In summer, the local 'plunge' punched a card each time you paid to swim. When the card was full (after about 10 swims), the Rialto gave us a discount on tickets (I think the regular 50 cents was reduced to 35 cents). They had fabulous Saturday matinees -- serials were shown, but they may have been "old" by the 1960s (cannot recall which were shown but we enjoyed them). I think the snack bar was shown in the film THE PLAYER -- it was just the same (very small by current standards)! On Friday and Saturday nights we knew the high school kids "owned" the place. We LOVED this theater and knew, even then, that it was in some way special. Mostly, we felt it was OURS.

I discovered how wonderful "silent" movies and the theater organ are, at the Rialto in the early 1960's - first "The Mark of Zorro" and then "The Eagle". George Wright was organist.

Hello, I have lived in South Pasadena since 1984.Around the middle 80s, the Rialto allowed live rock concerts by local San Gabriel Valley rock bands on the weekend nights. I have heard it rumoured that Armored Saint had played a gig there before they became famous. When I first moved there, I heard the bands plying, and I walked in. I had my harmonica so I jammed briefly with one of the bands. I heard that two weeks later some San Marino High School toughs tried to crash the concert and in the ensuing brawl, the very expensive,rare, and original glass doors were broken and THAT was the end of the gigs.I was surprised, because other than this
incident, South Pasadena teens are well behaved.

Hello again,I know for a fact that the Olympic Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles is haunted. As for the Rialto, let me relate this story concerning my son.The Rialto has two side stairways on the south side of the theatre( Oxley Street). One is a stage access/fire escape, the other, boarded up, was an old access to the space behind the balcony, and once open to the office space on the second floor. This stairway has been boarded-up since the 60s, but one night my son was coming from a party in the Marengo district, and he saw the boarded-up entrance ,ajar. It had beeen raining very hard,( most of the damage in the Rialto is water damage) and the wooden doors had become warped.My son, being an urban explorer like his ol' man, pried the door open enough so he could crawl through. He always carries his little Mag-Lite, so he went exploring this section of the Rialto. There were several holes in the plaster on the second floor, and feeling behind one of the holes, he found and brought up what we later found out to be a game-used 1919 baseball glove. He pounded the glove for a while, thinking it odd that such a thing would be inside a plaster wall, then he sat down in the balcony to rest. After a while, he felt as if were being watched, he felt wind on his back, and then a sound of something sticky peeling off a surface. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and he says he heard "whispers", one of which he could make out was saying, "Watch the movie after the game".When looked down at the bottom, near the thr right of the stage, he saw a dark figure , human glide down off the stage and silently make its way acroos the second row of seats. My son was terrified, but transfixed by this strange sight. the dark figure then made its way toward the lobby, and my son says he heard another whisper that said," "steal home, get out boy, get out boy..", so he bolted down the stairs and ran back home. We still have that glove.

Hello again. About a year ago, and about 5 years after the baseball glove incident...my son and his crew of pals were walking around South Pasadena one weekend night. Before taking off for the night, I gave each of his pals, my son included, a flashlight. To my son I loaned by big black Mag-Lite, with the admonition that he should bring it back or else. When they got to the Rialto, the y noticed that the side stairway door was ajar, this being 1 hour after the midnight movie had ended. My son's crew wanted to go exploring, but my son had recently been pinched for filming high school grudge fights, and his girlfriend, whom he had come across that evening,
disuaded from doing so. One friend had damaged his flashlite, so my son loaned him the Mag-Lite. My son went home soon after, but his friends went exploring. They were promptly caught by the night-watchmen, and the South Pasadena Police, arrested them whole bunch. I was called to pick-up some of the kids from the jail. The watchmen was there making a statement. He told me that he probably wouldnt have called the cops except that every night for the past week those kids were breaking in and mocking him by playing catch in the balcony. I told him that wasnt possible since the kids had snuk in only that one night .The od man says'"Baloney!!! Every night they're up there running around, saying stuff like,"Watch a movie after the game", and "slide home junior"!!! And the cops kept my Mag-Lite.

What's happening with the fight to preserve/restore the Rialto as a single-screen house?

If you LOVE Real Ghost storeis as much as the next person, check out Haunted Houses of Pasadena and learn about the real ghosts who call the old Rialto Theater Home. You'll harldly be able to put the book down. The author also offers tours through real haunted sites in Pasadena, South Pasadena, Altadena, Sierra Madre and San Marino too. Find out if the Rialto Theater is on the tour at his funtastic website WWW.ICGHOSTS.COM The book has sold over 4000 copies and is about to enter its 5th printing with new stories from people who've been touched at this old marvel of a theater. Too bad someone won't spend a little money and fix it up a bit!

Psychic-Mike

The Rialto is sporting a sign which says "Theater available for sub-lease".

I saw "Lost in Translation" and "Cidade de Deus" at this theater a few years ago. It's showing its age but is still a classic.

As to the Wurlitzer organ in the Rialto, Ken Roe's information is almost correct. The remains of the organ were removed by the Villemin Pipe Organ Company of Porterville, CA in 1972. What remained, the entire right chamber, console, and blower were removed and sold as parts. Pipes were not tossed onto the seats as junk, unless it was what remained from the burned-out left chamber. The organ remains were purchased by the late Gary Baumann in San Francisco. Upon his death, the parts were sold to a collector in the Clear Lake region of Northern California, where it all remains.

The fire "only" damaged the left chamber. The grill to this chamber was partially cut out when the fire dept. shot copious amounts of water into the burning chamber. The grill on the right side was intact and remained so for many years. When we were in the Rialto circa 1983, the right grill was absolutely intact.

This organ was installed with the Solo chamber on the left and the Main on the right--the exact opposite of the usual Wurlitzer practices. Of course, it was the Solo Chamber that burned.

The series of concerts George Wright gave at the Rialto during the 1960s and early 1970s were legendary. Gaylord Carter and Bill Thompson also gave programs on this wonderful instrument.

This organ was a Wurlitzer Style 216 which was designed by So. Cal theatre organist Frank Lantermann. later a California politician.
With one exception in Oakland, CA, all style 216 organs were installed in Southern California West Coast Theatres.

The American Theatre Organ Society 50th Annual Convention held a program at the Rialto this summer when a digital electronic organ was hauled in for the event.

The Rialto does not look like it has had a lick of maintenance or repair since the Wurlitzer burned in 1972. The theatre smelled, was filthy, and decaying. Yet, this magnificent theatre is otherwise largely intact and crying to be restored. With some vision, it was easy to see what the Rialto could again become.

We all need to encourage the South Pas city govt. to faithfully restore the Rialto and not let it become cobbled up into retail, dinner theatre, or worse. Looking at the Rialto, it is easy to see it as a community performing arts center.

I know this is nitpicky, but, in the interest of accuracy, the Rialto is located on Fair Oaks Avenue (not Boulevard), which was never a part of U.S. 66 (as stated in the intro).

Also, the phone number above has been disconnected. The correct number is (626) 388-2122.

You can see the exterior of the theatre in a current Chase Bank commercial.

Good spirit. Bad spelling.

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics18/00028731.jpg

Another photo from the LA Library:

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics18/00028730.jpg

Here is another photo of the Rialto Theater.

Does anyone know the fate of the Rialto? Lately it seems it has been playing an odd mix of films that are veering away from Landmark's usual art fare (King Kong, Syriana, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). Is this in response to the city of South Pasadena wanting more mainstream fare at the theatre? Also, how is the Rialto holding up to over-saturation of screens in Pasadena, including both mainstream and art cinemas?

"Sam's Son"-1984-Michael Landon uses the Rialto S Pacadena in place of the Westmont Theatre (New Jersey) In the movie you'll not only see the outside of the Rialto theatre but also the inside especially the balconey where in one seen his father (Eli Wallach) has a heart attack while carrying film's up to the projection booth. Landon (Gene Ormon) depict's his youth around the 1950's in and outside the theatre with car's from the 40's and 50's and when he come's back in 1984. Anyone who's a fan of THIS theatre and /or a fan of Michael Landon should get a copy of this movie ( a cheapie on e-bay) Also, check out the Westmont Theatre where in real life Michael Landon's father was the manager and the actual theatre that the Rialto and story line to "Sam's Son" depict's!

I have fond memories of the Rialto as a kid and teenager. In my early years they had "kid" shows every saturday during the summer where the moms could drop off the kids, or you could walk, the moms would have the afternoon to themselves to either shop or just be alone. The theater would be filled from top to bottom, not an empty seat most times. The big leather Lodge seats on the first floor in the back of the theater were the special prize as well as the Balcony seats. The kid shows had an MC and sometimes a live performance or two on the actual stage before the movie started. The organ always played, especially during the silent films of my parents era. Buck Rogers comes to mind. Then we had cartoon after cartoon after cartoon and a movie. If the projectionist did not start the films on time we started thumping our feet until the whole building was shaking. The same thing happend if the film broke and he took too long to slpice it back together again. Everyone felt safe and there were not many fights back then. At intermission everyone ran to the lobby for candy and the bathroom, better get there early! All and all it was a fantastic experience for anyone growing up in the 50's and 60's. It was the best air conditioned place to be on a hot summer day if you were not at the "plunge." For a while, my uncle opend a pizza business right next to the Rialto and in the early years he had a window that opened right on to the street where you could by pizza by the slice before going into the theater. When new movies came to town, like Alfred Hitchcoks' Psycho or The Birds, the people would line up well in advance of the shows and he did a brisk business for many years. Right before they took the organ out they had one last concert and I went to hear that wonderful old instrument played again. When they took out the stage, the decline started, and continued when they took out the organ. I was glad last time i was visiting that the old theatre is still there.

>I discovered how wonderful "silent" movies and the theater organ >are, at the Rialto in the early 1960's - first "The Mark of Zorro" >and then "The Eagle". George Wright was organist.
>posted by RobXV on Jul 5, 2005 at 2:38pm

The organist for the silent films was Gaylord Carter. George Wright rarely, if ever, accompanied feature silent films.

George Wright did play some wonderful concert series at the Rialto over the years. He also recorded a legendary album for DOT records on the Rialto Wurlitzer. Many years after the organ was removed, George released some more recordings made at the Rialto from archival recordings on his own BANDA label. These CDs are still available. If I can find the website URL, I will post it later.

The URL for BANDA Recordings is:

http://www.theatreorgans.com/cds/banda.html

Scroll down through the list and you will find recording of GW at the Rialto Wurlitzer.

While the paint on it's exterior may be peeling, the Rialto Theater remains the jewel of South Pasadena. The lobby is as elegant today as ever, although the auditorium itself could use some work.

The Rialto has gone with Summer Blockbuster programming with the opening of "The Da Vinci Code" this last Friday. Perhaps it is the only way it can survive with so many Laemmle screens in the area showing art house fare. The Landmark ad announced "New Digital Sound System". I guess this means that Landmark intends to keep the theatre going...

This is a recent close-up photo of the Rialto Theater.

Boy, the Rialto looks pretty wore in that shot.

I guess a coat of paint wouldn't hurt this theater. Do they have a big smog problem in South Pasadena? It looks acid rain took a toll on this building. Maybe the building just needs a good cleaning. :)

Big Smog problem it's L.A., But yes it just needs a good cleaning and a good company to preserve this little gem. :)

Here are some recent photos of the Rialto Theater. Click each photo to expand it. A coat of paint wouldn't hurt, but its not a bad looking theater.

My first visit to the Rialto was in 1972, when it was still being operated by Mann's as a first run house. I don't recall if this was before or after the fire which destroyed the left organ chamber. I do remember the building being a bit down at the heels, though. It must have been only shortly after this that the Rialto was taken over by Landmark, because I remember that on my next visit to the theatre it had become a revival house with an admission price of one dollar.

Over the next several years I went to the Rialto more often than to any other theatre. Though by 1986, the last time I was there, the price had been upped to three dollars, it remained one of the best entertainment bargains around. The program would change twice a week, and there were often triple features, with the fare running from classic American and foreign movies all the way to "X" rated films such as the science fiction parody "Flesh Gordon". I also attended one of the midnight showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, with its lively audience participation.

In all that time I don't think the theatre received any more maintenance than was absolutely necessary to keep it from collapsing into a pile of rubble or being shut down as hazardous by either the city or the board of health. The balcony was always closed, as that was where they had moved all the big, leather-upholstered loges from the main floor, because the place almost had been shut down by the fire department due to the loge seats not being fire resistant. It was cheaper for the theatre's operators to change them out for the balcony's regular seats than to have them rebuilt with modern, fire-resistant stuffing.

Somewhere in a box in my garage I still have a couple of the monthly calendars published by the Rialto during the Landmark years, listing all the programs to be presented for the month. If I ever get a decent scanner, I'll scan one of them, post it somewhere and link to it from this page.

Its too bad there are not any proper double-bill revival houses left in the Los Angeles area, with the notable exception of the New Beverly (where the presentation was a bit lacking a few years ago, but have sice upgraded to Dolby Stereo!) I was recently in Melbourne, Australia, and visited the Astor Theatre, a spectacular revival house combining old art-deco movie palace glamour, revival house programming, a large screen, and top-noch presentation (Dolby Digital, DTS Digital, and several 70mm engaements a month). This is the theatre I wish the Rialto could be (although the Rialto could never have a screen the size of the Astor's). I think in the U.S. home video and DVD has killed off such theatres, even in cities such as LA. It's too bad. There is nothing like seeing a classic on the big screen. I got some good pics of the Astor and plan to post them on Cinematour at some point. Until then you can see it at:

http://cinematreasures.org/theater/1288/
and
http://www.cinematour.com/tour/au/150.html
and
http://www.astor-theatre.com/ (check out the calendar!)
If you are ever in Melbourne...

Here is a 1977 article from the Pasadena Star-News about the possible demolition of the Rialto:

SoPas citizens write to the rescue of Rialto Theater

South Pasadenans are beginning to rumble about the imminent plans to
demolish the Rialto Theater, a 1925 Moorish landmark that has seen the rise and fall of vaudeville, Saturday serials and cinema verite.
About 100 petitions are being circulated by a grass-roots organization which calls itself the Rescue the Rialto Committee.
Residents are riding on a groundswell following a county surveyor's report found that the Rialto met the criteria necessary for possible
inclusion on the national register.

Tom Sitton, a surveyor employed by the county to examine structures
for a statewide inventory, said that he found that the Rialto met the
criteria necessary for possible inclusion on the national register.
Sitton said that qualifying as "potential material" would afford the edifice the same protection as a structure, already on the register.
This resulted from an executive document issued in 1972 which said
that since surveying historic sites was a time-consuming operation,
those that met the criteria should be treated like those already on the register, until the drawnout application procedure can be completed.

The structure is among other buildings on a four-square block area
in the downtown section that has been slated for a shopping center.
The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on that project, which was
adopted in July, 1975, reported that there were no state or federally
registered historic structures in the project area. John Bernardi, the city's director of building and planning, said that the citizenry had 80 days to challenge an EIR. That time is past, but hearings will be held for the parking district, which is another part of the downtown development, Bernardi said. During those hearings, residents may bring up the Rialto issue.

Here is another recent photo of the Rialto Theater and this was the movie playing there at that time.

A few more pix, inside and outside:

http://flickr.com/photos/33142718@N00/

Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978

Rialto Theatre (added 1978 - Building - #78000700)
1019--1023 Fair Oaks Ave., South Pasadena
Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: Reed,Wm.G., Smith,L.A.
Architectural Style: No Style Listed
Area of Significance: Architecture, Performing Arts, Art, Entertainment/Recreation
Period of Significance: 1900-1924, 1925-1949
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Theater
Current Function: Recreation And Culture
Current Sub-function: Theater

I saw "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" here.

It's a shame that such a historical and potentially fantastic theater is just being neglected. This theater is dying for a new screen, seats, paint, lighting, etc.

It looked pretty good in the opening of Scream 2 with the vertical sign all lit up.

It appears Landmark has decided to close the Rialto in South Pasadena. FilmRadar has received confirmation from the circuit on the decision. Here is a link to the information:

http://blogging.la/archives/2007/08/south_pasadenas_historic_rialt.phtml

Hopefully it will reopen intact and with some new paint.

It's a surprise that it lasted this long in that market. It's hard to keep a single screen theatre running now.

Especially with so much competition in Pasadena

So what to do with the building if no movies?

Playhouse for the area.

How about concerts?

Jamba juice.

The theatre has a small stage house.

I wonder how much Landmark would want for it?

On vacation in 2000, I found the Rialto to be a perfect historic movie house to enjoy Sunset Boulevard and Citizen Kane.

More INTERIOR PHOTOS, please, before it closes!

and, yes, let's hope it reopens with a restoration and continues to show films.

It was added to The National Register of Historic Places in 1978; so at the very least, I would think it holds historical landmark status to the point where it could not be torn down. But how much would that still allow for it to be altered?

Best case scenario would be for it to enjoy a complete restoration, and subsequently used as a live production theater (making ideal use of its stage, orchestra pit and dressing room areas) in addition to a movie house. It could feasibly be both (among other things) and still turn a profit.

Here's hoping The City Of South Pasadena steps in and comes to its rescue.

How big is the Rialto's screen? Its been a long time since I've been there but I remember thinking it must have been common width screen with top-down masking for scope pictures.

I think a new screen was installed not too long ago, or maybe it was just new digital sound. The last time I was there was back 1998 for Life is Beautiful. The movie is of course 1.85:1 and used all of the screen, so yeah, it was top down and probably is now. I'd say around 40ft wide.

Wasn't the 710 supposed to go right down Fair Oaks about twenty years ago? They've always wanted to connect the 710 to the 210, which would make sense. SoPas residents have resisted the construction of an enormous freeway through the middle of their town, however.

The 710 extension (if it would ever go thru) would go more to the west. At least one of the proposed plans. ::cough::build it::cough::

I think you're right. The 710 north deadends at Valley, then you turn right, go past Phil Spector's creepy mansion in Alhambra, then left about three miles later to get to South Pasadena.

710 freeway:
Original Plan, Right Down Meridian, taking out the Library, and the High School as well as other interesting places.
Westerly Route, Go West, Through El Sereno, and the Monterey Hills. LA blocked it, and then many luxury homes were built in the hills. NO change of that route after that.
Latest Idea I have heard is to tunnel... Which might just make sense.

South Pasadena has fought this off for more years than I have been alive, and I am 45. Moved out of my first home to get away from the freeway, house is still standing. LOL

I can't figure out why the 110 never connected to the 210. What a pain to hit all the red lights on Arroyo Parkway before you get to the 210.

Building the connection through South Pas would destroy over 1000 homes, many of them, about 500, historic. The thing about the Pasadena-South Pasadena-San marino area, is that we have more historic homes than in all the rest of Los Angeles County PUT TOGETHER!!
South Pas has TWICE more Craftsman style homes than Hollywood, Santa Monica, Venice, West Los Angeles, Fullerton, Echo Park, Silverlake and Glendale, COMBINED!!!
(Hey, I better shut up...we'll have the goddamed yuppies moving here next!!)
It would also be the first time history that a regular community, the "little guy" mangaged to beat the freeway bullies. Come on Ken....you ever wonder why there are no freeways through Beverly Hills????
Besides, when you come to South Pas, this is the birthplace of "Mission" and "Arts & Crafts" in California.

Well folks...its the END....FIN, for the Rialto. It is set to close down as of August 20th. The end of an era. Here is a snippet from the Pasadena Star-News,and quoting Bill Banowsky, CEO of Landmark Theatres, "Like so many aging single-screen theaters, the Rialto has become uneconomical to operate as a movie theater. If we can develop an economically viable plan to restore the theater, that is our preference." One thing though, they will not tear down of in any way demolish the theater.....for now. What can we do?

I thought one of the plans would go around all those historic homes. Like more to the west. Oh well, something has to be built eventually. On stilts, a tunnel, etc. Doesn't have to be super wide.

The reason why it wasn't economical to run the Rialto is because a lot of people don't want to go to a theater that looks like it's falling part and not being maintained. New seats, a proper wide screen, and a good sound system would go a long way.

The whole is historic, Krammy my boy. I read somewhere that is historic Paris neighborhood, one that is several hunder years old but with a population of mostly working class and middle calss folks, like South Pas, stopped a freeway that would have destroyed the town. AS for the 710 extension, its a trucker freeway, so by its very nature will have to built wide. Stilts are fine, but dangerously unstable in any earthquake over 6.0. A tunnel...a real tunnel, not a cut and fill trench, something dug out by a TBM, would be okay. In Europe, there are dozens of tunnels through the Alps, some of them 30 miles long. The 710 connection would be only 6.1 miles. The only problem, Europeans are highly advanced technology and science-wise, here in America, its rich men who control our resources and have stifled scientific development.

I meant to write..."The whole town of South Pasadena is historic".

In any case...Freeways are no longer the answer. If we allow the freeway men their way, L.A. would be carved up into neighborhoods of less than 5 square blocks, think about that , Krammy my boy. And we still get stuck with traffic , air and a quality of life ten times worse.
Wouldnt be much point in saving historic theatres in a city like that, except to use them as high-density apartments, which is another great plan from the dame folks that brought you the freeways.Besides that, new freways never alleviate traffic, they only make it worse.Take for instance the cry-babies in Alhambra, crying and whing about how much traffic they get because the 710 was never completed. What a BUNCH of little bitches!!!! You why there is bad traffic in Alhambra??? Because all through the 60s, 70s and 80s, developers greased the palms of Alhambra councilmen and knocked down hundreds of single-family dwellings to build multi-story high density apartment houses. You know what Alhambra did recently?? They allowed the building of a Lowes and dozens of shops in a very large mall, directly on some of the worst congested streets in that city.You want a freeway, krammy, lets build one through Beverly Hills, or better yet, where do YOU live????

I'm meant Kohl's, not Lowes

The Rialto is owned by the city of So Pas. It was leased to Landmark for 100 years. They apparently are exiting early.

Regarding the 710 frwy:
The sole purpose for the 710 "tunnel freeway" is to provide a goods movement route from the Ports of LA and Long Beach to shipping destinations in CA, AZ, NM, and NV. The ports have a plan to quadruple in size and jam all local freeways with their trucking of goods. They want "us CA's" to pay for this tunnel freeway with our tax dollars so that they can boost profits without the cost outlay. Have you driven on the 710 south of the 5 frwy?. Imagine that traffic x4 now using the 210, 134, 60, 10, 5, 91, and 405. Trucks destroy/chew up freeways and we the taxpayers again will have to pay for the repairs (and slog through the years of repair construction). On top of that, Trucks bring a deadly form of pollution to the communities surrounding the freeways (both diesel and tire particulate). Plus Caltrans itself has stated that such a 710 tunnel could never be insured during construction because of terrorism and earthquakes.

I highly suggest we all support Supervisor Mike Antonovich's concept of using short haul trains ("electric" I hope) to transports goods to a hub located outside LA to eliminate the need for a good deal of our current inner city truck traffic (plus planned Ports increase). We need to think long term into the future, or we will all be paying the price later with over-congestion on all freeways. Developers are treating So. California as though we aspire to be like Manhattan NY. Most Manhattans don't own cars (they've given up). All this high density building and Ports expansion we are doing is only going to take us down that same path.

There was a freeway proposed through Beverly Hills in the 60s, but the idea was put to rest rather quickly.

Hmmm,
the LA Times says someone else owns the Rialto: http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-rialto10aug10,1,4142928.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-business&ctrack=1&cset=true

In Any case, I will go out an play the lottery tonight, so I can help!

Glovedude, save your speech and condescending attitude for another forum. One where the topic is bikes, buses, and carpool lanes. ;-P

Back to the Rialto. Closing it is the best thing to happen because now they can finally figure out what to do with it.

I guess anyone who wants some last photos should head out there in the next week or so. I know I will. You never know what will happen with the building.

I'm sorry Mc, I can't access the LA Times article, but thank you for catching my HUMONGOUS typo:
[The Rialto is owned by "a family trust who's trustee has business interests in" the city of So Pas.]

Also to clarify:

[Plus Caltrans itself has stated that such a 710 tunnel could never be insured during construction because of "the vulnerability of such an ambitious structure to" terrorism and earthquakes "and the resultingly high cost of insuring against such mishaps, might still preclude the tunnel's construction."]

Duh....krammy...you brought it up. As for the Rialto, maybe they can turn it into an Arclight Theare, so krammy and his west-side pallys can have quiche popcorn with their movie.
As for a tunnel being hard to insure....terrorist attack? Unlikely but possible(thanks mr. bush) and earthquakes?? I suppose earthquakes can hinder construction and damage any unsecured construction equipment etc., but as Caltrans itself and 99% of all seismic scientists have stated repeatedly that in an earthquake, a tunnel is the safest place to be.

here's the text of the LA Times article:
Dire projections for South Pasadena's Rialto
The South Pasadena institution, eclipsed by multiplexes, will close soon, though a revival is possible.
By Roger Vincent
August 10, 2007



Map
The jazz-age Rialto Theater in South Pasadena, one of the few remaining single-screen cinemas in Southern California, will roll its last film Aug. 19. The operator, Landmark Theatres, has run out of patience with the money-losing movie palace built in the 1920s.

But plans are in the works for a major real estate project surrounding the theater on Fair Oaks Avenue, and the theater may come back to life as part of the new development. For the foreseeable future, however, it's curtains for the Rialto.

"It's too expensive to operate," said Ted Mundorff of Landmark Theatres. "It can't compete against the new modern theaters that people prefer."

The stately, 1,200-seat theater that opened with the Universal release "What Happened to Jones?" in 1925 will close with "The Simpsons Movie." It also hosted the cult favorite "Rocky Horror Picture Show" as a midnight feature for three decades.

"We love the theater. We love South Pasadena," said Mundorff, chief operating officer of the Los Angeles-based Landmark theater chain. "The economics just don't work."

Mundorff declined to disclose box office or concession counter revenues but said the Rialto was rarely more than half full. Although Landmark installed a new sound system last year, it would cost at least $1 million more to properly restore the theater, Mundorff said.

The seats are in particular need of repair, but the carpets are also frayed, paint is chipped and the place sometimes has a musty odor. In short, the Rialto is the kind of weary aging moviehouse that many people remember fondly but few think to patronize on a night out.

"Very few old theaters can make it," said Jim Rosenfield, owner of the single-screen Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, which dates to 1938. American Cinematheque operates the Aero primarily as a revival house.

"I get calls all the time from people who want to save their neighborhood theaters," said Rosenfield, who restored the Aero in 2005. "Unless they have someone behind them who is a patron of the arts or an angel landlord," the theaters usually can't be saved, he said.

Modern multiplexes have several advantages for moviegoers over traditional single-screen venues, including more choices of movies, more screening times and stadium-style seating offering better sightlines. Like many other old theaters, the Rialto doesn't have a parking lot.

Landmark controls the theater under a long-term lease. Eventually it will revert to a trust held by the Jebbia family, which has owned it since the 1930s, said trustee Philip Jebbia, who has an investment business in South Pasadena.

In the meantime, Landmark would need a white knight to help pay for restoration.

"If we can develop an economically viable plan to restore the theater, that would be our preference," said Bill Banowsky, chief executive of Landmark. "If we are unable to do so we will make the space available for other uses that are compatible with the neighborhood."

One potential suitor is Decoma Developers Inc. Decoma is working on a revitalization project intended to create a more pedestrian-friendly retail, residential and leisure district in the core of South Pasadena, including blocks around the Rialto.

"The theater is a treasure and we are all working on the possibility of keeping the Rialto a single-screen theater," said Marinel Robinson, principal of Torrance-based Decoma. "One day the theater will be renovated. Everybody needs to be patient."

If Decoma's project is approved by the city, it would start work next summer and complete the development in three years, Robinson said. "We will work with whoever ends up controlling the theater."

The Rialto was one of the great luxurious theaters of its day, built to feature both movies and live performances. It had 10 dressing rooms, a green room, an orchestra pit and a deep stage for vaudeville performances.

A backstage fire damaged the theater in 1938, about the time the vaudeville era ended. Another fire in 1969 burned the organ loft, though the large Wurlitzer that once was used to accompany silent films was saved and later sold.

Plans to raze the theater to make way for a parking lot in 1977 were successfully resisted by local residents and Landmark backed off a proposal to divide the theater into a multiplex in the 1990s.

It has been featured in many films and commercials, most notably Robert Altman's "The Player" and more recently "Scream 2," Landmark said.

"Its a very special theater for our town," said nearby merchant Lucia Wiltrout. "It's got lots of good memories."

To save the Rialto as a movie theater, a similar program to that of San Francisco's historic www.castrotheatre.com would suffice. Even sharing the same excellent program would reduce costs, possibly for both venues.
And no, (straight) people... the Castro's screenings are NOT all gay... but that classification of film kept the lights on there!

>>Mundorff declined to disclose box office or concession counter revenues but said the Rialto was rarely more than half full.

Which means that if it was a 600 seat theater it would always be full, and if it was a 500 seat theatre it be often sold out.

Landmark owns the Nuart and the Rialto, among others, right? Why does the Nuart succeed and the Rialto does not? Location? The Nuart is a smaller theater, not as much upkeep? I don't know.

How many of the seats are in the Balcony, which is rarely if ever open?

Any photos of the auditorium?

Check out the Kentucky Fried Movie and Scream 2 for some really good views. Scream 2 in particular because the blade marquee is actually turned on.

anybody going the last night?

I'll be there. Part of the reason of the success of the Nuart is that it's freeway accessible, lots of street parking, and its Landmark's flagship theatre. The Rialto is far away from downtown Pasadena and people just don't feel like making the trudge. The balcony sits behind a locked iron gate these days, although you can pull back the bolt and check it out - as long as you don't mind total darkness and the bolt's inability to slide back into its catch when you sneak back out.

I may drive up for it myself, I just wish it was playing something else besides "the simpsons"

The 110 ends a few blocks away but I guess it doesn't matter.

From the various articles it does sound like there is an effort to get some money to repair and renovate the Rialto. Hopefully it'll still be a theater that shows movies.

It would be a great Theatre for Plays too!
It is built for that!

Its unfair to compare the Rialto and the Nuart. The Nuart is much younger than the Rialto, and much tinier, whats the capacity? 150? 175?
Another one of the reasons that the Rialto not doing adequate business is that Landmark withold the reall good films from the Rialto that it shows at its other venues...the moneymakers, the foreign, the single auteur, the type of films that people queue around the block for. Landmark WANTS you drive out to the Westside to see THOSE films(ARGHHH...the traffic, the lack of parking, the insane drivers, the high crime!!!). Take a look at Landmark's calendar handouts...there is a bigtime discrepancy when it comes to the Rialto.
As for live performances.....They use to allow local bands on stage late Sundau evening. I used to do harmonica jams there with Portnoise Complaint and Pagan Dream Salad back in '88. Great acoustics I must say.
One thing about sneaking in. if the nightwatchman sees you, the South Pas PD will be there in three seconds(the police deepo is only two blocks away), the downside of living in the safest city in L.A. County.
One more thing...is it spelled THEATRE or THEATER????

South Pasadena is the Safest City in LA!
Cool! Way to go HomeTown!
Of course, it is only 3.4 square miles in size...

Its postage stamp sized. WE should have the Nuart...tiny movie houses should go with tiny towns.
I wonder why they cant just start by painting the exterior facade, its peeling badly, the wood is exposed to the elements. Did you see those huge water stains on the side....water damage. thats what they should fix first, like now, or else there will be nothing left to fix.

I won't speak for others but in the USA, it would be a great THEATER for plays, spelled that way as a noun. However, as a name, we can call it the Rialto Theatre if we like.

Everyone: The Nuart, when it initially opened, had 660 seats. I know it has less now as it has been re-seated a couple times, but I know it is not 150-175. More like 400 is my guess from my last visit.

I was just kidding, but it is small.

Here are some recent photos of the Rialto Theater. Text with photos reads "Closed on August 19, 2007".

I'll try to make the very last showing. Here's hoping to better days for the Rialto.

Well, I just got back from the latest last show at the Rialto. There was a quite a few people there so I look forward to comments and stories.

All I have to say is I hope this historic theater reopens with it's decor intact, new seats, a new screen, a new sound system, new paint, lighting that compliments the decor, and above all... AIR CONDITIONING. It was like a stuffy tomb in there.

Get well, Rialto. See you when you're in better shape.

I attended the first show on the last day and there were not many folks at all. L.A. Times (who took my pic but wisely chose not to hurt circulation by printing it) estimated 30 peeps total. There were 2 kinds of people in the audience: those with cameras and those who didn't know it was closing. The Times estimates the last show was attended by about 200. Sadly, the balcony remained closed and I was unable to visit it one last time. The sound system had been greatly improved since my last visit and is only a year old. The seats made me fidgit and there was no air conditioning on a 90 plus degree day. They were also out of Coke and the entire film ran a little out of focus. By the way "THEATRE" is the way it's spelled on that ancient blade sign so that's the actual name. The listing should be corrected.

I read the LA Times story this morning. It was reported that on some days the total attendance at theater was zero. I can see why Landmark would be complaining.

here's the text of today's LA Times article:
Rialto's last picture show
The last picture show at South Pasadena's Rialto Theater
By Francisco Vara-Orta
August 20, 2007


Tina Tsoutsas blew a kiss as she said goodbye to the Rialto theater, a longtime South Pasadena fixture that has showcased cinema from silent movies to this summer's hit, "The Simpsons Movie."

The beloved jazz-age institution, one of Southern California's remaining single-screen theaters, closed Sunday evening after 81 years.

"Ask anybody who knows South Pasadena and they'll know about the Rialto," said Tsoutsas, 46.

The Arcadia native first came to the Rialto as a teenager in the 1980s to see a movie marathon on the Beatles. She liked the theater so much that she asked for a job there, working from 1984 to 1996 in various roles, including manning the ticket booth, doling out snacks at concession stands and ushering patrons to their seats.

One of her fondest memories, she said, was working the weekly midnight showing of the cult classic "Rocky Horror Picture Show," which had a three-decade run at the theater.

"It really is beautiful and historic," Tsoutsas said in the lobby after a final tour of the theater with her boyfriend, Gary. "It's just always been here."

The Rialto opened its doors to the public Oct. 17, 1925, with organist Ray Metcalfe at the Wurlitzer and the Rialto orchestra accompanying the world premiere of Universal Pictures' "What Happened to Jones?" Trapeze artists performed on a bill shared with vaudeville acts. Admission was 30 cents and searchlights sent from Hollywood shone outside, alerting people to the opening.

With 10 dressing rooms, a loft, a green room, an orchestra pit and a deep stage, the Rialto's Spanish Baroque architecture and Egyptian-accented interior design bestowed a regal atmosphere that went beyond just catching a flick for those perched in its 1,200 seats.

But on Sunday, about 30 people showed up for the first showing at 12:30 p.m. of "The Simpsons Movie," with the discounted matinee price of $6 for adults. About 200 people attended the last show. Among them: a group of 15 who graduated from South Pasadena High school in 1960. For them, the theater had been a hangout during their teen years. They had returned to it every few years for periodic reunions and had made a point of being there for the last screening.

"No one is here to see the Simpsons, they're here to see the Rialto Theater," said Andrew Noice, a manager. The Rialto's operator, Landmark Theatres, shifted in recent years from showing more independent art-house films to mainstream movies to boost ticket sales, he said.

Noice reminisced throughout the day with nostalgic Rialto customers. "Business has been up since people found out it was shutting down," he said.

The low-key closing seemed appropriately somber for the aging beauty's last day. The seats were squeaky, carpets worn. The balcony was closed for repairs, the theater warmer than the covered lobby outside. It took the camera flashes of patrons -- allowed after the movie on Sunday only -- to brighten up the dimly lit theater, as many fixtures were broken and had not been replaced in years.

"What I really loved about the Rialto is how it's all original and has the feeling like you've just walked into a place frozen in time," said Maryam Hosseinzadeh, 29, a South Pasadena native and graduate student studying historical preservation at USC's School of Architecture. "But it's a Catch-22 because it's dilapidated, and I can see where there's water damage, paint chipping away and how it's become a faded glory."

The theater has survived through the death of vaudeville, two fires and threats of being converted into a parking lot or five-screen multiplex, finally succumbing to consistently low ticket sales that Landmark officials said couldn't sustain its operation.

"I remember my mom bringing me here to see "Romeo and Juliet" in the 1970s," said David Wolf, 42, a South Pasadena resident. "South Pasadena is starting to look too generic, and this theater is part of the cultural landscape that I worry is dying here. The Rialto was never mainstream and that's probably why it's fading out."

The theater on Fair Oaks Avenue at Oxley Street may come back to life as part of a proposed development project, but that plan, which would take three years, has not been approved. "It was worth the trip to see it," said Ralph Ramirez, 56, who traveled from Torrance with his wife, Deborah, to visit and photograph the structure. "This was my first time, and I'm sad that it'll be the last."

Landmark controls the theater under a long-term lease, but has said it couldn't commit the $1 million needed for restoration and ticket sales aren't enough to keep it open. Landmark has declined to release the Rialto's ticket sales figures, but Noice said that in the seven years he's worked there, there have been days with not one person showing up to watch a film.

"It's a heartbreaking ending for the theater," Noice said. "I'm more sad that it's closing down than losing my job. I can find another, but there's only one Rialto."

francisco.varaorta@latimes.com

Around 200 in attendence seems to be right. Probably only a few, if any, didn't know it was the final show.

I still can't believe the Rialto has no air conditioning, or one that works. On a 95+ degree day it must be unbearable in there. No wonder people stopped going.

For the last show they could have shown "Lawrence of Arabia" In Sweatavision that puts YOU in the picture!

Kinda low-class of Landmark, letting the Soda Machine run out in a Hot Theatre!

A lot of the older Fox houses had large air conditioning units mounted near the rear side of the stage houses. Over the years these units started costing more and more to repair. If the theatre was a money maker it got repaired. The chain that operated the Rialto Theatre before Landmark was Mann Theatres. They kept the State and the Academy Theatres as their Pasadena locations. When Mann Theatres dropped the Rialto, they as so dropped the Highland Theatre and the Fox Venice Theatre from the chain. All three of these house had been trying a budget admission of 99 cent. Up until the mid 90's the Royal Theatre in West Los Angeles had a swamp cooler to keep the theatre cool. Till 1985 when the Picwood Theatre closed it only had 4 out of 8 full A/C units that worked. If the theatre is a money maker they will spend the money, but most of the times they let it go till it is totally broken.

I understand Landmark's not being able to keep the Rialto open in the current market (especially with 5 multiplexes close by in Pasadena!) but I hope that Landmark's forey into "upscale, highbrow moviegoing" (The Landmark in West LA) doesn't detract from some of their more quirky venues (the Nuart and NuWilshire in LA, the Seven Gables, Harvard Exit, Egyptian etc, in Seattle) that some of us still like to see our foreign, art and restroed/reissue films in.

The Rialto in happier days: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rlalder/1185389096/ This is a photo from the 1968 American Theatre Organ Society convention brochure thanks to Bob Alder in Hilo.

Sad to say, but I think Landmark has joined the "quick" buck club. Although I haven't been in the Rialto for a number of years, I never lived in the neighborhood, if the ac wasing working, ticket sales will go south.
I was in Minneapolis recently. Landmark operates three cinemas there, including the Uptown. Uptown is a classic cinema built in the late 1930s.
Landmark is NOT maintaining the house. I talked with a number of regulars who said that Landmark just doesn't put any money into the place. I shows.
Planned neglect is something theatre owners seem to use a lot. They let the building run down to the point where they don't get any business. So they say "we've got to close, because we don't get any business."
I remember back in the '80s in Boston, I went to a GCC cinema in March. They didn't have any heat. Guess what the place closed.
Also while I was in Minneapolis I visited the Riverview. This is a single screen house built in the early 1950s. The indie owner keeps it in tip top shape. And he says he does great biz. The house was packed the night I was there.
So if an independent owner can do well with a single screen, I think Landmark could, if they had the leadership and vision.
I hope the city will take over the Rialto. As I remember it was a great house. It would be a shame to see it go.

Here's the Riverview you mention:
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/802/
makes me want to visit!

I'm going to try and buy it. I'd like to put my animation studio upstairs. I heard from a friend of the fellow who had baseball card shop on the corner street level storefront that the owners wont consider selling at any price, but I'll try.

Good Luck!
Be sure to have enough cash to fix it up as well!

The closest theater near me that has the same name of the theater is a sixplex in Westfield, N.J. How does that theater compare with this one? Was this the first movie theater named Rialto, and what was it named after?

Justin: "Rialto" has been a common name for theatres for quite a while, and South Pasadena's Rialto was not the first of that name. The name is of Italian origin, and dates back more than 900 years when the Rialto Market was established in the city of Venice. It also became the name of the city's most important bridge across the Grand Canal.

In the 17th century, the area around the bridge and the market became the center of the city's theatre district, and the home of the most important opera companies in Europe. The fame of the district was so great that, in the English speaking word at least, "The Rialto" became a generic term to describe the theatre district of any city. Eventually, impresarios began giving the name to individual theatres, especially in the United States.

Something similar happened with the name \"Strand\", which was the name of the street along which London's theatre district formed in the 19th century. After it became famous, owners of theatres in many places began naming their houses The Strand in order to associate them with the glamour of London's theatre district.

Indeed. Just type "Rialto" in the theatre search section of Cinematour or Cinema Treasures and you'll see how many there are/have been.

I really enjoyed reading the name origins posted by Joe.

From October 3:
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff204/hollywood90038/pasRialtoOct32007006.jpg
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff204/hollywood90038/pasRialtoOct32007004.jpg
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff204/hollywood90038/pasRialtoOct32007007.jpg

I wonder when the blade marquee burned out or was it just not turned on to save electricty.

From a post of July 24, 2018:

I remember the old Rialto Theater. It closed in 2007 and has now been obliterated by the 710 freeway extension completed a few years ago. South Pas was a nice little town but the bifurcation by the freeway has pretty much destroyed any character it once had.

Do you think that person could post some Lottery numbers?

Actually, the 710 would miss the Rialto, but would destroy a great many other buildings. My Parents moved out of the freeways path when I was 5 when we moved. The house is still standing!

Most of the times with vertical sign at old theatres they just don't maintain them, be cause of the cost of neon work. Over at Pacific's Hollywood Pacific Theatre they stopped lighting the radio towers in the last years of operation because of the cost. It was costing around $10,000 a year to maintain it.

They are renting the theater for private parties and screenings. The rental number is currently on the marquee. My foot hurts.

Visiting South Pasadena last week, I was surprised to see the Rialto closed, and have been catching up with events by reading all these postings.

I was last there July 22nd for South Pasadena's "Clean Air Car Show and Film Festival", and lots of people were at the (free) showings of the screened documentaries.
Who'd have thought that less than a month later it would be closed down :(

The Rialto's marquee now reads (in addition to the "available for filming or parties" notice):
Zion Baptist Church
Sunday Worship 8am

Not sure if it's a one-time only or regular weekly worship; but I guess that could be a way to see the interior again if you're interested... go to church!

I sure hope that the city of South Pasadena intervenes and takes some responsibility in finding an investor for the theater. The theater could benifit from a private party taking over the lease or buying the building outright and restoring it similar to the Orpheum and Los Angeles theaters in Los Angeles - and maybe the Los Angeles Conservancy can get involved too. The Rialto is very much an icon in South Pasadena and can be used for many things, but the city needs to get involved. Save this historic theater.

The place is still haunted, BTW, as is the Olympic Auditorium.

Maybe American Cinemateque can buy it? Sure would beat driving out to Santa Monica or even the Egyptian. Still needs a complete restoration/fixing though, especially new AC.

There's little chance, given the existing arthouses, of the Rialto once again being a daily cinema- certainly not in its original beautiful SINGLE auditorium splendor.

Need mix live events in with a film series.

And, if lacks a big enough stagehouse, maybe there's room to expand it.

The days of the Rialto Theatre as a regular operating movie theatre are pretty much over. Landmark Theatres held on to it and operated it for as long as they could. Their NuWilshire Theatre in Santa Monica is the next theatre to close soon. Single screen theatres can no longer make a profit for most chains to deal with. That's why the Rialto looked like that. They cut costs in maintaining it and only put alittle back in to it. (the new sound system) As Howard said above a mix live events usage with film. But with all the over building of these plexes are making those single screens die sooner.

Howard has hit the nal on it cabeza....mix use is the only way to in this day and age.

I meant nail.

howard is absolutely right. it needs to be a mix of unique live events and special film screenings. it should be restored physically and cleaned while leaving historic details intact--save a few of the old seats for a lobby display too!!

programming wise, they could offer evening music programs on the weekends and also perhaps dinner by partnering with one of the many great south pasadena restaurants for events-- a less hipster but still cool mature version of cinespace, a place to take a date-- philosophically, it could still remain an alternative to the mainstream. tickets could be up to $15 for admission on these evenings plus the prices for the prix fixe dinner. for the daytime during the week and maybe on sundays, what about screening classic films oriented towards kids? there are plenty of young families in and around south pasadena, and no theatres doing mommy and me screenings during the daytime that i know of....they could partner with kidspace children's museum and maybe generate donors as a non profit film series.... to do both of these things and grow the theatre's potential, all the city of south pasadena will need to do is advocate for the theatre by negotiating adjacent parking from businesses. these businesses, particularly along mission street, will be delighted that the theatre is not a too-far walk from the gold line either! (10 blocks)

the theatre needs is some physical rehabilitation, an innovative programming consultant, and some good grassroots marketing that considers place, that's all!

I agree with the comments above, also, that the days of the Rilato's single screen as a first or second run movie theater are over. I started seeing films there when it was a "revival" theater in the 70's. Hard to belive that there were almost 20 of these types of theaters offering diverse cinema programming before home video killed them all. Yet, the future of the Rialto lies in it becoming a community/multi-use theater and I agree with all the ideas above for it's potential use. It would require a tremendous infusion of cash to get the theater and the adjoining space (now occupied by an empty cafe and neglected trading card store) and could be developed in something similar to Arclight where you could enjoy varied programming such as a play, High School graduation, concert, speakers, etc and have a meal or a drink afterward in a cafe/resturant. But I suppose the current owners of the buliding would have to sell or take part in such a venture. Anybody know who owns the Rilato? Of course I may have to move out of South Pasadena before I see anything happen if the bloody rents keep going up.

I know years ago, around '84-88, they let garage bands play there on Sunday nights, until some San Marino High fellows got into it with some South Pas kids and busted up the cut-glass doors out front. I played harmonica there with a band one night, some Smokestack Lighting.. Nice natural acoustics inside....most of these wood and plaster places have a nice warm sound. Another stumbling block are the high property taxes in L.A. County.
What an extraorinary venue this could be if it brought back up to speed.

Just before the Rialto closed, it looked like this.

In light of what is happening with the National, the Rialto and other single-screeners, I was a bit disappointed that the Cinematreasures are holding their meeting to discuss theatre preservation etc. at the brand-spanking-new Landmark 12!!! Less than 2 miles away from Westwood Village, the densest grouping of open single screeners in the country. Are they serious? Are they serious about preservation?

I expressed my disappointment here:
http://cinematreasures.org/news/17409_0_1_0_C/

Feel free to express your feelings as well.

Mark, calm down.
you don't have to post your comment on every LA theater page.

You didn't post this comment in the above full form at the ONE and only page you would need to, to make your point- at the homepage news.

Thought I would spread the word to the people who might be reading about their favorite single screeners. The news item had been regarding the meeting was posted on the 26th and had been pushed down the page, so not all might be reading that item, although I did make a comment there. Apologies to the who had to read my post 5 times.

I dont mind reading the post 5 times....its a good post. You care about the world you live in. I guess everyone here does. Care about the quality of life. Look at Boston or San Fran....for there are layers of history, architecture, life there ....we have huge gaps in Los Angeles , mostly from our own early boom-town exhuberance, but also from letting developers go Buck-Wild periodically. Got to save everything we still have left. I remember about 15 years ago, a friend and I self-published a mag( staples, Xerox, Chattertons)named Smogtown, and in it I had a section called, RIP, and it was photos and a small byline on some historical or architecturally significant building that had just been demolished. The saddest thing, aside from theatres, was the old Cetral Didtribution Warehouse, a beautiful Castle like structure,complete with tiled turret( very similar to Hllywood First National on Highland), and for a year we rented rehearsal space in there. About ten stories tall. Would have made great apartments, but the structure was in Vernon city limits, so there was no chance for it to be saved However, in Los Angeles there are several legal ways to protect these significant and historic structures and movie houses, but hey, I guess I'm just preaching to the choir.

I remember years ago Landmark wanted to triplex the Rialto and restore the main auditorium and twin the balcony which could have been reversed later like they did with the Mayan in Denver.Landmark wasn't allowed to do this so they just let the theatre slowly decline. With a few exceptions single movie screens are not a viable operation due to the explosion of the megaplex which has between 14 to 30 screens.I think the city of South Pasadena should restore this theatre and use it as a multipurpose facility which should inlcude film.I feel the citizens of South Pasadena would love to see this landmark theatre in there city restored.brucec

Many movie and theatre people count themselves as long time residents in South Pas, something should be done in the way of turning it into a multi-purpose.

Well something has to be done with the Rilato - and fast. It's been shut now for over 2 months and, with the exception of a Zion Baptist Church holding services there, nothing is going on. I think Landmark still has many years left on the lease and are looking to make any money on renting it out for filming or commercials or sweet sixteen parties - basically rent to anyone that can pony up the fee they are asking. I know it's not all Landmark's fault, that the lack of interest in single screen theaters and the push in home theaters and high definition DVD has changed everything (for the worst), but Landmark could have done something. So, I have boycotted any Landmark theater and if their new theater "The LANDMARK" is any indication of where they are going, so much the better. That place has about as much warmth as a mortuary. The NuWilshire will close in the next week and I never liked what they did to the NUART when they renovated and got rid of the old box office. The owners of the building the Rilato also bear some responsibility and seem to go along with this so long as they get their rent. For a historic building that is so very closely identified with South Pasadena - hell IT IS South Pasadena - I am disgusted by the city's lack of involvement so far. Maybe a bunch of us should show up at the next City Council meeting and raise the question, huh? South Pasadena prides itself on it's abundance of well preserved craftman homes, why can't they step up and restore the Rialto? Too busy fighting the 710 extension? I'll get off my soapbox now.

Re: posted by patinkin on Oct 18, 2007 at 10:59pm

I just read the post referenced above and feel compelled to answer and defend the historic preservation community. I've been a volunteer with the Los Angeles Conservancy since 1988. While I can't speak for the Los Angeles Historical Society, to my knowledge, the Conservancy has never been accused to any of the things patinkin references. There has never been an effort to strip fixtures from a building for profit. That's ridiculous. In fact, the Conservancy helped locate missing fixtures from Bullocks Wilshire and the Wiltern.

St. Vibiana's Cathedral was a big victory for the Conservancy. The Catholic archdiocese planned to demolish it and sell the vacant land. The Conservancy helped orchestrate the purchase by developer Tom Gilmore, who owns several historic buildings in the area and restored it with his own money - not taxpayers'. Preservationists cannot dictate the function of a building. A blacksmith shop doesn't have to remain a blacksmith shop. Even the church is pleased. "We couldn't be happier that the former cathedral is being put to such a worthy civic use," said Tod Tamberg, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Archdiocese. "We're very pleased with it." http://www.ladowntownnews.com/articles/2005/11/21/news/news01.txt

I barely remember the California theater battle, but if the Conservancy was suing to prevent demolition, why are those trying to demolish it the good guys? I agree Needleman did a great job with the Orpheum, but the California is gone.

Volunteering in preservation is a lot of hard work and painful losses and taking flack like this doesn't make it any easier. ANYBODY can write a landmark nomination, ANYBODY can lobby a city or a foundation or an enlightened developer to purchase endangered properties. I encourage all of you to help - not to berate the hard work of those who care.

Stopped by the local Von's which is located accross the street from the Rialto for a quart of milk (literally) last night and noticed that there is a sign on the southeast side of the building listing the building that houses the theater for sale. Anybody know if the owner is selling the building? As mentioned nothing is going on with the Rialto and though you can lease the theater through Landmark for special occasions or filming, the theater remains dark for the most part. Sometimes I see the young guy who managed the theater under Landmark when it was open through the front doors about the theater and lobby. He's taken to listing fake movies on the marquee and turning on the Rialto's neon marquee at night which is nice because it just looks so sad dark. This week he's showing "What's My Appeal" starring Hugh Grant and last week it was "Flesh Eaters." I guess fake films are better than no films at the Rialto. Anyone with any info about The Rialto being up for sale would be appriciated and who, in fact, owns the building.

I rented the Rialto the other night for my wife's birthday party for only $100 an hour. We watched our DVD of "Xanadu" (believe it or not), which was projected on their screen in a quality that surprised me. Honestly, we couldn't see any reason to think it wasn't a film reel. They let us bring in food for all of our friends and staffed the concession stand to we could all buy popcorn and candy for the movie. They were very friendly and we were all shocked at how cheaply one can rent out this beautiful theater. If anyone needs a place for a screening, or even if a group of friends want to chip in for a 2-hour rental and watch their favorite flick, I strongly recommend calling them. Their number is 626-799-1824. (Man, this really sounds like an ad. If I could think of a way of writing it that didn't sound like I'm the manager of the place, I would, but there you go.)

Xanadu? Maybe you should have asked for a break on the rental charge.

But remember you still need a public performance license from the studios to play a film, even on just a DVD. Without a license the theatre could be sued and you party to it too. Most public performance license fees go for a $100 and up depending on the film.
Without it, it becomes a copyright issue.

Is the performance public if you are showing a film to your friends. Just like having some friends over and watching a movie?

DVD's are licensed by the studio's for Home use. When films are played in theatres that are new or old they are licensed to be played there. A theatre is a public venue even if the showing is just for your friends. Some DVD companies even go as far as to spell it out like: bars, hospitals, buses, hotels, nursing homes.

The story of the Rialto is really sad, especially the way it was allowed to deteriorate. Last time I went there was no heat, the sound was muddy, the screen fuzzy, and even the gargoyle light was off.

They really need to do something to the "historic landmark" designation. What's the point if it can be sliced up, neglected, or closed?

The silver lining is that the theater was NOT sliced up. It can still be preserved.

How about contacting the folks in Glendale who preserved the Alex?

Why isn't South Pasadena doing anything to protect this theater? It's disgusting.

is this theater still open???

Not unless you want to use it for a movie shoot or a party, I think.

OK ....THAT MAKES SENCE..

theater is listed for rent on loopnet very fair!

Two photographs of the auditorium, taken on the Cinema Theatre Association (UK) visit that I organised to the theatres of Los Angeles in November 2002:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2304990267/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/2304992805/

Great Photos thank you, Dose anybody know if the Rialto Theatre
is for sale and what they are asking for it.

Those are indeed great photos. The lighting is normally so terrible in there that most of the details are hidden. The balcony looks scary.

The screen should've been torn out years ago. No one ever bothered to even straighten out the right side. Slackers.

Would anyone know what the monthly upkeep cost was for the Rialto?
Thanks! nivalieve2004@yahoo.com

The Rialto Theater is available. Contact number is on the marquee.

They say at NAI Capital that it is not for sale but only for lease.

There is going to be a free showing of E.T. at the Rialto on April 18th. My friend wanted to rent it out to benefit the AIDS Marathon at a later date but was told it would be unavailable for rent 2 days after the 18th, so I guess it may be the very last movie showing there. If you want your last chance to see the theater, invite anyone and everyone for the free showing!

Is it a print or the dvd?

He tried his best to get the print, but there were so many complications and time constraints that he had to settle for buying the rights to the dvd. Hopefully it will come out okay, he's going in a couple of days earlier to test it out. The projection room is supposedly haunted, right? Good luck to him....haha.

"Thoroughly Modern Millie" is on the marquee today, presented by the SPMS. I'm guessing that's South Pasadena Musical Society.

Actually it is the South Pasadena Middle School - they must be using the theater for their production. The school is about 3 blocks south of the Rialto.

OK, it was a bad guess. Thanks.

A tv production i was working on just shot there. As an L.A. native I'd heard about this place. I had always imagined it to be a small theatre like the Vista just down the street from where i live. So I was awed by the scale of the place. I went up and wandered around the balcony. Sadly the place looks like it needs major structural repair. Various crew members pointed out cracked, sagging beams, severe water damage, etc. Yet the place still looks amazing..the red-eyed demon, the carved harpies...if this place bites the dust it will be further proof of how little LA values its cultural heritage..

If the theater was in Los Angeles, of course.

Does anyone know how I could contact someone about holding an event at the Rialto?
Email addresses or phone numbers would be a big help.
Thanks
Oh, and SPMS still held Thoroughly Modern Millie in their Auditorium. I'm guessing the Rialto just put it up there to support the local schools.

So many of you may be of, or personally know members of, the film industry. What about a national fundraising program for the preservation of theaters? Or, persons of all ages could spend vacation time working on buildings. Rather like HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, film enthusiasts could have working vacations where they meet new friends with similar interests. Perhaps members of SAG and/or AFTRA could attend/participate. At the end of the day, put the hammers down, take a shower, then watch the pre-scheduled film and discuss it. Imagine fans of CASABLANCA, SPIDERMAN, REAR WINDOW, or THE GODFATHER getting together for productive fun. Heck, sign me up!

With all of this talk in South Pasadena of a major redevelopment plan and, with a grass roots drive by long time city residents to keep that developement in South Pasadena small and in porportion to the character of the city, what then are the plans for the Rialto? Next month will mark the 1 year anniversary since Landmark gave up and stopped full time screenings in the theater. Since then, with the rare exception of independent and private screenings, the theater has been used, for the most part, for filming, private birthday and anniversary parties and renting out the use of their marquee to wish "Becky a Happy Sixteenth Birthday!" The theater is literally crumbling before our eyes and is looking sadder and sadder by the week. If the signs on the south and east sides of the building that house the theater are to be belived, the theater has been up for sale for some time now. Anybody know anything about the fate of this theater one year after the fact?

This blogger prefers the term "elegant entropy" as opposed to "crumbling before our eyes":
http://tinyurl.com/69u63c

It a shame that classic single theaters are going the way of the horse and bugie. People should only know what there missing!

With the way it was being run they're missing a grand auditorium with peeling paint, rickety seats, tinny sound, curtains that don't move, a pitiful sagging screen, and no air conditioning. Closed balcony too.

Here is a July 2008 photo.

Excert from the "South Pasadena Neighbors" newsletter about the Rilato's role in the planned redevelopent and facelift of downtown South Pasadena:

The Rialto Building

"Revitalization of commercial districts must capitalize on the assets that make them unique, such as distinctive buildings and human scale that give people a sense of belonging. These local assets must serve as the foundation for all aspects of the revitalization program. In South Pasadena, our most recogizable asset is the Rialto Theater.

At the onset of the CRC's work, we included the Rilato in the area of the project, in the hope that the theater could be redeveloped along with all the other properties in the southern two blocks of the project area. However, owners of the Rialto, along with a few other property owners, have declined to sell their property to the CRA, or to otherwise partiscipate in the project. Both the city and the developer have negotiated with the owner and the operator of the Rialto, but none of the offers have yet to be accepted. Without resorting to eminent domain, there is no means available to obtain control of the theater. As a result, the Rialto is not included in this project at present. That does not preclude the Rialto from becoming the next project of the CRA, using tax increment funds from this project as the funding base."

So, there you have it - the owners of the Rialto won't sell to the city. Of course the city, should they suceed in buying the building, may plex the Rialto to make it more profitable as part of their grandiose downtown redevelopment plan. I had heard that the family which owns the Rialto building would never sell it under any circumstances regardless. I find the hint of eminent domain in the article ominous. Quite a few long time businesses in South Pasadena are holding out in opposition to the proposed redevelopemnt

Here is a link to a Polaroid diptych of the Rialto, taken July 27, 2008:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/achangeinscenerymovies/2720648860/

My 2¢ regarding the Jul 22, 2008 posting by Dublinboyo:

At least the Rialto's owners haven't yet:
1. demolished the building, which was the unhappy fate of the National Theatre (RIP) in Westwood village earlier this year, or
2. completely gutted the building to go retail, which is the unhappy ongoing fate of the NuWilshire Theatre in Santa Monica.

So looking for a silver lining, perhaps this ongoing stand-off is a good thing for a while: the city wants to buy or take it to redevelop and the owners "would never sell it under any circumstances regardless", but at least nothing unhappy is happening.
(BTW, my guess is that the City of South Pasadena is too wealthy & conservative for a huge eminent domain action to be politically feasible at this point).

This current situation is maybe the best that can be hoped for near term.

The Rialto is for lease. Details are here.

When I was last there, not only was it sweltering and unbreathable, especially in the back of the theater, but I could feel the floor sag and creak under me with every step down the aisle, and that was the orchestra level, not the balcony, which is probably worse. In some places it felt like my foot might go right through. I'm not sure that old floor could take the weight of a packed house nowadays. It desperately needs major renovation and repairs. Trying to lease it or keep it open as-is just isn't going to work very well when even theater buffs are wary of going inside.

Vote no on Prop "SP" on November 4th. Don't be duped by the propaganda - voting yes will not save the Rialto.

So, Prop SP did pass in South Pasadena which greenlights the planned redevelopment of downtown South Pasadena. What, then, are the plans for the restoration and preservation of the Rialto Theater being as their claim that a yes on Prop SP would save the Rialto?

Here's a link to a site detailing the Rialto's haunted past and legends thereof:
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ca-rialtotheatre.html

The Rialto is available for rent, and last Saturday a "no-low budget movie" (probably direct-to-DVD) titled "Killer Tumbleweeds" did just that for its "west coast premiere":
www.killertumbleweeds.com/Premiere_Planned.html

But the reason for this post is this: on the movie's website are several publicity photos taken outside the theater the day prior. They show what the The Rialto's exterior and marquee are looking like nowadays:
www.killertumbleweeds.com/Rialto_Photos.html

The screening was free to the general public. It would've been nice to have gone, more just to be able to go inside and check out the theater's current condition and its projection quality than really to watch this movie.

Rocky Horror every 3rd Saturday!
http://www.adarkrefrain.com/index.shtml

Hello All
I attended a Vampire: The Requiem LARP game at the Rialto on June, 7 2008. Intead of working on my character's Influences I took way too many pictures of the interior and exterior with you guys in mind.

http://s227.photobucket.com/albums/dd254/Dramatrauma/Pasadena%20Rialto%202008/

A few months later I was at home watching a rerun of the "Cold Case" episode that featured Barry Bostwick with RHPS as its theme. It took me a few scenes but soon I was pointing at the screen and loudly informing my boyfriend "Hey I was in that theater!". Indeed, since my visit Ive spotted the Rialto in a Disney Channel short feature (about a young girl that likes to sing as a hobby-shes on the Rialto stage, the cut away shots of her parents are at a newer facility) and a music video in heavy play on VH1 (it featured Perez Hilton, songs chorus was "if we wanna rock we rock, if we wanna roll we roll"). In the music video the same locksmith and restaurant were still in the storefronts.

Looks like the old girl has a friend in the movie location business.

Those are excellent, detailed photos. Great job!

This is a February 2009 photo.

I found this photo circa 1945 in the LAPL database. For some reason it doesn't show up when you enter Rialto as a search term. I think this is the Rialto in South Pasadena.
http://jpg1.lapl.org/00078/00078486.jpg

It is indeed. Thanks for posting. A branch of the Pacific Electric Railway (Red Cars) once ran up Fair Oaks and in front of the Rialto. The tracks can be seen in this photo

This is a 1983 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/ctmrvx

I know it's a bit of a pipe-dream, but is there any indication the owners are still actively trying to rent the place?

I moved to LA a mere three months after it closed and in my recent search for a place in So. Pas., a little piece of me has died every time I drive by and see the unlit marquee...

Guess I'll have to endure Rocky one of these days to see the inside.

Here is a recent photo.

More 1983 photos:

Photo1

Photo2

Photo3

Photo4

From all indications, the owner still refuses to sell or play ball with the city of South Pasadena about the redevelopment and putting this theater right and restoring it back to a state that befits it's place and history. Everyday this theater decays a little more. It breaks my heart to see this theater crumble away bit by bit and the owners really don't seem to care. The paint is chipping and badly faded and the original marquee blade looks like it's only held together by rust. Glass has been broken and not replaced and the ajoining space which used to house a resturant and card shop is also looking very decrepit. With some interest and TLC this theater could be restored into a multi-use theater similar to what was done with the Alex Theater in Glendale, the Orpheum on Broadway in Los Angeles, and the Warner Grand in San Pedro. The owners and the city of South Pasadena should be ashamed and a pox on both their heads!

Hey everybody, local South Pas kid and amateur filmmaker, R.D.Hall, will be premiering him Noir Horror/Gangster movie at the Rialto on May 8th, 2009. The One-Sheet was created by another South Pas kid, local art legend, Jimi(not the tattoo artist)Martinez. Admission is free, as is the popcorn and refreshments. Whoa! Friday night at the movies!!! Lets all go support indie filmmaking...Rialto rocks!!!

What time is this happening I'd like to go

8:30 PM

Interesting film by a young local director, RD Hall. It was nice to sit in there for a couple of hours. Many of those who attended had never been in the Rialto when it was in operation. The insides hadve been pretty much well preserved. Interseting to note that the film was actually projected digitally from a DVD projector in the balcony, and it was able to achieve the standard aspect ratio. I'd say about 200 people made the show. Cant wait for the next show.

The Rocky Horror Cast, Dark Refrain started
again showing the Rocky Horror Picture Show
on the 3rd Saturday of every month.

Walked by the other day. Looks like there will be a screening of Bruce Brown's 1971 motorcycle classic "On Any Sunday" on August 2, 2009. Done by some sort of local motorcycle club

For Rialto fans serious about finding a solution to revitalizing the Rialto Theatre, there's a comprehensive report downloadable on the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce website. That's www.southpaschamber.com The report was published February 17, 2009 after a lengthy study process by an ad hoc committee of the Chamber. Much of the research was guided by posts from members of this site - CinemaTreasures.org. The report does not propose a single solution, but does reveal options. The Appendix compiles "success stories" from other theatres and attempts to paint the picture of how other communities have succeeded in the improbable. At this point some of the immediate circumstances have changed - downtown development is stalled, a recession upon us, and so on. But much of the report remains informative and accurate.

This is another photo of the Rialto.

The Intro to this page suggests that the Rialto was built by showman Lou Bard. Yet the research I've found suggests that the Rialto was built by C.L. Langley, a competitor to Bard.

The property owner who signed the deal with Langley was Clyde S. Church, a prominent banker and South Pas resident. Church apparently lost or sold the building to Dominick Jebbia in the 1930's in a settlement of his father's estate. Jebbia was known as The Banana King - a very successful fruit importer/distributer who lived on Huntington Drive where the credit union is now, and later in Monterey Park. Jebbia famously purchased the Midwick Country Club for cash during the depression, beating out the polo set who had played there and now hoped to own it. It later burned, and since has been developed as a residential area.

Langley also built and operated the Alex [Glendale] and The Raymond [Pasadena]. He sold out to West Coast Theatres, which became Fox West Coast, the largest theatre chain in the U.S., which ultimately collapsed under it's own weight. I'd like to know more about the apparent rivalry between Bard and Langley, and the competition for theatres in the area. The Alex, The Rialto and Bard's Egyptian all opened within months of each other in 1925. Theatre mania! If anyone has info and wants to contact me, go to SouthPasChamber.com and email me through the contact page.

November 2009 Black & White photo of the Rialto Theatre courtesy of Avilon Music.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7623944@N03/4145263387/sizes/o/in/pool-72675154@N00/

The South Pasadena float in the Rose Parade included a miniature version of the Rialto.

http://www.ktla.com/entertainment/roseparade/ktla-roseparade2009-floats-001,0,4015184.photo

Would it kill the owner to at least paint the building? I mean c'mon. I now he won't sell it under any circumstances to the city, but how about at least putting a coat of paint on it?

From the Jack Bailey Collection, a partial view of the Rialto Theatre , tower, neon and Rialto signage.