Rialto Theatre

Miller sat close to 1500, while the IMPERIAL sat 881 in my days there.

Thanks, Chuck. Maybe someone can remember what theater I am searching for.

Could this be the theater where I saw the “Grapes of Wrath” in the summer of 1965? I also saw “Halleujah Trail” at one of the larger theaters.

September 15th, 1918 grand opening ad has been posted here.

The Rialto was the bottom end of downtown theater venues…a long shooting gallery style of house with no balcony. It showed third run films and re-issues witha b-western and serial format on weekends. It was located between the Modjeska which played a similar format and the Imperial, a first run house. Admission was nine cents for kids in the late forties and I saw lots of films there. I believe it closed in the late fifties.

I got your EMAIL.TLSloews.

Thanks Joe.

Let’s go back in time to 1945, July 1945 and the RIALTO is playing:
“WINGED VICTORY” it took in $166.42.
“SCARED STIFF” took in 145.12
“LIGHTNING STRIKES” made $219.64
We are still in July 1945 and “COVER GIRL” made $105.70
“CRAZY HOUSE” made $115.00
“LUMBERJACK” took in $150.10
“UNSEEN” made $316.14 {must have had a big name in it}
“KEYS OF THE KINGDOM” scored a low $99.48
and “GANGSTER’S DEN” made $226.40. All in all not bad money.

Opened i 1932 and listed as closing in 1956 with seating listed at 433. Operated by Publix, Georgia Theatre Co. and finally Wilby-Kincey.

August 3 1953 NOW PLAYING at the RIALTO

JOEL McCREA in THE LONE HAND also color cartoon. Second Feature is DANGER UNDER THE SEA.

For a news paper ad very nice size from what the RIALTO usually ran.

GREAT STORY, Ray,you have some postings on SOUTHSIDE CINEMA. also do you have anything on the GRAND THEATRE in Waynesboro? I WANT TO WORK SOMETHING UP ON IT BUT HAVE NO INFO.

Hey guys, I know exactly where the Rialto theatre was located. I work as Guitar Tech at Rock Bottom music in Augusta, Ga. All I have to do is look across the Street and see the Casella Opticians Office (767 Broad St).Here is a true story: When I was about 4 yrs old my Dad, Mom, Sister Annette and me would go to the Rialto and Modjeska to see westerns. One night Dub Taylor (Cannonball Taylor) was in person at the Rialto. He played in many Weterns as a sidekick. You may not know this but Dub was from here in Augusta, Ga. Anyway he was on Stage, he sang, Danced, and played his Xylophone. Then he went down into the Crowd with a mic and the Spotlight was on him. Mom was holding Annette, she was about 2 years old. Dub commented on her and asked to hold her. He said what a cute little Girl etc. I was a “big deal” to us.
Years later in 1983 Dub was going to be in Augusta at a gun shop and the Public was invited. My Dad, my Friends Mike Rogers, Billy Barkley and I went to see him. We also took snapshots and Autogaphs. etc. I told him about the Rialto that night around 1945-6 and he said beleive it or not I really remember that night, saying he never had picked up a child in the Audience before that night or since. He was an OK guy.
Thanks for reading,
Ray Hutto

According to this webpage about Frank J. Miller, Augusta Amusements opened the Rialto in the 1930s. Frank J. Miller owned or partly owned a number of theaters in Augusta.