Rialto Theatre
420 Broadway,
Cape Girardeau,
MO
63701
420 Broadway,
Cape Girardeau,
MO
63701
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According to the newspaper article on Cape Theatres furnished by Ken the Rialto opened on Sept. 9, 1940 with 722 seats.
Boxoffice of January 9, 1954, had this article about the remodeling of the Rialto Theatre. It mentions the opening year as 1940, but gives the seating capacity as only 600. Design of the remodeling, which was carried out to convert the house to CinemaScope, was attributed to local architect Harold Long.
Chuck,
As promised, here’s what Cape Girardeau’s Rialto Theater looks like today.
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From the front, it looks the same as it has in recent years. Everything back of the lobby has been demolished. I can’t say that I blame the owners; it was just a shell when a rain storm brought the roof down.
The page contains some links to other info about the Rialto and other Esquire theaters.
Ken, again thanks for the many fantastic photos and stories of the old movie theatres in Cape. Its too bad CT doen’t have many more members like you.
Photos of the 1964 Southeast Missouri State College Homecoming parade passing in front of the Rialto Theater.
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I met my wife-to-be there when I walked out of the world’s worst movie.
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Bad news. The roof collapsed during a rain storm.
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It’s been demolished.
Wrong ad.
Rialto protest ad is at View link
The Rialto was unhappy about the new Esquire theatre in 1947. ad is at View link
This opened on the 4th of September, 1940. grand opening ad is at View link
Was this theater also known as the Concord? Here is a 1988 photo of a Concord Theater. The building in this photo looks alot different than the building in the 1985 photo.
1985 photo of the Rialto Theatre.
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The Rialto is now a part of Horizon Printing which is owned by the Southeast Missourian newspaper.