Rialto Theatre
334 Bank Street,
New London,
CT
06320
334 Bank Street,
New London,
CT
06320
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Orpheum Theatre, Play House
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Originally opened prior to 1909 as the Orpheum Theatre. On October 9, 1916 it became a playhouse named Play House. On January 8, 1917 it reverted back to it Orpheum Theatre name. On May 30, 1918 it was renamed Rialto Theatre opening with William Desmond in “An Honest Man”. It was equipped with a Hope-Jone organ. It was destroyed by an overnight fire on April 5-6 1925 following a screening of Marie Provost in “The Dark Swan”. The film print was the only thing saved in the blaze.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
The Orpheum in New London was to feature musical duo Bell and Richards on November 15, 1909, according to advertisements in Variety.
The Rialto is mentioned in the October 21, 1922, issue of Exhibitors Herald.
Bullock & Davis had operated over at the New London Opera House with movies. They changed the name there to the Nickel Theatre. They decided to move to more modern and larger digs here as the New Orpheum opening on May 16, 1909. Moran Bros. decided it would operate in the former opera house location retaining the “Nickel” moniker leading to a contentious lawsuit. It was settled out of court with Bullock & Davis retaining the Nickel name and the Moran Bros. changing the Opera House / Nickel to a new name that was the Empire Theatre. On October 9, 1916, the Orpheum had a brief run as the Play House with legit stage plays for the Turner-Hammond troupe.
After several seasons, the Play House returned to its Orpheum name effective January 18, 1917. That lasted about 18 months. Under new operators, this venue was rebooted from the Orpheum to the Rialto Theatre on May 30, 1918. It was equipped with a Hope-Jones Orchestra Pipe Organ with William Desmond in “Honest Man.” Operated by A. Schwartz (later Schwartz & O'Connell, Inc.) through showtimes of April 5, 1925 with Marie Provost as “The Dark Swan.”
Hours later the building was gutted by a large fire ending its run. The organ was destroyed and the only thing apparently salvaged was “The Dark Swan” film print. Rialto Wurlitzer Organist Anna Graham lost her personal sheet music in that April 6th blaze that ended the building. That same night where organist Graham was housed - the Crocker House - she lost all of her personal belongings when it, too, burned down. Anna Graham was only able to save her canary.