Ritz Theatre

The Ritz Theatre opened on January 20, 1933, with a double-bill, Lee Tracy and Constance Cummings in “Washington Merry-Go-Around” and Tom Keene and Betty Furness in “Renegades of the West” (both with no extra short subjects).

The theatre apparently had a close call on Pedestrian Underpasses on a Subway system. As on November 8, 1937, excavations for new subways under St. Louis Avenue, where the Ritz Theatre is, started right after severe weather the day prior which is one of the busiest and most dangerous areas in the area, owing to its nearness to the Ritz Theatre as reported by the Alton Evening Telegraph that “it’ll be a great advantage to children attending the theatre”.

Despite unknown reasons, the Ritz Theatre began remodeling in September 1939 and began reopening on October 15, 1939, with many things changed such as the sound equipment, acoustic effects, marquee, air-conditioned, and the latest equipment by Westinghouse (installed by W. W. Austin, heading contractor, of 27 East Ferguson Avenue of Wood River, Illinois, just next door to the Kramer Electric Company). The Ritz Theatre’s original marquee and equipment information that was established during December 1932 before the Ritz Theatre’s grand opening in January 1933 was unidentified so the case is ongoing. The electric wiring in conjunction with the air conditioning installations was done by the Kramer Electric Company of 29 East Ferguson Avenue in Wood River, Illinois, with their electrical contractor C. B. David of 2714 Walnut Street. The Keller Sign Company Incorporated of 2837 Washington Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri, made the electric neon displays and marquee. The plumbing work and fixtures were done by the Modern Plumbing and Heating Supply Company of 356 Main Street in East Alton, and the materials were furnished by the Hale Lumber and Hardware Company of 400 St. Louis Road in East Alton.

The Ritz Theatre reopened with yet another double feature, Robert Young and Ann Sothern in “Maisie”, and Ronald Reagan and the Dead End Kids in “Hell’s Kitchen” which showed both the day on its opening and the day afterward. Apparently, there is something very weird on the day after its grand opening day. For that special gift to the city of East Alton, the Ritz Theatre also added a Children’s Matinee, a “color cartoon serial”, exactly the day right after its grand opening (or opening premiere), which is something that is hard to find or do in the theatre business. Flowers were given to all of the ladies who attended the grand opening program. Exactly 2 months and 2 days later, Super-Simplex 35mm projectors and Four-Star sound system were installed by the National Theater Supply Company.

The Ritz Theatre had ceased movie operations and closed its doors a few weeks right after the end of World War II in September 1945. It was reopened and operated until finally closing in 1987.

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