Rialto Theatre
420 Broadway,
Cape Girardeau,
MO
63701
420 Broadway,
Cape Girardeau,
MO
63701
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The Rialto Theatre was one of the six theatres in downtown Cape Girardeau. It opened in 1940 seating 722. It was remodeled in November 1953 and lasted until 1989.
Contributed by
Chuck Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
The Rialto is now a part of Horizon Printing which is owned by the Southeast Missourian newspaper.
This opened on the 4th of September, 1940. grand opening ad is at View link
The Rialto was unhappy about the new Esquire theatre in 1947. ad is at View link
Wrong ad.
Rialto protest ad is at View link
Bad news. The roof collapsed during a rain storm.
View link
It’s been demolished.
I met my wife-to-be there when I walked out of the world’s worst movie.
View link
Photos of the 1964 Southeast Missouri State College Homecoming parade passing in front of the Rialto Theater.
View link
Chuck,
As promised, here’s what Cape Girardeau’s Rialto Theater looks like today.
View link
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.
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.