The Rialto Theater (South Pasadena)

1023 Fair Oaks Avenue
South Pasadena, CA 91030
(626) 388-2122

Construction of the Rialto Theatre began in 1924 featuring the Spanish Baroque architectural style with Egyptian touches by noted Theatre designer L.A. Smith.
The Auditorium features plaster ornaments, colorful stenciling, organ screens supported by harpies (half woman, half vulture) and a glaring mythological gargoyle with red eyes staring down from the proscenium arch.

Yet even as an architectural anomaly, the Rialto endures as one of the finest and least adulterated works of L.A. Smith studios extant in greater Los Angeles. Smith, who died in 1926 at the height of his career, created numerous neighborhood movie' palaces. Among his achievements are the Brooklyn Theatre in East Los Angeles, the Vista Theatre in Hollywood, the Highland Theatre in Highland Park, the Beverly Hills Theatre (now Israeli Discount Bank) and the demolished Ritz and Uptown Theatres. The Balboa on South Vermont lives on as a legitimate stagehouse.

The Rialto opened its doors October 17th, 1925 with organist Ray Metcalfe at the Wurlitzer and the Rialto orchestra accompanying the world premiere of the Universal Picture "WHAT HAPPENED TO JONES?". Huge searchlights were sent over from Hollywood and played upon the heavens throughout the evening. Vaudeville acts for the premiere included: trapeze artists The Aerial La Valle, Norma Gregg in an original novelty, The Stein Trio and Grant Gardner from the Canary Islands. Also included was The Dance Carnival, a terpsichorean creation with music. With no less than 10 dressing rooms, a scenic loft, a green room, an orchestra pit and a deep stage, the Rialto was ideal for a variety of entertainment's. Admission was 30 cents; Loge was 40 cents. As vaudeville waned in the 1930s, three-act prologues were presented prior to the feature film. The Depression led to other gimmicks. For a time, admission included a free pass to a local miniature golf course. Bank Night meant Keno for prizes, such as the coveted grand prize of $1.00. Dish Night offered a free dish for every patron -- usually a piece of colored glassware known today as Depression glass.

In the late 1930's, a backstage fire closed the theatre for a few months. Neither Vaudeville nor live theatre ever returned to the stage. In the 1970's and 80's the Rialto has hosted concerts by famed organists such as George Wright, Robert Israel and Gaylord B. Carter. Surviving another fire in 1968, the theatre organ has since been removed and sold. Landmark Theatre corporation acquired the Rialto on July 30th 1976. In 1977, when redevelopment called for the demolition of the Rialto Theatre, local citizens rallied to save the building, which in 1978 was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Operated by Landmark Theaters, for many years it featured independent films, more recently it switched to more main-stream pictures.
The theater can be rented for private use, or filming (such as it was for the movie The Player and Scream 2).

The theatre was closed in 2007 due to poor ticket sales.

cinematreasures.org/theater/20/