Historical Rialto Closes Its Doors
by Andre Soares
In the Los Angeles Times, Francisco Vara-Orta writes about the sad end of South Pasadena’s Rialto, one of Southern California’s remaining single-screen theaters. This past Sunday evening, the Rialto closed its doors after 81 years in operation.
"The Rialto opened its doors to the public Oct. 17, 1925, with organist Ray Metcalfe at the Wurlitzer and the Rialto orchestra accompanying the world premiere of Universal Pictures’ What Happened to Jones? Trapeze artists performed on a bill shared with vaudeville acts. Admission was 30 cents and searchlights sent from Hollywood shone outside, alerting people to the opening.
"With 10 dressing rooms, a loft, a green room, an orchestra pit and a deep stage, the Rialto’s Spanish Baroque architecture and Egyptian-accented interior design bestowed a regal atmosphere that went beyond just catching a flick for those perched in its 1,200 seats.
"But on Sunday, about 30 people showed up for the first showing at 12:30 p.m. of The Simpsons Movie, with the discounted matinee price of $6 for adults. About 200 people attended the last show."
According to one Rialto-goer that Sunday, no one came to watch the movie. They were there to bid the theater good-bye.
By the way, What Happened to Jones (top photo; I’m not sure if there’s a question mark at the end of the title) starred Reginald Denny, one of the biggest box-office draws of the mid-1920s, as a young poker player who, after his game is raided by the police, finds refuge at a Turkish bath — on ladies’ night. He ends up in drag, and, I assume, in the arms of leading lady Marion Nixon. William A. Seiter, who’d have a long career in talkies, directed.
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