Rialto Theatre (South Pasadena, California) facts for kids
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| Address | 1019-1023 Fair Oaks Ave. South Pasadena, California |
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| Coordinates | 34°06′50″N 118°09′03″W / 34.1140°N 118.1508°W |
| Owner | Izek Shomof |
| Capacity | 1200 |
| Construction | |
| Architect | Lewis A. Smith |
| General contractor | William G. Reed |
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Rialto Theatre
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| Built | 1925 |
| Architect | Lewis A. Smith |
| Architectural style | Moorish Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000700 |
| Added to NRHP | May 24, 1978 |
The Rialto Theatre is a famous old movie theater in South Pasadena, California. It has 1,200 seats, which is a lot! This theater is special because it's one of the last single-screen movie theaters left in Southern California. It's so important that it's even listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a historic building worth protecting.
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A Look at the Rialto Theatre's Past
The Rialto Theatre was built in 1925. A person named Lewis A. Smith designed it. He also designed another famous theater called the Vista Theater.
Unique Design and Features
The Rialto's building style is very interesting. The Los Angeles Times newspaper once said it was a mix of "Spanish Baroque and Egyptian kitsch." This means it has fancy details from old Spanish buildings mixed with fun Egyptian-style decorations.
Inside, the theater has a special area called an orchestra pit. This is where musicians would play live music for movies or shows. It also had balcony seats on both sides of a large stage. You can still see original paintings on the walls and a drinking fountain made of special Batchelder tile.
Challenges and Changes Over Time
The Rialto Theatre was run by a company called Landmark Theatres for many years. It closed its doors in 2007. The very last movie shown there was The Simpsons Movie. About 200 people came to watch that final screening.
In 2010, the building was closed to everyone. This happened after a piece of the front of the building fell onto the sidewalk. The theater has also had two fires inside. Back in 1977, there was even a plan to tear it down and turn it into a parking lot, but luckily, the theater survived!
New Life for the Old Theater
In 2014, a person named Izek Shomof bought the Rialto. He is known for fixing up old buildings in downtown Los Angeles. Mr. Shomof said he wanted to turn the Rialto into a fun place for entertainment. He planned to add a bar and maybe even show old movies again.
Since 2017, the theater has been used by Mosaic. This is a church that has several locations in Los Angeles. The Rialto is now one of their meeting places.
