Insiders Peek #15 - The Rialto

90 years old this year, the Rialto is looking forward to another 90 serving South Pasadena and Los Angeles.

[dublinboyo]

I live in South Pasadena and spent my teenage years and into my 40's at The Rialto Theater.  I call it my "Film School" and is where I saw every thing when it was a Revival Theater in the mid/late  70's to the mid 80's.  I was there when Landmark closed the theater in 2007.  I still walk by it everyday and say a prayer for it & am very happy that it has a new owner and look forward to the day when it will be restored and the doors reopen.  Escott O. Norton:  Thank you (Friends of the Rialto) for all the good work that you do in preserving the Rialto Theater and never giving up getting the old gal reopened and once again the jewel of South Pasadena.  You sir, are a mensch.

[johnlumwhal]

Fantastic! Really glad that the eyes of the gargoyle above the proscenium are still glowing red! Looking forward to when the theater is restored and reopened again.

[johnlumwhal]

Fantastic! Really glad that the gargoyles eyes above the proscenium are still glowing red. Hopefully it will be completely restored and reopened again.

[johnnyjames]

I attended George Wrights concerts on the WurliTzer. The organ had been used until the 1940's when it was declared inoperative. A man named John Curry got permission to releather the organ in the mid 1950's. He then showed the working instrument to Wright who then started his concerts. A fire started in the solo chamber in June of 1971 due to a malfunction of a chamber heater. The solo chamber and relay was completely destroyed. The main chamber and console were not damaged. What remained was removed. I have never gotten over the loss, the organ sounded much bigger than it's original 10 ranks (12 ranks at the time of the fire).