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Rialto Theater (Los Angeles)

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Coordinates: 34°02′42″N 118°15′14″W / 34.045°N 118.254°W / 34.045; -118.254
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This article is about the theater in Los Angeles. For other uses, see Rialto Theater.
Rialto Theater
The building in 2022
Rialto Theater (Los Angeles) is located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Rialto Theater (Los Angeles)
Location of building in Los Angeles County
Location812 S. Broadway, Los Angeles
Coordinates34°02′42″N 118°15′14″W / 34.045°N 118.254°W / 34.045; -118.254
Built1917
ArchitectOliver Perry Dennis
William Lee Woollett
Architectural styleGreek Revival
Georgian Revival
Art Deco
Part ofBroadway Theater and Commercial District (ID79000484)
LAHCM No.472
Significant dates
Designated CPMay 9, 1979[2]
Designated LAHCMDecember 20, 1989[1]

Rialto Theater, formerly Quinn's Rialto Theater and Grauman’s Rialto, is a historic former movie theater located at 812 S. Broadway in the Broadway Theater District in Los Angeles.

History

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Downtown Los Angeles's Rialto Theater was designed and built in 1917 by Oliver Perry Dennis,[2] the architect also known for Janes House[3] and the Magic Castle.[4] Since opening, the building has undergone many alterations, including a significant remodel by William Lee Woollett in 1923,[5] the addition of neon Art Deco marquee around 1930,[6] a conversion to retail sometime after 1988,[7] and a seismic retrofit in the 1990s.[8]

Exhibitor J.A. Quinn opened the theater in 1917 with an exclusive screening of Garden of Allah. Sid Grauman took over in 1919, and in 1921, the theater entered into an exclusive agreement with Paramount Pictures, whom Grauman sold the theater to in 1924.[8]

In 1979, Los Angeles's Broadway Theater and Commercial District was added to the National Register of Historic Places, with Rialto Theater listed as a contributing property in the district.[2] In 1989, the building was designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #472.[1]

Rialto Theater closed as a movie theater in 1988. In 2013, Urban Outfitters moved into the building.[7]

Architecture and design

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The Rialto Theater originally featured a Greek Revival design that included three sets of arched windows and a pediment atop its facade. A remodel completely changed this design, adding a Georgian façade with two rectangular windows that were flanked by fluted pilasters and small round windows. A second remodel added a neon Art Deco marquee.[5]

Inside, huge columns originally framed the proscenium, the side walls were designed to resemble ancient stonework, and the plaster ceiling beams were painted to resemble wood. Almost none of the original interior remains.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Historical Cultural Monuments List" (PDF). City of Los Angeles. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form - California SP Broadway Theater and Commercial District". United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service. May 9, 1979.
  3. ^ "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form - Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District". United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service. April 4, 1985.
  4. ^ Vincent, Roger (April 11, 2022). "L.A.'s Magic Castle is getting a new, preservation-minded owner". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 8, 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Rialto Theatre". Los Angeles Conservancy. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  6. ^ "Historic Resource - Rialto Theater Building 812 S Broadway". City of Los Angeles. June 10, 2014.
  7. ^ a b Melnick, Ross. "Rialto Theatre". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Michelson, Alan. "Quinn's Rialto Theatre, Los Angeles, CA". University of Washington Pacific Coast Architecture Database. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
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