Rialto Theater

220 E. Grand Avenue,
Tonkawa, OK 74653

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50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on January 28, 2025 at 8:06 pm

The Rialto actually first had a soft launch on October 7, 1926 with Gloria Swanson in “Fine Matters”, but officially launched two days later on October 9, 1926 with Milton Sills in “Paradise” (unknown if extras added in both attractions). The theater building measures 20x132ft and originally housed 900 seats when it opened. It was first managed by Tom Blair.

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on October 12, 2019 at 8:28 am

Launched as a silent theatre on September, 1926, operators added vitaphone and Movietone sysyrms for talkies in May of 1929,

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on August 12, 2019 at 1:44 pm

“Another show place has been torn down to make way for a parking lot. The Rialto, which was built in Tonkawa in the late 1930s, has been sold to a real estate company. The theatre has been closed for several years.” — Boxoffice, April 4, 1960

missmelbatoast
missmelbatoast on April 3, 2011 at 6:44 pm

HUGE mistake!!! Not Rialto pix. roadsideoklahoma made an error, above pictures are those of the Ray.
In its last days the Rialto looked more like an expensive Hollywood backlot set than a movie house.
Now razed, listing should be changed to demolished.

missmelbatoast
missmelbatoast on April 3, 2011 at 6:33 pm

Wonderful color pix on this link, http://www.roadsideoklahoma.com/node/667

raybradley
raybradley on March 26, 2011 at 1:06 am

…above 1985 picture is actually that of the former Ray Theatre in Tonkawa.

This is the spot where the Rialto Theatre was located on 220 E. Grand Ave. The McCarter Museum now occupies this space.
View link

raybradley
raybradley on August 29, 2007 at 11:13 pm

1935 & 1940 exterior shots of the Spanish Colonial styled Rialto can be seen by typing in word “rialto”,
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