Rialto Theater

151 5th Street,
Renovo, PA 17764

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Additional Info

Architects: Guy H. Colony, William Harold Lee

Previous Names: Kane's Theatre, Renovo Theatre

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Rialto Theater

Built in the mid-1890’s it opened as Kane’s Theatre, operated by John Kane. In the early-1900’s it was renamed Renovo Theatre with 800-seats. The Renovo Theatre is listed at this address in the 1914-1915 edition of American Motion Picture Directory. By 1926 a Rialto Theatre was operating at this address. In November 1972 it was destroyed by fire.

Contributed by Ken McIntyre

Recent comments (view all 6 comments)

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on April 14, 2009 at 9:13 am

Here is a 1983 photo of the Rialto:
http://tinyurl.com/cpskww

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on November 7, 2014 at 1:05 pm

Department Reports of Pennsylvania, covering the year 1919, lists an unnamed theater at Renovo, plans for which were approved in March. The 1983 American Classic Images photo of the Rialto to which kencmcintyre linked in the previous comment shows a building very typical of the late 1910s and early 1920s, so there’s a possibility the 1919 report referred to this house.

The Rialto is listed in the 1931 FDY, along with a 400-seat house called the Strand (both houses are also listed, without seating capacities, in the 1926 Yearbook.) Renovo is quite small (population 3,906 in 1931) and is unlikely to have ever had more than two theaters of this size at once, so the 1919 project was probably one or the other. Whichever it was, it was designed by architect Guy H. Colony for owner Omar Fisher.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe on October 9, 2015 at 12:05 pm

It could be (1) the Renovo Theatre of pre-1914 vintage became the Rialto Theatre or (2) The Renovo Theatre was demolished and a new Rialto Theatre built on the site in 1919.

I have added a page for the Strand Theatre and opted for option (1), giving the Strand Theatre a 1919 opening.

RSM3853
RSM3853 on August 10, 2017 at 7:48 am

The building housing the Rialto Theater was heavily destroyed by a fire the week of November 22, 1972, accodrding to an article in the Lock Haven Express. Not sure if it was ever rebuilt.

SethG
SethG on September 20, 2022 at 8:43 pm

This was built sometime between 1892 and 1897. It was originally Kane’s Theatre, but the name was changed to Renovo sometime between 1905 and 1911. The 1905 Cahn guide gives the capacity as 800, and the owner as John Kane. The structure on the 1925 map appears identical (no name is given). This can’t be the 1919 theater. Just an empty lot today, so this needs to be listed as demolished.

JRHagan
JRHagan on October 16, 2024 at 11:25 am

PHOTO ADDED While staying at a B & B in Lock Haven PA I noticed this window card on the wall from the RIALTO in RENOVA Not to be mistaken with the RIALTO in Canton.

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