The Rialto Theater in Medford, Ore., opened its doors in 1917. Designed by architect Frank Clark, the Rialto’s leather auditorium seats and individual wicker loges seated 1,000. It was considered one of the finest theaters on the Pacific Coast.
The theater’s owners over the years each added new features and antics to increase popularity. The opening night attraction, “The Barrier,” was accompanied by a symphonic orchestral organ played by a skilled professional. The theater installed new projectors in 1925 and talking machines for sound in 1928. Other improvements included a giant marquee with flashing lights visible down Main Street.
In 1920 new owners showed the silent military comedy titled “23 ½ Hours Leave” by having all ushers dress in military garb. When the caption ”Soldiers returning to the cantonment” appeared on the screen, members of Company D marched through the theater and onto the stage, leaving the audience wondering if the local soldiers were part of the movie.
Partly due to drive-in theater competition, the Rialto closed on Jan. 3, 1953. An adjacent furniture store took over the space on West Main Street.
Sources: "Medford Photos Rialto Theater." Rick & Dana Black's Home Page. Ed. Rick Black. 27 Sept. 2014. Web. 17 Nov. 2014. http://www.rickblack.org/Medford/index.html; "The Rialto Theater." Southern Oregon History, Revised. Ed. Tina Truwe. 13 Dec. 2006. Web. 17 Nov. 2014. http://id.mind.net/~truwe/tina/rialto.html; "Rialto Theater in Medford, OR." Cinema Treaures.. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.
