Rialto Theatre, Fort Wayne, Indiana from John Gevers on Vimeo. John Gevers produced this copyrighted video in 2013. It explains the known history of the Rialto Theatre in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The narrator is Angie Harrison, then-director of The Reclamation Project, the organization that then owned the building prior to its current owner. The building has since been sold and the new owner is exploring promising possibilities for restoring the theatre. For more information, contact John at: john@johngevers.com.
This video was posted in the comments to a series of photos posted from the John Gevers Photography collection
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History of the Rialto Theater, built for $150,000:
*1924: The 700-seat theater opens at 2616 S. Calhoun Street.
*1940s: Remodeled in 1942 to the plans of architect Alvin M. Strauss, adds 300-seat balcony.
*1952: Marquee sign goes up.
*1967: Theater sold by James Heliotes family to partnership consisting of the local Mallers-Spirou Management Inc. and Alliance Theatre Corp. of Chicago.
*1979: Mallers-Spirou closes the theater and puts it up for sale.
*1980: Theater sold to Taso Promotions of Chicago, which briefly shows Spanish-language films.
*1982: New local owners buy theater and reopen it as a pornographic movie house.
*1986: Allen County Prosecutor’s Office sues to seize the Rialto, claiming the owners violated state racketeering and corrupt organization law. Owners later plead guilty to distributing obscene material and promoting prostitution, but do not lose the building.
*1989: The Rialto closes.
*1990: Historic-preservation group ARCH Inc. places the Rialto on its Endangered Structures List.
*1993: The city names the Rialto a locally designated historic district.
*2003: Local group The Reclamation Project buys the theater. Members plan to make it a center for theater, the arts and urban ministry. This never happened.
Built in 1924, the Rialto Theatre was one of Ft. Wayne ’s most popular neighborhood movie houses. Here is some information about the workers who helped this theater thrive.
It was built by Greek Immigrant, James Heliotes, who began his business career in the United States as owner of the Columbia Candy Kitchen, a restaurant and sweet-shop in downtown Ft. Wayne .
James, “the Mister,” as he was commonly referred to, had owned the Broadway Theatre and later sold it to open the Rialto. He also purchased the building north of the Rialto to house the Rialto Furniture Company.
James made his home at 1840 Florida Drive and raised two sons, the eldest being George, who was Business Manager of the theatre. The younger son, John took care of the furniture store. John and his wife Violet had one daughter, Jan.
Also prominent at the Rialto was John Gater. John was a long-time employee, having worked at the Broadway. John was Theatre Manager and was responsible for operations. John opened and closed the theatre every day, usually working seven days a week. He would come in around 9 or 10 a.m., open the theatre at Noon, and would take some time off in the afternoon, returning around 4 p.m. and working to closing.
Another individual who bears remembering was Nickolas Pouletsis. Nick just kind of “hung around,” sometimes cashiering or taking tickets and trying to be useful. Nick also went by his pen-name, Nick Penn. He was the artist who designed and drew the cartoon strip, “Little Lulu.” He sold his cartoon creation and left Chicago to come to Ft. Wayne. Nick’s wife, Laura worked for an engineering firm on West Main St. Find the newest electrical panel in the Rialto switch room and you’ll see the labeling on the switches in cartoon lettering style. That was Nick’s handiwork.
Thank you Cinema Treasures and Jack Dold for posting this information. The picture is from the 1950s.
It's #waybackwednesday! The 700 seat Rialto Theater had its grand opening at 1 pm, on August 20, 1924. The $150,000 building ($2.5 million in today’s money) was designed by O.C. Brunswick of Chicago.
In a Fort Wayne News Sentinel article from the time, various architectural and design features were described, including the outer lobby and box office which were “finished in terra cotta with polychrome terra cotta walls and barrel ceilings. Massive drinking fountains add to the attractiveness”. The building was equipped with “octagonal lighting fixtures throughout” and the “latest type screen was installed to ensure bright and clean pictures. A large pipe organ was located in the orchestra pit”.
After more than 60 years, the theater closed its doors in 1989.
This week, the Indiana DNR Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology (DHPA) will feature historic theaters found in Indiana. DHPA previously conducted a Historic Theater Initiative to document these historic structures to determine how many there were, how many are left, and note their condition at the time of survey. Structures inventoried as part of the Historic Theater Initiative can be found in the State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD): on.IN.gov/shaard.
The Rialto Theater in Fort Wayne was constructed in 1924 by James Heliotes, who also operated a candy factory in Fort Wayne. Chicago architect D.C. Brunswick designed the theater and A.M. Strauss designed the Art Moderne marquee and the second story balcony. During a showing of “The Ten Commandments” in 1967, violence broke out in the theater after a teen shouted a swear word during the film. Several shots were fired, though no one was injured, according to a 1980 News-Sentinel article. The Rialto saw a decline partially due to flights to the suburbs. The theater closed by 1989, and in 1990 it was placed on ARCH Inc.’s Endangered Structures List. In 2003 there were plans to reinstate it as a theater, but this did not come to fruition. As of 2019, it was still vacant. It is an Outstanding-rated resource and surveyed as part of DHPA’s Historic Theater Initiative (IHSSI 003-215-34084; T-12). More: on.IN.gov/shaard.
Theater History: Closed in 1989, placed on ARCH Inc.'s 1990 Endangered Structures List. Purchased by local group, The Reclaimation Project, in 2003 to be used as theater, arts, and urban ministry center.
