Saturday, September 16, 2006

Rialto - Temple of the "Two Abes"


From 1919, we have an ad in the Capitol for the Rialto Theatre, located at 721 Locust, and owned by Abe Frankle and Abe H. Blank. It's worth noting that Blank, in adding a slogan to the street sign for this place, adapted the slogan used by New York City's Rialto: "Temple of the Motion Picture, Shrine of Music and the Allied Arts". Blank's snappier version: "Temple of the Silent Art". The Rialto outlasted its tagline slightly, as it exhibited a short distance into the sound era, but going completely silent--and dark--when its doors closed in 1933.

"Lost Cinemas" Comes To YouTube

Flatteringly, I have been bootlegged--and no, I'm not mad at all.

The "Lost Cinemas" trailer is now available for viewing (in what looks to me to be a crunchier, more compressed version) at www.YouTube.com. All you have to do is search for Lost Cinemas, and voila! There 'tis. (But you saw it here first...right?)

Much thanks to the two people so far who have given it a 5-star rating! Hey guys--when I finally premiere this thing, I hope you're there. (And that you brought your writing pencils!)