The Rialto Theatre, Coventry Street, London
Formerly - The West End Cinema Theatre - Later - The Grosvenor Casino - And The Cafe De Paris
Other Leicester Square Theatres and Cinemas
Above - The former Rialto Cinema, Coventry Street, now a Casino, in a photograph taken in May 2011 - Photo M.L.
The
Rialto Theatre was situated in Coventry Street, Leicester
Square, opposite the Prince
of Wales Theatre, and was originally opened as the West End Cinema Theatre on the 18th of March 1913, in the presence of Prince and Princess Alexander of Teck. A feature at the opening was the showing on screen of a film of the royal party arriving at the Theatre amongst cheering crows just one and a half hours after it had actually happened.
The Theatre was designed in the French Renaissance style by the architects Hippolyte Blanc, Leonard Allen, and Samuel Beverley, with plasterwork by Horace Gilbert.
Right - The side elevation of the former Rialto Theatre, now a Casino, in a photograph taken in May 2011 - Photo M. L.
The Theatre, which cost some £130,000 to construct and fit out, and had the first Neon Signs in central London, had an intimate auditorium on two levels with seating for 684 people; 452 in the stalls and 232 in the circle.
Left - A Sketch of the Main Facade of the West End Cinema Theatre, later the Rialto Cinema, Coventry Street, London when it first opened in 1913 - From a Supplement to The Builder, 26th June 1914.
The Theatre also had a small cafe inside the first floor foyer which was situated behind the facade's tall centre windows, and a large restaurant called the 'Elysee' in the basement, today in use as 'The Cafe de Paris'.
Still extant today externally the Theatre's main entrance has an interesting, if quite narrow facade, although around the corner in Rupert Street it has an intriguing side elevation which reveals part of the shape of its original auditorium.
Right - A Sketch of the 1st floor Foyer and Cafe Lounge at the West End Cinema Theatre, later the Rialto Cinema, Coventry Street, London when it first opened in 1913 - From a Supplement to The Builder, 26th June 1914.
The Builder reported on the new West End Cinema Theatre in a Supplement to their 26th June 1914 edition along with some of the images shown here, saying:- 'The West-End Cinema was erected under the direction of Mr. Horace Gilbert, F.R.I.B.A., of the firm of Messrs. Gilbert & Constanduros, at a cost of about £31,000, exclusive of furnishing and fittings.
Left - A Sketch of the Auditorium of the West End Cinema Theatre, later the Rialto Cinema, Coventry Street, London when it first opened in 1913 - From a Supplement to The Builder, 26th June 1914.
The plan and the Coventry-street elevation (subject to slight modifications) were by Mr. Hippolyte Blanc, whose services were originally retained by the company, but the whole of the interior decorations were designed by Mr. Horace Gilbert.
The fibrous-work in the interior of the theatre is in the Neo-Greek style, finished in cream and gold. The staircases are in marble, and a handsome foyer, where refreshments can be obtained, has been arranged at the first-floor level.
Above - The Auditorium of the West End Cinema Theatre, later the Rialto Cinema, Coventry Street, London when it first opened in 1913 - From a Supplement to The Builder, 26th June 1914.
Beneath the theatre is the "Elysee Restaurant" in two floors below the street level, and the building also contains four floors of offices fronting Coventry-street, approached by a separate entrance in Rupert-street. The general contractor was Mr. F. G. Minter, of Putney, the steel construction was by Messrs. Smith, Walker, & Co., of Westminster, and the whole of the decorations of both theatre and restaurant were carried out by Messrs. De Jong & Co. The theatre accommodates about 700 people, and was furnished by Messrs. Hampton & Sons, of Pall Mall.'
The above text in quotes was first published in a Supplement to The Builder, 26th June 1914.
Above - A Painting by George Richmond depicting the Auditorium of the Rialto Cinema in 1913. George says he has created the painting by extending the original drawing shown on this page to widen the stage and to incorporate the doors leading into the circle. Colours were suggested by the contemporary articles on the page - Click for an Index to all of George Richmond's Paintings on this site.
The Bioscope reported on the opening of the West End Cinema Theatre in their 27th of March 1913 edition saying:- 'A noteworthy addition to London's ever growing and popular picture resorts is the beautiful edifice erected by the West-End Electric Theatres, Limited, on the site of the old Globe Restaurant, in Coventry Street, W., which was formally inaugurated by Prince and Princess Alexander of 'Teck, on the 18th inst. Built at a cost of £130,000, this handsome structure, with its frontage of Portland stone, will, for its grace of outline and The sumptuousness of the internal decorations, vie with any house of amusement in this or any other city.
Right - A photograph of Prince and Princess Alexander of Teck being presented with a bouquet by Eileen Gilbert, the daughter of the Theatre's architect, at the opening of the West End Cinema Theatre, the frontage of which is shown inset - From The Luton Reporter, March 24th 1913.
The spacious proscenium opening is heavily draped, and is some 8 ft. in front of the screen, which is framed in black and fitted with sliding curtains. The general colour scheme has been carried out in cream and gold, with hangings and upholsteries of old rose, the whole effect being dainty to a degree - while an excellent view of the screen can be obtained from all parts of the house.
A first-class restaurant is attached to the theatre, and a feature will be made of afternoon tea served in the foyer. The most modern methods have been adopted for the heating, lighting and ventilation of the building throughout, while a vacuum cleaning plant has been installed.
Right - The Rialto, Leicester Square dressed up for the return home of the Prince of Wales from a ten week Royal Tour of Africa and South America in 1925 - From The Bioscope, 22nd of October 1925.
The theatre will be open daily from 1 p.m. until midnight, necessitating the engagement of two distinct orchestras, for the members of which a suite of rooms, including a library, have been provided.
We heartily congratulate Mr. W. Lacon Threlford and his co-directors upon their enterprise, and Mr. Horace Gilbert, F.R.I.B.A., the well-known architect, whose latest achievement is in every way worthy of his high reputation.'
The above text in quotes (edited) was first published in The Bioscope, 27th of March 1913.
The West End Cinema Theatre had first opened on the 18th of March 1913, but was later renamed the Rialto Theatre in 1924, after being taken over by Universal.
It is today one of the oldest Cinema buildings in London's West End to have survived, it functioned as a Cinema from its inception right up to 1982, although it did have a brief closure in 1941 due to bomb damage during the second world war, but it reopened the following year.
Above - An advertisement for the Trade Presentation of the (now lost) silent film 'Borrowed Husbands' at the newly renamed Rialto Theatre in May 1924 - From The Bioscope, 1st May 1924.
In January 1982 the Cinema was closed due to its lease expiring and then it remained closed and boarded up for many years, despite a Grade II Listing in 1989.
After 12 years of closure and a very uncertain future, a Trust was eventually set up to try and save the Theatre from redevelopment and restore it to its former glory.
Right - An advertisement for Emil Jannings' 'first marvellous Talkie' Film 'The Blue Angel', also starring the famous Marlene Dietrich, along with a Film about the scientific theory of evolution called 'The Mystery of Life', both shown at the Rialto Theatre, Coventry Street in 1930 - From the Weekly Kinema Guide of 1930.
Left - A Programme cover for the film 'Cohens and Kelly's in Atlantic City' being shown at the Rialto Theatre, formerly the West End Cinema Theatre, in 1946.
The Trust, founded in 1994, was called the 'Rialto Cinema Trust', and their remit at the time was to 'safeguard the future of this last remaining example of Edwardian "Super" Cinema in London's West End'. The Trust created a brochure to support their intentions, which you can see in full below - Courtesy Martin Clark.
Above - A 'Rialto Cinema Trust' Brochure from 1994 supporting their intentions to restore the Rialto Cinema to its former glory - Courtesy Martin Clark. Swipe Left or Right, or Click the Arrows and Thumbnails, to see the whole programme.
Sadly the Trust's plans were never to come to fruition and the Cinema remained dark for many years, with just the Cafe de Paris left open in the building's basement, until the Cinema was eventually converted into a branch of the Fashion Cafe, and then later into a Chicago Rock Cafe in 2002. Later still the Cinema was converted into a Casino, which is still in operation today. The Casino conversion saw the Grade II Listed Building being restored so that its elaborate interior is thankfully still in evidence today. The Cafe de Paris is also still situated in the basement of the former Theatre and is also a very popular venue.
Above - The Rialto Cinema, Coventry Street, during the showing of the film 'The Seven Year Itch' with Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell in August 1955 - Photograph by F. C. Hailstone - Courtesy Allan Hailstone.
Above - The Rialto Cinema, Coventry Street, during the showing of the film 'Black Widow' in a photograph taken on the 11th of April 1955 - Courtesy Allan Hailstone.
Above - The same view of the Rialto Cinema, Coventry Street as the 1955 photo shown above - Photo ML May 2011
Some of the information on this page was gleaned from the excellent Cinema Treasures Website.
If you have any more information or images for this Theatre that you are willing to share please Contact me.