Ghost Hunt of the Rialto Theater

Investigation Report

Location: Rialto Theater, South Pasadena, CA.
Date: May 3, 2004
Personnel Participating: Frank Manis, Team 3
Weather Conditions:
Humidity: 16%
Geomagnetic Storm Activity: Quiet
Temperature: 92
Number of Photos taken: 22
Number with possible targets: 2
Average EM Readings: 1.5 mg
Average M fields Readings: 1 nt
Average E Field Readings: 1 vpm
Cold Spots detected: Yes
Hot Spots Detected: None
Olfactory Phenomena: None
Visual Phenomena: None
Type of Investigation: Ghost Hunt

Location Description and History

The Rialto Theater was built in 1924 and opened Oct 17, 1925, by architect L.A. Smith, was designed in a Spanish Baroque w/ Egyptian touches. First movie was "What Happened to Jones?" The theater hosted live theater & Vaudville until a backstage fire in the 1930's which temporarily closed the theater. Management gave us complete access to the entire theater from the projection booth and the now closed balcony to the old disused dressing rooms in the basement.

Before Landmark's parent company, Silver Cinemas, declared bankruptcy, plans were underway to completely renovate the single screen decadence of the Rialto Theater. Located in South Pasadena on historic Route 66, the theater was to be split up in order to become a multiplex for art house film.

The Rialto is a classic and its most distinguishing feature may be the gargoyle that sits on high above the procenium with read glowing eyes that illuminate even during film showings.

The back alley of the Rialto was used in the Robert Altman film The Player during the murder sequence. It may not be the grandest theater in the country, but it makes up in character what it lacks in opulence.

The Rialto seated around 1200 people. The Rialto was one of two theatres serving South Pasadena, the other one was the Ritz theatre (700 seats). Fox West Coast theatre s ran the Rialto for many years before Mann theatres ran it and sold it. The Rialto had a organ at one time but Mann sold it also.

Reported Phenomena

In the bathroom a girl slit her wrists and climbed up to the balcony and bled to death in the seats. It is also said that a man went crazy in the projector booth.

The doors to the stalls in the girl's bathroom shake. An apparition of an older man has been seen sitting in the seats. The older man has also been seen walking up and down the balcony stairs.

The Investigation

The ghost hunt was conducted early in the evening. We searched the theater from the lobby to the rear of the building. EMF background normal 1.5 mg. High EMF readings from 4-8 mg in backstage area, the highest 8 mg was in the area of the counter weight/curtail controls.
Ventilation in the theater was off during the investigation. Several of the women said they felt very uneasy in the womens restroom, it was reported that a woman died in the ladies restroom.

Photographs

Click on the thumbnails to view the larger image

Initial Conclusions

The high number of incidents here coupled along with EM data we gathered at the location, suggests that the theater may be haunted. Recommend future investigations be conducted at this site.

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