Located in the small town of Morrilton, Arkansas, the Rialto Theatre has a rich history stretching over nearly 100 years.
Guy O. Vail opened what is now the Rialto in 1911. The Rialto was the first motion picture theatre in Morrilton and remained Vail's until the spring of 1925 when it was sold to I.W. Nance of nearby Conway. Two years after Nance bought the theatre, Arkansas Amusement Enterprises, Inc purchased the theatre and officially renamed it the Rialto Theatre.
Talking pictures brought new life to the theatre in 1930 when a remodeling took place to acoustically treat the new technology. It was then that United Theatres Corporation purchased the Rialto.
In 1952 the United Theatres Corporation closed the Rialto for major renovations. A new large projection screen was installed to go with the cushioned seats and elevated floors. It was then touted that the Rialto was one of Central Arkansas' finest theatres.
The theatre maintained operation until 1987 when the current owners, the United Artists theatre chain, closed the building. At the time of the closing, United Artists had partitioned the lone theatre to three separate screens.
After years of decay, the Rialto Community Arts Center was formed in 1997 as a subsidiary of The Arts Council of Conway County. The Board of Directors agreed to begin renovation to return the Rialto to its former glory.
