The Rialto Theatre opened in May 1921 with a glittering production of the opera Robin Hood. Designed by the Butte architectural firm of Arnold and Van Hausen for Jens Hansen, Sr., and Peter Pauty’s Rialto Theatre Corporation, it is a classic example of Beaux Arts inspired American movie palace architecture, with glazed brick walls, ornate Corinthian columns, terra cotta garlands, and a mansard roof with wrought iron balustrade. Created to heighten the magic of motion pictures, the interior features marble wainscoting in the foyer, intricate gilt moldings, silk tapestries, elegant lighting, and air-cushioned leather seats with wire hat racks beneath. It was equipped with state-of-the-art projection equipment, a custom-built Cremona Theater organ for silent movies, an ample stage, orchestra pit, dressing rooms, and scenery backdrops by the Twin Cities Scenic Studio of Minneapolis that still grace the stage. The first talking picture was shown there in 1929, and the stage later hosted countless high school plays, concerts, and other events. After the partnership dissolved in the 1950s, the Hansen family continued operating the theater until 1995, when the non-profit Rialto Community Theatre, Inc. purchased it.