Theaters in Cottage Hills, Illinois
Madison County ILGenWeb Coordinator - Beverly Bauser
RIO THEATER
The Rio Theater was located on MacArthur
Boulevard (Highway 140) in Cottage Hills. This 600-seat theater
opened July 17, 1948, with six partners (Leo J. Pavish Sr. and
five relatives) who operated the theater. A labor dispute
occurred in September 1948, and the Alton Building &
Construction Trades Council and a number of local labor unions
picketed the theater. The picket signs read, “Erected Unfair to
the Alton Building & Construction Trades Council,” and “Erected
Unfair to the I.A.T.S.E. Moving Picture Operators.” Patrons of
the theater were threatened, which reduced the number of people
going to the theater to about 85 at a single showing. The owners
of the theater filed for an injunction, to prevent the picketing
and harassment of the patrons of the theater, but I haven’t
found the outcome of the filing.
In February 1956, young
boys entered the theater (and other businesses), slashing the
theater screen and cutting many of the theater seats. They also
entered the projection room and dumped out rolls of film.
The theater closed in 1956, and by September 1957, the First
Southern Baptist Church of Cottage Hills was using the former
Rio Theater as their house of worship.
If you have
photos of the Rio Theater,
please let me know!