Rio Picture Theatre. Lockart. Nicholas Laurentis.

Michael F Butler and Mick Sheehy gave us (ie, the town of Lockhart), our first picture show in 1912 in the School of Arts. Michael Butler, farmer of "Tongala" used a hand cranked Edison gas lit projector. They called their venture Bio Pictures. They were followed by J Bicket, Geo. Sharpe and Sid George. Also in 1912, Lytton's Moving Theatre began where the Commonwealth Bank now stands. The first movie they showed was "The Fatal Wedding" with the famous Tin Can Band scene.

The Rio was built in 1935 by Nicholas Laurentis from Narrandera who also owned picture theatres in Narrandera, Corowa, Junee, Cootamundra, Tumut and maybe Gundagai. The Rio replaced Sid George's Open Air Cinema that had been located on the creek side of the building.

The original building was 155' x 45'. The auditorium was 90' x 45' and the stage was 22' x 15'. The ceiling and side walls of the auditorium, the proscenium and the front of the operating box were decorated with large hand painted art-deco murals of flying ducks.

The Digger's ball was the first function held in the theatre. The Official opening was on Saturday, 24th August, 1935. 600 people attended. The opening programme screened "Cinderella's Fella" with Marion Davies and Bing Crosby and "The Cat And The Fiddle" with Jeanette MacDonald, Ramon Novarro and Frank Morgan. Councillor J J Nolan, President of the Lockhart Shire Council, officially opened the building in the interval.

There was a milk bar downstairs. Passouts were not encouraged, so that people would spend their money in the theatre's milkbar, rather than the other cafes in the town. However there were too many people to be all served here. The Rio was also used for dances. Laurentis also owned 60 pairs of rollerskates which were hired out on Friday afternoons for skating in the theatre.

Information from:

http://www.history.lockhart.nsw.gov.au/businessdirectory.htm