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Searcy Rialto was host to Ricardo Montalban, Anita Hart Fuller

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Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Advantage

Ricardo Montalban autograph Rialto Searcy AR

I have to ask Anita Hart Fuller whether the audience screamed and fainted when the Searcy Rialto Theater was visited by famous Ricardo Montalban and she attended and GOT HIS AUTOGRAPH on this sheet of paper.  Or did the screaming just start with Elvis and the Beatles? 

So I am asking her on this blog.  She has graciously agreed to share this with us and she points out that the lipstick mark is where she kissed it and she has treasured it for so many years.  On the other side is the autograph of Julia Adams but she does not remember who she was but she shared the show with Ricardo.  So, okay, Anita, Searcy historian, let's have the whole story!!  

julia adams autograph searcy rialto ar

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Anonymous
Anita Fuller

When the Rialto Theater was remodled, it was a big deal in Searcy: a parade downtown in the afternoon, some kind of Premiere movie in the evening, there was one of those spotlights outside the theater roaming the sky. I did not attend any of the evening events. After the parade I stayed in my band uniform...my friend Marilyn Pate and I went down to the Mayfair Hotel where we waited in the lobby until the two movie stars, Ricardo Montalban and Julie Adams, came down to attend the event. I obtained their autograph on that pitiful little scrap of paper - I asked Mr. Montalban how to pronounce his name - he replied by making the accent mark over the last sylible - hence Mon-tal-BAN.
Why he was chosen to come: no idea. Julie Adams was at one time "Miss Little Rock". she was born in Iowa but lived in Arkansas many years. OK, Barbara - don't say T M I.

Dec 17, 2017 01:26 PM
#1
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Anita, TMI is new to me.  But thanks for the information regarding the autograph.  Sounds as if you were not overly in love with him if you didn't go to the event at the Rialto!  Perhaps someone DID go and will tell us about it.  

Dec 17, 2017 02:00 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

BTW, if someone wants to buy this autograph Anita will sell it!!!

Dec 17, 2017 02:01 PM
Don Thompson
Donthomp Associates - Sunnyvale, CA

Sorry I can't add anything to Anita's  autograph of Ricardo Montalban  and Julia Adams. There are some interesting stories about the Rialto  I found that might be interesting to Searcians here and here.

I remember Julia Adams from "Creature from the Black Lagoon " in 1954.

There were several Western Movie stars that attended events at the Rialto. These accounts have been written about in Barbara's wonderful blog.

Harold wrote about 

Dec 17, 2017 06:20 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Don, thanks for the extra information.  Anita and you must have had a lot of special things that you could attend at the Rialto so her failing to attend the Montalban show was not a big deal at all!  

 

Dec 18, 2017 04:58 AM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

In my much younger days, Ricardo Montalban was one of my favorite heart throbs.

Dec 18, 2017 06:39 AM
Don Thompson
Donthomp Associates - Sunnyvale, CA

One of Ricardo's most impressive roles was Khan in the Star Trek movie "The Wrath of Khan".  He wasn't  his usual charming self as Khan who wrecked havoc in the galaxys.

Dec 18, 2017 12:10 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Myrl, I had to see a picture of him to even remember what he looked like.  LOL

Dec 19, 2017 04:58 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Don, I never watched the Star Trek movies either.  I guess he was never one of my favorites because I didn't know him well enough.

Dec 19, 2017 04:59 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
Danny Boyles Well, I have to say I don't know who Ricardo Montalban is either. But, I do know who Julia Adams is. She grew up Betty May Adams in Arkansas and was crowded Miss Little Rock back in 1946 before she moved to Hollywood. There she became Julia Adams and later Julie Adams. She is still out there at the age of 91 and still doing Movie Conventions!
Here is a black & white photo she recently autographed to me.
What a lovely woman and thanks to you Barbara for sharing the article! Now I know that Ms Adams at one time visited Searcy where I grew up.Manage
Image may contain: 1 person
Dec 27, 2017 05:27 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
Thomas Headlee Hi Barbara - I can chime in on this one. During the Ricardo Montalban/Julia Adams visit they were hosted for lunch by the then mayor of Searcy(1950-55), my grandfather, Frank Headlee, Sr. They were served on ornate, flowed plates that my grandmother prized. For years afterward when on special occasions those dishes were again used we remembered this celebrity visit. Other Rialto celebrity visits that I recall....Smiley Burnette, John Paine. I had a photo made with each. As an aside..."Creature from the Black Lagoon" seen at the Rialto which featured Julia Adams was one of my favorites from that period. Here is a pic of her and the creature. Cheers---TomManage
Image may contain: 2 people, people smiling, text
Dec 27, 2017 05:29 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Charles Wasson Barbara fif you know that grand ole opry shoes used to play in spring park? I heard my mom and dad tall about seeing minnie pearle, hanl williams and others there! Also they used to talk sbout going to the cotton club out across the road from the vfe and watching Bob wills and the texas playboys, this would have been in the 40s

Dec 27, 2017 05:36 AM
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