Rialto Theatre, Tucson

The Rialto Theatre is a historic performing arts venue located in downtown Tucson, Arizona. Built in 1920, the theater originally served as a vaudeville and motion picture house, featuring some of the biggest stars of the day, such as Will Rogers and John Barrymore. In the 1940s and 1950s, the theater underwent a renovation and was transformed into a movie palace, complete with a grand marquee and a seating capacity of over 1,000.

The Rialto Theatre has a long and fascinating history that includes a number of interesting stories and anecdotes. One of the most notable of these involves the theater's unique and colorful mural, which was painted by a local artist named David Tineo in 1999.

Tineo was commissioned to paint the mural on the wall behind the stage, and he chose to depict a scene that reflected the history and culture of Tucson, including images of desert landscapes, saguaro cacti, and local flora and fauna. But when he was almost finished with the mural, he received a call from the theater's management, who told him that they needed to have a "big name" added to the mural in order to attract more business.

Tineo was understandably upset by this demand, and he refused to comply. But instead of simply leaving the mural unfinished, he decided to turn the situation into a work of art. He painted an image of a coyote, with the words "El Coyote" written above it in bold letters, and signed his name beneath it.

The management of the Rialto Theatre was initially furious with Tineo for his defiance, but the mural soon became a beloved fixture of the theater, with many patrons and performers taking pictures and posing with the "El Coyote" image. Today, the mural remains a cherished part of the Rialto Theatre's history and serves as a reminder of the importance of artistic integrity and creative expression.

The theater has been recognized as a historical landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.