New Lyric Theatre
5123 Germantown Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19144
5123 Germantown Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19144
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The venue was built in 1909 as the Mannheim Theatre. At the ten-year leasing expiry, it got a refresh and was briefly called the New Mannheim Theatre in 1919. Fifteen years later, it was renamed the New Lyric Theatre in 1934.
On May 3, 1971, the New Lyric went with a policy of foreign pornographic films and the final films were played just weeks later apparently closing May 16, 1971 permanently. The New Lyric’s operator pleaded guilty to presenting obscene films in October of 1971. The building was offered for sale in 1971 but became a haven for narcotics abusers and vandals. After the New Lyric closed, it was destroyed by a three-alarm fire on January 25, 1972 after vandals were trying to strip the facility of its copper tubing.
The theatre was renamed the New Lyric (from the Manheim) in 1935, with the alterations and the new marquee. The marquee only read “Lyric”, but it was always called the “New Lyric Theatre”. That might have to do with there already being another Lyric Theatre ion Philadelphia at the time.
Here is a link to a photo of the New Lyric Theatre after it closed in the 1970s:
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Here is a link to a sad photo of the New Lyric Theatre on fire. The fire destroyed the theatre and it was razed afterwards:
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As a kid,I used to go to the New Lyric on Saturday afternoons with my brothers.After the show,we would ask Mr. Lewis if we could help him to clean up before the next show.He gave us passes for next week. Sad to say,the theater was not restord,but,torn down and a small shopping center is in its place. So sad!