Lyric Theatre
518 Elizabeth Street,
Waycross,
GA
31501
518 Elizabeth Street,
Waycross,
GA
31501
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Georgia Theatre Company, Lucas Theaters, Paramount Pictures Inc., United Theater Enterpises Inc.
Architects: Lloyd Greer
Nearby Theaters
The Lyric Theatre was opened in 1923. It appears to be the work of Valdosta architect Lloyd Greer, although this is not documented. The façade of the Lyric Theatre features a broken pediment in cast stone at its center. Underneath is an elaborate cast stone cartouche of the masks of drama. Underneath this feature are three arched windows with columned supports. The brick work and fenestration of the Lyric Theatre’s façade strongly suggests Greer’s style as seen in the Moultrie Theatre (Moultrie, GA) and the Ilex Theatre (Quitman, GA). By 1934 it was operated by United Theater Enterprises Inc. The theatre was operated by Lucas and Jenkins, a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures Inc. in the 1940’s and 1950’s.
The original marquee did not have an announcement board but featured exposed light bulbs around its perimeter. A Streamline Moderne style marquee was installed sometime in the 1940’s, featuring a triangular shape with a large “L” at its center and the typical complement of neon lighting. In 2018 the building stands boarded up and unused.
Contributed by
John Clark McCall, Jr., Lost Memory
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
Try this site for a small picture. The thumbnails are out of order:
http://www.wayx.net/historicimages.html
April 26 1970 and “THEY SHOOT HORSES DON’T THEY” is playing.
July 9 1969 a real nice ad on"WHERE EAGLES DARE" It was cut of a Preesbook, It was an ad for that film I had never seen before.
World Premiere of the “Queen For a Day” took place on April 15th, 1951
Ad on this page at View link
and
View link (front page)
The Lyric was owned by Georgia Theatre Company, who also owned the other theatres in Waycross. I was in Waycross talking to a police captain that was part of the group that operates the ritz. He told me the Lyric was pretty well gutted and was owned by the same man who owned the city’s old hotel building. He told me How I could get in a back door but was unsuccessful.
Stopped by the old Lyric in October, 2013. A front door was unlocked. Propped door open to get a little light in because I did not have a flashlight. Area between the front doors and the auditorium wall was only about 6 feet wide. Lots of derbis on the floor. Everything too dark to see around, but found auditorim entrance. Could see stage as light was coming in from some where, but all the side doors were closed. Stage looked very large. Took pictures with flash which turned out pretty good. Did not look like the auditorium had a lot of fallen stuff in it. Balcony stairway was littered and could not see to got up them. Kept hearing noises like curtains blowing in the wind, but saw no curtains. Will return again and will have a flashlight.
After looking closely at the pictures I took, orbs (aka spirits) appeared in the pictures of the auditorium, but not in the pictures I took of the lobby and stairs. Do you suppose I had company that day?
Had the pleasure of taking a very short tour today with camera in hand.. I found my new love… Inside old buildings.. I just love the “Lyric”.. and I knew it was going to be spooky as soon as we opened the door.. IT WAS FREEZING!
To DirtRoadDivaFoto -If you took pictures, please post them if you can.
This page from the University of Northern Florida’s Historical Architecture Gallery says that the Lyric Theatre was built in 1923. An earlier house also called the Lyric Theatre was in operation by 1914, when it was one of four movie theaters listed at Waycross in the American Motion Picture Directory.