New Lyric Theatre
5123 Germantown Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19144
5123 Germantown Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19144
5 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Architects: John D. Allen
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Previous Names: Manheim Amusement Palace, Manheim Theatre, New Manheim Theatre
Nearby Theaters
Built as the Manheim Amusement Palace in 1906, it was renamed Manheim Theatre in 1909. It was equipped with United States organ. It was given a redo in 1919 when it was renamed New Manheim Theatre. In 1934 it was renamed New Lyric Theatre. The Manheim/Lyric/New Lyric Theatre was located at 5123 Germantown Avenue in Lower Germantown, a mere five blocks south of Germantown and Chelten. On May 3, 1971 it went over to screening adult movies. It was closed in 1971 and the vacant building was destroyed by fire on January 25, 1972.
This theatre was actually one of the last of Germantown’s theatres to close. Only the Walton Theatre and the Bandbox Theatre survived longer.
Contributed by
DennisMcG
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
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!
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:
View link
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:
View link
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.