Lyric Theatre

31 West Liberty Street,
Sumter, SC 29150

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Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on December 15, 2025 at 5:19 am

A letter from J. H. Grady of the Lyric Theatre, Sumter, S. C., appeared in the February 24, 1912 issue of The Implet, the magazine published by the IMP (Independent Moving Pictures) films company. Mr. Grady was offering praise for the company’s films, especially one called “From the Bottom of the Sea” which he singled out as “…one of the best and most instructive films ever shown here.”

IMP had been founded in 1909 by Carl Laemmle as one of the independent production companies operating in defiance of the Motion Picture Patents Company, the trust controlled by the Edison interests, which since being formed in 1908 had attempted to establish a lasting monopoly over the movie industry. In 1912 Laemmle formed the Universal Film Company, into which IMP was folded, though the name remained in use for some time as a brand under Universal’s control.