Introduction
The Lyric Theater on Broadway and Newton Avenue was another house that showed both movies and live acts. In the 1920s it was one of the properties owned by the Handle & Rovner Amusement Enterprises, which in the 1920s had controlled five theaters in Camden; the Star, the New Lyric, the Garden, the Plaza, and the Colonial, and six other theaters in suburban South Jersey. Louis Rovner was one of the partners in this firm. By the early 1940s, Warner Brothers owned the theater.
Still open as late as 1947, the Lyric was gone by the fall of 1956.
Handle and Rovner Amusement Enterprises
Handle and Rovner Amusement Enterprises — Operating the Following Theatres
New Lyric Theatre • Plaza Theatre • Garden Theatre • Star Theatre • Colonial Theatre — in Camden, N.J.
Peoples Theatre • Le Voy Theatre — in Millville, N.J.
Grand Theatre • Globe Theatre — in Vineland, N.J.
Westmont Theatre — in Westmont, N.J.
Clementon Theatre — in Clementon, N.J.
Superior Photoplays — Divertisements — Novelties
Main Office: New Lyric Theatre Building, Camden, N.J.
New Lyric Theatre Programme, Week of November 10, 1924
New Lyric Theatre programme —
COVER
NEW LYRIC
BROADWAY AT NEWTON AVE.
CAMDEN
Programme
Week of NOVEMBER 10TH Nineteen Twenty Four
INSIDE
New Lyric Theatre
Direction HANDLE and ROVNER AMUSEMENT ENTERPRISES
Ray C. Brown, Resident Manager
Herbert L. Keen, Ass’t. Manager
Emanuel Lewis, Booking Manager
Charles L. Bowen, Organist
Rod Thompson, Accompanist
ADMISSION PRICES: 12.30 to 6 P. M., Lower Floor 30 cents, Balcony 20 cents; After 6 P. M., Lower Floor 40 cents, Balcony 30 cents
MONDAY, TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY November 10, 11 & 12
1—NEW LYRIC NEWS Latest News Pictures From All Sections of the World.
2—Al St. John Comedy.
3—OVERTURE Selections From “Orange Blossoms” —Herbert. Charles L. Bowen, At the Console. Rod Thompson, Accompanist
4—CLARENCE FUHRMAN. Camden’s Own Distinbuished [sic] Pianist. Steinway Piano used by Mr. Fuhrman.
5—First Exclusive Camden Presentation
ROBERT Z. LEONARD PRESENTS MAE MURRAY IN HER LATEST AND GREATEST PRODUCTION “Circe The Enchantress” Written Especially for Miss Murray by VICENTE BLASCO IBANEZ, Author of “The Four Horsemen” and “Blood and Sand”
THE CAST: Circe, mythical goddess, and Cecil Brunne ... MAE MURRAY. Dr. Wesley Van Martyn ... James Kirkwood. Archibald Crumm ... Tom Ricketts. Ballard “Bal” Barrett ... Charles Gerard. William Craig ... William Haines. Sister Agatha ... Lillian Langdon. “Madam” Ducelle, modiste ... Gene Cameron.
This is the first time an author of the worldwide fame and standing of Ibanez has written direct for the screen. The result is a triumph of artistry and thrilling entertainment.
You don’t want to miss seeing the screen’s most dazzling star in this picture, because it shows Miss Murray in not only the luxurious settings and gorgeous costumes she usually wears, but in the quiet garb of a lay sister of a convent, not only as a cold beauty, but as a woman whom love transfigures. It is certain to be an unusual picture with Ibanez as the author, and Mae Murray as the star, to say nothing of Robert Z. Leonard having directed this production.
THURSDAY, FRIDAY & SATURDAY November 13, 14 & 15
1—NEW LYRIC NEWS Latest News Pictures From All Sections of the World.
2 OVERTURE IL TROVATORE —Verdi. Charles L. Bowen, At the Console. Rod Thompson, Accompanist
3—PHILADELPHIA QUARTETTE “The Chanters.”
4—First Exclusive Camden Presentation
[caption:] George Billings as “Abraham Lincoln”
THE GREAT AMERICAN DRAMA ABRAHAM LINCOLN
CAST: Abraham Lincoln ... George A. Billings. Abraham, aged 7 ... Danny Hoy. Anne Rutledge ... Ruth Clifford. Mary Todd Lincoln ... Nell Craig. Nancy Hanks Lincoln ... Irene Hunt. Thomas Lincoln ... Westcott B. Clark. John McNeil ... Eddie Burns. Jack Armstrong ... Pat Hartigan. Denton Offut ... Otis Harlan. Sally ... Louise Fazenda. Stephen A. Douglas ... William Humphrey. William Scott ... Eddie Southerland. John Wilkes Booth ... William Moran. General U. S. Grant ... Walter Rogers. General Robert E. Lee ... James Welch. Secretary Seward ... Willis Marks.
The greatest drama of all—big in the things that grip your heart—romance, love, humor, pathos, joy, sorrow, heartbreak, happiness—wrapped up in the life story of America’s greatest leader during the most stirring events of American history.
FIRE EXITS ARE PLAINLY MARKED—CHOOSE YOUR NEAREST EXIT NOW
BACK PAGE
NEXT WEEK
MONDAY, TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY November 17, 18 & 19
EMORY JOHNSON’S Mighty Sport Melodrama “Life’s Greatest Game” WITH JOHNNIE WALKER AND A SPLENDID CAST
Man oh man! What thrills! The fight to save the honor of the game! A mother’s heart shattered by bitter blows of Fate! The mighty Titanic, proud Mistress of the Seas—plunging to its doom upon the hidden ledges of an iceberg! The courage of shipwrecked souls! The New York Giants and Yankees locked in the death-grip of a great World’s Series struggle while sport-mad mobs go wild in the ecstacy of the moment! And against this massive and vividly colorful background is pictured in the most dramatic—the most human story ever told!
THURSDAY, FRIDAY & SATURDAY November 20, 21 & 22
A WILLIAM BEAUDINE PRODUCTION “Daughters of Pleasure” STARRING MONTE BLUE AND MARIE PREVOST
A Story of Love and the Idle Rich
“Are the idle rich to blame for their errors or are they victims of their own gold?” is a question asked in the dramatic story around which William Beaudine has built a stirring film play.
The plot shows a family of ordinary means suddenly made rich through the discovery of oil on their farm. A complete change of environment is not without its perils and “Daughters of Pleasure” is said to surpass in dramatic force anything previously made for the screen by Mr. Beaudine.
PROGRAM SUBJECT TO CHANGE
COMING Norma Talmadge in “Secrets”
WHY NOT HOLD A BENEFIT?
Sororities, Clubs, Lodges, Fraternities—in fact, social organizations of all sorts—DESIRING TO INCREASE THEIR FUNDS will find it to their advantage to give a benefit at the NEW LYRIC THEATRE.
For that Point of Information, See Manager
Compliments of the Lyric Theatre (Advertisement)
Camden High School Purple & Gold Yearbook —
Compliments of the
Lyric Theatre
Under the Direction of the
HANDLE and ROVNOR AMUSEMENT ENTERPRISE
MORRIS HANDLE, Prop.
At the Lyric
Camden Courier-Post —
NEW LYRIC THEATRE — Under Direction of Handle Rovner Amusement Enterprises
TODAY AND TOMORROW: MARIAN DAVIES in “THE FAIR CO-ED” — On the Stage: Miss Ted Leslie and Her DIXIE PALS — Comedy • M-G-M News
LYRIC THEATRE — Broadway at Newton Avenue
MONDAY, TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY: IRENE RICH in “THE DESIRED WOMAN”
On the Stage — Arthur H. Dalton Presents DANCES OF THE HOUR — An Act Replete with Singing, Dancing and Comedy
Wonder Dog Coming in “Jaws of Steel”
Camden Courier-Post —
LYRIC THEATRE — MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY: RIN-TIN-TIN in “JAWS OF STEEL” with Jason Robards and Helen Ferguson — Stage Attraction Extraordinary: STEUBING’S STRING BAND — Camden’s Own! The Pride of South Jersey
Rin-Tin-Tin, most popular dog in the world, will play at the Lyric on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Many a human actor would give half of his salary to create the ecstasy in grown-ups that Rinty does in the breasts of Young America, and not all of Young America is without gray hair and furtive bald spots. What has age to do, when Rin-Tin-Tin hurdles through space, swims roaring rivers or rescues his Master from the menace of the bad men.
In “Jaws of Steel” Rinty is shown first as the puppy pet of a little girl, going with the parents, by flivver, across the desert to prospect for gold. Rinty’s son plays this part, and topples over into the sand, as the flivver joggles on. It is undeniably Rinty himself, who, grown fierce and fanged, befriends the family later, and saves them from evil. Rinty is glorious as the hero of this exciting tale. He seems to know without being told, to sense the situation, to really feel the part he plays.
Steubing’s String Band, Camden’s own musical organization, is the stage attraction for the first three days of next week.
Victor Recording Orchestra at the Lyric
Camden Courier-Post —
Wilbur Sweatman made the first recording of Scott Joplin’s Maple Leaf Rag and is considered by many to be the first African-American to record Jazz, but he is remembered less as a jazz musician and more as a great showman famous for playing at first two then three clarinets at once. Duke Ellington, Sonny Greer, Otto Hardwick, Cozy Cole and Coleman Hawkins all played in his orchestra early in their careers.
It’s interesting to note the “Victor Recording Orchestra,” as Wilbur Sweatman released no records under his own name in the late 1920s. It would appear that this aggregation was doing session and studio work out of the Victor studios on 5th Street.
Lyric: Safe in Hell (Advertisement)
Camden Courier-Post —
STARTS TOMORROW!
The Intimate Story of Gilda Karlson, A Girl Whose Life Was NO BED OF ROSES she wasn’t even ‘SAFE IN HELL’
—ON THE STAGE Another Knockout Show of 5—BIG ACTS—5 Headed by the Internationally Famous Fred La Costa Revue
THE GIERSDORF SISTERS Direct From the Earle Theatre
LAST TIMES TODAY CHARLES FARRELL In “After Tomorrow” VAUDEVILLE
LYRIC
Lyric: Girl Crazy (Advertisement)
Camden Courier-Post —
LYRIC
STARTS Tomorrow! THE YEAR’S GREATEST LAFF PANIC ‘Girl Crazy’ WITH Bert. WHEELER Robt. WOOLSEY Mitzi Green, Dorothy Lee
LAST DAY GEORGE BANCROFT The World and the Flesh
NEW LOW PRICES!
Lyric: Night World (Advertisement)
Camden Courier-Post —
NEW LOW PRICES! LYRIC
20c to 1.30 | 25c 1.30 to 6 Children 10c
EVENINGS 1000 Seats 25c Lower Floor 35c Children 15c
Starts Today Thrills at any cost! That’s the cry of these thrill mad people! Lew Ayres Mae Clarke In the Daring Hit “NIGHT WORLD” With Boris “Frankenstein” Karloff
TODAY’S COMEDY Ray Cook “Jimmy’s New Yacht” COME WHERE IT’S COOL
Lyric: Mystery Ranch (Advertisement)
Camden Courier-Post —
LYRIC
NEW LOW PRICES! 20c to 1.30 | 25c 1.30 to 6
EVENING 1000 SEATS 25c Lower Floor 35c; Children 15c
Starts TODAY! Thrilling Romantic Epic of the Great Outdoors! GEORGE O’BRIEN in MYSTERY RANCH
Lyric: Secrets of the French Police (Advertisement)
Camden Courier-Post —
Starts TODAY! THRILL AFTER THRILL! As Master Minds Clash in a Breathless Duel of Crime vs. Science! The Daring Crime That Shocked the World . . . a Crook Who Tried to Steal a Princess . . . A Fortune . . . and a Throne . . . and Stopped at NOTHING!
“SECRETS OF THE FRENCH POLICE” With GWILI ANDRE Frank Morgan, Gregory Ratoff
A Marble Statue That Was Once a Living Girl!
LYRIC BROADWAY & NEWTON
Based on An Actual Adventure of Bertillon! A Mighty Scoop for the Lyric!
Marriage Ceremony Performed on Stage
Camden Courier-Post —
Following a wedding ceremony on the stage of the Lyric Theatre and reception at the Parkside Grill, Mr. and Mrs. William Schopp left last night on the first leg of their honeymoon, which will be spent at Niagara Falls.
More than 50 persons attended the reception, given in honor of the couple by Emil Muckensturm, Jr., proprietor of the grill. The ceremony was performed by Le Grand Roberts, mayor of Oaklyn.
Mrs. Schopp is the former Laura Marie Morris, of Oaklyn.
Hospital Nurses Are Lyric Guests
Camden Courier-Post —
Starts TODAY LYRIC — Screen’s First Story of a Woman Doctor — “Tonight I Am Going to Forget the Advice I Have Given Others” — MARY STEVENS, M.D. — KAY FRANCIS • LYLE TALBOT • GLENDA FARRELL
Hospital Nurses Are Lyric Guests
The nurses of the West Jersey Homeopathic and Cooper hospitals will be the guests of the Lyric Theatre management today in order that their reactions from a professional standpoint may be recorded with the showing of “Mary Stevens, MD,” starring Kay Francis.
Whether there is any room for love and marriage in the life of a successful business or professional woman is one of the questions that arises in Kay Francis’ latest picture, “Mary Stevens, M. D.”
Miss Francis herself has very decided views on the subject. Happily married herself to Kenneth McKenna, actor and director, the brunette star holds that the woman with a career has, if anything, a better chance of “making a go” of marriage than her sister in private life.
As an eminent child specialist in “Mary Stevens, M. D.,” Miss Francis is assisted by Lyle Talbot in the role of the physician who is in love with her, and Glenda Farrell, as her office nurse and chief confidante.
Lyric: Last of the Pagans (Advertisement)
Camden Courier-Post —
LYRIC B’WAY and NEWTON Starts TODAY
ON THE SCREEN LOVE is Different in TAHITI. The BOYS aren’t a bit timid . . . and how the GIRLS love it! ‘LAST OF THE PAGANS’ (CAPTIVE BRIDES) WITH MALA The Clark Gable of the South Seas . . .
20 PEOPLE ON THE STAGE In Person TOM and JOE ROLLO IN THE MELODY COMEDY REVUE “JUST FOOLIN” With THE MUSICAL JESTERS STAGE BAND
Featuring KATE SMITH’S PROTEGES 3 LITTLE WORDS Joan BROOKS Radio Pictures’ Starlet CLIFF CRANE STAR OF Earl Carroll’s “Vanities”
Get Fingerprinted Gratis at Theatre
Camden Courier-Post —
Camden Police Will Oblige at Showing of Film Head G-Man Wrote
Citizens of Camden and South Jersey will have an apportunity [sic] to have their fingerprints taken and registered, for accident identification purposes only, without charge, beginning today, without the trouble of going to a police station.
Co-operating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s nationwide drive to have all citizens register their fingerprints, and with the Camden Police Department in a like desire locally, Birk Binnard, manager of the Lyric Theatre, Broadway and Newton avenue, has arranged to have apparatus for fingerprinting in the theatre’s lobby today, tomorrow, and Saturday afternoons and evenings.
The service, combined with a display of interesting and instructive police paraphernalia to be featured in the lobby at the same time, is in conjunction with the showing of the motion picture “Under Cover Doctor,” starring Lloyd Nolan and J. Carrol Naish, from the book written by J. Edgar Hoover, director of the FBI. The picture will be exhibited at the Lyric Saturday and Sunday.
Police Chief Arthur Colsey has [cut off at the crop edge]
Movie Patrons Getting Fingerprinted
Camden Courier-Post —
—Courier-Post Photo
As part of the government’s plan to have an index of fingerprints of all citizens, Camden police yesterday took prints of patrons of the Lyric Theatre, Broadway and Newton avenue, Sergeant Rox Saponare is shown taking the fingerprints of Birk Binnard, manager of the theatre. Also in the picture are Patrolmen Charles Hance and Paul Jackson.
Lyric: Thieves Fall Out and Cyclone on Horseback (Advertisement)
Camden Courier-Post —
WARNER BROTHERS’ THEATRES AID ALUMINUM DRIVE LYRIC THEATRE—MONDAY, JULY 28, 9.45 A. M. George Brent, Olivia De Havilland in “Wings of the Navy” Any Child Admitted for One or More Pieces of Aluminum
LYRIC B’WAY AND NEWTON Starts TODAY for 3 BIG DAYS
2 BIG HITS
IT’S A CRIME —When Grandma Goes Gunning for Gangsters! “THIEVES FALL OUT” A Warner Bros. Picture WITH EDDIE ALBERT JOAN LESLIE Jane Darwell Alan Hale
Your Favorite Western Star— TIM HOLT With Both Guns Blazing — in “CYCLONE ON HORSEBACK” WITH Ray Whitley Lee “Lasses” White
2000 Easy Chairs Installed at Lyric
Camden Courier-Post —
Manager Tells of Move to Aid Comfort; Guided by Research Work
The Lyric Theatre at Broadway and Newton street has been equipped with 2000 of the most modern, comfortable upholstered chairs, Birk Binnard, manager of the Warner Brothers house announced today.
The change was made, Binnard said, in line with Warner engineers’ study of “the relationship of physical comfort and emotional response.”
“The theatre business has always endeavored to provide comfort, but we know more about the precise nature of these conditions than we used to, thanks to research work,” he explained. “No furniture that goes into the home today is more carefully designed with respect to body posture and anatomical characteristics than the seating of theatre auditoriums.”
New chairs at the Lyric are wider and spacing between rows of seats is greater, allowing more leg room.
Besides the new seating arrangement, the Lyric is being equipped with a new system of aisle lighting in both orchestra and balcony. The lights are adjusted so as to not distract patrons and at the same time illuminate the aisle carpet at all times.
The arrangement makes it easier for patrons to see while being seated and leaving. The lights are placed on two electrical circuits so that in the event of one circuit being out of order, there still would be lights in all the aisles.
At the Lyric
Camden Courier-Post —
LYRIC B'DW'Y and NEWTON • NOW
ROBERT TAYLOR in 'Flight Command'
Free Gifts to Ladies
Tomorrow "BLUES IN THE NIGHT"
500 Leave Theatre As Plaster Falls
Camden Courier-Post —
500 LEAVE THEATRE AS PLASTER FALLS
City Authorities Order Lyric Closed Pending Ceiling Repairs
Five hundred persons filed quietly out of the Lyric Theatre shortly after 9.30 p. m. last night after a section of plastering and metal lath collapsed under a section of the balcony.
Foresight on the part of management prevented what might have been a more serious incident.
When a small section of plaster crashed during the first showing of the picture, “The Adventures of Marco Polo,” Joseph McDevitt, assistant manager, mounted the stage and told patrons seated in that section there was no danger. He instructed them to move to the right side of the theatre. All complied.
Section Roped Off
Theatre attendants then roped off the area and the show went on without interruption.
City Building Inspector John Dziekanski after surveying the situation and examining the fallen plaster and metal lath ordered the theatre closed pending further inspection.
A representative of Warner Brothers, owners of the theatre, said the company’s engineers had inspected the section. He also said the company will cooperate fully with city officials and that no expense would be spared to insure continued safety in the theatre.
Warner Brothers engineers said the section that collapsed measured 18x36 feet.
Conference Listed Today
The city building inspector and engineers of the theatre company were to confer today.
An unidentified person telephoned the city police department that the ceiling of the theatre had collapsed.
Battalion Fire Chief Charles Erickson and Police Chief Frost with police radio cars and fire apparatus responded. Broadway traffic was jammed and hundreds of persons milled about on the sidewalk.
Erickson said he sized up the situation and ordered the show closed and the patrons evacuated from the theatre. The patrons left in an orderly manner.
James H. Carr, superintendent of city streets also went to the theatre. Several city detectives and patrolmen were on hand.
Dziekanski said it was “a bad job of plastering,” for which Warner Brothers or the local management could not be held responsible.
Chief Erickson corroborated Dziekanski’s opinion.
“The theatre manager and other employes did a fine job when they moved the patrons from the section where the balcony ceiling fell,” Erickson said.
Heard ’Ripping’ Sound
Mrs. Udell’s grandson, Bertram Ellis, of 617 Broadway, said he heard a ripping sound before the plaster fell. Mrs. Udell’s husband, William, said he heard of the incident and ran into the theatre to help his wife to the street.
William Herbert, of 1000 Newton avenue, said:
“It looked to me like about 40 feet of the balcony came down with a twisting and crackling sound,” he said. “The manager spoke from the stage and told us not to get excited. I saw one of the heavy electric light fixtures crash. Some people were excited when the lights were not turned on. They kept showing the picture just as if nothing happened.”
John Nowrey, of 1388 Whitman avenue, said he was seated on the aisle across the section from where the patrons were told to move when the plaster came down.
“There was a long ripping sound,” he said. “Lots of people ran for the exits. I was showered with plaster dust.”
Constructed in 1926
The present Lyric Theatre, a fireproof building, was constructed in 1926 on the site of the original theatre bearing the same name. None of the old theatre is part of the present one. The original owners were Handle and Rovner, a local theatrical firm, which later sold the building to the old Stanley Company of America. Later Warner Brothers took over its operation.
“I was seated in the part where the plaster first started to crack,” said Mrs. Sarah Udell, of 1007 Broadway. “The manager told us to move over to the other side of the theatre, which we did.
“Some time later I heard a cracking and ripping sound and the plaster and metal fell near the place where I had been sitting with other people. Some people got excited and started running for the doors. I was scared when the plaster dust fell on the people.”
The New Lyric Theater
1944
The New Lyric Theater, Broadway and Newton Avenue, 1944.