Lyric Theatre, Sydney

The Lyric Theatre was a cinema located at 749 George Street, Sydney, Australia, built in 1911 by the American entrepreneur and film director James Dixon Williams. It opened on 31 March 1911 between Valentine Street and Ultimo Road. At the time, with seating for 865 in the stalls, 400 in the dress circle and 650 in the gallery, it was regarded as the largest and tallest cinema in Sydney. The theatre was refurbished in 1924 and reopened as the Lyric Wintergarden Theatre. Later, Greater Union took over operations and equipped it for sound films, improving the acoustics with softwood lattice panels on the side walls. Its original plain decor was replaced with sharply angled Art Deco decorations and a simplified proscenium. In the 1950s the Lyric screened many Universal Pictures horror films, including Frankenstein, Dracula, The Wolfman, The Mummy and The Invisible Man. In 1946 a newsreel of the Tommy Burns–Vic Patrick fight drew huge crowds for six daily sessions. On 23 June 1960 the theatre reopened as the Forum Cinema with a reduced seating capacity, opening with the film Porgy and Bess. The remodelling included closing the gallery to accommodate 70mm films. The Forum Theatre became the default epic house for Samuel Bronston's films, such as 55 Days at Peking, and presented Earthquake in Sensurround in 70mm on 20 December 1974. The Forum Theatre was later demolished, and the mixed-use office, retail and residential building Capitol Terrace now occupies the site.

The Lyric Theatre was a cinema located at 749 George Street, Sydney and built in 1911. It was later renamed the Forum Theatre and continued to operate until the 1970s. The Lyric Theatre opened on 31 March 1911, at 749 George Street, Sydney, between Valentine Street and Ultimo Road. Built by the American entrepreneur and film director James Dixon Williams, its seating provided for 865 in the stalls, 400 in the dress circle and 650 in the gallery. With its three tiers of seats in the gallery, at the time it was regarded as the largest and tallest cinema in Sydney. In 1924 the theatre was refurbished and opened as the Lyric Wintergarden Theatre. Later, Greater Union took over operations of the cinema, equipping it for sound films, with the acoustics being improved by the addition of panels of softwood lattice to the side-walls. The original, rather plain decor was later replaced with sharply angled decorations in the Art Deco style and the proscenium was simplified. In the 1950s the Lyric screened many of the Universal Pictures horror films – Frankenstein, Dracula, The Wolfman, The Mummy and The Invisible Man. In 1946 the Tommy Burns-Vic Patrick fight was screened as a newsreel of the event and became very popular, drawing huge crowds in George Street for the six daily sessions. On 23 June 1960, the Lyric theatre reopened as the Forum Cinema, with a reduced seating capacity, opening with the film "Porgy and Bess". The cinema underwent extensive remodelling including the closure of its gallery to accommodate the screening of this and other 70mm films. The Forum Theatre was the default epic house for Samuel Bronston's film presenting films such as 55 Days At Peking. The Forum Cinema presented Earthquake in Sensurround showcasing it in 70mm on 20 December 1974. The Forum Theatre was later demolished and a mixed-use office, retail and residential building named Capitol Terrace now occupies the site.

• 1974

  Earthquake presented in Sensurround in 70mm on 20 December.

• 1960

  Reopened as the Forum Cinema on 23 June with Porgy and Bess.

• 1946

  Tommy Burns-Vic Patrick fight newsreel screened, drawing huge crowds.

• 1924

  Theatre refurbished and reopened as the Lyric Wintergarden Theatre.

• 1911

  Lyric Theatre opened on 31 March at 749 George Street, Sydney.

A large, prominent Sydney cinema known for its scale, later an epic house for 70mm and special-format films.

• Cinema screenings

• Newsreels

• 70mm film presentations

• Sensurround presentations

1. 1Lyric Theatre, Sydney (1911) - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Lyric Theatre, Sydney - Wikidatawikidata.org