Talking with a man today who grew up in Birmingham, AL during the 1950s. He spent his elementary age years attending school field trips to downtown theaters like the Alabama and the Lyric. The Alabama Theater is a well known landmark still today, but the Lyric Theater was something he introduced to me through his tails of childhood.
Apparently, back “in the day” as it were, movies were only shown one at a time. The “newfangled technology” that we use today where theaters show multiple movies in multiple theater rooms came much later under the title of “multiplex”, “triplex”, “quadriplex’, and so on–the name being determined by the number of theater rooms that establishment held. That’s why you will hear on older tv shows like The Flinstones, I Love Lucy, or The Honeymooners, they don’t talk about “see what movies are playing at the theater.” Instead, they talk about driving into the city (because theaters were only in big cities–not shopping malls like today) and they will ask their husbands, “Honey, let’s drive into to town and see what’s showing.” Because there only was ever one thing showing at the theater. The big happening event was when the theater showed a double feature–meaning two movies back to back, for the price of one movie. You see now why the “double feature” is so cool.
Now in Downtown Birmingham, AL there were at least 4 old historical theaters that this man remembers. It seems like there was one more, but he couldn’t remember the name of it. In what he was telling me, there was the Alabama and the Ritz which were the huge, glamorous theaters that everyone who was anyone attended. They were the “big boys” in town and all of the blockbuster (Before that term was used–so, I guess “big movies” would be the way to call it) were shown at these two. But there was also the Lyric and the Melba, which were smaller but no less cool. All of the theaters downtown were considered hot spots during their prime. He didn’t tell me much about the Melba, so I’m going to look that up and write another post about it, but he did tell me about the Lyric which began as a vaudeville theater. Now, when you read “vaudeville” do not insert any stigma that we have since attached to vaudeville. The hey day of vaudeville has passed, but back when it was big, boy, it was swinging! (remember, Bob Hope got his start in vaudeville–as did many stand up comedians we love and respect today).
Sophie Tucker, “the Last of the Red Hot Mamas”
According to a history write-up by “The Lyric Fine Arts Theater” website on wix.com, “Major stars such as the Marx Brothers, Mae West, Sophie Tucker, Will Rogers, and Milton Berle played the Lyric. Berle said it was ‘as fine a theater as any in New York.'” The Marx Brothers, you’ll likely definitely recognize, but Mae West and Will Rogers were famous western stars, where Sophie Tucker was known as “the Last of the Red Hot Mamas”–famous for her rather risqué song performances. Milton Berle was known as “Mr. Television” in the 1950s, but began his career in vaudeville. Being an Alabama native myself, I’d love to add “at the Lyric” to the beginning of Milton Berle’s vaudeville act, but having also performed on Broadway and plenty of other places starting out, we’ll just say that Milton Berle definitely played the Lyric and we hope it created a great boon for his burgeoning career. 🙂
As a side note, until I was writing this article I was convinced that Milton Berle played the voice of Templeton the Rat in “Charlotte’s Web”. As it turns out, that voice was played by Paul Lynde. Interesting to discover that you spent your childhood looking up to Milton Berle, only to find out it was actually Paul Lynde. Here are their pictures. Tell me you wouldn’t have been confused. Sorry, Paul. I was a child, after all.
Anyway, back to the Lyric. The theater spent the 50s thriving in downtown Birmingham, but slowly fell into ruin over the next several decades.Today there is a huge remodel and repurposing going on by the owners of the Alabama Theater, Birmingham Landmarks,Inc.
These and more restorative images at
http://branto.wix.com/lyricfineartstheatre#!office-building
The plan is to restore the theater and use it for the 100+ events the Alabama theater has been having to turn down every year. According to the theater’s website, the newly renovated Lyric Theater is expected to bring in around$5 million annually for the struggling city. Who knows? With all the efforts of the workers and volunteers, you guys can visit Birmingham in it’s second hey-day. And, of course, you’ll have to check out what’s showing at the Lyric. 🙂
I leave you today with this last image from the Lyric, which is amazing to me, because I didn’t know ACME was a real company, did you?
Learn More about the Restoration at these great websites. They include pictures, history, facts, and ways you can get involved to help with the restoration yourself.
https://www.facebook.com/lyrictheatre
http://branto.wix.com/lyricfineartstheatre#!office-building
Historic Film House 