Lyric Theatre

535 S. Beacon St. San Pedro (Los Angeles), CA 90731 | map - approximate |

Opening: Sometime prior to 1908 as a combination vaudeville and film house. It doesn't seem to make an appearance in any of the San Pedro city directories either for 1908 or later years.  

 

An early postcard view south on Beacon toward 6th St. from "Wood's Print, L.A." The building with the clock was the Bank of San Pedro. The bank building's storefront nearest us was the home of the Lyric. With the banners up they were obviously celebrating something -- perhaps the theatre's grand opening. That's an Elks lodge on the far right. Thanks to Kevin Fleming for locating the card for a post on the private Facebook group Southern California Nostalgia.  

 

Presumably that's the Lyric at 535 in this image showing the west side of the 500 block of Beacon. It's a detail from image 8 of the 1908 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map for San Pedro that's in the Library of Congress collection. See image 4 for the east side of the street. That's 5th St. near the top and 6th at the bottom. The empty lot mid-block would later be the location of the Alhambra Theatre at 515. Presumably that's the Star Theatre up at 501.

The Lyric is mentioned with a 1908 date in a list from local historian John M. Houston that appeared in an article by Bob Beck in the May 30, 1984 San Pedro News Pilot. The article was saved in a clipping file in the collection of the San Pedro Bay Historical Society. Thanks to Michelle Gerdes for snapping a picture of it. 

Closing: Perhaps the Lyric was short-lived. Research by Grand Vision Foundation (the Friends of the Warner Grand organization) suggests it was only open in 1908.

 

A 1905 shot of the bank building, before the theatre arrived. That closest car is parked in front of the space that would later become the home of the Lyric. Thanks to Emil Erdelez for locating this one from an unknown source for a post on the private Facebook group San Pedro Memories.

 

Looking north into the 500 block of Beacon St. from 6th. The card was postmarked in 1908. The Lyric was on the left, in the far storefront of the bank building. Later, the Alhambra was up on the left most of the way to 5th St. The bank's tower didn't do well in the 1933 earthquake. It's a card from the site Card Cow. In addition to this one, they have over 200 more San Pedro postcards to browse.

 

A c.1910 view north from 6th. It's a California Historical Society photo appearing on the USC Digital Library website. It can also be seen on the W&PA Museum page of "Early Views of San Pedro and Wilmington." 

 

Across from the bank building: The east side of the 500 block of Beacon as we look north from 6th. Thanks to Emil Erdelez for locating this card for a post on the Facebook group San Pedro Memories.

Status: The 400 and 500 blocks of Beacon are no more. And 5th St., which used to go straight east to meet Harbor Blvd., acquired a wiggle during the 1970s Beacon St. redevelopment project.

Looking north up what used to be the 500 block of Beacon St. from 6th St. The Lyric was once there on the left, three storefronts in from the corner. Photo: Google Maps - 2018

More information: The David Rumsay Map Collection has a fine 1938 Thomas Brothers San Pedro and Wilmington map online if you'd care to look at the original layout. Also see a detail of the downtown area.

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