As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December __, 1999.
                                                     Registration No. 333-______


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                           _________________________

                                    FORM S-8
                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                           _________________________

                             THOMAS INDUSTRIES INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

                DELAWARE                                 61-0505332
     (State or Other Jurisdiction of                  (I.R.S. Employer
     Incorporation or Organization)                  Identification No.)

                              4360 BROWNSBORO ROAD
                                    SUITE 300
                           LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 40207
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                             THOMAS INDUSTRIES INC.
                     RETIREMENT SAVINGS AND INVESTMENT PLAN

                            GENLYTE THOMAS RETIREMENT
                           SAVINGS AND INVESTMENT PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plans)

            PHILLIP J. STUECKER                       Telephone number,
                SECRETARY,                          including area code,
       VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE AND                of agent for service:
          CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER                      (502) 893-4600
          THOMAS INDUSTRIES INC.
           4360 BROWNSBORO ROAD
                 SUITE 300
        LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY  40207
  (Name and Address of Agent For Service)

<TABLE>

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<CAPTION>

                                                     Proposed        Proposed
          Title of                                    Maximum         Maximum
         Securities                Amount            Offering        Aggregate        Amount of
            to be                   to be              Price         Offering       Registration
         Registered              Registered(1)      Per Share(2)      Price(2)           Fee

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                     <C>      <C>               <C>                <C>             <C>
Common Stock, par value $1.00,   500,000 Shares    $8,500,000.00      $17.00          $2,244.00
including Preferred Stock
Purchase Rights(3)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1  In addition,  pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933,  this
   registration statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests to be
   offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plans described herein..

2  Estimated  solely for the  purpose of  calculating  the  registration  fee in
   accordance  with rule 457(c) and (h) under the  Securities Act of 1933 on the
   basis of the  average  of the  high and low  prices  of the  Common  Stock as
   reported on the New York Stock Exchange on December 8, 1999.

3  Prior to the  occurrence  of certain  events,  the Preferred  Stock  Purchase
   Rights will not be evidenced separately from the Common Stock.

</TABLE>

<PAGE>


                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
         ---------------------------------------

                  The following  documents are  incorporated  by reference  into
this Registration Statement:

                           (1)  The Annual Report of Thomas Industries Inc. (the
"Company") on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended  December 31, 1998,  which has
heretofore been filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission")  pursuant to the  Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "1934 Act").

                           (2) The Company's  Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for
the quarter period, ended March 31, 1999,  June 30, 1999 and  September 30, 1999
which  have heretofore been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to
the 1934 Act.

                           (3) The  description  of the  Company's  Common Stock
contained in the Company's  Registration  Statement on Form 8-A filed  with  the
Commission pursuant to Section 12 of the 1934 Act.

                           (4) The description of the Company's  Preferred Stock
Purchase Rights contained in the Company's Registration  Statement on Form  8-A,
as  amended,  filed  with the Commission pursuant to Section 12 of the 1934 Act.

                           (5)  The Annual Report of the  Thomas Industries Inc.
Retirement Savings and Investment Plan (the  "Thomas Plan") on Form 11-K for the
year ended  December  31,  1998, which has heretofore  been filed by the Company
with the Commission  pursuant to the 1934 Act.

                  All documents  subsequently  filed by the Company,  the Thomas
Plan and the Genlyte Thomas Retirement Savings and Investment Plan (the "Genlyte
Thomas Plan") pursuant to Sections  13(a),  13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the 1934 Act,
prior to the  filing of a  post-effective  amendment  which  indicates  that all
securities  offered  have been sold or which  deregisters  all  securities  then
remaining  unsold,  shall be  deemed to be  incorporated  by  reference  in this
Registration  Statement  and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents (such documents, and the documents enumerated above, being hereinafter
referred to as "Incorporated Documents");  provided, however, that the documents
enumerated  above or subsequently  filed by the registrants  pursuant to Section
13(a),  13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 in each year
during which the offering made by this registration statement is in effect prior
to the filing with the Commission of the registrants' Annual Reports on covering
such year shall not be Incorporated Documents or be incorporated by reference in
this  registration  statement  or be a part  hereof from and after the filing of
such Annual Reports.

                  Any statement  contained in an Incorporated  Document shall be
deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this registration  statement
to the extent that a  statement  contained  herein or in any other  subsequently
filed  Incorporated  Document  modifies or supersedes such  statement.  Any such
statement so modified or superseded  shall not be deemed,  except as so modified
or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration statement.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.
         -------------------------

                  The  securities  to be offered are  registered  under  Section
12(b) of the 1934 Act.

Item 5.  Interest of Named Experts and Counsel.
         -------------------------------------

                  Not applicable.

<PAGE>


Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
         -----------------------------------------

                  Section 145 of the Delaware  General  Corporation  Law and the
By-laws of the Company provide for indemnification of directors and officers for
expenses (including reasonable amounts paid in settlement) incurred in defending
actions brought against them.

                  The Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation contains a
provision that eliminates,  to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, the
personal  liability  of each  director  of the  Company to the  Company  and its
shareholders  for monetary  damages for certain breaches of fiduciary duty. This
provision  does not affect the  director's  liability  for monetary  damages for
breaches of the duty of loyalty, actions or omissions not in good faith, knowing
violation of law or  intentional  misconduct,  willful or  negligent  conduct in
approving an unlawful  dividend,  stock  repurchase  or  redemption or obtaining
improper  personal  benefits,  nor does this provision  eliminate the ability to
bring suit to rescind a  transaction  or to enjoin a proposed  transaction  from
occurring. In addition, this provision applies only to claims against a director
arising out of his role as a director  and not,  if he is also an  officer,  his
role as an officer or in any other capacity,  nor to his responsibilities  under
any other law, such as the federal securities laws.

                  The By-laws of the Company provide that directors and officers
shall be  indemnified  and held  harmless by the  Company to the fullest  extent
permitted by the laws of Delaware as the same now or hereafter exist.

                  The  Company  maintains   directors  and  officers   liability
insurance  covering all  directors  and officers of the Company  against  claims
arising out of the performance of their duties.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.
         -----------------------------------

                  Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.
         --------

                  Reference is made to the Exhibit Index.

Item 9.  Undertakings.
         ------------

                  The registrants hereby undertake:

                  (1) To file,  during any  period in which  offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement to include
any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously
disclosed  in  the  registration  statement  or  any  material  change  to  such
information in the registration statement.

                  (2) That, for the purpose of determining  any liability  under
the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act"), each such post-effective amendment shall
be deemed to be a new registration  statement relating to the securities offered
therein,  and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                  (3) That, for the purposes of determining  any liability under
the Act, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a)
or Section 15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 (and where  applicable
each filing of an employee  benefit  plan's  annual  report  pursuant to Section
15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference
in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein,  and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                  (4) To remove from  registration by means of a  post-effective
amendment  any of the  securities  being  registered  which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

                  (5) Insofar as indemnification  for liabilities  arising under
the Act may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling  persons of the
registrant  pursuant to the  provisions  described in Item 6 or  otherwise,  the
registrant  has been advised that in the opinion of the  Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act
and is, therefore,  unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such  liabilities  (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director,  officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director,  officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been  settled by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of  appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification  by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of
such issue.


<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

                  Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities Act of 1933,
the undersigned  registrant  certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe
that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused
this  Registration  Statement  to be  signed on its  behalf by the  undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Louisville,  Commonwealth of Kentucky,
on the 14th day of December, 1999.

                                           THOMAS INDUSTRIES INC.


                                           By:/s/ Timothy C Brown
                                              ----------------------------------
                                              Timothy C. Brown,
                                              President, Chief Executive Officer



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

                  We,  the   undersigned   officers  and   directors  of  Thomas
Industries  Inc.,  hereby severally  constitute  Timothy C. Brown and Phillip J.
Stuecker, and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys with full power
to  them,  and  each of them  singly,  to sign  for us and in our  names  in the
capacities  indicated  below,  the  Registration  Statement  on Form  S-8  filed
herewith and any and all  amendments  (including  post-effective  amendments) to
said Registration Statement, and generally to do all such things in our name and
behalf in the capacities  indicated  below to enable Thomas  Industries  Inc. to
comply with the provisions of the  Securities  Act of 1933, as amended,  and all
requirements  of the Securities and Exchange  Commission,  hereby  ratifying and
confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said attorneys, or any of
them, to said Registration Statement and any and all amendments thereto.

                  Pursuant  to the  Securities  Act of 1933,  this  Registration
Statement has been signed by the following  persons in the capacities  indicated
on the 14th day of December, 1999.

      Signature                              Title
      ---------                              -----


     /s/ Timothy C. Brown
_____________________________  President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director
       Timothy C. Brown         (Principal Executive Officer)

    /s/ Phillip J. Stuecker
_____________________________  Vice President, Finance; Chief Financial Officer,
      Phillip J. Stuecker      and Secretary
                               (Principal Financial Officer)
     /s/ Roger P. Whitton
_____________________________  Controller
       Roger P.  Whitton        (Principal Accounting Officer)

     /s/ Wallace H. Dunbar
_____________________________  Director
       Wallace H. Dunbar


    /s/ H. Joseph Ferguson
_____________________________  Director
      H. Joseph Ferguson

      /s/ Gene P. Gardner
_____________________________  Director
        Gene P. Gardner

     /s/ Lawrence E. Gloyd
_____________________________  Director
       Lawrence E. Gloyd

     /s/ William M. Jordan
_____________________________  Director
       William M. Jordan

 /s/ Franklin J. Lunding, Jr.
_____________________________  Director
   Franklin J. Lunding, Jr.

    /s/ Anthony A. Massaro
_____________________________  Director
      Anthony A. Massaro

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Thomas Plan duly
caused  this  Registration   statement  to  be  signed  on  its  behalf  by  the
undersigned,  hereunto duly authorized, in the City of Louisville,  Commonwealth
of Kentucky, on December 14, 1999.

                                          THOMAS INDUSTRIES INC. SAVINGS AND
                                          RETIREMENT SAVINGS AND INVESTMENT PLAN


                                          By:   /s/ Phillip J. Stuecker
                                                --------------------------------

Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities Act of 1933, the Genlyte Thomas
Plan duly caused this  Registration  statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned,  hereunto duly authorized, in the City of Louisville,  Commonwealth
of Kentucky, on December 14, 1999.

                                          GENLYTE THOMAS RETIREMENT SAVINGS AND
                                          INVESTMENT PLAN


                                          By:   /s/ Raymond Zaccagnini
                                               ---------------------------------


<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number                        Description
--------------                        -----------

      5       Opinion (including consent) of McDermott, Will & Emery.*
     23.1     Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.*
     23.2     Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP*


*Filed herewith
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 17100}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "THOMAS INDUSTRIES INC", "cik": "0000097886", "assigned-sic": "3640", "irs-number": "610505332", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-92757", "film-number": "99774618"}, "business-address": {"street1": "4360 BROWNBORO ROAD", "street2": "SUITE 300", "city": "LOUISVILLE", "state": "KY", "zip": "40207", "phone": "5028934600"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "4360 BROWNBORO ROAD", "street2": "SUITE 300", "city": "LOUISVILLE", "state": "KY", "zip": "40207"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December __, 1999.
                                                     Registration No. 333-______

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                           _________________________

                                    FORM S-8
                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                           _________________________

                             THOMAS INDUSTRIES INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

                DELAWARE                                 61-0505332
     (State or Other Jurisdiction of                  (I.R.S. Employer
     Incorporation or Organization)                  Identification No.)

                              4360 BROWNSBORO ROAD
                                    SUITE 300
                           LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 40207
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                             THOMAS INDUSTRIES INC.
                     RETIREMENT SAVINGS AND INVESTMENT PLAN

                            GENLYTE THOMAS RETIREMENT
                           SAVINGS AND INVESTMENT PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plans)

            PHILLIP J. STUECKER                       Telephone number,
                SECRETARY,                          including area code,
       VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE AND                of agent for service:
          CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER                      (502) 893-4600
          THOMAS INDUSTRIES INC.
           4360 BROWNSBORO ROAD
                 SUITE 300
        LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY  40207
  (Name and Address of Agent For Service)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Proposed        Proposed
          Title of                                    Maximum         Maximum
         Securities                Amount            Offering        Aggregate        Amount of
            to be                   to be              Price         Offering       Registration
         Registered              Registered(1)      Per Share(2)      Price(2)           Fee

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, par value $1.00,   500,000 Shares    $8,500,000.00      $17.00          $2,244.00
including Preferred Stock
Purchase Rights(3)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1  In addition,  pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933,  this
   registration statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests to be
   offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plans described herein..

2  Estimated  solely for the  purpose of  calculating  the  registration  fee in
   accordance  with rule 457(c) and (h) under the  Securities Act of 1933 on the
   basis of the  average  of the  high and low  prices  of the  Common  Stock as
   reported on the New York Stock Exchange on December 8, 1999.

3  Prior to the  occurrence  of certain  events,  the Preferred  Stock  Purchase
   Rights will not be evidenced separately from the Common Stock.
PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.
         ---------------------------------------

                  The following  documents are  incorporated  by reference  into
this Registration Statement:

                           (1)  The Annual Report of Thomas Industries Inc. (the
"Company") on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended  December 31, 1998,  which has
heretofore been filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission")  pursuant to the  Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "1934 Act").

                           (2) The Company's  Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for
the quarter period, ended March 31, 1999,  June 30, 1999 and  September 30, 1999
which  have heretofore been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to
the 1934 Act.

                           (3) The  description  of the  Company's  Common Stock
contained in the Company's  Registration  Statement on Form 8-A filed  with  the
Commission pursuant to Section 12 of the 1934 Act.

                           (4) The description of the Company's  Preferred Stock
Purchase Rights contained in the Company's Registration  Statement on Form  8-A,
as  amended,  filed  with the Commission pursuant to Section 12 of the 1934 Act.

                           (5)  The Annual Report of the  Thomas Industries Inc.
Retirement Savings and Investment Plan (the  "Thomas Plan") on Form 11-K for the
year ended  December  31,  1998, which has heretofore  been filed by the Company
with the Commission  pursuant to the 1934 Act.

                  All documents  subsequently  filed by the Company,  the Thomas
Plan and the Genlyte Thomas Retirement Savings and Investment Plan (the "Genlyte
Thomas Plan") pursuant to Sections  13(a),  13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the 1934 Act,
prior to the  filing of a  post-effective  amendment  which  indicates  that all
securities  offered  have been sold or which  deregisters  all  securities  then
remaining  unsold,  shall be  deemed to be  incorporated  by  reference  in this
Registration  Statement  and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such
documents (such documents, and the documents enumerated above, being hereinafter
referred to as "Incorporated Documents");  provided, however, that the documents
enumerated  above or subsequently  filed by the registrants  pursuant to Section
13(a),  13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 in each year
during which the offering made by this registration statement is in effect prior
to the filing with the Commission of the registrants' Annual Reports on covering
such year shall not be Incorporated Documents or be incorporated by reference in
this  registration  statement  or be a part  hereof from and after the filing of
such Annual Reports.

                  Any statement  contained in an Incorporated  Document shall be
deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this registration  statement
to the extent that a  statement  contained  herein or in any other  subsequently
filed  Incorporated  Document  modifies or supersedes such  statement.  Any such
statement so modified or superseded  shall not be deemed,  except as so modified
or superseded, to constitute a part of this registration statement.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.
         -------------------------

                  The  securities  to be offered are  registered  under  Section
12(b) of the 1934 Act.

Item 5.  Interest of Named Experts and Counsel.
         -------------------------------------

                  Not applicable.
Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
         -----------------------------------------

                  Section 145 of the Delaware  General  Corporation  Law and the
By-laws of the Company provide for indemnification of directors and officers for
expenses (including reasonable amounts paid in settlement) incurred in defending
actions brought against them.

                  The Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation contains a
provision that eliminates,  to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, the
personal  liability  of each  director  of the  Company to the  Company  and its
shareholders  for monetary  damages for certain breaches of fiduciary duty. This
provision  does not affect the  director's  liability  for monetary  damages for
breaches of the duty of loyalty, actions or omissions not in good faith, knowing
violation of law or  intentional  misconduct,  willful or  negligent  conduct in
approving an unlawful  dividend,  stock  repurchase  or  redemption or obtaining
improper  personal  benefits,  nor does this provision  eliminate the ability to
bring suit to rescind a  transaction  or to enjoin a proposed  transaction  from
occurring. In addition, this provision applies only to claims against a director
arising out of his role as a director  and not,  if he is also an  officer,  his
role as an officer or in any other capacity,  nor to his responsibilities  under
any other law, such as the federal securities laws.

                  The By-laws of the Company provide that directors and officers
shall be  indemnified  and held  harmless by the  Company to the fullest  extent
permitted by the laws of Delaware as the same now or hereafter exist.

                  The  Company  maintains   directors  and  officers   liability
insurance  covering all  directors  and officers of the Company  against  claims
arising out of the performance of their duties.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.
         -----------------------------------

                  Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.
         --------

                  Reference is made to the Exhibit Index.

Item 9.  Undertakings.
         ------------

                  The registrants hereby undertake:

                  (1) To file,  during any  period in which  offers or sales are
being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement to include
any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously
disclosed  in  the  registration  statement  or  any  material  change  to  such
information in the registration statement.

                  (2) That, for the purpose of determining  any liability  under
the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act"), each such post-effective amendment shall
be deemed to be a new registration  statement relating to the securities offered
therein,  and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                  (3) That, for the purposes of determining  any liability under
the Act, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a)
or Section 15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 (and where  applicable
each filing of an employee  benefit  plan's  annual  report  pursuant to Section
15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference
in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein,  and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                  (4) To remove from  registration by means of a  post-effective
amendment  any of the  securities  being  registered  which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

                  (5) Insofar as indemnification  for liabilities  arising under
the Act may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling  persons of the
registrant  pursuant to the  provisions  described in Item 6 or  otherwise,  the
registrant  has been advised that in the opinion of the  Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act
and is, therefore,  unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such  liabilities  (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director,  officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director,  officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been  settled by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of  appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification  by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of
such issue.
SIGNATURES

                  Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities Act of 1933,
the undersigned  registrant  certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe
that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused
this  Registration  Statement  to be  signed on its  behalf by the  undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Louisville,  Commonwealth of Kentucky,
on the 14th day of December, 1999.

                                           THOMAS INDUSTRIES INC.

                                           By:/s/ Timothy C Brown
                                              ----------------------------------
                                              Timothy C. Brown,
                                              President, Chief Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

                  We,  the   undersigned   officers  and   directors  of  Thomas
Industries  Inc.,  hereby severally  constitute  Timothy C. Brown and Phillip J.
Stuecker, and each of them singly, our true and lawful attorneys with full power
to  them,  and  each of them  singly,  to sign  for us and in our  names  in the
capacities  indicated  below,  the  Registration  Statement  on Form  S-8  filed
herewith and any and all  amendments  (including  post-effective  amendments) to
said Registration Statement, and generally to do all such things in our name and
behalf in the capacities  indicated  below to enable Thomas  Industries  Inc. to
comply with the provisions of the  Securities  Act of 1933, as amended,  and all
requirements  of the Securities and Exchange  Commission,  hereby  ratifying and
confirming our signatures as they may be signed by our said attorneys, or any of
them, to said Registration Statement and any and all amendments thereto.

                  Pursuant  to the  Securities  Act of 1933,  this  Registration
Statement has been signed by the following  persons in the capacities  indicated
on the 14th day of December, 1999.

      Signature                              Title
      ---------                              -----

     /s/ Timothy C. Brown
_____________________________  President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director
       Timothy C. Brown         (Principal Executive Officer)

    /s/ Phillip J. Stuecker
_____________________________  Vice President, Finance; Chief Financial Officer,
      Phillip J. Stuecker      and Secretary
                               (Principal Financial Officer)
     /s/ Roger P. Whitton
_____________________________  Controller
       Roger P.  Whitton        (Principal Accounting Officer)

     /s/ Wallace H. Dunbar
_____________________________  Director
       Wallace H. Dunbar

    /s/ H. Joseph Ferguson
_____________________________  Director
      H. Joseph Ferguson

      /s/ Gene P. Gardner
_____________________________  Director
        Gene P. Gardner

     /s/ Lawrence E. Gloyd
_____________________________  Director
       Lawrence E. Gloyd

     /s/ William M. Jordan
_____________________________  Director
       William M. Jordan

 /s/ Franklin J. Lunding, Jr.
_____________________________  Director
   Franklin J. Lunding, Jr.

    /s/ Anthony A. Massaro
_____________________________  Director
      Anthony A. Massaro

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Thomas Plan duly
caused  this  Registration   statement  to  be  signed  on  its  behalf  by  the
undersigned,  hereunto duly authorized, in the City of Louisville,  Commonwealth
of Kentucky, on December 14, 1999.

                                          THOMAS INDUSTRIES INC. SAVINGS AND
                                          RETIREMENT SAVINGS AND INVESTMENT PLAN

                                          By:   /s/ Phillip J. Stuecker
                                                --------------------------------

Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities Act of 1933, the Genlyte Thomas
Plan duly caused this  Registration  statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned,  hereunto duly authorized, in the City of Louisville,  Commonwealth
of Kentucky, on December 14, 1999.

                                          GENLYTE THOMAS RETIREMENT SAVINGS AND
                                          INVESTMENT PLAN

                                          By:   /s/ Raymond Zaccagnini
                                               ---------------------------------
EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number                        Description
--------------                        -----------

      5       Opinion (including consent) of McDermott, Will & Emery.*
     23.1     Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.*
     23.2     Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP*

*Filed herewith