Rebel Theatre

The Rebel Theatre was a 600-seat theatre in downtown Greenwood that had a twenty-year lifecycle formerly known as the Fran Theatre. The Howard Street venue was a new-build theatre designed by Greenwood architect R.J. Moor who had also been the architect of many local buildings including its City Hall and Stone Street High School. The Streamline Moderne style gave the town its newest movie venue.

The theatre had Simplex E-7 projection with its 4-Star sound system. There were 400 seats on the main floor reserved for White patrons and 200 seats in the balcony for all other patrons. The theatre was bathed in the school colors of maroon and white. It was positioned as a sub-run discount house. The Fran Theatre launched on February 10, 1941 with Marlene Dietrich and John Wayne with “Seven Sinners”.

The Fran Theatre closed after playing the men’s screening of the exploitation film “Mom and Dad” on July 17, 1946 (the two Women only screenings had taken place earlier in the day). Under new operator, W.A. Prewitt, Jr., the theatre relaunched on December 13, 1946 as the Rebel Theatre. Its first film was “Little Miss Big” with Beverly Simmons.

The theatre closed after the August 15, 1957 showing of “Top Secret Affair” with Susan Hayward and Kirk Douglas. The Rebel Theatre hosted wrestling matches until March 30, 1960 after a card culminating with Baby Blimp versus Ted, the Bear. The former Fran/Rebel Theatre was demolished in March and April of 1962 for parking.

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