Johnsonville Theatre
125 W. Broadway Street,
Johnsonville,
SC
29555
125 W. Broadway Street,
Johnsonville,
SC
29555
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Additional Info
Previous Names: New Theatre, Prosser's Theatre
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The New Theatre in Johnsonville, sometimes known as Prosser’s Theatre, was owned and operated by Chives Prosser. It burnt down in 1937. A New Theatre was built and in use as early as 1938. It burned in 1977 after already sitting vacant for several years.
Chives Prosser operated the older 250-seat Ritz Theater across the street from this one, approximately where Jake’s BBQ is now. That theatre also burned to the ground in 1937 after the film caught fire, hence the “New” Theater name for the rebuilt theatre.
Contributed by
Josh Dukes
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
A Prosser’s Theatre is listed in the 1938 FDY, but with only 200 seats.
Joe, I’ve been trying to clarify this, unsuccessfully. Yes, there was Prosser’s Theater that burnt down in September 1937 and was rebuilt within a short period of time. See the news article I’ve uploaded. Whether or not it was called the New I can’t verify. But I have uploaded a 1941 photo showing a “New” marquee in the distance. However, when a theater burnt and was destroyed in May 1977 (after remaining idle since the mid-1960s) it was referred to as the Johnsonville Theater. I have uploaded a photo of the fire.
So, presumably the replacement theater began life as “New” but ended as the Johnsonville Theater which means that this listing should be updated from “New” to “Johnsonville”.
As far as the Ritz is concerned I have, so far, been unable to find a reference other than in the overview above.
Judging by the size of the building in the 1977 fire picture 200 seats seems an understatement. More likely this figure applied to the original theater which burnt down in 1937.
Prosser’s Theatre first appears in the FDY in 1931. It had 200 seats. 200 continues to be the capacity listed in later editions. Johnsonville wasn’t listed in 1930, but in 1929 it had a 450-seat house called the Princess Theatre, which was also listed in 1926. So far I haven’t found any web pages but this one mentioning a Ritz Theatre either, not even CinemaTour, which lists only the New and Prosser’s.
I did find a color version of a post-fire photo from 1957 on a Johnsonville Facebook page. The marquee is leaning against the side wall of the ruined building, mostly obscured, but it does look like it has a large W on it, so the house might have been called the New Theatre throughout its history. I’ve uploaded it to the photo page.