Hipp Theatre

The Hippodrome Theater was Crestline’s second movie house in town opening February 2, 1911 with a 340-seat capacity at launch. It got new operators from Galion on November 14, 1911 who preferred Hipp Theatre as its moniker. Nora Callahan became the first exhibitrix (slang for female movie theater owner in the era) in Crestline when she took on the venue. The Hipp Theatre closed along with the Grand Theatre for the Spanish Flu pandemic in October of 1918 for six weeks and re-emerged with a fresh look.

Leo J. “Burkie” Burkhart took bought out the Hipp Theatre from Callahan in 1919 and then bought the Grand Theatre to end competition in town. The Hipp Theatre got a pipe organ less than a year later. As sound came to the industry, the Grand Theatre closed without making that conversion in June of 1928. Burkie would add sound the Hipp Theatre in 1930 to remain viable. The Hipp Theatre got competition from the Streamline Moderne style Crest Theatre that opened in 1939.

Burkhart would take on both venues with the Hipp Theatre being refreshed to its final seat count of 261. He seemingly closed it in 1954 and setting the record for longest-running theater in town. The Crest Theatre survived into 1966 though its closure ended hardtop movie exhibition there. The former Hipp Theatre building has since been demolished.

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