Hillman Theatre

Info Updates:

8/8/2017 - Walter Lutz

Oh! the Great memories of Hillman,Mi. My grandfather Hazel Totten owned the Theatre,Bowling Alley and the restraunt. He also owned the High Way Inn Bar. Wes Benac and my grandfather also owned the Thunder Bay Drive In Theatre between Hillman and Alpena. I use to wash the cars windows for extra money when they came to enter the Drive in. Fished the Flood Waters with my grandfather. My grandfather live down the street from the dairy queen. Just behind the Slattery's (Giles,Sheila and Kevin) house. After my grandfather retired in 1964 from all of his businesses he and my grand mother moved to Sarasota,Fl. He passed away there about a year or so after they had moved. My grand father will never be forgotten. He was my hero and my idle. They had two daughters - Nancy and Mary Ann. Mary Ann passed away years ago. My mother Nancy is still living in Florida. She will be 93 in Sept.

10/12/2005 - Dave DeHem

Unfortunately, the theatres closing may be a sign of the times in which we live in. With the advent of the DVD and the VCR and the draw on everyones free time these days. I am sure that most folks that would have frequented the "show" either while visiting their resort home or if they are a local now would rather pop in the DVD or VCR Tape they brought from home or rented at the local store than take the time to drive into town and sit in the show. That is unfortunate. I can close my eyes and can seel the lobby of the Hillman Theatre, I can smell the popcorn and remember what it felt like to walk in before the show started. In my minds eye, I can still see and feel the place so I guess it will always live in my memories. As I said before, Hillman will always be a special place in my memories. I remember the old "Boucheys Market", Hamiltons Dept. store, OFarrels Drug Store, I remember when the town had both a Ford and a Chevrolet dealership. I remember the IGA before it got added on to and how the Morrisons knew everyone by name, even our family of summertime visitors. Yep, sorry to hear that the show has closed.

10/8/2005 - Bobby Peakcock (Cactus Bob)

Hillman Theatre is closed. I just passed by not too long ago, and the marquee was down and the building shuttered.

8/3/2005 - Dave DeHem

My Grandparents had a cottage on Lake Avalon that I spent most of my summers at until I was about 17 years old. I remember the posters on the wall inside the lobby and how just about anywhere in town you could pick up a schedule for the upcoming movies. As I recall, many of them were first run. I saw many many movies in that show. If we were lucky, we got my grandfather to drive us to town and then he would pick us up a half hour after the show so we could walk over to the Dairy Queen and get Ice Cream. The town of Hillman is very special to me from all the years I spent there. I havent been there since about 1988 but I will always remember the town and especially the fun I had at the Hillman Theater. The bowling alley was right next door with a little restaurant and we would go and bowl once in a while too. One of my summer buddies was the Doc Olree (Richard). We also did a ton of water skiing too.

7/3/2003 - WaterWinterWonderland

This basic little downtown theatre is still going. providing the local folks with 1st run movies.

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