Constructed by prominent local businessman C. Stanley Chapman, the building was designed as a combination of vaudeville and silent movie house flanked by a one-story retail wing, two-story café, and an having an Italian Renaissance theme.

Having also built many of Hollywood's major film studios, it can be said that Meyer and Holler may have been the firm most responsible for giving architectural form to the early entertainment industry in Southern California.

[4] When it opened, the Italian Renaissance-inspired Theatre was the show place of Orange County, a movie palace representing the height of Hollywood glamour and sophistication.

The open courtyard was an innovation in theatre design that took advantage of outdoor spaces and their visibility to the street, creating a sense of excitement as passers-by witnessed large crowds gathering for a show or premiere.

The original theater complex included a tea room run by Alice Chapman, but the space was later leased as a separate restaurant.

[5] Another special feature of the theatre is six large murals created by Anthony Heinsbergen and Company, one of the foremost building decor firms of the era.

The firm's work includes art at Los Angeles City Hall, the Biltmore Hotel, and the Wiltern Theatre.

It was scheduled to be demolished in 2004 to make way for a five-story apartment building, but was saved by the Fullerton Historic Theatre Foundation (FHTF), which was formed in 2001 to acquire and restore the theater.