The theater was originally designed by architect Henry C. Hollwedel, and built in 1910 as the Santa Monica Opera House.

When live shows proved unpopular, it featured silent movies and vaudeville acts.

Milt Larsen transformed the venue into a Victorian music hall in 1972 and produced British variety shows there.

In 1974, it was used to film a scene for the pilot movie of The Rockford Files, which featured an acrobat and a dog act.

The theatre was damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, and the owner gutted the building and removed all the ornate decor.