It was founded as the UCLAN in 1941, and was built for live performances but switched to a newsreel cinema during World War II.

[2] After being renamed the Crest Theater, films began screening there including Dr. Strangelove, Rosemary's Baby, Goodbye, Columbus and Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.

[6] Late in the 1980s, Disney purchased a controlling stake in one of Pacific's chain that held El Capitan Theatre and the Crest.

[7] Disney's Buena Vista Theaters and Pacific began renovated the Crest in 1987 with its motif changed to a Hollywood fantasy-land.

The Crest hosted the Singafest Asian Film Festival until late October 2011 after which the theater was closed for remodeling.

[11] In August 2013, after being closed about 19 months, the theatre had reopened under new management with a series of ballet and opera screenings as the Crest.