The theater, at 1262 Westwood Blvd., was built by FrancesSeymour Fonda, wife of actor Henry Fonda and mother of Peter andJane Fonda. It was converted to a movie theater in 1941 and hasbeen the site of premieres and screenings to this day.

The Crest is known for its hand-painted murals depictingestablishments from Westwood and Hollywood during the 1940s, andits ceiling's starlights that are celestially accurate. It has along history of ownership transitions, including a time in 2002when it faced a potential future as a swap meet or a church. Moviebuff Bucksbaum bought it in January 2003.

The Crest is known for its long-standing relationship withDisney, which never owned the theater but invested millions in itsrenovation in the late 1980's and as late as 1994. Bower describesthe theater as a historic venue that "is part of the fabric ofWestwood.