Nance Theatre

The first location of the Royal Theatre in town was launched by Fellers & Shield on January 13, 1912 to three capacity audiences. This got the attention of competing Fullerton Theatre operator S.F. Rolph & Son at the Gem Theatre who bought out the Royal Theatre a week later. Rolph closed the Gem Theatre and continued at the Royal Theatre on January 20, 1912.

The Royal Theatre was a big success showing movies and Rolph moved to a bigger location on October 19, 1914 on a 20-year lease staging live vaudeville in addition to the movies. R.D. White took on the venue and he wired it for sound on April 22, 1929. “The Voice of the City” was the first sound film to be projected and used Movietone and Filmaphone technology at a cost of $15,000.

White moved to California at the end of the theatres lease in 1934. Son LaVern White took over the theatre in February of 1934 on a new 20-year lease. Mrs. L.W. Heal took on the venue in 1937 running it until her death on April 10, 1953. After the theatre closed in a day of remembrance, new operators closed the theatre at the end of its lease.

In March of 1954, new operators, C.L. Shearon took on the Royal Theatre and installed widescreen projection to accommodate CinemaScope features. The Shearons then refreshed the front of the theatre and got a new marquee changing its name to the Nance Theatre. It relaunched as the Nance Theatre on September 16, 1954 with John Lund in “Broncho Buster” and supported by “Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town.”

Mr. and Mrs. F.S. “Red” Steele took on the Nance Theatre as its last operator. Unfortunately, they closed up there on July 20, 1975 citing declining attendance (still as the Nance Theatre). Not a bad 60-plus year run. The theatre has since been demolished.

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