Los Feliz Archives

By Rob Scott
August 23, 2011

Walt Disney’s onetime Los Feliz residence — a four-bedroom, five-bath, 6,388-square-foot French Normandy-style house — is currently on the market for $3.65 million, the listing for which provides us with a glimpse of Walt’s 1930s era home theater.
CEPro reports that: “Inside the 12-room chateau-style house, Disney converted a guest room, bath and library into a home theater to watch dailies and enjoy private screenings of his films and other classic movies.”
As ETCentric staffer Bob Lambert points out: “Not digital, but ahead of its time…”
“The projector was a 35mm commercial-grade unit built back in the era,” writes CEPro. “There still is a built-in 4×3 aspect ratio film screen encased in a wood wall at one end of the room. There is a large horizontal center channel in-wall speaker above the screen. In the other end of the home theater, Disney had a small separate projection booth constructed. The projectionist’s room had its own toilet and a small bar. The original sink is still there.”
According to the LA Times, Walt’s daughter Diane Disney Miller remembers watching “Citizen Kane” and “Gone with the Wind” in the room.
For a little taste of history, check out the brief slideshow included in the CEPro post (a gallery of the house and grounds can also be seen here).