About

Potential City of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument.

History:

A prominent sound engineer in motion pictures, William Mueller, who lived here in 1940, was twice nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound (Calamity Jane, 1953; Mister Roberts, 1955, and won an Oscar Technical Achievement Award in 1936 for his method of dubbing, in which the level of the dialogue automatically controls the level of music and sound effects. (Donald Seligman)

1930 census:

2053 De Mille Drive (Rents for $200 per month): 1) Joseph W. Harper, renter and head of household; 26 year old white married male; married at age 24; born in New York; parents born in New York; a manager in real estate. 2) Constance Harper, wife; 22 year old white married female; married at age 22; born in Illinois; father born in Wisconsin, mother in Illinois; an artist in the illustration industry. 3) John W. Harper, son; 11 month old male; born in California. 4) Nellie B. Preston, servant; 49 year old single white female; born in Pennsylvania; parents born in Pennsylvania; a servant in a private family.

1940 Census:

2053 De Mille Drive (Value $20,000): 1) William A. Mueller, head of household; white married male 40 years of age; born in Nebraska; sound engineer in a motion picture studio; earns more than $5,000. 2) Madeline E. Mueller, wife; white married female 40 years of age; born in New York; not working. 3) William A. Mueller, Jr., son; white male 11 years of age; born in California; in school. 4) Madelaine Mueller, daughter; white female 6 years of age; born in California; in school. 5) Claire Mueller, daughter; white female 3 years of age; born in California.