About

Site of first official and formal Walt Disney Studios (April 1, 1926 to May 6, 1940)

Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #163. Declared 10/06/76. In 2005, Disney’s Animation School for Walt Disney Studios from 1935 to 1940 was added as part of the HCM. The site is now the parking lot in front of Gelson’s Markets, formerly the Mayfair Market.

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was produced and released in 1937 from the Los Feliz location.

Walt Disney was a 1941 director of LFIA.

In a letter to LFIA from Walt Disney Archives, 10/15/76, signed: David R. Smith, Archivist; declared that address number (2725) from survey information is incorrect. The correct number being 2719 Hyperion. Above address number has been changed to reflect correction.  (However, Gelson’s Markets uses 2725 Hyperion Ave. as its address).

History of Walt Disney Studios in Los Feliz on Hyperion Avenue

On July 6, 1925, the Disneys paid a $400 deposit on a lot on Hyperion Avenue on which to build a new studio, and construction started soon afterward. A one-story building was constructed, with small, partitioned offices for Walt and Roy, and the rest open for the animation, background, and inking and painting departments. By mid-February, the move had been completed from Kingswell to the new studio, which was at 2719 Hyperion Avenue. The Alice Comedies were made there until 1927, and then the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit series from 1927 to 1928.

Mickey and Minnie Mouse characters were born in 1928 in a nearby Disney garage (see 2495 Lyric Ave.)

In 1928, the Disney studio again felt the need for expansion. Here was a character that had taken the world by storm. In 1929 and 1930, additions were made to the rear, side, and front of the Hyperion building, and in the Spring of 1931, a two-story animator’s building, and sound stage were built. Walt moved his office from the front building to the second floor of the new building. The Disney Film Recording Company, which had been renting space at the Tec-Art Studios on Melrose Avenue across from the Paramount lot, moved in to the new sound stage. From 1929 to 1933, the Studio had grown from 1600 square feet of floor space to 20,000 square feet.

As the company grew, additions were made to the animation building in 1934 and 1937, an ink and paint building was added in 1935, an apprentice animators’ building across Hyperion in 1935 (now the Publicity Building in Burbank), two apartment houses on Griffith Park Blvd. for use as offices in 1936 and 1937, and various shops and labs in 1938.With several features in the works, plus the usual run of shorts, it was soon decided that the Hyperion studio would no longer be sufficient. There had been talk of tunneling under the street, but the decision was made to find a new location instead. The Hyperion studio had grown in a haphazard way, and there was really no particular aim. Walt and Roy decided that they would have to move. So, with help from the profits of “Snow White”, which were beginning to come in, a deposit was made on 51 acres in Burbank on August 31, 1938.

The general move to Burbank took place between December 26, 1939 and January 5, 1940. (Source:  Dave Smith. 09/12/72 Walt Disney Archives, Burbank, CA)

More detailed information on Walt and Roy Disney’s years in Los Feliz can be found at Walt Disney Archives – D23