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Author
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Topic: Walt Disney's Studio Was On Kingswell Avenue?
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Greg B
IE # 118
Member # 886
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posted
I was out looking for a copy shop and a pal ( Eagle Wolf, anybody in Los Feliz knows Eagle Wolf ) told me about a shop on Kingswell Ave which is just around the corner from my place. I go and it's supposed to be the former studio of Walt Disney from the 1920's and 1930's. There are some great pictures in the copy shop of Walt, Roy Sr., their wives, co workers, even Ub Iwerks.
I checked Google, Yahoo maps and there are two addresses on Kingswell Ave reportedly being associated with Walt. The photos of Walt and his family and friends is clearly taken from the copy shop as it is the same shop.
Anyone an expert on this bit of history?
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EustaceScrubb
IE # 37
Member # 862
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posted
Greg,
4406 Kingswell Ave. was the home of Walt and Roy's uncle Robert Disney , where Walt spent some time living during his early days in Hollywood, also building an animation camera rig and operating out of Uncle Robert's garage .
There are two other addresses on Kingswell Ave. associated with the Disney Bros. Cartoon Studio (as it was then known) . The brothers Walt and Roy rented office space located at 4651 Kingswell Ave. A little bit later on they also rented offices at 4649 Kingswell when they ran out of space in the original office at 4651 Kingswell. By 1925 they had grown large enough to move to larger facilities at the well-known 2719 Hyperion Ave. address. But the offices at 4649 and 4651 Kingswell Ave. is where the Disney Studio started in Hollywood.
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Greg B
IE # 118
Member # 886
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posted
Thanks Eustace!
The address I have now is:
4647 Kingswell Ave.
The company there now is called Extra-Copy and a very nice lady runs the shop. Talked to me about the history of the building. Showed me the rooms in the photos that are still there today. I got such a kick out of it that it rekindled that wonder and magic Disney is famous for.
I can't believe I've walked past that place for almost 10 years and didn't know it was there. I just didn't want to leave.
I took some video of it and I'll post some pics maybe on YouTube too. Gonna visit again soon!
Heck, wish they had picnic tables and milkshakes there!
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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posted
By all means, post some pictures or video Greg. This is a real find with great historical significance.
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jeffnevins
IE # 247
Member # 1657
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posted
I actually knew this info from going there regularly years ago for my photocopy needs for animation, including my portfollio. When things were a bit less digital.
Of all the photocopy places in existance, it's funny I happened to live closest to this one (just down Vermont St. from me).
But yeah, most people might not know, so thanks for sharing-
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Bill
IE # 166 ASIFA
Member # 1527
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posted
Around 1980 some friends were looking at slides taken around town. One was of the garage at 6602 Kingswell which was also a full page in the large "Art of Walt Disney" book. One friend was amazed that the garage was still there, so he paid a visit. He found the house being remodeled and worried the old garage would be torn down. He contacted the owner and made a deal to BUY the garage and rent the house. At this time there was a 6 foot pile of dirt and trash in the living room, yet he moved in. He threw several Disney parties there inviting such people as the nine old men, Adriana Caselotti, Grim Natwick and me! After a year or so, he had to move so held a Disney auction, with the garage as the main event. Loads of press filmed when nobody met the $10K opening bid. After it was over, several Disney fans and workers pooled their money to buy the garage, including 60's pop star Bobby Sherman. One of the buyers was a contractor for Disney who used his crew to carefully dismantle the garage and move it to storage. I used my Super 8mm camera to film this in time lapse. Later I showed the film at Bobby Sherman's house after he gave us a tour of the scale model of Disneyland's Main Street he had built in his back yard. The garage ended up in Garden Grove (http://www.ci.garden-grove.ca.us/?q=/HistoricalSociety). The animation stand that Walt built in the garage is on display in the basement of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles.
More information than you ever wanted to know!
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Bill
IE # 166 ASIFA
Member # 1527
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posted
Sorry, 4406 Kingswell. My dyslexic bad.
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Charles
Administrator
Member # 7
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posted
That is way cool! Thanks for posting these photos Greg!
Bill is Bill Turner from ASIFA-Hollywood. At this last Annie Awards ceremony he was the recipient of the June Foray Award.
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Greg B
IE # 118
Member # 886
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posted
You're welcome Charles!
Yes that wall has photos of Walt, Roy Sr. and some of the legends of Disney and animation.
Even the death certificate is on the wall. I found that depressing as I like to think that Uncle Walt is still with us.
Walt's house I'm told is right down the street in my neighborhood too. It feels real special to look at historic places like these. Reminds me of when I was kid sittin' in front of the big color tv waiting for Wonderful World of Color to start.
those photos have descriptions of the people so you guys will have to visit just to find out what they say.
Hi Bill Turner!
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