Walt Disney’s former LA home, dubbed the “Storybook Mansion,” has landed on the rental market—and it’s every bit as charming as its moniker suggests. The Los Feliz residence is now available to lease for $40,000 a month. It was described in a press release as “a pastiche of multiple styles,” including French Provincial, French Country Tudor, and Neo-Gothic, a blend of aesthetics frequently echoed throughout Disney’s animation and theme parks.
The then-burgeoning film titan hired architect Frank Crowhurst to design the four-bedroom, five-bathroom residence in 1932. “This property was chosen by Walt Disney as the place to raise his family, and also coincided with a transition of Disney Studios from fledgling enterprise toward entertainment giant,” said Compass listing agent Chase Campen. Five years into his 18-year tenancy at the property, Disney released his first feature-length film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves—featuring a romantic 16th century setting in which his real-life ivy-draped villa would not look all that out of place.
Spanning 6,388 square feet, the house sits at the end of a gated cobblestone motor court that can accommodate 10 cars. Through a turreted entryway with a winding staircase, a double-height living room boasts vaulted wood-beamed ceilings, a brick fireplace, and original leaded glass windows. The nearby dining room’s beamed ceiling features intricate hand-painted panels. Other highlights include an updated eat-in kitchen and a media room where Disney watched dailies of his film projects.
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On Christmas shortly after Snow White’s 1937 release, Disney gifted his two daughters a cottage-style playhouse inspired by the film’s aesthetic. The pint-sized abode still stands in the home’s backyard, at the edge of a swimming pool with downtown LA views. Across the lawn and down a small set of red brick steps, a paved dining area is shaded by an ivy-covered pergola.
The current owner, Night Watch film director Timur Bekmambetov, reportedly referenced photos of the home during Disney’s ownership to restore it to its former appearance.
