2001 El Capitan Theater

Disney Dollar

In the 1920s, real estate developer Charles Toberman helped shape Hollywood’s theatrical scene by overseeing the construction of three iconic venues—the Egyptian, Chinese, and El Capitan theatres. The El Capitan’s exterior, designed by Los Angeles architect Stiles O. Clements, featured an ornate Spanish Colonial style crafted from cast concrete. Its lavish interior, inspired by East Indian aesthetics, was created by San Francisco-based architect G. Albert Lansburgh, renowned for designing luxury theatres across the West Coast. Promoted as "Hollywood’s First Home of Spoken Drama," the El Capitan Theatre debuted on May 3, 1926, as the largest legitimate theatre in Hollywood. The grand opening featured the Broadway production Charlot’s Revue, starring Jack Buchanan, Gertrude Lawrence, and Beatrice Lillie, with a star-studded audience filling the theatre’s 1,550 seats. El Capitan Theatre. History. El Capitan Theatre, n.d., https://elcapitantheatre.com/history. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025. Decades later, in 2001, Disney introduced a specialty item exclusive to the El Capitan Theatre—the 2001 El Capitan Theater Disney Dollar. As a Disney-owned venue, the theatre released these unique bills to the public, each featuring the following disclaimer: "El Capitan Dollars may be redeemed only at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood and are valid for admission, concessions, and merchandise only at Disney-produced films or shows." These Disney Dollars included a standard serial number, the letter "A," and the series year. Based on available research, 2001 appears to be the only year they were issued. Unlike other forms of promotional currency, El Capitan Dollars have no expiration date. However, they are no longer available from the El Capitan Theatre, making them highly sought-after collectibles.