Originally there was no room in the White House specifically for screening films, so the present venue was converted from a cloakroom in 1942.

Originally a cloakroom known as the "Hat Box", the White House Family Theater was converted into its current use in 1942 on the orders of Franklin Roosevelt.

[2][3] Traditionally, American studios have made their films available to the White House on request, either directly or through the Motion Picture Association of America.

Landing a screening in the White House Family Theater is considered a valuable marketing tool by studios and, during the 1980s, the motion picture industry financed renovation of the facility, which added terraced seating and other amenities.

President Obama, members of Congress, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and Women in Military Service for America Memorial were joined by producers Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks to watch the first hour of the series.