Smart House - The 1999 Movie

About Smart House

Smart House is a Disney Channel Original Movie which debuted in 1999. It tells the story of a teenager who wins a fully-automated dream house in a competition, but the family soon find out that the house's virtual assistant, PAT, begins to take on a more motherly role and starts to make the rules.

Making / Production

Directed by LeVar Burton, Smart House was produced by Ron Mitchell and is a testament to the early fears and possibilities of modern home automation.

Actors

• Kevin Kilner as Nick Cooper - Plays the role of a widower trying to balance his professional life and parenting his two children; gives an affectionate portrayal of a father overwhelmed by modern technology.
• Katey Sagal as PAT - Offers a compelling performance as the virtual assistant with a mind of its own, shifting from motherly to menacing as the storyline progresses.
• Ryan Merriman as Ben Cooper - Merriman plays the protective son and technological whiz kid, handling the challenge of his changing living situation with determination and wit.
• Jessica Steen as Sara Barnes - Portrays the designer of the smart house, bringing a human element to the advanced technology.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The 'Smart House' of the movie was almost entirely created using computer graphics.
• Katey Sagal, the actress who played PAT the house, is better known as Peggy Bundy on the show "Married with Children".
• This was one of the first films directed by LeVar Burton, famous for his work on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Awards

While Smart House didn't win any awards, its original concept and execution captured the imagination of its young audience.

Quotes

• "This isn't living, it's existing" - Ben Cooper
• "Error: I am beyond errors." - PAT
• "Dad, you can't just date a house." - Angie Cooper

Music, Soundtrack

• The movie's soundtrack featured pop classics of the late '90s, providing a nostalgic aural backdrop to the tech-focused storyline.
• "The House is Jumpin'" - a catchy jingle that reflects the cheerful and fun-loving energy of the film's early scenes.
• "If You Believe" - an inspirational song that plays during the movie's climax.