Disney Legend Donald Iwerks, the engineer and inventor whose innovations helped shape generations of Disney films and theme park attractions, has died at the age of 96.
According to Variety, Iwerks passed away on July 9.
In a statement, Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro, wrote, “Through his innovative contributions to some of our most iconic films and attractions, he helped create experiences that have delighted generations of fans around the world. All of us at The Walt Disney Company will miss him deeply, and we send our most heartfelt condolences to his family, whose enduring connection to Disney has helped shape its legacy for over a century.
Carrying on the Iwerks Legacy
Although he never achieved the public recognition of his father, legendary animator and Mickey Mouse co-creator Ub Iwerks, Donald spent more than three decades helping Disney push the boundaries of filmmaking technology.
After serving for two years during the Korean War, Iwerks joined his father at Disney. His first major film assignment was as a camera technician on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Yet it was his technical innovations that ultimately defined his career.
Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins, Matthew Garber as Michael Banks, and Karen Dotrice as Jane Banks in Mary Poppins (1964), Walt Disney Studios
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Working alongside his father, Donald Iwerks helped advance the sodium vapor traveling matte process used in films such as Mary Poppins, most notably during the iconic “Jolly Holiday” sequence. He also helped refine Disney’s Circle-Vision 360 camera system and developed new 3D camera technologies for attractions including Captain EO.
Iwerks often said he was most proud of his work on EPCOT.
“In my career, EPCOT was most outstanding,” he recalled. He specifically highlighted The American Adventure. “The film and scenics served as the background that helped to tell the story of America. It remains one of the most powerful experiences at EPCOT.”
SPaceship Earth and the EPCOT fountain – Photo Credit: Follow The Bradleys’ Fun
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Beyond his technical innovations, Iwerks led Disney’s Machine Shop and Camera Service Department before overseeing the Technical Engineering and Manufacturing Division. Casts of his hands famously became the model for Abraham Lincoln’s hands in Disneyland’s Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln attraction, as well as numerous other Audio-Animatronic figures.
A Career That Extended Beyond Disney
Iwerks retired from Disney in 1985 but was far from finished innovating. He co-founded Iwerks Entertainment with fellow Disney veteran Stan Kinsey, and the company went on to pioneer technologies used in giant-screen theaters, motion simulator rides, and immersive attractions around the world, extending Iwerks’ influence well beyond Disney parks.
In 1997, Iwerks received the Gordon E. Sawyer Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors in recognition of his lifetime technical achievements.
The American Adventure animatronics – Walt Disney Imagineering, YouTube
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Disney further honored his contributions in 2009 by naming him a Disney Legend. Today, his handprints remain on display in Legends Plaza at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.
Inspired by Walt Disney
While Donald Iwerks’ professional accomplishments left an undeniable mark on Disney history, he often credited both his father and Walt Disney for shaping his outlook on innovation.
“There was a ‘can-do’ attitude I learned from Walt and my father,” he said. “If you’re doing a really first-class job, you don’t need to worry about the money. It will come. Walt gave everyone a feeling that they were creating things that others had never thought of before, of being a part of history.”
Donald Iwerks is survived by his wife of 54 years and their three children.
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