Disney Legend Don Iwerks has passed away. He died the evening of July 9 at the age of 96.
Don was a pioneer in camera, projection, and technical systems used throughout Disney parks and films. His work shaped attractions and films that guests still enjoy today.
"Don embodied that rare combination of heart, ingenuity, and passion that has always defined Disney," said Josh D'Amaro, Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. "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."
A Career That Started in the Studio Machine Shop
Don was born July 24, 1929. He followed his father, animator and special effects innovator Ub Iwerks, to Walt Disney Productions. Don started in 1950 as a special photographic processes laboratory technician.
His time there was cut short when he was drafted into the Korean War. After two years in the Signal Photo Corps, he returned to the U.S. and went straight back to work at Disney.
In early January 1953, Don transferred to the Studio Machine Shop. He later became a camera technician and worked on his first major film project, Walt Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, in 1954. He went on to lead the Machine Shop, the Camera Service Department, and the Technical Engineering and Manufacturing Division.
Circle-Vision, Star Tours, and Mary Poppins
Don helped develop the 360-degree Circle-Vision camera, first used inside the Circarama, U.S.A. attraction when Disneyland Park opened in 1955. The first film shown there, A Tour of the West, was projected from eleven 16mm projectors. Later films used nine.
For Italia '61, an exposition in Turin, Italy, Don trained an Italian film crew on how to operate the Circle-Vision camera.
America the Beautiful, one of the most memorable early Circle-Vision films, ran at Disneyland for more than 17 years and later played at Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort. A reshot version of the film played at EPCOT Center (now EPCOT), Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris.
Don's other work included:
- Building and developing film equipment used at the 1964–1965 New York World's Fair
- Engineering 3-D film and in-theater effects for Captain EO
- Building the projection system for Star Tours
He also assisted his father in refining the sodium vapor process. That process, and the specialized cameras and optical printers behind it, combined painted backgrounds, animation, and live-action foregrounds. It made possible the visual effects in 1964's Academy Award-winning Mary Poppins, including the "Jolly Holiday" sequence.
EPCOT Was a Career Highlight
Don often pointed to his work on the New York World's Fair and EPCOT as the standout moments of his career.
"In my career, EPCOT was most outstanding," he once said. "The theaters included two nine-screen Circle-Vision theaters plus the France pavilion, which was like Circle-Vision, except that it was a sit-down theater with five screens and a 200-degree wrap. The American Adventure was a huge rear-projection theater with set pieces in front of it. 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."
Recognition and Legacy
In 1997, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Board of Governors honored Don with the Gordon E. Sawyer Award for his large-format and simulated film innovations.
Don became a Disney Legend at the inaugural D23 Expo in 2009. His handprints, along with his father's, are at Legends Plaza on The Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, California. Don and Ub also share a window on Main Street, U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom Park in Florida, reading "Iwerks–Iwerks Stereoscopic Cameras."
After 35 years at Disney, Don formed his own company, Iwerks Entertainment, Inc., in 1986. The company made giant-screen theaters and 3D-projection-based theme park attractions. SimEx, Inc. acquired it in 2001.
Don credited Walt Disney and his father for his success. "There was a 'can-do' attitude I learned from Walt and my father," he once 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."
Don is survived by his wife of 54 years, Betty; his sons, John and Larry; and his daughter, Leslie. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Tamara.
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