Don Iwerks, the Disney legend who led many of the camera and display systems for the company’s parks and films, has died. He was 96 years old.
Disney announced Iwerks’ death Thursday evening.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you that Disney Legend Don Iwerks has passed away at the age of 96,” read a statement shared on Disney D23’s Instagram account. “Iwerks was an innovator whose work brought The Walt Disney Company to new technological heights, helping to perfect the sodium vapor process used in the 1964 Academy Award-winning Mary Poppins, developing the 360-degree rotating view camera used to film America the Beautiful in Disney parks, and implementing the projection system for the fan-favorite Star Tours attraction, among many other advances. The accomplishments of Don Iwerks and his family shaped the creative spirit of Disney and will forever be a part of the company’s history.”
Iwerks was born on July 24, 1929, the son of fellow Disney Legend Aub Iwerks, one of the creators of Mickey Mouse (along with Walt Disney himself). Iwerks began working at Walt Disney Productions in 1950, when he was a technician in the Special Photographic Operations Laboratory. He was drafted into the Korean War but upon his return two years later he returned to Disney.
Iwerks took up his position as a camera technician in 1953, when he was working on his first film 20,000 leagues under the sea. He then led the Machine Shop Department, Camera Service Department, and Technical Engineering and Manufacturing Department.
The CEO is particularly known for developing a 360-degree circular view camera; Besides Ub, he also helped develop the sodium vapor process.
After 35 years with Disney, he founded Iwerks Entertainment Inc. In 1986. SimEx Inc. acquired The company in 2001.
In 1997, Iwerks received the Gordon E. Sawyer Award from the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and was named a Disney Legend in 2009.
“Don embodied that rare combination of heart, creativity and passion that has always defined Disney,” Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro said in a statement. “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 dearly, and we send our heartfelt condolences to his family, whose enduring connection to Disney has helped shape its legacy for more than a century.”
