Disney Legend Don Iwerks, Disney Camera Pioneer and Ub Iwerks' Son, Dies at 96
His work helped pioneer giant-screen theaters, motion simulators and immersive 3D experiences in nearly 300 venues across 38 countries, Disney said.
- On Thursday, July 9, Disney Legend Don Iwerks died at age 96 at Ojai Community Memorial Care Center, ending a career spanning more than six decades in immersive entertainment technology.
- Born in 1929 to Ub Iwerks, Walt Disney's business partner and co-creator of Mickey Mouse, Iwerks joined Walt Disney Studios in 1950 to begin a 35-year tenure revolutionizing film production.
- Iwerks developed the 360-degree Circle-Vision camera system for Disneyland's 1955 opening and engineered projection systems for Star Tours, innovations that shaped location-based entertainment globally.
- After 35 years at Disney, Iwerks co-founded Iwerks Entertainment in 1986 with Stan Kinsey, installing attractions in nearly 300 venues across 38 countries before the company's 2001 acquisition by SimEx.
- Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro said Iwerks "embodied that rare combination of heart, ingenuity, and passion" that defines Disney, ensuring his legacy remains a cornerstone of the studio's creative history.
18 Articles
18 Articles
Don Iwerks, Disney Legend and Pioneering Imagineer, Dies at 96
Don Iwerks, a Disney Legend and the son of Mickey Mouse co-creator Ub Iwerks, has died at 96. On July 9 — just days before his 97th birthday — Iwerks died while “surrounded by the love of family and friends,” according to an obituary shared by his family, per Deadline. During his career, Iwerks, the father of documentarian Leslie Iwerks, contributed to countless films and attractions. He became a Disney Legend in 2009, honored as “having made a …
Disney Confirms Death of Legend Tied to Mary Poppins, Don Iwerks
Some of the most unforgettable moments in Disney history were created by people whose names most guests never learned. When visitors step into a theater at EPCOT and find themselves completely surrounded by soaring footage of mountains and coastlines, or when audiences watch Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke dance through an animated countryside in Mary Poppins, they are experiencing the work of engineers who spent their entire careers perfecting …
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