In yet another sign of the demise of the Disney we knew and loved, it’s been announced that John Hench, the top designer for Disneyland and other Disney parks, has died.
Hench began his career with Disney in May 1939 as a sketch artist on “Fantasia”, later working on story editing, layout, and special effects for such classic Disney films as “Dumbo”, “Peter Pan”, and “Cinderella”. He also played a key role in the creation of Disney resorts and theme parks around the world.
When Walt Disney started planning for Disneyland, one of the first artists he enlisted was Hench, who designed such attractions as Disneyland’s Space Mountain.
After Walt Disney’s death in 1966, Hench oversaw the creation of Walt Disney World in Florida in 1971 and the addition of Epcot in 1982. He also helped supervise the design of Disney’s first overseas park, Tokyo Disneyland, which opened in 1983 in Japan, among other projects.
Last year, Hench produced a book about his life and work, “Designing Disney: Imagineering and the Art of the Show,” written with Peggy Van Pelt. The large volume included dozens of Hench’s drawings and paintings.
“John was interest in everything, and on top of that, he was a supreme designer. He had an exquisite aesthetic sense,” Sklar said Thursday. “He was the essence of the Disney brand itself.”
I have John Hench’s design book, and it’s fascinating and enlightening. His attention to the details is astounding, and when you wander through the park, it may be Disney’s land but it’s Hench’s design.
