John Hench (June 29, 1908 – February 5, 2004) was an employee of The Walt Disney Company for more than 65 years, during which saw the creation of nearly every Disney animated feature and theme park.Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Hench attended numerous art and creative schools across the country, including the Art Students League of New York, the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Art Institute in San Francisco, and the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles.Starting in 1939 as a story artist, he weaved his way through the animation department working in areas including backgrounds, layout and art direction, effects animation and special effects. Hench was respected by Walt Disney as one of the studio's most gifted artists and teamed him with Salvador Dalí on the animated short Destino, a project begun in 1945 that was not completed and released until 2003. Hench was also Disney's "official portrait artist" of Mickey Mouse, painting the company's portraits for Mickey's 25th, 50th, 60th, 70th, and 75th birthdays.By 1954, Hench was in the studio's live action department, as lead developer of the hydraulic giant squid in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, helping to win an Academy Award for Best Special Effects for the film.Afterward, he moved to WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering), to design attractions for Disneyland. Hench went on to design many iconic elements for Disney's theme parks, including Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland, Space Mountain, and contributed to attractions such as the Mickey Mouse Revue.Because of his resemblance to Walt Disney and his frequent visits to Disney theme parks, he was often asked to sign autographs and pose for pictures with park visitors who mistook Hench for Disney himself.One of Hench's most recognizable works is his design for the Olympic Torch for the 1960 Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley, California, modeled after the torches of the 1948 and 1956 Olympiads. After realising that the 52 cm tall torch wasn't stable when filled with fuel, he made it slightly smaller in height and added black tape to the top part of the shaft, as it was easier for the runners to pass the torch when held near the top. In an interview, one runner mentioned that carrying the torch under the bowl made more sense than at the distal length. "It swung too much and was in your face. A short grasp was expedient!"Hench and his wife were longtime devotees of the Hindu saint Ramakrishna and members of the Vedanta Society of Southern California.In 1990, he received the Disney Legend award, the company's highest honor, presented to him by Michael Eisner.Hench continued to maintain an office at Walt Disney Imagineering headquarters in Glendale, California and worked there daily up until a few weeks before his death. His name tag and 65-year service award are prominently displayed in the building's lobby, and tributes by fellow Imagineers line its hallways.Hench died of heart f
Animation Department, Visual Effects, Art Department
Education
San Francisco Art Institute
Nationality
American
Spouse
Lowry Hench
Movies
Destino
Star Sign
Cancer
#
Fact
1
He grew up in southern California, and studied at the California School of Fine Arts.
2
At Disney, he started out as a sketch artist on "Fantasia", later moving on to story editing, layout, and special effects for "Peter Pan" and "Cinderella".
3
In 1946, surrealist Salvador Dali agreed to collaborate with Disney on a cartoon. Disney assigned Hench to the project. Since Dali spoke no English at the time, he and Hench conversed in French. The unfinished six-minute cartoon was shelved until the 1990s, when the Disney studios decided to finish the project. Hench helped complete the cartoon, "Destino". It premiered at the 2003 New York Film Festival.
4
Was the official portrait painter of Mickey Mouse.
5
Given lifetime achievement award by the Themed Entertainment Association (THEA) [September 1998]
6
Named a "Disney Legend"; besides his film work, he did a lot of architectural design for the theme parks and hotels. [1990]
Animation Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
Clair de Lune
2000
Short background artist
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
TV Series animation art styling - 1 episode, 1957 layout artist - 1 episode, 1955
The Alaskan Eskimo
1953
Documentary short animator
Peter Pan
1953
color and styling
Alice in Wonderland
1951
color and styling
Cinderella
1950
color and styling
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
1949
color and styling
So Dear to My Heart
1948
cartoon art treatment
Melody Time
1948
layout artist - uncredited
Fun & Fancy Free
1947
layout
Blue Bayou
1946
Short background artist
The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met
1946
Short layout artist
The Three Caballeros
1944
layout artist
Dumbo
1941
backgrounds
Fantasia
1940
background artist - segments "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor", "The Nutcracker Suite"
Visual Effects
Title
Year
Status
Character
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
1957
TV Series animation effects - 1 episode
The Living Desert
1953
Documentary animation effects
Prowlers of the Everglades
1953
Documentary short animation effects
Water Birds
1952
Documentary short animation effects
The Olympic Elk
1952
Documentary short animation effects
Nature's Half Acre
1951
Documentary short animation effects
Art Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
Donald in Mathmagic Land
1959
Short styling
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
1955
TV Series special art work - 1 episode
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
1954
production illustrator - uncredited
Make Mine Music
1946
art supervisor
Special Effects
Title
Year
Status
Character
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
1954
special effects
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
1954
TV Series special effects - 1 episode
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Destino
2003
Short story
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
A Conversation with John Hench
2004
Video documentary short special thanks
The Making of '20000 Leagues Under the Sea'
2003
Video documentary special thanks
Walt: The Man Behind the Myth
2001
TV Movie documentary grateful acknowledgment
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
A Conversation with John Hench
2004
Video documentary short
Himself
The Making of '20000 Leagues Under the Sea'
2003
Video documentary
Himself - Senior Vice President, Creative Department
Walt: The Man Behind the Myth
2001
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story
1999
Documentary
Himself
The Wonderful World of Disney: 40 Years of Television Magic
1994
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Disney Family Album
1984
TV Series documentary
Himself
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
1964-1965
TV Series
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Dali & Disney: A Date with Destino
2010
Video documentary
Himself
Disneyland: Secrets, Stories, & Magic
2007
Video documentary
Himself - Former Chief Creative Executive, Walt Disney Imagineering