John Hench
Birth dateJune 29, 1908
Birth placeCedar Rapids, Iowa, U.S.
Death dateFebruary 5, 2004 (aged 95)
Death placeBurbank, California, U.S.
OccupationArtist, designer, director
Years active1939–2004
SpouseLowry Hench (m. 1939)
EmployerWalt Disney Imagineering

John Hench (June 29, 1908 – February 5, 2004) was an American artist, designer and director at the Walt Disney Company. For 65 years, he helped design and develop various Disney attractions and theme parks.[1]

Early life

Hench was born on June 29, 1908, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and raised in Southern California. He attended the Los Angeles Art Students' League. Hench attended further art and creative schools in the United States, including the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles,[2] the San Francisco Art Institute in San Francisco, and the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles.[3]

Career

In 1939, Hench started as a story artist in 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 worked him and Salvador Dalí on the animated short Destino, a project which began in 1945 and was not completed until 2003.[4]

Afterwards, he moved to WED Enterprises (now known as Walt Disney Imagineering). In 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. The film won an Academy Award for Best Special Effects in 1954.[3] 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.[5]

Hench led the design for various attractions: Tomorrowland, the Adventureland buildings and walkways, New Orleans Square and the Snow White Grotto. He also designed Space Mountain, and Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland. He also contributed to attractions such as the Mickey Mouse Revue, Carousel of Progress and It's a Small World.[6] Hench was often mistaken as Walt Disney, therefore, theme parks guests would often ask him for an autograph or photo.[7]

One of Hench's most recognizable work is his design for the Olympic Torch for the 1960 Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley, California, which subsequent torches have been based on.[8] The design is modeled after the torches of the 1948 and 1956 Olympiads.[9][10] In 1990, he received the Disney Legend award, the company's highest honor, presented by then-CEO Michael Eisner. Hench remained at Walt Disney Imagineering in Glendale, California, until 2004.

Personal life

Hench and his wife were longtime devotees of the Hindu saint Ramakrishna, were initiated by Swami Prabhavananda, and were members of the Vedanta Society of Southern California, Hench serving as the society's board president for a short time.[11][12]

Death and legacy

Hench died of heart failure on February 5, 2004, after a brief hospitalization in Burbank, California.[13]

The John Hench School of Animation at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts in Los Angeles, California is named in his honor. He was a major contributor to the animation school. The school motto, "Art Makes Us Human", is a quote from Hench when he visited the school to inspire students.

Selected works

Animation
YearTitleRole
1940FantasiaArtist
1941Dumbo
1945The Three Caballeros
1946Make Mine MusicArt Supervisor
1947Fun & Fancy FreeArtist
1949The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. ToadArt Supervisor
So Dear to My HeartAnimation Effects
1950CinderellaArt Supervisor
1951Alice in Wonderland
1953Peter Pan
True-Life Adventure The Living DesertAnimation Effects
195420,000 Leagues Under the SeaSpecial Effects
1957Our Friend the AtomArt Supervisor
1977The Many Adventures of Winnie the PoohSpecial Effects
2003DestinoStory
Architect / Designer
YearAttraction
–Disneyland Tomorrowland
1971Walt Disney World
1982EPCOT Center
1983Tokyo Disneyland

Awards

Further reading

  • Ghez, Didier, Walt's People Volume 1: Talking Disney with the Artists Who Knew Him, Theme Park Press, 2005.
  • Hench, John, Designing Disney: Imagineering and the Art of the Show, Disney Editions, 2003 Hardback/2009 Paperback.
  • Kurtti, Jeff, Walt Disney's Imagineering Legends and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park, Disney Editions, 2008.
  • Hench, John & Van Pelt, Peggy (2003). Designing Disney: Imagineering and the Art of the Show. Disney Editions. ISBN 0-7868-5406-5.

References

  1. ^ "John Hench". D23.
  2. ^ "John Hench". Otis College of Art and Design. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  3. ^ Holland, Steve (February 13, 2004). "Obituary: John Hench". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  4. ^ "Walt Disney's wild ride with surrealist Salvador Dali". Gulf News. June 11, 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  5. ^ "John Hench". Designing Disney. March 22, 2012. Archived from the original on March 23, 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  6. ^ Solomon, Charles (February 6, 2004). "John Hench, 95; Disney Artist Helped Design Theme Parks". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  7. ^ "The Minds Who Built Disney: John Hench". The Main Street Mouse. March 21, 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  8. ^ "John Hench". The Independent. February 12, 2004. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  9. ^ "Digital Hen recycling – Uk 13424048"
  10. ^ "Look Closer: The Olympic Torch | the Walt Disney Family Museum". Archived from the original on May 27, 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  11. ^ Schindler, William (February 13, 2016). God's Dog:Memories, Confessions, Dreams & Revelations of a Modern Mystic. lulu.com. ISBN 9781329901131.
  12. ^ Stavig, Gopal. "Ramakrishna-Vedanta in Southern California: From Swami Vivekananda to the Present". vedantawritings.com.
  13. ^ "Disney Legend John Hench Dies"
  14. ^ "Thea Recipients | Themed Entertainment Association (TEA)". Archived from the original on May 2, 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  15. ^ "Walt Disney Studios Wins Special Effects: 1955 Oscars – YouTube". YouTube