Disney Legend Dead at 96

Donald Iwerks, a pioneer in cinematic storytelling and immersive entertainment for Disney, died on July 9 at the age of 96.

Iwerks developed the 360-degree Circle-Vision used in Circarama U.S.A, an attraction at Disneyland's Tomorrowland that opened in 1955. He also worked on the creation of specialized cameras and optical printers used in Mary Poppins.

Iwerks was also known as the model for the hands of the Abraham Lincoln audio-animatronic at Disneyland. The hand casts were soon used on other animatronics that have appeared in Disney parks around the world.

"Don embodied that rare combination of heart, ingenuity, and passion that has always defined Disney," Josh D'Amaro, Disney's CEO, said in a statement to Variety. "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 deeply, and we send our most heartfelt condolences to his family, whose enduring connection to Disney has helped shape its legacy for over a century."

According to an obituary shared by his family, Iwerks died at the Ojai Community Memorial Care Center, "surrounded by the love of family and friends."

"Those who knew Don remember not only his extraordinary accomplishments, but the quiet grace with which he achieved them," Iwerks' family shared. "Like his father, he delighted in solving problems, sharing knowledge, and celebrating the successes of others. Humble, endlessly curious, and unfailingly optimistic, he believed every challenge held the possibility of a solution."

They added that up until the end of his life, Iwerks was still sketching new inventions.

"To the world, Don was an engineer, inventor, and Disney Legend," the family said. "To those fortunate enough to know him, he was a devoted husband and father, a trusted mentor, a steadfast friend, and an eternal optimist."

In 2009, Iwerks was named a Disney Legend at the company's annual D23 Expo. In 1997, he received the Gordon E. Sawyer Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Board of Governors.

Find D23's statement on Iwerks here.

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This story was originally published July 11, 2026 at 3:27 PM.