The Disney Channel's Walt Disney Imagineering - Herb Ryman (1989)

In the 1980’s and 90’s "Walt Disney Imagineering" was a segment played on the Disney Channel between programming. These segments were hosted by Eric Boardman or Marnie McPhail. Boardman had been a co-star on Second City and hosted multiple Disney Channel specials of the time while McPhail had been the co-star of the Disney Channel co-production TV series The Edison Twins. This segment showcases Disney Legend Herb Ryman and was filmed only months before he passed away.

Herb Ryman is one of the primary founding fathers of Disneyland. He was the first primary illustrator of the Disneyland that was built. His roots at the Walt Disney Studios go back to the late 1930’s when he was made art director on several of Walt’s animated features. Prior to that, Herb had been an art director for many live action films at MGM where he also worked on the Wizard of Oz.

Herb was one of the artists on the Federal Government Goodwill Tour Walt was sent on that resulted in the Latin American animated features. He left Walt’s studio for several years to work on live action films at 20th Century Fox and for a tour with the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus where he did paintings capturing circus life.

Even though Herb was away from the studio, Walt stayed in touch with him. In 1953 Walt made an urgent call to Herb begging him to help create a prospectus map of Disneyland over a weekend so Walt’s brother Roy could present it to the bankers that Monday morning. The two men worked around the clock developing Disneyland on this piece of art and with it Roy was able to secure the funding to build the park.

Walt immediately hired Herb back at the company where he continued designing Disney theme park attractions until his death in 1989. Among his work included developing Disneyland, the New York City World’s Fair, Walt Disney World, EPCOT Center, Tokyo Disneyland and Euro Disneyland. He was the primary designer of both Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland and Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World.

A foundation was founded in his honor to guide young artist to art school.

Herb Ryman was made a Disney Legend in 1990.

Original airdate 1989

Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.