Donald Warren "Don" Iwerks is a former Disney executive, a Disney Legend, an Oscar winner, and co-founder of Iwerks Entertainment, along with former Disney executive Stan Kinsey. He is the son of the legendary animator Ub Iwerks (Walt Disney's original business partner and co-creator of Mickey Mouse and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit) and father of documentary film producer Leslie Iwerks.
Career[]
In 1950, Iwerks joined the Disney company in the machine shop as a technician.
In 1954, Iwerks got a camera technician position for the film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, starring Kirk Douglas and Peter Lorre. He would spend the next 30 years driving film innovations for the Disney company. Notable contributions include the first 360 film techniques, 360-degree camera, and first Circle-Vision 360 film America the Beautiful, and developing the process for creating seamless live action shots with animated backgrounds.
In 1985, after nearly 35 years at Disney, Don left to form his own company called Iwerks Entertainment.
In 2009, Don was inducted by Bob Iger and Roy E. Disney as a Disney Legend, honoring him as an individual whose "imagination, talents and dreams have created the Disney magic."