Donald Iwerks, son of Mickey Mouse co-creator Ub Iwerks, whose groundbreaking innovations transformed cinematic storytelling and immersive entertainment, died on July 9. He was 96 years old.

Iwerks spent more than six decades on projects for The Walt Disney Company, along with his own studio, Iwerks Entertainment. Don pioneered innovations in projection technology, 3D and large-format cinema, and immersive attractions that changed the way audiences experience stories.

Among its innovations are the pioneering Circle-Vision films and the 3D camera system for “Captain
EO” to big-screen theaters and motion simulator attractions, his work helped shape the future of location-based entertainment while inspiring generations of filmmakers, imagineers and inventors.

To fans, Iwerks was known as the model for the hands of the Abraham Lincoln Audio-Animatronics figure in Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland.

Those original hand molds became a standard for Disney’s Audio-Animatronics figures, earning the nickname “Iwerks Hands” and appearing on many similar figures at Disney parks around the world.

In a statement to Variety, Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro said: “Don embodied that rare combination of heart, wit and passion that has always defined Disney. 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. “He will be deeply missed by all of us at The Walt Disney Company and send our deepest condolences to his family, whose enduring connection to Disney has helped shape his legacy for more than a century.”

Born on July 24, 1929, Iwerks grew up in Southern California in a family where imagination and invention were woven into everyday life. As the eldest son of Disney legend Ub Iwerks and Mildred Iwerks, he inherited his father’s inventive spirit.

In 1952, he moved to the famous Studio Machine Shop. There, working alongside his father, the self-taught engineer helped develop cameras, optical printers, special effects systems and innovations that would shape Disney films, attractions and theme parks for generations, from the original Circle-Vision camera system, improvements to the sodium moving matte process used in “Mary Poppins” and numerous projection technologies for Disney attractions around the world.

He co-founded Iwerks Entertainment with former Disney executive Stan Kinsey. Under his technical leadership, the company became a global pioneer in big-screen theaters, motion simulators and immersive 3D experiences installed in nearly 300 locations in 38 countries, introducing millions of people to new ways to experience stories.

His work earned him the Gordon E. Sawyer honorary Oscar from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, an Academy Scientific and Technical Award, the Themed Entertainment Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and recognition as a Disney Legend in 2009. He and his father were also honored with a window dedicated to Main Street, USA at the Magic Kingdom in
Walt Disney World Resort, celebrating their lasting contributions to Disney innovation and storytelling.

In 2007, Diane Disney Miller entrusted him with restoring many of Disney’s historic camera systems for display at the Walt Disney Family Museum, including the Multiplane camera, the original Circle-Vision
camera equipment, the underwater cameras from “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” and the optical printer and Technicolor camera used to combine live action and animation in
“Mary Poppins.”

At age 90, he wrote the biography “Walt Disney’s Ultimate Inventor: The Genius of Ub Iwerks,” published by Disney Editions in 2019, preserving his father’s legacy as co-creator of Mickey Mouse and one of the greatest technical innovators in film history.

Iwerks is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Betty; his sons, Larry, John and his wife Chris, and his daughter, Leslie and his great nephew Mike.