Walt Disney's Legends of Imagineering and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park [Hardcover]

I have always been a huge Disneyland fan, but only begun delving into the history for the past 2 years, so I would consider myself somewhat of a newbie amongst the die-hards. This book's strength is its encyclopedic all-in-one format (although as Lannie's excellent review points out, there are a few glaring omissions such as Alice Davis), the wonderful photos/illustrations (many are new to me, with a few familiar ones), and the excellent design that is featured throughout. Each chapter features a different skill/talent for the Imagineers, such as:

*The Prototype Imagineers (Harper Goff, Ken Anderson, Herbert Ryman, and Sam McKim)

*The Executive Suite (Richard F. Irvine & Bill Cottrell)

*The Model Shop (Fred Joerger, Harriet Burns, and Wathel Rogers), and many more.

The common thread throughout the book is obviously Walt himself; his talent for putting all of these geniuses together and challenging them to do things they'd never attempted before created the magic that is now Disneyland and WDW. Walt fostered the creative and "can-do" environment that allowed The Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, it's a small world, and the Jungle Cruise to become the beloved attractions that every guest rushes to experience over and over again. To quote Tony Baxter from the book: "I found it interesting to see that when Walt was alive he was able to pull everyone together, and I think that was his great talent: to be able to get everyone to work together in harmony." This quote is in the section of Claude Coats, and refers to the fact that Marc Davis (characters) and Claude Coats (the environment/background) created magic together on Pirates of the Caribbean, even they didn't necessarily get along with each other. Walt put them together and 40 years later, it is still one of the favorite attractions at the parks.

Another issue addressed in the book is how Disney is often bashed for idealizing and whitewashing history, leading to the negative term "Disneyfied." In the section on John Hench, he is quoted as saying "There's order about it, and there're some other kinds of things about it that speak to [the visitors] and where they live. It is reassurance. And it's beyond something that they have to rationalize or think about intellectually. They can just feel this." In the footnote section, another source is quoted as saying "In Manhattan, where the clarion against Disneyfication has recently been sounded, one wonders at the precise cause for alarm. Fears of lost authenticity sound hollow in a city where themed restaurants...have existed since the turn of the century and a favorite museum is a reconstruction of a twelfth-century Spanish cloister."

Each Imagineer is given approximately 2-3 pages; I enjoyed reading not only about what they did for Disney, but learning their background and early information. Blaine Gibson initially refused the invitation to join WED and leave animation, as he felt more than satisfied having sculpting just be a hobby. Once Gibson learned that the job offer was a personal invite from Walt, he changed his mind. It was also nice to note the lack of egos and mutual admiration that the Imagineers have for each other (most attractions were the work of multiple Imagineers, not just one, so it was refreshing that there was no "jockeying for credit." It is somewhat sad to note that many of these legends have passed away (Harriet Burns just recently), but great to know that their work lives on through quality publications such as this one.

I would highly recommend this book as a great addition to your Disney Library.

In my work I'm at Walt Disney World every week, and the more I research it the more impressed I am. It is a place of boundless imagination. After Walt Disney's original vision, the bulk of the creative work has been in the capable hands of the Disney Imagineers. This book profiles 30 of these Disney artists and engineers.

Although you could argue about the list (I'd love to see Mary Blair, but I guess her role wasn't really as an Imagineer) you can't argue with the depth of the research. Within each profile, Kurtti has gathered not only anecdotes, reminiscences and quotes, but also photos and sketches. The best photographs show the Imagineers at work, painting and sculpting and model-making. The conceptual art is the most fun; you can see Bill Martin's conceptual layout for the Peter Pan attraction in Disneyland, and Rolly Crump's concept sketch for the Enchanted Tiki Room.

I do wish more current Imagineers were included, especially the visionary Joe Rohde, the chief architect of Disney's Animal Kingdom. But then again he's not a Legend. Maybe in a sequel, Jeff?

The design of the book is a little loose for my taste, with some clunky typeface choices and layout. Several of the photos are not rectangles, but rather circles or other shapes, and many are reproduced too dark, at least in my copy. But overall the book is an excellent resource -- and makes for fascinating reading -- for any Disney fan.

Jeff Kurtti is also the author of SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN: WALT DISNEY WORLD: THE FIRST 25 YEARS.

Here's the chapter list:
Foreword: Growing Up With Imagineering, by Martin A. Sklar
What is Walt Disney Imagineering?
The First Imagineer: Walt Disney
1. The Prototype Imagineers
* Harper Goff
* Ken Anderson
* Herbert Ryman
* Sam McKim
2. The Executive Suite
* Richard F. Irvine
* Bill Cottrell
3. The Place Makers
* Marvin Davis
* Bill Martin
4. The Story Department
* Marc Davis
* Claude Coats
5. Masters of Mixed Media
* Morgan "Bill" Evans
* Roland "Rolly" Crump
* Yale Gracey
* Blaine Gibson
6. The Model Shop
* Fred Joerger
* Harriet Burns
* Wathel Rogers
7. The Machine Shop
* Roger Broggie
* Bob Gurr
8. The Music Makers
* Richard M. & Robert B. Sherman
* Buddy Baker
* George Bruns
* X Atencio
9. The Unofficial Imagineers
* Ub Iwerks
* Bill Walsh
* James Algar
* Ward Kimball
10. The Renaissance Imagineer
* John Hench

This book is an excellent reference book for the true fan of the early days of Walt Disney's Imagineering and the people who most influenced the way the Disney Theme Parks are so different from any other. Lots of early pictures and stories. Highly recommended for the true Disney Theme Park fan.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 12 reviews  4.8 out of 5 stars