Ever heard of Ubbe Ert Iwerks?
Probably not, yet a large measure of the success of the behemoth Disney organization’s early achievements belongs to him.
An artist and animator just like Walt Disney, Ub, as he was known, was a key part of the Burbank Mouse House organization from 1923 to 1930, left for a decade and then returned to Disney from 1940 to 1964, a total of 31 years.
Iwerks and Disney met while both were working at the Pesmen-Rubin Art Studio in Kansas City. Iwerks was just nine months older than Disney and the relationship they struck up lasted for decades. They went into the cartoon and animation business together, but their fledgling firm’s bankruptcy led to Disney relocating to Los Angeles in 1923.
While you would never know it, since the near-deification of Walt Disney by the company’s publicity machine leaves little room for others to stand in the spotlight (and that was one of the major causes of the studio’s cartoonists’ bitter strike in 1941), Iwerks was nearly as responsible for the creative and technical achievements of the company as Walt himself.
To prove the point, a few of Iwerks achievements: He refined the look of Mickey Mouse, based on Disney’s initial sketch and developed Oswald the Lucky Rabbit with Walt; much of the animation for the early Silly Symphony cartoons, which included Steamboat Willie and several others; and was responsible for much of the technical advancements in animation.
In January 1930, he and Walt had a disagreement. Some biographers say it was over the issue of who received credit for what creations, but in any event, Iwerks set up his own firm, and provided services for MGM, Screen Gems, and others.
He returned to Disney in 1940 and stayed there until his retirement, but the closeness of the early relationship was never rekindled.
Some of his activities during that 24-year stint included much of the animation for 1946’s Song of the South, technical advances used in such films as 101 Dalmatians (1961), the matte system for the “Feed the Birds” sequence in Mary Poppins (1964) and he developed a number of attractions for the Disney theme parks. His last Disney contribution was to the Hall of Presidents attraction at Disney World in Florida.
It’s not as if the Disney organization totally ignored Iwerks’ substantial contributions to its success; he was posthumously made a Disney Legend in 1989; was honored with three Academy Awards nominations and one Academy Award, and other honors.
Iwerks died at the age of 70, successful as an animator, cartoonist, film producer, inventor, and special effects technician. The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story, a documentary film, was released in 1999, followed by a book written by Iwerks.
But the truth of the matter is that – to a large degree – Ub Iwerks has never received all the credit he deserves as one of the creative pillars upon which the Disney organization rests.
Martin Cooper, President of Cooper Communications, supervised public relations for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for 10 years; held executive positions with Disney and Universal Studios; and was Board Chairman of the UCLA Film & Television Archive. He is currently researching his next book, The ‘Reel’ Hollywood: The San Fernando Valley, the history of motion pictures in the Valley.
