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The Ryman Centennial: Walt’s Elephants

This is a fun story that I’ve been holding on to for a while; thankfully, our recent discussion of Disney legend Herbert Ryman presents the perfect opportunity to print it. The following tale was presented in the May 14th, 1982 edition of the WED-MAPO Imaginews, an internal publication for Disney Imagineers.

Walt’s Elephants Are […]

The Ryman Centennial: Working With Herb

As part of our look back at the life of Disney artist Herbert Ryman, I’ve asked a few people who knew Herb to say a few words about his work or about working with him. After all, isn’t it better to hear from people who were actually there?

The artist at work at Walt Disney […]

The Ryman Centennial: Herb And El Grupo

Herb Ryman greets a papagaio who will soon become famous – Rio de Janiero, 1941 (LIFE photo)

When young Herb Ryman, frazzled from the Hollywood grind and frustrated by his lack of worldly knowledge, decided to see the world, he did it right – with a circumglobal cruise that took him to many exotic ports […]

The Ryman Centennial: In The Beginning…

Portrait of the Artist as a (Very) Young Man

From the day of his birth, 100 years ago today in Vernon, Illinois, Herbert Ryman was never meant to be an artist. It was simply an impractical concept; after all, starving artists never found gainful employment! It would have been far more respectable to follow in […]

The Ryman Centennial: June 28th, 1910

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Herbert Dickens Ryman, an artist who went on to become one of the best-known Imagineers in the Disney pantheon. As we mentioned earlier this month, we’re going to take this opportunity to look back at his life and career, so for the next week we’re […]