Archives

Contribute to Our Research

That Mighty Microscope…

Ryman sketch for Adventures Thru Inner Space

In my most recent piece about Imagineer Herb Ryman, I mentioned how Ryman initially designed the “Mighty Microscope” of Monsanto’s Adventures Thru Inner Space to resemble an antique microscope that had belonged to his father. Ryman’s father, also named Herbert, had served as a local doctor before dying […]

The Ryman Centennial: The Phone Call

Walt Disney displays a number of concept art pieces for Disneyland, all created by Herbert Ryman

“Hello?”

“Hi Herb, it’s Bill Cottrell. We’re over at the Studio working on something and Walt wants to talk to you.”

“Well, OK…”

“Hiya Herbie, it’s Walt!”

“Well hi, Walt, how are you?”

“Fine, Herb, fine. Now listen. I’m […]

The Ryman Centennial: An Intermission With Herb

As we take a brief intermission before we start looking at Disney artist Herbert Ryman’s contributions to Imagineering – contributions that would occupy the last thirty-some years of his life – perhaps it would be nice to hear, for the first time, from the man himself. Author John Donaldson has uploaded this video, which originally […]

The Ryman Centennial: Herbie Ryman, Or Two Years With A Circus

Herb Ryman with one of his paintings of the circus, 1953

It seems so strange today how great a hold the circus held on the psyche of young Americans in the last century. For Herb Ryman, it was no different; he, too, was drawn to the romance of sawdust and greasepaint and the open road. […]

The Ryman Centennial: Herb Ryman And The Myth Of Walt Disney

If you’re reading this site, then Jeff Kurtti will probably need little introduction. Disney fans like myself will most likely have an entire shelf filled with books that Jeff has authored, magazines with articles he has written, and DVDs that he has produced.

Jeff worked with Walt Disney Imagineering from 1987-1995, after which he became […]