Biography
An employee of The Walt Disney Company for over 65 years, Hench witnessed the creation of nearly every Disney animated feature and theme park. Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he studied at various art and creative schools nationwide, including the Art Students League of New York, Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Art Institute, and the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles. Beginning his career in 1939 as a story artist, Hench progressed through the animation department, working in backgrounds, layout and art direction, effects animation, and special effects. Walt Disney regarded him as one of the studio's most talented artists and paired him with Salvador Dalí on the animated short Destino, a project started in 1945 but not completed and released until 2003. Hench also served as Disney's official portrait artist for Mickey Mouse, creating portraits for Mickey’s 25th, 50th, 60th, 70th, and 75th anniversaries. By 1954, Hench had moved to the live-action department as the lead developer of the hydraulic giant squid in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, contributing to the film’s Academy Award for Best Special Effects. Afterwards, he joined WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering) to design attractions for Disneyland. Hench designed many iconic features for Disney theme parks, including Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland, Space Mountain, and contributed to attractions like the Mickey Mouse Revue. Due to his resemblance to Walt Disney and frequent visits to Disney parks, visitors often mistook Hench for Disney himself, asking for autographs and photos.
