Editing John Hench (section)

== Career ==
In 1939, Hench started as a [[storyboard artist|story artist]] in the [[Walt Disney Animation Studios|animation department]] working in areas including [[Traditional animation#Backgrounds|backgrounds]], [[Traditional animation#Layout|layout]] and [[Art direction#In film|art direction]], [[Traditional animation#Special effects animation|effects animation]] and [[special effect]]s. Hench was respected by [[Walt Disney]] as one of the studio's most gifted artists and worked him and [[Salvador Dalí]] on the animated short ''[[Destino]]'', a project which began in 1945 and not completed until 2003.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/hollywood/walt-disneys-wild-ride-with-surrealist-salvador-dali-1.1533379|title=Walt Disney's wild ride with surrealist Salvador Dali|website=Gulf News|date=June 11, 2015 |access-date=23 March 2019}}</ref>

Afterwards, he moved to [[Walt Disney Imagineering|WED Enterprises]] (now known as [[Walt Disney Imagineering]]). In 1954, Hench was in the studio's [[Walt Disney Pictures|live action department]], as lead developer of the [[hydraulic]] giant squid in ''[[20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954 film)|20,000 Leagues Under the Sea]].'' The film won an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] for [[Academy Award for Best Visual Effects|Best Special Effects]] in 1954.<ref name=":0" /> Hench was also Disney's official portrait artist of [[Mickey Mouse]], painting the company's portraits for Mickey's 25th, 50th, 60th, 70th, and 75th birthdays.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.designingdisney.com/content/john-hench|title=John Hench|date=March 22, 2012|website=Designing Disney|access-date=23 March 2019}}</ref>

Hench led the design for various attractions: [[Tomorrowland (Disney Parks)|Tomorrowland]], the [[Adventureland (Disney)|Adventureland]] buildings and walkways, [[New Orleans Square]] and the [[Snow White]] Grotto. He also designed [[Space Mountain (Magic Kingdom)|Space Mountain]], and [[Cinderella Castle]] at the [[Magic Kingdom]] and [[Tokyo Disneyland]]. He also contributed to attractions such as the [[Mickey Mouse Revue]], [[Carousel of Progress]] and [[It's a Small World]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-feb-06-me-hench6-story.html|title=John Hench, 95; Disney Artist Helped Design Theme Parks|last=Solomon|first=Charles|date=February 6, 2004|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=21 October 2015|issn=0458-3035}}</ref> Hench was often mistaken as Walt Disney, therefore, theme parks guests would often ask him for an autograph or photo.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.themainstreetmouse.com/2013/03/21/the-minds-who-built-disney-john-hench/|title=The Minds Who Built Disney: John Hench|website=The Main Street Mouse|date=March 21, 2013 |access-date=23 March 2019}}</ref>

One of Hench's most recognizable work is his design for the [[Olympic Torch]] for the [[1960 Winter Olympics]] at [[Squaw Valley, Placer County, California|Squaw Valley]], California, which subsequent torches have been based on.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/john-hench-37978.html|title=John Hench|date=February 12, 2004|website=The Independent|access-date=23 March 2019}}</ref> The design is modeled after the torches of the 1948 and 1956 Olympiads.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalhen.co.uk/news/uk-13424048#content-2012s|title=Digital Hen recycling – Uk 13424048}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waltdisney.org/storyboard/look-closer-olympic-torch|title=Look Closer: The Olympic Torch &#124; the Walt Disney Family Museum|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527212929/http://www.waltdisney.org/storyboard/look-closer-olympic-torch|archive-date=May 27, 2014|url-status=dead|access-date=26 May 2014}}</ref> In 1990, he received the [[Disney Legend]] award, the company's highest honor, presented by then-CEO [[Michael Eisner]]. Hench remained at Walt Disney Imagineering in [[Glendale, California]], until 2004.