John Hench: Celebrating All the Colors of His Rainbow
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As Marty Sklar made his way to the stage to introduce the next trio of speakers, laughter rang out. He was dressed as a “swami,�? complete with plumed turban. He explained that Imagineers Orlando Ferrante, Kim Irvine and Julie Svendsen would be talking about John Hench and palm reading. Ferrante claimed that he agreed to appear “only if Kim and Julie were with me.�? He spoke warmly of long plane trips with John Hench, and how every stewardess on the flight would eventually stop by to have him read their palms. Orlando Ferrante finished his tribute by saying, “John was more that a co-worker, he was a good friend.�?
Orlando Ferrante receiving his Disney Legend Award in October of 2003
Kim Irvine admitted, “John only read my palm once.�? She said he told her, “You have an active imagination. You better stay in a creative field or you might go crazy!�? She said that Hench taught her principles that came straight from Walt Disney and Herbert Ryman. She stated, “I do believe that Walt and Herbie and Mary Blair and all the others rejoiced when you joined them the other day. I am sure you have a lot of projects to do up there.�?
Julie Svendsen admitted that, although his predictions for her were off the mark, “holding hands with John wasn’t half bad.�? She then spoke fondly of a recent project: the design of a special quilt for use in the Disneyland Hotel guest rooms. She concluded, “I am truly fortunate to have had so many years with John Hench.�?
Marty Sklar then related his own story about John Hench and palm reading. It seems they were in the Dearborn Inn (or “Menopause Manor,�? as Hench called it). A group of pleasant older women were being entertained by John’s palm reading, when he facetiously informed one that he could see that she was having an affair—with a man other than her husband. He was then surprised when she asked, in shock, “How did you know?�?
As the laughter subsided, Sklar announced that 27 Imagineers had been recognized as Disney Legends. He then brought forward two of them, Harriet Burns and Blaine Gibson. Burns, who had worked with Hench in the original WED Model Shop said, “We all knew John as a rare gem, with many facets.�? She told how he would share amusing stories about working with Salvador Dali. She concluded, “We raise a glass to John and say bon voyage!�?
Disney Legend Harriet Burns
Sculptor Blaine Gibson referred to John Hench as “the resident philosopher at Imagineering,�? adding that his “almost infallible sense of taste�? was WDI’s security blanket. He described the creation of the Partner’s statue, which he ultimately sculpted. Gibson’s original design called for Mickey to hold an ice cream cone in his left hand. Concerned that other vendors might feel slighted, it was John Hench who suggested that Mickey’s hand be placed on his hip. Gibson also related about the creation of the Roy Disney sculpture for the Magic Kingdom, and that it was Hench’s suggestion to place Minnie Mouse on the bench with him. “John not only did the big things, the big concepts,�? marveled Gibson, “but the little things that sometimes made the difference. It was the ability to go from the big things to the little things that made all our lives easier. Thank you, John.�?
Blaine Gibson and Walt Disney examine Abraham Lincoln’s life mask.
As he watched the two Legends leave the stage, Marty mentioned spending an evening listening to Blaine Gibson and John Hench discuss a detail of the Partner’s statue. He was astonished at how the two of them could spend so much time on a single detail: the joining of Walt’s hand with five fingers to Mickey’s hand with four.
Jose Deetjen at the Walt Disney Studios
The next speaker was Jose Deetjen, former Vice President of Tax Administration, and Counsel. He was there to share about Hench’s wife Lowry. Since she handled the accounting for the couple, he was well acquainted with her. He began by saying, “You have heard a lot of wonderful stories about John. But I want to tell you about his wonderful wife Lowry, the gold in his rainbow.�? Married since January 22, 1938, she was an accountant for Helm’s Bakeries for many years. In 1992, she worked with Deetjen on the establishment of the John Hench Foundation. “Even death could not separate them,�? said Deetjen. “Only 13 days after he passed away, Lowry followed him.�?