Herbert Ryman

Herbert Dickens Ryman (June 28, 1910 – February 10, 1989) was an artist and Disney Imagineer. Ryman worked in watercolor, oils, and pen & ink sketches.

Early years and education
Ryman was born in Vernon, Illinois, son of Dr. Herbert D. Ryman (1878-1918) and Cora Belle Ryman née: Norris (1876-1963). His family moved to Decatur, IL when he was age 9. While attending Millikin University, he became deathly ill with scarlet fever. His mother was opposed to his artistic ambitions and wanted him to pursue a medical degree. But as his sickness worsened, she told him that he could attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He graduated cum laude in 1932 from the Art Institute of Chicago.

Career
In 1932 Ryman moved to California where he found a job as a storyboard illustrator at Metro-Golden-Mayer Studios. For a period, during Hollywood's "golden age", he was the sole artist and illustrator for MGM Studios. He helped design many major pictures for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and 20th Century Fox including the screen styling of David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities,  Mutiny on the Bounty, and Anna Karenina. After working on "The Good Earth" project he was inspired to leave his job at MGM and tour China where he made many sketches.

In 1938 he returned to California where he met Walt Disney at an exhibit of Ryman's works. Walt was so impressed with the paintings that he invited Herb to join the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank). Herb went on to serve as an art director for such feature-length animated classics as “Fantasia” and “Dumbo”.

On September 23, 1953, upon the personal request of Walt Disney, Ryman completed several drawings which Roy O. Disney took to New York City to show the bankers in order to secure the loan for the original $17 million used to build Disneyland.

Disneyland became the centerpiece of his Disney career. Among his contributions were designs for Main Street, U.S.A., Sleeping Beauty Castle and New Orleans Square. Herb also contributed concepts for the Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, and for attractions featured at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, including Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.

Ryman worked on many special projects at Disney over a five decade span. He was the chief designer of the Cinderella Castle at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Awards and legacy
Ryman was a member of the American Institute of Fine Arts, the Society of Illustrators, and the California Art Club where he was president in 1963. In 1990, Herb Ryman was inducted [posthumously] into the Disney Legends program. His sister, Lucille Carroll, co-founded the Ryman-Carroll Foundation in his memory. In 2000 the Ryman-Carroll Foundation published "A Brush with Disney" a 252 page story of Ryman's life with color illustrations by Ryman (ISBN 978-0964605961).

Personal life
The Ryman family came to the U.S. from Heidelberg, Germany. Ryman's father, Dr. Herbert D. Ryman graduated from Kansas State Medical College, Lawrence, KS in 1907. The U.S. entered WWI in April 1917 and Dr. Ryman join the Army Medical Reserve Corps the following September. He was commissioned a Captain in the Medical Corps 107th Field Artillery 28th Division and sent to the war front in France at his request. On Saturday afternoon, August 17, 1918 he was mortally wounded while ministering to a wounded comrade on the battlefield near St. Gilles, France. Refusing aid, he assisted in rendering and directing the treatment of three other soldiers. Though weakened by loss of blood, he showed utter disregard for his personal danger, refusing to accept treatment until the other wounded had been cared for. He later died at a nearby aid station. For his act of heroism he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

His mother, Cora Belle Norris, was born in Kentucky and was the great-granddaughter of President Zachary Taylor. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Ryman moved Herbert and his two sisters Lucille and Christine to Decatur where she resumed her teaching career. She later was elected Superintendent of the Macon County Schools where she served for 16 years. Herbert Ryman died in Los Angeles, CA on February 10, 1989 at the age of 78, 16 days after the death of his oldest sister Christine Pensinger (1903-1989).

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

 * David Copperfield, storyboard
 * Mutiny on the Bounty, storyboard
 * Anna Karenina, storyboard
 * A Tale of Two Cities, storyboard
 * The Good Earth, storyboard

Walt Disney Productions

 * Fantasia, Pastoral Symphony sequence
 * Dumbo
 * Saludos Amigos
 * The Three Caballeros

Disney theme park attractions
Herbert Ryman drew many sketches and preparatory drawings for several Disney theme parks including:

The original attractions at Disneyland

 * Sleeping Beauty Castle
 * Main Street, USA
 * Jungle Cruise
 * Pirates of the Caribbean

The attractions of the 1964 New York World's Fair

 * GE Carousel of Progress
 * Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln
 * It's a Small World
 * Ford Magic Skyway

The attractions at Disney World

 * Hall of Presidents

for EPCOT

 * The American Adventure
 * the China Pavilion of the World Showcase

The attractions at Tokyo Disneyland

 * Meet the World