Wathel Lawson Rogers was an American sculptor, model maker, and animator for Disney, who was among many Imagineers responsible for many of the rides and attractions of Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort, such as The Enchanted Tiki Room and The Hall of Presidents.
Born on June 29, 1919, in Stratton, Colorado to Everett Samuel Rogers (1893–1986) and Mary Alice Hutton (1894–1954) and showed an interest in sculpting as a boy, making his own toys out of household items and scrap material. In 1937, he entered Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles and joined Disney in 1939. He worked as an assistant animator before becoming a full-time animator on films, such as Pinocchio and Bambi. Shortly after Bambi's release, Rogers enlisted in the Marine Corps and served as a staff sergeant during World War II.
After the war, he returned to Disney's Animation Department, where he contributed features in development, such as Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. However, by 1951, Walt Disney noticed his sculpting talents and soon assigned him to Project Little Man with Roger Broggie where they experimented with prototypes for Audio-Animatronics® technology which earned Rogers the nickname "Mr. Audio-Animatronics". Using Buddy Ebsen as model, the duo studied his song and dance movements to mimic real-life movements for their new creation. Rogers would also create props and miniatures for live-action projects, such as Darby O'Gill and the Little People, The Absent-Minded Professor, Mickey Mouse Club, Zorro, and episodes from the Disney anthology show, such as "Mars and Beyond" and "Man and the Moon".
In 1954, Rogers, along with Harriet Burns and Fred Joerger, were tasked with modeling and sculpting the designs for Disneyland's attractions along with other productions. This became known as the WED Model Shop. By the 1960s, Rogers and the other Imagineers continued to pioneer new technology for park attractions which led to the development of Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, and The American Adventure at Epcot Center, where he helped create the first "walking" Audio-Animatronics® figure, Benjamin Franklin.
In 1987, Wathel Rogers retired from company and was named a Disney Legend in 1995. Rogers died at his Arizona home in 2000.
Filmography[]
| Year | Film | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | Pinocchio | Animator |
| 1942 | Bambi | Animator |
| 1950 | Cinderella | Animator |
| 1951 | Alice in Wonderland | Animator |
| 1953 | Peter Pan | Animator |
| 1955-1959 | Mickey Mouse Club | Props and design |
| 1955 | Lady and the Tramp | Animator |
| 1957-1959 | Zorro | Props and design |
| 1959 | Sleeping Beauty | Animator |
| 1959 | Darby O'Gill and the Little People | Props and design |
| 1961 | The Absent-Minded Professor | Props and design |
Gallery[]
