Oscar-winning Visual Effects Pioneer Peter Ellenshaw Dead at 93

Posted on February 16, 2007

Peter Ellenshaw, the legendary Oscar-winning visual effects pioneer has died at the age of 93. Ellenshaw was also a matte artist who created the look for numerous classic live action Disney films, such as Mary Poppins, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Darby O'Gill and the Little People, Treasure Island, and The Black Hole. He created many of the visual effects for Disney films and painted the iconic first map of Disneyland that was featured on all the early postcards and souvenir booklets. Ellenshaw began his association with Walt Disney in 1947 with Treasure Island (1950), and continued working there until his retirement in 1979 following The Black Hole.

Roy E. Disney said in a statement, "Peter was a Disney legend in every sense of the word and played a vital role in the creation of many of the Studio's greatest live-action films from the very beginning. He was a brilliant and innovative visual effects pioneer who was able to consistently please my Uncle Walt, and push the boundaries of the medium to fantastic new heights. From his incredibly beautiful and effective matte paintings for films like 'Mary Poppins,' 'Treasure Island,' and '20,000 Leagues...,' to his landmark painting of the iconic Disneyland map, he was a true master of his art. Outside of the Studio, he was a fantastic painter in his own right, and I always loved his Irish paintings and felt that he did the best seascapes in the world."

Ellenshaw began his film career in the early 1930s, when he apprenticed for visual effects pioneer W. Percy (Pop) Day, O.B.E. He worked on such productions as Things to Come, Rembrandt, Elephant Boy, Sixty Glorious Years, A Matter of Life and Death and Black Narcissus. After a stint as a pilot in the RAF during World War II, Ellenshaw created matte paintings for MGM's Quo Vadis. In 1947, his work caught the attention of an art director for the Walt Disney Studios. Disney was in the pre-planning stages of his very first live-action film, Treasure Island and the art director inquired if Ellenshaw would be interested in the project. This was the start of a professional collaboration and friendship with Walt Disney that would span over 30 years and 34 films.

He worked on everything from Tron (we love that movie) to Star Wars: Episodes IV and V and really loved his work. What a fascinating career he had: to do something one loves one's entire life is truly a gift.