Every Imagineer brings a little bit of their own magic into the parks—whether through art, engineering, or design. On the art side of the magic formula sits Peter Ellenshaw, a creative who’s work influenced the screen just as much as the park’s first visual representation.
Source: D23
Born in London in 1913, William Samuel Cook “Peter” Ellenshaw spent his entire life developing a love of art. He once recalled art being an escape for him during World War I in England, saying:
My mother put us under the kitchen table while the zeppelins were overhead and gave us pencils and paper to draw with.
As he grew up, his pencil drawings developed into stunning matte paintings. Ellenshaw’s career began with painting for films, working alongside his mentor W. Percy Day on numerous projects. He worked on films for both MGM and Disney – even winning an academy award for his work on Mary Poppins. Walt took notice of Ellenshaw’s ability to create immersive environments in his painting work, and saw the opportunity to bring this talent into his theme park project.
Source: IMDB
Walt needed a holistic map of Disneyland, explaining to the world (and later to park guests) what they would see and experience in the happiest place on earth. This imagery also needed to convey a personality and a style to the park…and Ellenshaw was the perfect artist to create it.
Ellenshaw designed the original map of Disneyland, showcasing the park from an aerial view. This painting is arguably the most famous map of the park ever created, and was featured on the Disneyland television show leading up to the park’s release. Later on, the map also became Disneyland’s first postcard and a widely circulated media image for the park.
Source: Disney Fandom
After retiring from film work, Ellenshaw continued to paint, and his paintings are highly sought after collectibles even today. He officially became a Disney Legend in 1993, and sadly passed away in 2007. But his presence remains inside the park. His window on Main Street sits above the Main Street Photo Supply Co., alongside fellow legends Herbert Ryman and John Hench.
