In the era of Disney blogs, podcasts, and YouTube channels, fans have access to more behind-the-scenes information than ever before. I’m loving the newfound excitement around celebrating Imagineering and celebrating contributions of particular Imagineers, which is why I started this “Imagineer Influence” series. Unfortunately, there are still tons of amazingly talented people that remain in the shadows, never quite getting the attention they deserve. Today’s spotlight is on one of those people: Tania McKnight Norris.
Source: Disney Dining
Norris was born in Scotland, and lived in London and Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia) before relocating to Los Angeles in 1963. Her work as an interior designer in the UK came in handy when she heard about a job for some design project for a local company.
I did my training in London as an interior designer. When I came here [in 1963], I brought some antique lamps and planned to start a company. I’d always been interested in antiques, so I made friends with antique dealers. One day, one of the dealers called and said she heard of a job. I said, ‘forget it,’ but she said, ‘this is with Disney and they have a project themed to the late 1800s in New Orleans,’ so I made an interview – I wasn’t really interested, but I was curious.
And with that, Norris officially joined WED Enterprises (later Walt Disney Imagineering) in 1964 as an interior designer. She helped shape the look and feel of New Orleans Square, and was part of the team that designed the iconic purple Haunted Mansion wallpaper.
Source: Tom K. Morris
Because she has not had much time in the spotlight, it’s hard to find definitive lists of her contributions. But Norris worked on at least the following during her time with Disney:
- Haunted Mansion interiors (including Club 33)
- New Orleans Square concepting & interior design
- Walt Disney World concepting (though I can’t find much detail on specifics)
- Molds of her hands used for attraction animatronics, including the Carousel of Progress and Pirates of the Caribbean
[All of] New Orleans Square was very satisfying because we were doing something totally different. It was one of the only parts of Disneyland that wasn’t mostly fantasy; it was based on something real, and we all went to New Orleans to do the research. We actually bought furniture there, we bought pieces of metal that could be replicated for the balconies. I did all of the colors for the exteriors, lamps, everything out there, so even though I wouldn’t be nearly as well-known [without the purple wallpaper], to me the greatest satisfaction would be my work on New Orleans Square, even though they’ve changed parts of it over the decades.
Norris left Disney in the 70s, working as a project designer for the RMS Queen Mary before relocating to central California and opening an antique shop. Always a multitasker, Norris also anchored a weekly radio show about antiques and participated in antique shows throughout the United States while running her shop.
Sadly, Norris is the first Imagineer I’ve written about that does not have a window on Main Street. My sincere hope is that she gets more recognition for her work going forward; roles like interior design and concepting are so important to the storytelling of Disneyland and its spaces. So the next time you wander New Orleans Square, take a second to think about how much work went into every square inch!
Source: Eddie Sotto