Ub Iwerks was born in Kansas City, Missouri on March 24, 1901 to his Dutch-American parents. When he turned 14, his father abandoned his family and left Ub to support his mother. Ub went from childhood to a supporting roll very quickly. Ub never spoke to his father again, but it was thought that he secretly idealized him. Ub inherited his father's art skills, which got him to what we know him as today. Nonetheless, when his father passed away Ub seemed indifferent.
Ub was forced to find a job to support his family and found one at Pesmen-Rubin Commercial Art Studio where he quickly became the lead letter man. Once he turned 19 a boy Walt Disney was hired and they automatically became friends and soon business partners. Not long after they met, they started their own business Iwerks-Disney Studio Commercial Artists, which only lasted a month before they shut it down. They did not give up on their dreams and got jobs at Kansas Slide Show Company. After a while of that, Disney made his own company Laugh-O-Grams in 1922 and Ub joined as chief manager. They thought they had it good with their employees and a good camera, but they lacked customers and went bankrupt.
Two years later the pair moved to Hollywood to live with Disney’s brother, where Ub drew the first sketch of Mickey, and the journey began.
Ub opened his own business Iwerks Studio in 1930.
Iwerks was known for his creativity, innovation, and skill. Once Ub was no longer faced with a challenge, he quit. One time he dismantled and reassembled his car in one weekend. He took up bowling and once he had bowled a perfect score of 300, he quit. He got really involved in archery, but got tired of getting bull's eyes and quit that too. Ub would stay after work at the studios and draw animation shorts in secret. During the day he would cover his art with an alternate drawing so no one could see his secret projects.
In 1940 Ub rejoined Disney Studio and Walt gave his old friend free reign to any department he wanted. Iwerks went straight for special effects techniques. He was revolutionary, and completely changed the way animation worked. He made a multiplane camera out of scrap metal and car parts. In 1965 in won an Oscar for his effects in the movie Mary Poppins. He won two Academy Awards for his improved optical printer and his perfection of color traveling matte photography.
He died on July 7, 1971 in Burbank California.
Sources: https://d23.com/walt-disney-legend/ub-iwerks/
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/disney/5-reasons-why-mickey-mouse-co-creator-ub-iwerks-is-awesome-81999.html
http://www.crazycollege.org/IwerksFilmFax.htm
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