Martin A. Sklar | Disney park pioneer, 83

Martin A. "Marty" Sklar, 83, a right-hand man of Walt Disney and central figure in the development and expansion of his company's theme parks around the world, died Thursday at his Hollywood Hills home, the company said. No details were released on his cause of death.

"Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy," Mr. Sklar said in 2005, reading from a plaque at the front of the park. "That says so much about what Walt intended here," he told the AP.

Mr. Sklar had roles in the development of every Disney park, from the original Disneyland in Southern California in 1955 to the Shanghai Disney Resort last year, and was revered by employees as a living link to the founder.

"Everything about Marty was legendary - his achievements, his spirit, his career," Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger said in a statement. "He embodied the very best of Disney, from his bold originality to his joyful optimism and relentless drive for excellence. He was also a powerful connection to Walt himself."

Mr. Sklar was still a college student at UCLA when he was hired to create the Disneyland News for the original park and became a full-time Disney employee the following year.

For the next 54 years he led the development and expansion of the company's parks, and was among the first to have the unique-to-Disney title of "imagineer" when he became the company's chief creative leader for theme parks.

He had a hand in the design of memorable Magic Kingdom attractions such as the Enchanted Tiki Room, It's a Small World, and Space Mountain.

Mr. Sklar retired in 2009 but remained a frequent presence and ambassador at Disney events, including the company's D23 Expo this month.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Leah, and son, Howard. - AP