
Lanny Smoot has been an inventor for as long as anyone can remember. In an interview with CNN, the inventor said that one of his best childhood memories was the day his father brought home a light bulb, some batteries, a bell and a wire.
“I was five or six years old and he turned on the lamp and the doorbell rang – and the light of that memory lit up my whole life,” Smoot said.
Smoot said his father's experiment sparked an immediate fascination with anything involving electricity and electronics. He often spent time taking things apart, using the pieces to make unique creations that he dreamed up.
Now, more than 60 years later, Smoot says he hasn't lost his passion for inventing. The Disney researcher and inventor has accumulated 106 patents and continues to increase this number. His creativity and impact on theatrical technologies and the field of special effects earned him induction into the 2024 National Inventors Hall of Fame.
“Being inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame is a dream come true,” he said of the achievement. “For an inventor, this is the best thing that can happen.”
For Smoot, the honor became even more profound when he realized that the only other Disney employee to receive the same recognition was Walt Disney himself.
“I got a lump in my throat,” he said. “I was moved… I love creating. I love inventing… I just want to make cool things that will surprise and delight people.”
Designed by Smoot and the Walt Disney Imagineering Research and Development team, the new lightsaber delivers an intense in-person experience previously only seen in movies or shows.
Leading with Curiosity
Rini Paiva, executive vice president of selection and recognition at the National Inventors Hall of Fame, told CNN that Smoot deserves to join this select list.
“Lanny Smoot is a tremendous inventor. He pursues his life with great curiosity, and I think that curiosity mixed with motivation and persistence is one of the things that makes him so successful,” she said.
Smoot's inventions include the extendable lightsaber used at Disney Live Entertainment, the new HoloTile flooring and the interactive koi ponds at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel.
From a simple life to success
Smoot grew up in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York (USA), which he describes as “a tough” and “working class” neighborhood.
“I was relatively poor,” he said. “But I had parents who were always very supportive and I think that’s the common denominator of success in life.”
Smoot said a combination of this family support, his creativity and his desire to see his ideas come to fruition was what led him to Columbia University on a full scholarship and then to the so-called “idea factory,” Bell Labs. , where he became executive director.
Smoot remembers her mother giving her a tour of her workplace in New Jersey. “At the end of the lab tour, as I showed her all the technology involved, I said, 'Mom, now do you understand what I do?' She said: 'I completely understand. When you were little, you had little toys and things to play with. Now you have much bigger toys.'”
'One of the most creative black inventors'
In 1998, Smoot presented one of his inventions – an electronic panning camera that would allow viewers to pan left or right – during the National Association of Broadcasters conference in Las Vegas.
After the presentation, a representative from The Walt Disney Company approached Smoot with Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park in mind.
“He wanted to use the camera to allow guests to get up close and personal with the lions and not get eaten,” Smoot explained. “Disney rented that camera, which was unusual. And over time, I learned that they liked the inventor even more than the invention.”
Disney hired Smoot 25 years ago and today The Walt Disney Company has 74 patents created by Smoot during his time there.
Disney's website describes the more than 100 patents in Smoot's name as “an incredibly rare feat that makes Smoot one of the most prolific black inventors in American history.”
Patents give the inventor the legal right to their invention for a period of time and do not allow other companies to make, use, or sell the invention without permission.
Smoot said he is now working on some new inventions, which could lead to even more patents.
He will be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on May 9. Eight other living inventors will also be honored for their inventions in areas such as medicine, aerospace and genetics.
For now, Smoot refuses to discuss retirement — he pretended his Zoom audio cut out when CNN raised the topic.
When pressed, Smoot said, “As long as I'm having fun, as long as I feel at the top of my game and able to contribute, I can work for a long time.”
“I love people who work [na Disney] with me and I like going to work. And that's something I know a lot of people don't have. I’m blessed with that.”
Source: CNN Brasil

I’m Robert Neff, a professional writer and editor. I specialize in the entertainment section, providing up-to-date coverage on the latest developments in film, television and music. My work has been featured on World Stock Market and other prominent publications.