Martin Sklar

LOS ANGELES — One of the central figures behind Disney’s theme parks around the world has died.

Martin A. “Marty” Sklar had a role in the opening of every Disney park, starting with the original Disneyland in 1955.

Disney spokesman Suzi Brown confirmed Sklar’s death for The Associated Press. A Disney statement said he died Thursday at his Hollywood Hills home at age 83. No details were released on his cause of death.

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

For over five decades he was an “Imagineer,” leading the development and expansion of the company’s parks.