Thursday, February 24, 2011

Martin and Osa Johnson (From Eric Beheim)

Here are a few miscellaneous items I’ve been meaning to submit. This first photo shows Martin and Osa Johnson circa the 1930s. (For those of you who don’t know who they were, they were adventurers and filmmakers, who wrote books on Africa and who shot several documentary feature films there. They also contributed many animals to the San Diego Zoo during its formative years.)
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Posted by Buckles at 2/24/2011 05:46:00 AM

8 comments:

john herriott said...

In high school I discovered the Johnson's books in the school library and eagerly read all of them,plus the photos are magnificent. I am sure to this day they would still be overwhelming. Guess they would be on computer, but don't know how to find them. Will check library here about them. Thanks so much for reminding me and all interested bloggers out there find them you will not be disappointed. Just great to realized whatit was like in those days. There was a group of "adventurers" in New York that had annual get togethers and their stories were equally fantastic. Anybody out there recall ???. John herriott

24 February, 2011 10:25
Anonymous said...

You can get a wealth of info on the Johnsons by contacting the Safari Museum in Chanute, Kansas,
Osa's hometown. The museum is preserving their work and memory/memorabilia.
I've never been there, but I am a museum member and have purchased some marvlous dvd's and first, second, etc edition books. One can also by prints taken by the Johnsons during their many travels. They were wildlife film pioneers and had been on safaris with the likes of George Eastman (Kodak) and Carl Akeley.

Many thanks, Eric for all your contributions to the Blog.

Paul Gutheil

24 February, 2011 17:33
Eric said...

Paul,

Thank you for the tip about the Safari Museum in Chanute, Kansas. (I just ordered the Johnsons' DVD collection.)

24 February, 2011 19:50
Harry Kingston said...

Paul,
Since you mentioned Carl Akeley's name who invented the Akeley camera for wild life photography.
It was called the pancake camera and the old news reel guys loved it as it had a 200 foot 35mm film magazine that could be chaged real quick and great for action shots.
The two cameras pictured here are very heavy bell and howell 2709 cameras with 400 foot mags.
The left one is hand cranked and the right one has a motor attached to it.
Plus being heavy they made lots of noise when in operation.
Next time you see King Kong the 1933 one when Robert Armstrong taking Faye Wray's picture on the Venture listen and you can hear the shutter going and it is a bell and howell 2709 with a 1000 foot mag.
Plus those mitchell tripods are 75 pounds or more and when an elephant or a rhino charging you neede to move quick.
Harry in Texas

24 February, 2011 20:14
Anonymous said...

Eric and Harry, What a wonderful way to start the day getting your notes.
Eric,if you called the Museum I'm guessing you spoke to Shirley Rogers-Naff in Chanute, a lovely and very helpful lady.
Harry, very interested to read your comments; I was a little aware of some info. and your mentioning a 75lb tripod gives much credence as to why Osa was standing close by with a heavy duty rifle.

Best to you both,

Paul

25 February, 2011 09:19
Harry Kingston said...

Paul,
Look Akeley's camera up on the computer and it is a very intersting design and you will see it is the better for wild life photography.
Loading those old cameras was not real easy and took time but the Akeley camera was a dream with those 200 foot quick changeable mags.
35mm film goes at 90 feet a minute though the camera.
And all that old film was nitrate stock and very flammable.
Harry in Texas

25 February, 2011 11:01
Anonymous said...

Harry, How many film treasures have been lost forever because the nitrate stock film was not cared for and the footage turned into dust or "molasses"?? So sad.

The Johnson's did all this with no air conditioning, next to none of today's taken for granted "luxuries".

Best, Paul

25 February, 2011 17:40
Harry Kingston said...

Paul,
Yes many great old films lost forever as all they cared about was money not perservation.
But what came out of Hollywood back then OMG were the best and never to be equaled.
Thank goodness 8mm and 16mm were all safety stock.
I showed my wife about 35mm nitrate as i had a piece and lit it for her and it was like a dinamite fuse.
Paul, all my best and have a great week.
Harry in Texas

26 February, 2011 10:03

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