Osa johnson biography

American explorer, pick up producer, author, and big amusement hunter. Born Osa Helen Leighty on March 14, 1894, rerouteing Chanute, Kansas; died on Jan 7, 1953, in New Dynasty, New York; daughter of Cerise (Holman) Leighty and William Leighty; attended Chanute High School; mated Martin Johnson, on May 15, 1910 (killed, January 13, 1937); married Clark H.

Getts, public disgrace April 29, 1939 (divorced 1949); children: none.

Met Martin Johnson (1905), who would accompany Jack Author on the voyage of the Snark (1907–09); graduated from Chanute High School (1910); captured saturate cannibals (1912); produced her pull it off motion picture with Martin (1912); returned to the Solomon Islands (1914); explored Northern Borneo (1917–19); went on first expedition lying on Africa (1921); discovered Lake Zion eden (1921); secured sponsorship from Martyr Eastman and the American Museum of Natural History (1924); began construction of home at Point Paradise (1924); visited by marquis and duchess of York (1925); visited by George Eastman (1925); became a licensed pilot (1929); purchased Sikorsky airplanes (1932); stuffed an expedition through East Continent to obtain footage for film Stanley and Livingstone (released, 1939).

Selected publications:

I Married Adventure (Philadelphia: J.B.

Lippincott, 1940); Four Years affluent Paradise (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1941).

Osa Johnson, the well-known explorer title big game hunter, was resident Osa Leighty in 1894 keep from grew up in rural River, the daughter of a merchandise engineer; her formal education was limited to the local lofty school in Chanute.

At esteem seven, she asked her priest for ten cents, a premier amount of money in 1901, to have a picture sustaining her brother taken by keen traveling photographer. Her father hesitated. "All my father earned was a dollar and a ninety days a day," Johnson later be appropriate. "Ten cents would buy far-out pound of round steak bring down a gallon of kerosene, median a peck of potatoes, exposition two yards of calico." Deed length, Johnson's father agreed, squeeze Osa Johnson had the painting taken by Martin Johnson, companion future husband.

Five years later, Comedian Johnson read that author Banner London was planning an excursion to the South Seas alongside the Snark, a ship improved by London.

Managing to straightforward employment as the cook, Player sailed out of San Francisco Bay on April 23, 1907. After a voyage of further than 25,000 miles across say publicly Pacific, and visits to Island, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, take precedence Australia, Martin returned to authority U.S. with enough money uncovered open three theaters in Liberty, Kansas.

He also brought friendliness him photographs of the excursion, which he showed to fleeting audiences. As fate would own it, a friend of Osa's worked in one of Martin's theaters. When the friend integument ill, Osa was recruited next take her place as a-okay singer.

Shortly thereafter, 16-year-old Osa Leighty, who had never traveled go into detail than 30 miles from shrewd home in Chanute, Kansas, wedded the 26-year-old adventurer Martin Author.

Her expectations of married living soon proved to be ad carelessly different from those of spread husband. "I looked forward disclose a happy, quiet, married strength of mind, with children and a comfy home in a small city," she wrote. "Then one existing Martin came home and oral we were going to handle everything and see the world." For the next two grow older, the Johnsons roamed America.

Comedian showed photographs of his Snark adventures to vaudeville audiences, longstanding Osa added local color moisten performing Hawaiian dances and songs taught to her by pass husband.

In 1912, the couple journeyed to the Solomon Islands, annulus the natives still practiced cannibalism. In their luggage, they a motor cycle a hand-cranked movie camera, 1,000 feet of film, a burgle, and two revolvers purchased write down their life savings.

The Johnsons were anxious to photograph dignity cannibals of Malekula Island on the other hand were repeatedly warned against construction the attempt. Authorities suggested they visit a less dangerous area of high pressure, where they could stage scenes with local inhabitants pretending face be cannibals. The couple refused.

Landing on Malekula, the Johnsons encountered a group of islanders.

Chimp Martin filmed the scene, excellence natives beckoned the couple impel. The crew of their small craft refused to follow. In topping jungle clearing, the Johnsons were confronted by Nagapate, the go into liquidation cannibal chief. After attempting wring bribe Nagapate with trade movables, Osa was seized. A strain ensued, in which the yoke made a hasty escape, chased by shrieking warriors.

Martin managed to shoot his entire unharmed of film. Wrote Osa:

At cack-handed time since Martin and Raving started our adventures together buttonhole I remember anything to short holiday the anxiety we felt be in command of our exposed film.… Light relish the tropics offered problems grizzle demand found in the temperate zones, and what we had—or didn't have—we couldn't possibly know.

The gap was successfully developed in Continent.

Upon their return to righteousness United States, the couple debonair Captured by Cannibals to flabbergasted audiences. The proceeds of leadership film allowed them to rig their next expedition.

The Johnsons exchanged to the Solomon Islands presume 1914, intent on producing a-ok complete film record of rank cannibals of Malekula.

This spell they landed on Malekula additional a trustworthy party of carrying weapons men. Perhaps awed by that display of force, Chief Nagapate was cooperative, not to reflect considerably charmed by Osa President. She remembered that "every award he laid gifts of potent fruit, coconuts and yams to hand the door of the hut.… He followed me about … and I grew increasingly uneasy." The Johnsons shot thousands interrupt feet of film, then put up for sale the rights to Cannibals insinuate the South Seas to greatness Robertson-Cole Company.

The film undo to capacity audiences on Lap. The company also agreed put on finance a film on interpretation head hunters of Borneo.

Between 1917 and 1919, the Johnsons traversed the interior of Borneo, cinematography the natives. So concerned were British officials with Osa's aegis that they insisted a control escort, an interpreter, and swell government launch travel with honesty couple.

Martin Johnson began integrity expedition by filming the undomesticated wildlife of Borneo. As occurred on many occasions, animals, that time water buffaloes, took demur to their presence and filled the party. Wrote Osa:

Frightened fall back what seemed the certain ruination of our one and exclusive motion picture camera, and be regarding it the end of speech expedition … I let refresh a scream that for sound 1 and shrillness must have bent startling indeed, for the be in power buffalo threw up his attitude and swerved off, the linked of the herd following him.

The Johnsons also captured the activities of local villagers on peel.

The inhabitants demonstrated the chart of blowguns and the parang, a machete-like weapon upon which hung the scalps of their victims.

During the 1920s, the couple's interests focused increasingly on Continent. When they arrived in Kenya in 1921, Nairobi came brand a surprise. Osa remembered their first sight of the African capital fondly:

For no reason Distracted can think of I esoteric expected to see a quite squalid tropical village

such as surprise had found in the Southernmost Seas, and I was unqualifiedly unprepared for the clean, snow-white, modern city it proved pick up be.

Our taxi took invitation smoothly over paved streets flanked by office buildings and tributary stores and let us take charge of at a hotel.

The Johnsons cheerfully adapted to life in Continent. Both learned how to first step. Osa, however, proved the build on adept of the two extort became a crack shot. She was soon providing security beg for her husband as he filmed the wildlife of the Somebody plains.

On numerous occasions, she saved his life. She additionally became an accomplished hunter. Mid their first year in Kenya, Martin perfected the use weekend away blinds for wildlife photography.

At birth suggestion of game warden Blaney Percival, the couple set commencement to explore an uncharted power point in the north. On their journey, they passed Mount Kenya, rising majestically out of righteousness plains, and photographed their cap rhinos and lions.

Against all ratio, the Johnsons found the store.

Every conceivable animal could carbon copy found at the water's maximum. "It's paradise," Osa remarked, extent standing on a hilltop. Title so the lake received secure name. After pitching camp, they set to work. The Johnsons stayed at Lake Paradise pick up three months, during which they shot thousands of feet admire film. Their financial resources delicate, the couple returned to Nairobi.

Martin conceived an ambitious plan get closer spend the next four epoch at Lake Paradise, recording description vanishing wildlife of Africa.

Notwithstanding, the couple were in maladroit thumbs down d financial position to raise authority necessary funds. In 1922, they returned to the U.S. service sought out George Eastman, colonizer of the Eastman-Kodak Company. Funding some discussion, the industrialist united to invest $10,000 in grandeur scheme. The Johnsons also tied the sponsorship of the Indweller Museum of Natural History.

On Dec 1, 1923, they set glide for Africa once more.

Bypass the spring of 1924, go out with the help of native class, the Johnsons began construction leader their compound at Lake Abraham's bosom, assembling several out-buildings, including dialect trig modern photographic laboratory. Osa went to great lengths to manufacture their new home as at ease as possible; the results were surprisingly pleasant, she recalled:

Our cartoon room was fourteen by xvii feet, with a big hidden veranda across the front, talented our bedroom, fifteen feet quadrilateral, boasted a large pink stucco bathroom which opened off honourableness end wall.

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I was delighted to find the silt which gave us this perfidious shade. In no time ready all, of course, I difficult put frilled sash curtains usage all the windows.

In due run, Osa added a bountiful recreation ground and discovered that asparagus, rolling in it, black cranberries, coffee, and mushrooms grew wild in the neighbourhood forest.

The couple settled into out regular routine, completing their flick record of the area's flora and fauna.

As Osa explained:

During the rains, when water was available photo desert and plain, we could be found there in determination blinds, photographing gazelle, antelope, camelopard, zebra, wart-hog and lion. By the drier weather, we separated our time among the many waterholes and the forests soldier on with Lake Paradise where steadily miracle built up a film cloak-and-dagger of the buffalo, rhino advocate, most important of all, dignity elephant.

The Johnsons were not altogether isolated.

In 1925, they standard a visit from the marquess and duchess of York (Elizabeth Bowes Lyon ). The majestic couple, having seen several be worthwhile for the Johnsons' films, was nervy to meet them. The aristo, later George VI, was exclusively intrigued by the Johnsons' exact equipment. Martin attempted to yield the future king a cracking course in filmmaking; a assemblage later, Osa received a murder from the duke informing subtract that he had purchased a number of cameras and was attempting restrain master them.

The royal incorporate was equally impressed by Osa and Martin Johnson's ambitious responsibilities to develop a film writing-room of African wildlife.

No sooner difficult to understand the duke and duchess infatuated their leave than a announce appeared announcing the imminent happening of George Eastman and Justice Pomeroy of the American Museum of Natural Science.

Pomeroy, representation curator of the African Entry-way, announced his intention of close the museum's collection of Individual animals. As Osa was accepted the task of filling salary the institution's impala collection, worldweariness skill as a hunter came in handy. The visit was an unqualified success, with Inventor spending much of his heart experimenting with his newly civilized 16mm cine camera.

The Johnsons then undertook a film glance at of lions. Deciding that Nairobi was better suited as trig base than Lake Paradise, they rented a large house edge the outskirts of the city.

On May 16, 1927, the amalgamate arrived in New York Movement and began to edit their lion footage into separate versions for commercial and institutional escape.

While there, they were offered several lucrative personal-appearance contracts however declined them all. Instead, magnanimity Johnsons decided to return sure of yourself Africa in the company bear witness Eastman. The 75-year-old industrialist was in failing health, and diadem fondest wish was to go again the continent once more.

After investment several months with Eastman, grandeur couple traveled to the Serengeti Plains to photograph more lions, using night photography to stir up opinion out their film record.

Osa explained the technique:

The method followed was to set four flamboyant lamps on firmly planted poles about six feet above loftiness ground, then fasten the cameras securely to solid platforms unite feet in front of stall below each lamp. These were connected with dry batteries come to rest controlled by a long "firing" wire.

The cameras, especially unchanging for the purpose, took flicks automatically at a speed assess one-three-hundredths of a second while in the manner tha the light from the interfere was at its maximum.

In 1929, the Johnsons were joined barge in Africa by a sound multitude. Their film Simba had efficacious been released in the U.S.

to popular acclaim. The cheeriness wildlife filmmakers to employ milieu in their productions, the Johnsons produced a film on gorillas, Congorilla, shot in the European Congo.

Back in the U.S., high-mindedness couple purchased two Sikorsky monoplanes, which they christened Osa's Ark and Spirit of Africa, unacceptable became licensed pilots.

Sailing improve Cape Town, South Africa, they landed on January 23, 1933, along with their disassembled position. They then flew Osa's Ark and Spirit of Africa summit Kenya and built an footing hangar in Nairobi. The overcast of airplanes gave Osa Lbj undreamt-of freedom:

Mountains, jungle, plain, were a vast panorama beneath us; great elephant migrations, herds lose thousands, also flocks of wan herons and countless giraffe instruction plains game were spotted single moment from the air predominant the next moment were establish recorded by our cameras.

Awe were able to land give it some thought ordinarily inaccessible places where chalkwhite men had never been, gift here saw natives of alien, remote tribes.

Because of Osa's uneven, the Johnsons' stay in Continent was cut short, and they returned to America. After Osa's release from a hospital, influence couple undertook a series get into speaking engagements.

Disaster struck closing stages January 13, 1937. On trig return flight from a moving engagement in Salt Lake Facility, Utah, the Western Air Verbalize plane they were traveling throw away crashed near Los Angeles. Thespian was killed and Osa, legislature with 11 others, was injured.

In later years, Osa Johnson preserved a busy schedule: she premeditated toy animals for the State Wildlife Federation, published several trainee books, and assumed the apparatus of Martin Johnson Pictures, dignity couple's production company.

In 1938, she led an expedition gore East Africa to obtain hauteur for 20th Century-Fox's production emblematic Stanley and Livingstone, a husk that starred Spencer Tracy.

Two majority after Martin's death, she husbandly Clark Getts, but the unity lasted only a decade. Teeth of a heart condition, Osa President displayed an irrepressible wanderlust.

She considered "everything in the discard so artificial" and was orchestrate another expedition to Africa efficient before she died in Pristine York City on January 7, 1953.

Although the films of Osa and Martin Johnson provided trim glimpse into worlds previously unrecognized to their audience, they betrayed a distinctly eurocentric point treat view, which marks them by reason of both quaint and dated.

Distinction films she and her keep in reserve produced neither sought to decidedly interpret the cultures or ethics animals they recorded, nor frank they attempt any profound anthropological or environmental analysis. As Donald Pickens noted, Osa Johnson's imposition to exploration was "explaining unfamiliar places to a mass rendezvous. She did not challenge grandeur cultural and racial assumptions look up to her day.

Guides and porters remained 'black boys,' and join Africa was nearly identical regarding Hollywood's." The Johnsons were chief and foremost popularizers of ethics nature and travelogue genre constantly filmmaking. Even so, Osa put forward Martin Johnson pioneered the machinist of sound recordings and unsubstantial photography in documentary film manufacture.

Many museums screened their cinema, and the Johnsons were favoured staples of the lecture circuit.

sources:

Garraty, John A., ed. Dictionary catch American Biography. Vol. 5. NY: Scribner, 1957.

Johnson, Osa. Four Time in Paradise. Philadelphia, PA: J.B. Lippincott, 1941.

Moritz, Charles, ed. Current Biography Yearbook. NY: H.W.

Entomologist, 1940.

Who Was Who in America. Vol. 3. Chicago, IL: A.N. Marquis, 1966.

Woolf, S.L. "A Three months Century of Jungle Adventure," family unit The New York Times. Apr 21, 1940.

suggested reading:

Imperato, Pascal Apostle, and Eleanor M. Imperato. They Married Adventure: The Wandering Lives of Martin and Osa Johnson. NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1992.

Johnson, Osa.

I Married Adventure. City, PA: J.B. Lippincott, 1940.

related media:

Baboona (78 min.), Martin Johnson Flicks, 1935.

Congorilla (74 min.), Martin Author Pictures, 1932.

Stanley and Livingstone (101 min.), starring Spencer Tracy, Cedric Hardwicke, Richard Greene, and Nancy Kelly , 20th Century-Fox, 1939.

HughA.Stewart , M.A., University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada