Joe Camp, creator, director and screenwriter of the films Benji, died this Friday, March 15. He was 84 years old.
Camp died Friday morning at his home in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, after a battle with illness, according to his son, director and writer of the reboot of Benji 2018, Brandon Camp.
The field had almost no experience hollywood before raising $500,000 to make the first film Benji, a family film about an adorable stray dog who saves a couple of children from kidnappers. Higgins the dog, previously appeared in the American network CBS comedy Petticoat junctionhe came out of retirement to star in the lead role.
After having no luck with distribution, Camp founded his own distribution company, Mulberry Square Releasing, in 1974 to distribute the film himself. Benji It would go on to raise nearly $40 million ($250 million after inflation).
Benji was a stray dog.Camp would follow the original film with For the love of Benjiin 1977 and OH! Heavenly dog, in 1980, with Chevy Chase as a detective reincarnated as the heroic dog. The series also spawned a Christmas television special in 1978 and a television series in 1983 titled Benji, Zax and the alien prince. The last two films would arrive in 1987, with their collaboration with Disney Benji the prey and in 2004 with Benji: Off the leash!.
Animals’ lover
Behind the scenes, Camp was an avid animal lover and best-selling author. He published his book The Soul of a Horse: Life Lessons from the Herd in 2008, which recounts what he learned working with these majestic creatures. Camp also served on the boards of several charities, activist groups and schools, including Piney Woods School in Mississippi.
Camp is survived by his wife, Kathleen; his two sons, Joe and Brandon; and his stepchildren David, Dylan and Allegra.
Source: Clarin
