Johnson, Martin Elmer, 1884-1937

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Martin E. Johnson was an explorer, expert photographer and filmmaker. Johnson went on his first expedition to the South Pacific, then returned with his wife for a second expedition. On joining the Explorers Club in 1921, Johnson met Carl Akeley and the two began forming the Martin Johnson Expedition Corporation. The idea was to use Johnson's popular films as a way to raise money for the Akeley African Hall at the American Museum of Natural History. The Johnsons went on five expeditions to Africa; during the second expedition (1924-1928), they made their most famous film, Simba, king of beasts, released in 1928. Along with the AMNH Martin Johnson Expediton Corp., the film was financed by Talking Picture Epics and other corporations.
Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Johnson, Martin, 1884-1937. Martin and Osa Johnson papers [microform], 1933-1934. Kansas State Historical Society
creatorOf Getts, Clark H. Papers, 1932-1980. Univerisity of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
referencedIn Rosamond B. Loring collection of printed endpapers, 1900-1950 (inclusive), 1920-1941 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Train, Russell E., 1920-. Russell E. Train interviews General Elwood R. Quesada about his safari to East Africa in 1932. American Museum of Natural History
creatorOf William King Gregory papers, 1889-1948 (bulk 1906-1948) American Museum of Natural History
referencedIn [Biographical newspaper articles on Martin Johnson / collected and photocopied by the Kansas State Historical Society]. Kansas State Historical Society
referencedIn Records, 1923-1941, 1923-1934 (bulk) New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn Field photographs, 1921-1935. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn Lisfranc, Jean. Mon carnet de brousse : sur la piste fauve des grands seigneurs des savanes et des forêts africaines / Jean Lisfranc. American Museum of Natural History
referencedIn Administrative files, 1869-1968. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn Houghton Mifflin Company contracts, 1831-1979 (inclusive) 1880-1940 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn George Brinton Beal papers, circus collection, and other theatrical collections, 1862-1969. Harvard Theater Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
referencedIn Papers, 1921-1952, 1927-1940 (bulk). New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn Parapsychology Laboratory Records, 1893-1984 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn F. Trubee Davison papers, 1882-1961 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
referencedIn Special Films Collection: Expedition films, 1912-1960. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
creatorOf Martin Johnson papers, 1923-1942 American Museum of Natural History
creatorOf Photographs, 1910-1952. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn William T. Hornaday Papers, 1866-1975, (bulk 1906-1936) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Sparks, Richard D. Richard D. Sparks gorillas papers, 1925-1962 (bulk 1931-1932). University of Arizona Libraries
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Akeley, Mary L. Jobe, b. 1886. person
associatedWith American Museum of Natural History. corporateBody
associatedWith American Museum of Natural History. Akeley Memorial Hall of African Mammals. corporateBody
associatedWith Beal, George Brinton. person
associatedWith Boltin, Leon. person
associatedWith Coles, Charles H. person
associatedWith Davison, Frederick Trubee, 1896-1974. person
associatedWith Getts, Clark H. person
associatedWith Gregory, William K. (William King), 1876-1970. person
associatedWith Hornaday, William T. (William Temple), 1854-1937. person
associatedWith Houghton Mifflin Company. corporateBody
spouseOf Johnson, Osa, 1894-1953. person
associatedWith Lisfranc, Jean. person
associatedWith Loring, Rosamund B. (Rosamond Bowditch), 1889-1950 person
associatedWith Martin Johnson African Expedition (1921-1935) corporateBody
associatedWith Martin Johnson African Expedition Corporation. corporateBody
associatedWith Parapsychology Laboratory person
associatedWith Sparks, Richard D. person
associatedWith Talking Picture Epics. corporateBody
associatedWith Train, Russell E., 1920- person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Rockford IL US
Subject
Anthropology
Cinematographers
Explorers
Motion pictures
Photographers
Wildlife photographers
Occupation
Documentary Filmmaker
Activity

Person

Birth 1884-10-09

Death 1937-01-12

Americans

English

Information

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SNAC ID: 88038698