Joe Camp, the creator, director and writer of the “Benji” films, died March 15. He was 84.
Camp died Friday morning at his home in Bell Buckle, Tenn., following a battle with illness, according to his son, filmmaker and writer of the 2018 “Benji” reboot, Brandon Camp.
Camp had nearly no Hollywood experience before he raised $500,000 to make the first “Benji” film, a family movie about a lovable mutt who saves a pair of children from kidnappers. Higgins the dog, who previously appeared on the CBS sitcom “Petticoat Junction,” came out of retirement to star in the titular role.
After having no luck acquiring distribution, Camp formed his own distribution company Mulberry Square Releasing in 1974 to distribute the film himself. “Benji” would go on to gross almost $40 million ($250 million after inflation).
Camp would follow up the original with “For the Love of Benji” in 1977 and “Oh! Heavenly Dog” in 1980, which starred Chevy Chase...
Camp died Friday morning at his home in Bell Buckle, Tenn., following a battle with illness, according to his son, filmmaker and writer of the 2018 “Benji” reboot, Brandon Camp.
Camp had nearly no Hollywood experience before he raised $500,000 to make the first “Benji” film, a family movie about a lovable mutt who saves a pair of children from kidnappers. Higgins the dog, who previously appeared on the CBS sitcom “Petticoat Junction,” came out of retirement to star in the titular role.
After having no luck acquiring distribution, Camp formed his own distribution company Mulberry Square Releasing in 1974 to distribute the film himself. “Benji” would go on to gross almost $40 million ($250 million after inflation).
Camp would follow up the original with “For the Love of Benji” in 1977 and “Oh! Heavenly Dog” in 1980, which starred Chevy Chase...
- 3/15/2024
- by Jack Dunn
- Variety Film + TV
Joe Camp, the writer, director and producer who taught that old dog Hollywood new tricks about animal movies as the creative force behind the 1974 franchise-spawning Benji, has died. He was 84.
Camp died Friday morning at his home in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, following a long illness, his son, filmmaker Brandon Camp, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Camp also directed and co-wrote the comedies Hawmps! (1976), about the U.S. Cavalry replacing horses with camels in the 1850s, and The Double McGuffin (1979), which revolved around kids trying to thwart a terrorist (Ernest Borgnine) and featured lots of in-jokes about Hitchcock movies.
Other than serving as an extra on the Robert Mitchum-starring Home From the Hill (1960), Camp had no Hollywood experience when he raised about $500,000 to make Benji, a story about a stray mixed breed — not a fancy pure breed like Lassie! — who helps rescue two youngsters from kidnappers.
Crucial to the movie’s success,...
Camp died Friday morning at his home in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, following a long illness, his son, filmmaker Brandon Camp, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Camp also directed and co-wrote the comedies Hawmps! (1976), about the U.S. Cavalry replacing horses with camels in the 1850s, and The Double McGuffin (1979), which revolved around kids trying to thwart a terrorist (Ernest Borgnine) and featured lots of in-jokes about Hitchcock movies.
Other than serving as an extra on the Robert Mitchum-starring Home From the Hill (1960), Camp had no Hollywood experience when he raised about $500,000 to make Benji, a story about a stray mixed breed — not a fancy pure breed like Lassie! — who helps rescue two youngsters from kidnappers.
Crucial to the movie’s success,...
- 3/15/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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