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Joe Camp, the creator, director and author of the “Benji” movies, died March 15. He was 84.
Camp died Friday morning at his dwelling in Bell Buckle, Tenn., following a battle with sickness, in accordance with his son, filmmaker and author of the 2018 “Benji” reboot, Brandon Camp.
Camp had almost no Hollywood expertise earlier than he raised $500,000 to make the primary “Benji” movie, a household film a couple of lovable mutt who saves a pair of kids from kidnappers. Higgins the canine, who beforehand appeared on the CBS sitcom “Petticoat Junction,” got here out of retirement to star within the titular function.
After having no luck buying distribution, Camp fashioned his personal distribution firm Mulberry Sq. Releasing in 1974 to distribute the movie himself. “Benji” would go on to gross nearly $40 million ($250 million after inflation).
Camp would observe up the unique with “For the Love of Benji” in 1977 and “Oh! Heavenly Canine” in 1980, which starred Chevy Chase as a detective reincarnated because the heroic canine. The sequence additionally spawned a made for TV Christmas particular in 1978 and a TV sequence in 1983 titled “Benji, Zax & the Alien Prince.” The ultimate two movies would are available in 1987 together with his collaboration with Disney “Benji the Hunted” and in 2004 with “Benji: Off the Leash!”
Behind the scenes, Camp was a devoted animal lover and greatest promoting creator. He printed his e book “The Soul of a Horse: Life Classes from the Herd” in 2008, which chronicled what he realized from working with the majestic creatures. Camp additionally served as a board member for a number of charities, activist teams and faculties, together with Piney Woods College in Mississippi.
Camp is survived by his spouse, Kathleen; his two sons, Joe and Brandon; and his step-children David, Dylan and Allegra.