American Museum of Natural History Research Library
author: American Museum of Natural History

Johnson, Osa, 1894-1953
birth: 1894
death: 1953
Film maker
Osa Leighty Johnson met her future husband at the age of sixteen, married him a month later, and helped him with his tour of his first film, South Sea Island Adventures. After the five African expeditions, the Johnsons made an expedtion to Borneo, 1935-1936, and planned a new lecture tour with their resulting film. Their plane crashed on January 13, 1937, killing Martin Johnson. Osa survived to complete the planned tour in a wheel chair. She later published two books about her life with Martin Johnson, made silent lecture films and narrated a TV series. She died on January 7, 1953