George Adamson

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For the illustrator and cartoonist, see George Worsley Adamson.
George Adamson, photographed in 1970
George Adamson, photographed in 1970

George Adamson (3 February 1906 - 20 August 1989), the "Baba ya Simba" ("Father of Lions") of Africa,[1] was one of the founding fathers of wildlife conservation and an author. He and his wife Joy Adamson are best known through the book and film Born Free, which depicts the true story of Elsa, an orphaned lioness cub they raised and later released into the wild.

Adamson was born in Dholpur, Rajasthan, India (then British India). He first visited Kenya in 1924. After a series of adventures, which included time as a gold prospector, he joined Kenya's game department in 1938 and was Senior Game Warden of the Northern Frontier District. Six years later he married Joy. It was in 1956 that he came to have Elsa the lioness who would gain world fame and affection.

George Adamson retired as a game warden in 1963 and devoted himself to his many lions. In 1970, he moved to the Kora National Reserve in northern Kenya to continue the rehabilitation of captive or orphaned big cats for eventual reintroduction into the wild. George and Joy separated in 1970, but continued to spend Christmas together until she was murdered in 1980.

On 20 August 1989, the 83-year-old Adamson was shot to death at Kora Reserve by Somali poachers when he went to the aid of a tourist.[2][3]

Contents

[edit] Film / Television

Born Free
In 1966, James Hill directed the award winning film Born Free, based on a best selling book of the same title written by Joy Adamson. It stars Virginia McKenna as Joy Adamson and Bill Travers as George Adamson. George Adamson served as Chief Technical Advisor on the film. This movie tells the true story of Elsa the much loved lioness and her transformation from a cub to a free living lioness.[4][5][6]
Living Free
A sequel to Born Free, finds the dying Elsa, now a mother herself, returning to the Adamsons, who must figure out what to do with Elsa's three cubs. Stars Nigel Davenport as George Adamson, and Susan Hampshire as Joy Adamson.[7]
Born Free (TV)
A short-lived television series (1974), strictly fiction, loosely based on the lives of George and Joy Adamson. Starred Gary Collins and Diana Muldaur.[8]
The Lions Are Free
a true-life sequel to Born Free, This film tells in a most personal way about what happened to the lions that were in the movie Born Free. Bill Travers who played the role of George Adamson in the movie Born Free, travels to a remote area in Kenya East Africa to visit conservationist George Adamson and several of George's lion friends. This film has some incredible scenes of George and Bill interacting with lions who are living free. James Hill who directed Born Free produced this film along with Bill Travers. In November 2006 this film and the film Christian The Lion At World's End were both released on DVD.[9][6]
Christian the Lion
is the true life story of Christian the lion and his journey from London England to Kenya East Africa to live a free life with conservationist George Adamson of Born Free fame and to join other wild lions. It is a remarkable story of trust, affection and friendship between man and lions. It is written, produced and directed by Bill Travers, star of Born Free, and James Hill, the director of Born Free. In November 2006 this film and the film The Lions Are Free were both released on DVD.[10][6]
An Elephant Called Slowly
Travelogue featuring George Adamson and starring his friends Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna. Also featuring elephants named Pole Pole and Eleanor.[11][6]
To Walk with Lions
This 1999 film is the dramatic continuation of George Adamson's (Richard Harris) fight to save Kenya's wildlife. Together with his young assistant Tony Fitzjohn (John Michie), Adamson battles to keep the animals on his game reserve Kora from dangerous poachers and deadly shifta warriors who are determined to destroy rhinos and elephants for their tusks, and lions for their rich pelts.[12][13]

[edit] Books

  • Bwana Game (1968): George's 1st autobiography (A Lifetime With Lions in the US)[6]
  • My Pride and Joy (1987): George's 2nd autobiography [6]
  • George Adamson (1991) by Sandy Gall [14]
  • The Great Safari (1993) by Adrian House[15]

[edit] References

  1. ^ George Adamson, Friend of lions... Father of Lions. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  2. ^ George Adamson Information - Father of Lions. www.fatheroflions.org. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  3. ^ Adamson. www.georgeadamson.org. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  4. ^ Born Free (1966). www.imdb.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  5. ^ Murphy, A. D.. Born Free Review - Read Variety's Analysis Of The Movie Born Free. www.variety.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Books and Videos - Adamson & Africa.. www.fatheroflions.org. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  7. ^ Living Free (1972). www.imdb.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  8. ^ "Born Free" (1974). www.imdb.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  9. ^ The Lions Are Free (1967). www.imdb.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  10. ^ Christian the Lion: George Adamson,Terence Adamson,Anthony Bourke,James Hill,Virginia McKenna,John Rendall: Video. www.amazon.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  11. ^ An Elephant Called Slowly (1969). www.imdb.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  12. ^ To Walk with Lions (1999). www.imdb.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  13. ^ Eisner, Ken. To Walk with Lions Review - Read Variety's Analysis Of The Movie To Walk with Lions. www.variety.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  14. ^ Sandy Gall CV at PFD. www.pfd.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  15. ^ House, Adrian (October 1993). The Great Safari: The Lives of George and Joy Adamson, Famous for Born Free (English) 465. William Morrow & Company. Retrieved on 2008-05-05.

[edit] External links

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