Trivia

His son is screenwriter Brandon Camp Dragonfly.

Has two sons, Joe III and Brandon. Both are filmmakers.

Had almost no Hollywood experience when he raised about $500,000 to make Benji, a story about a stray mixed breed who helps rescue two youngsters from kidnappers. The film grossed nearly $40 million ($250 million in today's dollars).

He made over $600 million in gross income and was one of the most successful independent filmmakers in history.

Camp said he got the inspiration for his movie "Benji" while watching Lady and the Tramp.

He was told by industry "experts" not to bother with the original Benji film; that it wouldn't work. He proved the experts wrong.

One of Joe's favorite pastimes was working with the Piney Woods School in Mississippi. This historically black boarding school educates mostly high-risk kids from families below the poverty level, yet usually sends 100% of its graduates to college, many to some of the best colleges and universities in the country.

His first paying job was with the McCann Erickson advertising agency in Texas.

Joe Camp was also on the board of trustees of the Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe, CA.

He wrote eleven more books including three novels, a dog training book, an autobiography, and children's books.

Graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1961with a degree in advertising and marketing.

He graduated from East High School in 1957 and considered himself to be on the outskirts because of the cliquey nature of the school.

Camp owned a production company with his first wife, "Mulberry Square Productions" and he had a minority interest in the film studio, Filmdallas Pictures.

Camp was also known for his work with horses. He owned and trained five horses at his Valley Center Ranch where he lived in Valley Center, California.

He wrote two books about his experiences with horses, The Soul of a Horse: Life Lessons from the Herd and Born Wild: The Journey Continues.