Bayard Johnson, who co-wrote the 1998 film Tarzan and the Lost City, died Wednesday in Los Angeles after a long battle with cancer. He was 63.
His friend, screenwriter John Crowther (they collaborated on the 1989 African-set film Damned River), reported the news of Johnson’s death.
Warner Bros.’ Tarzan and the Lost City starred Casper Van Dien as the King of the Jungle in his feature follow-up to Starship Troopers.
Earlier, Johnson co-wrote The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli & Baloo (1997), released by TriStar Pictures.
Johnson and Predator actor Bill Duke produced Cover, a 2007 film about the HIV epidemic, and he and the late Native American actor-activist Russell Means wrote the 2013 book If You’ve Forgotten the Names of the Clouds, You’ve Lost Your Way: An Introduction to American Indian Thought and Philosophy.
He and his son, Colter Johnson, wrote (and Colter directed) the 2015 prison-set film Man in a Cage, yet to be released.
Johnson studied philosophy and writing at the University of Puget Sound in Washington and was a co-founder of the Southern California band Mother Nature’s Army.
He also is survived by his parents Richard and Virginia; his wife Lyndal; another son Ronan; brother Douglas; and sisters Silver Moon and Alicia.
Twitter: @mikebarnes4
