People Featured in Elephant Mountain
Discover the fascinating people featured in the book Elephant Mountain, including elephant trainers, writers, and one of the first humans to be put on display at a zoo. Each of these individuals plays a pivotal role in the story. Learn more about each of them here.
Shana Alexander
Author of several books, including The Astonishing Elephant and a close friend of Morgan Berry, Shana Alexander was a trailblazing journalist as the first female editor of Life Magazine, whose political wit helped shape the early success of 60 Minutes. She was also the first person to question the events that happened on Elephant Mountain, which led to Morgan’s death.
The following three videos showcase Shana Alexander in action: an interview giving insight into her work and perspective, a clip from her infamous role in Point/Counterpoint on 60 Minutes where she famously sparred with Jack Kilpatrick, and the iconic Saturday Night Live spoof of their segment, which became one of the show’s most memorable skits. (Transcripts of the videos can be downloaded here: Interview, Point/Counterpoint, Saturday Night Live skit).
More Sources on Shana Alexander
- Alexander, Shana. “Belle’s Baby 225 Pounds and All Elephant.” Life Magazine, May 11, 1962, pp. 104-120.
- Alexander, Shana. “For the Love of Elephants: An Inquiry into the Violent Death of an Old Friend.” Life Magazine, March 1980, pp. 79-92.
- Alexander, Shana. The Astonishing Elephant. New York: Random House, 2000.
- Maberry, Matthew, Patricia Maberry, and Michelle Trappen. Packy & Me. Beaverton, Oregon: Maberry Press, 2011.
George “Slim” Lewis
A renowned elephant trainer and author of I Loved Rogues: The Life of an Elephant Tramp, George “Slim” Lewis was deeply troubled by the public portrayal of Morgan Berry’s death. Slim was so passionate that he wrote an op-ed to The Oregonian, challenging the reported events.
- Alexander, Shana. The Astonishing Elephant. New York: Random House, 2000.
- Bordez, Claude, and Giovanni Iuliani. Dernier Tour de Piste. Paris: JCL, 2002.
- Lewis, George “Slim,” and Byron Fish. I Loved Rogues: The Life of an Elephant Tramp. Seattle: Superior Publishing Company, 1978.
- Lewis, George “Slim.” “Not Protective.” The Oregonian, July 16, 1979, p. 14.
Arthur Jones
A self-made billionaire and the creator of the Nautilus fortune, Arthur Jones owned elephants at his Florida preserve, known as Jumbolair. He captured hundreds of baby elephants from the wild, selling them to zoos and circuses in the U.S., leaving a controversial mark on wildlife and entertainment.
Below is the full 20/20 segment that sparked controversy surrounding Arthur Jones. After it aired, he filed a defamation lawsuit against the producers and ABC, seeking over a billion dollars in damages. Jones claimed it made him appear “cruel to animals” among other things. A summary judgment was ultimately granted in favor of ABC, dismissing the case. (A transcript of the video can be downloaded here.)
DISCLAIMER: This video contains scenes from an elephant cull, depicting disturbing footage of how wild baby elephants were captured and transported to U.S. zoos and circuses. Some viewers may find these images distressing or graphic. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.
More Sources on Arthur Jones
- Cundiff, Rick, and Austin L. Miller. “Jumbolair Founder Arthur Jones Dies.” Ocala StarBanner (Ocala, Florida), August 29, 2007. https://www.ocala.com/story/news/2007/08/29/jumbolair-founder-arthur-jones-dies/31216563007/
- Hess, Jennie. “Inventor of Nautilus Exercises Right to Tell It How He Thinks.” The Chicago Tribune, September 7, 1986.
- Medina, Carlos. “Jumbolair Sells for $9.5 Million.” Ocala Gazette (Ocala, Florida), March 2, 2021.
- Moore, Randall Jay, and Christopher Munnion. Back to Africa. Johannesburg: Southern Book Publishers, 1989.
- Moore, Randall Jay, and Christopher Munnion. Elephants for Africa. Auckland Park, South Africa: Abu Publications, 2000.
- Pohlman, Katie. “Former Trump Attorney Cohen Has Tie to Marion County.” Ocala StarBanner (Ocala, Florida), August 31, 2018. https://www.ocala.com/story/news/local/2018/08/31/former-trump-attorney-cohen-has-tie-to-marion-county/10875187007/
John Cuneo, Jr.
Heir to one of the largest fortunes in the United States, John Cuneo, Jr. owned the notorious Hawthorn Corp. After his marriage to Eloise Berchtold ended, he began leasing circus animals, including Tyke, the elephant who killed her trainer during a performance in Honolulu. Before his company was forced to shut down, Cuneo attempted to transport an elephant that had tested positive for tuberculosis to Puerto Rico, a case that revealed the first known strain capable of jumping from elephants to humans.
- “McHenry County Elephant Linked to TB.” Chicago Tribune, August 11, 2021. https://www.chicagotribune.com/1997/02/06/mchenry-county-elephant-linked-to-tb/
- Schmidt, Michael, DVM. Jumbo Ghosts: The Dangerous Life of Elephants in the Zoo. Chicago: Xlibris Corp, 2002.
- “The Suffering is Over at the Hawthorn Corporation!” People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, November 30, 2017. https://www.peta.org/blog/hideous-hawthorn-corporation-history/
- Thomas, Rob. “Feds Suspend License of Animal Compound.” Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, Illinois), February 8, 1997.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Animal Care Inspection Report: The Hawthorn Corp, John F. Cuneo, Jr. License 33-C-053. April 10, 1997.
Ota Benga
Ota Benga, a Congolese man, was put on display at the Bronx Zoo in the early 20th century. Subjected to extreme exploitation and dehumanization, his life tragically ended in suicide. His story serves as a stark reminder of the harms of captivity and how practices once considered acceptable are now rightly questioned.
- “Ota Benga Attacks Keeper.” The New York Times, September 25, 1906, p. 1.
- “Ota Benga Having a Fine Time: Zoo Visitor Finds No Reason for Protests Over Pygmy.” The New York Times, September 13, 1906, p. 6.
- “Ota Benga, Pygmy, Tired of America.” The New York Times, July 16, 1916, p. 12.
- “Wants to Buy the Pigmy: An Elderly French Woman Writes to Inquire About Ota Benga.” The New York Times, October 2, 1906. p. 9.
- “What is Ota Benga: One Who Has Explored Suggests that the Supposed Pigmy is a Hottenhot.” The New York Times, September 24, 1906, p. 7.
- Washington, Harriet A. “In Captivity: In the Early 1900s, Americans Flocked to See the ‘African Pygmy’.” The New York Times, June 7, 2015, p. A26.
Michelle McNamara
Author of the New York Times bestseller I’ll Be Gone in the Dark and the HBO series of the same name, Michelle McNamara pursued the Golden State Serial Killer with relentless determination. Her ability to process unimaginable horror and uncover truths resonates throughout Elephant Mountain as well as her own body of work. As a brilliant researcher of remarkable skill, she inspires fascination with the depths of human and investigative courage.
Watch the trailer for her hit HBO/MAX show below.
More About Michelle McNamara
- I’ll Be Gone in the Dark. Directed by Liz Garbus, Myles Kane, Josh Koury, and Elizabeth Wolff. HBO Max, 2020. https://www.max.com/shows/ill-be-gone-in-the-dark/a823014d-fa0b-4bbe-ab98-14ea00e551bb
- Legacy. “Michelle McNamara Obituary.” April 23, 2016. https://www.legacy.com/news/celebrity-deaths/michelle-mcnamara-1969-2016/
- McNamara, Michelle, Paul Haynes, and Billy Jensen. I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer. New York: Harper Perennial, 2019.
Kari and Gary Johnson, Owners of Have Trunk Will Travel
Kari and Gary Johnson, owners of Have Trunk Will Travel (rebranded as The Preserve), were at the center of controversy involving the Oregon Zoo’s baby elephant Lily. The extent of elephant leasing contracts was largely unknown to the public until the Johnsons attempted to take ownership of Lily for their elephant promotion business, sparking widespread media attention. Videos later surfaced showing the mistreatment of elephants in their care, prompting public outcry. The Oregon Zoo initially denied the existence of an agreement with the Johnsons until the contract was leaked to the press. Backed into a corner, they admitted it was all true and purchased the elephants for $400,000 to resolve the dispute.
Viewer discretion is advised. This video contains content depicting the mistreatment of elephants that viewers may find distressing.
More Sources on Kari and Gary Johnson
- Animal Defenders International. “Elephant Training at Have Trunk Will Travel.” YouTube video, 9:54. March 21, 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1AvNGWAkCY&list=PL8816EFB830EF16AC
- Cole, Jim. “Miller-Johnson Circus 1972.” Buckles Blog, March 31, 2008. https://bucklesw.blogspot.com/search?q=smokey
- Lewis, George “Slim,” and Byron Fish. I Loved Rogues: The Life of an Elephant Tramp. Seattle: Superior Publishing Company, 1978.
- Mesh, Aaron. “12 Mammals that Matter to the Oregon Zoo.” Willamette Week, May 28, 2014, pp. 12-19.
- Protect All Wildlife. “Animal Trainers Abuse at Have Trunk Will Travel.” YouTube video, 1:00. July 3, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwB5xU66ODc
- Sheridan, Tom. “The Elephants Not in the Room: As Culture Shifts from Using the Creatures in Circuses and Elsewhere, Family’s Livelihood Uncertain.” The Orange County Register, May 15, 2015. https://www.ocregister.com/2015/05/15/the-elephants-not-in-the-room-as-culture-shifts-from-using-the-creatures-in-circuses-and-elsewhere-familys-livelihood-uncertain/