Johnny Kingdom was born on 23 February 1939 in Brayford, Devon, England, UK. He was married to Julie Carter. He died on 6 September 2018 in Wadham Cross, Knowstone, Devon, England, UK.
He was a film-maker, photographer, and author who focused on nature and wildlife in Exmoor and north Devon. He was born and raised on the edge of Exmoor, and worked as a gravedigger, quarryman, and lumberjack until suffering an accident while logging. He then began making wildlife films.