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Liver Eating Johnston received his nickname for removing part of an Indian's liver during a knife fight. His real name was Garrison and he was also known as John Johnson, Jack Johnson and just Liver Eating Johnson. See Crow Killer and Mountain Man, both good 'tall tale' books, the movie Jeremiah Johnson, The Avenging Fury of the Plains--a non fiction book, and the web site at the link below.

(This is great information for the gist of the movie) Jeremiah Johnson was a solitary man and that's why he settled in the rockies. I have no doubt he was a "tender foot" and would have died in those mountains if the Black Foot hadn't helped him to learn to survive and an old fur trader. However, because he was so solitary and that most of the old pioneer men that wandered through the mountains not seeing a human soul in months knew much about each other. If they did come across each other they would sit over their campfires spinning yarns and laughing so it's difficult to know truth from myth. Even Jeremiah's death is not clear and the Indians would like to believe he was killed by a large grizzly. No one will know for sure.

I would like to add that as I research Jeremiah Johnson credits went to many without mentioning much about Robert Redford other than he played the character of Jeremiah in the film. What many people didn't know was Robert Redford worked on this film and used much of his own money and almost lost much of his land because of this film. Directors wouldn't touch this film right away and thought it wasn't good enough and it sat on the shelves drawing dust. Then one day a director did pick it up and the rest is history. Some critics picked the movie apart, but my husband and I have seen it several times and always enjoy it and we felt it was well done. Many of our friends think the same thing, so what do critics no ... it's only an individuals opinion. Mr. Redford now has an actor's studio called "Sundance."

The one thing I have learned from listening to interviews regarding Robert Redford is he likes little of the verbal and more panning of camera shots (that's acting!) He also tries to stick to the truth and not myth.

The truth of the real Johnston is that he took the name John Johnston some time after he jumped ship in 1858. He ended up in the Montana gold fields in 1862. He became friends with John X Beidler and the brother George Beidler.

He joined the Union Army because of the advance monies. He was out in 1865 and returned to Montana where he earned his moniker Liver Eating in a fight with the Sioux.

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Q: What are facts about the real Jeremiah Johnson?
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