Escape From Death Valley has assembled an extraordinary team of storytellers including Kit Tyler – Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker, Kevin Starr – the preeminent historian of California, Leroy & Jean Johnson – the undisputed authorities of the Manly-Rogers rescue in 1849, and a deep roster of top authors, western historians, and production specialists.
These producers, authors, historians, and craftspeople are all luminaries in their respective fields. Together they form a team of expertise and storytelling prowess that is simply without peer.
Producer / Director Kit Tyler
Emmy award-winning writer, producer, photographer, Kit Tyler has been called, “The Auteur of California History” for his extensive documentary work on California’s momentous social and natural history. His career spans [...]
Executive Producer John Krizek
John Krizek is the president of Forgotten Journey Productions, a media company devoted to historical documentary programs about pioneering the American West. John is a long-term member of the Oregon-California [...]
Associate Producers Leroy & Jean Johnson
Leroy and Jean Johnson have devoted over thirty years to investigating and writing about the Manly/Rogers expedition and rescue in 1849. They are the undisputed authorities on the subject and [...]
Kevin Starr, Ph.D. Historian / Advisor / On-Camera Scholar
American historian and prolific writer, Kevin Starr was best known for his multi-volume series collectively called, Americans and the California Dream. Widely acknowledged as the premier historian of California, the [...]
Music Composer Bill Edwards
Composer and multi-instrumentalist Bill Edwards draws on the roots of American song to create new music that frames and drives great American stories. His scores and songs have been featured [...]